Poems on Several Occasions

"mended it the more, that we might seem to be above the "cenfure, &c."

DRYDEN, Ibid.

"THIS is but doing juftice to my country; part of which "honour will reflect on your Lordship; whose thoughts are "always juft, your numbers harmonious, your words cho"fen, your expreffions strong and manly, your verfe flow“ing, and your turns as happy as they are easy. If you "would fet us more copies, your example would make all

precepts needlefs. In the mean time, that little you have "writ is owned, and that particularly by the poets (who are 66 a nation not over-lavish of praise to their contemporaries) 66 as a particular ornament to our language: but the sweet"eft effences are always confined in the smallest glasses.”

DRYDEN, Dedication to AURENGEzeb.

How great and manly in your Lordship, is your contempt of popular applaufe; and your retired virtue, which fhines only to a few; with whom you live fo easily and freely, that you make it evident, you have a foul which is capable of all the tenderness of friendship, and that you only retire yourfelf from thofe, who are not capable of returning it! Your kindness, where you have once plac'd it, is inviolable: and 'tis to that only I attribute my happiness in your love. This makes me more easily forfake an argument, on which I could otherwife delight to dwell: I mean your judgment in your choice of friends; because I have the honour to be one. After which, I am fure you will more eafily permit me to be silent, in the care you have taken of my fortune; which you have refcu'd, not only from the power of others, but from my worst of enemies, my own modefty and laziness. Which favour, had it been employ'd on a more deserving subject, had been an effect of justice in your nature; but as placed on me, is only charity. Yet withal, 'tis conferred on fuch a man, as prefers your kindness itself, before any of its confequences; and who values, as the greatest of your favours, thofe of your love, and of your converfation. From this conftancy to your friends, I might reasonably affume, that your refentments would be as itrong and lafting, if they were not restrained by a nobler principle of good-nature and generosity. For certainly, 'tis the fame compofition of mind, the fame refolution and courage, which makes the greatest friendships, and the

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greatest enmities. To this firmness in all your actions (tho' you are wanting in no other ornaments of mind and body, yet to this) I principally afcribe the interest your merits have acquir'd you in the Royal Family. A prince, who is conftant to himself, and steady in all his undertakings; one with whom the character of HORACE will agree,

"Si fractus illabatur orbis,
"Impavidum ferient ruinae,"

Such a one cannot but place an esteem, and repose a confi. dence on him, whom no adverfity, no change of courts, no bribery of interest, or cabal of factions, or advantages of fortune, can remove from the solid foundations of honour and fidelity.

"Ille meos, primus qui me fibi junxit, amores
"Abftulit, ille habeat fecum, fervetque fepulcro."

How well your Lordship will deferve that praise, I need no infpiration to foretel. You have already left no room for prophecy: Your early undertakings have been fuch, in the fervice of your king and country, when you offer'd yourself to the most dangerous employment, that of the sea: when you chose to abandon thofe delights, to which your youth and fortune did invite you, to undergo the hazards, and, which was worse, the company of common feamen; that you have made it evident, you will refufe no opportunity of rendring yourself useful to the nation, when either your courage or condu&t fhall be required.

Bishop BURNET, Preface to Sir T. MORE'S Utopia. OUR language is now certainly properer and more natural than it was formerly, chiefly fince the correction that was given by the Rehearfal: and it is to be hoped that the Effay on Poetry, which may be well match'd with the best pieces of its kind that even AUGUSTUS's age produced, will have a more powerful operation; if clear fenfe, joined with home, but gentle reproofs, can work more on our writers, than that unmerciful expofing of 'em has done.

ADDISON, Spectator, N° 253.

We have three Poems in our tongue, which are of the fame nature, and each of them a master-piece in its kind: the Ef

say on Translated Verfe, the Essay on Poetry, and the Effay on Criticism.

Lord LANSDOWN, Essay on Unnatural Flights, &c.
ROSCOMMON first, then MULGRAVE rofe, like light,
To clear our darkness, and to guide our flight:
With steady judgment, and in lofty founds,
They gave us patterns, and they fet us bounds.
The STAGYRITE and HORACE laid aside,
Inform'd by them we need no foreign guide:
Who feek from Poetry a lafting name,
May from their leffons learn the road to fame.

PRIOR, Alma, Cant. 2.
Happy the poet! bleft the lays!
Which BUCKINGHAM has deign'd to praise.

GARTH, Difpenfary.
Now Tyber's ftreams no courtly GALLUS fee,
But smiling Thames enjoys his NORMANBY.

POPE, Efay on Criticifm.

Yet fome there were among the founder few,
Of those who lefs prefum'd, and better knew,
Who durft affert the jufter ancient cause,
And here reftor'd Wit's fundamental laws.
Such was the muse, whose rules and practice tell,
"Nature's chief Master-piece is writing well."

POPE, Mifcellanies.

Mufe, 'tis enough, at length thy labour ends:
And thou shalt live; for BUCKINGHAM Commends.
Let crowds of criticks now my verse affail,
Let D--
-s write, and nameless numbers rail.
This more than pays whole years of thankless pain,
Time, health, and fortune, are not loft in vain:
SHEFFIELD approves; confenting PHOEBUS bends;
And I and malice from this hour are friends.