prepare the mind for more attainments. Had he presented Paradife Loft to the publick with all the pomp of system and severity of science, the criticism would perhaps have been admired, and the poem still have been neglected; but by the blandishments of gentleness and facility, he has made Milton an universal, favourite, with whom readers of every class think it necessary to be pleased. He descended now and then to lower difquisitions; and by a serious display of the beauties of Chevy Ghafe, exposed himself to the ridicule of Wagstaff, who bestowed a like pompous character on Tom Thumb; and to the contempt of Dennis, who, confidering the fundamental position of his criticism, that Chevy Chase pleases, and ought to please, because it is natural, observes, "that there is a way of deviating from nature, by bombaft or tumour, which foars above nature, and enlarges images beyond their real bulk; by affectation, which forsakes nature in quest of something unsuitable; and by imbecillity, which degrades nature by faintness and diminution, by obfcuring its appearances, and weakening its effects." In Chevy Chase there is not much of either bombaft or affectation; VOL. II. Ee but : but there is chill and lifeless imbecillity. The story cannot possibly be told in a manner that fhall make less impression on the mind. : Before the profound observers of the prefent race repose too fecurely on the consciousness of their fuperiority to Addison, let them confider his Remarks on Ovid, in which may be found specimens of criticism sufficiently fubtle and refined; let them peruse likewife his Essays on Wit, and on the Pleasures of Imagination, in which he founds art on the base of nature, and draws 'the principles of invention from difpofitions inherent in the mind of man, with skill and elegance, fuch as his contemners will not eafily attain. As a defcriber of life and manners, he must be allowed to stand perhaps the first of the first rank. His humour, which, as Steele observes, is peculiar to himself, is so happily diffused as to give the grace of novelty to domeftick fcenes and daily occur rences. He never outsteps the modesty of nature, nor raises merriment or wonder by the violation of truth. His figures neither divert by distortion, nor amaze by aggravation. He copies life with so much fidelity, that he can be hardly said to invent; yet his exhibitions have an air so much original, that it is difficult to suppose them not merely the product of imagination. ! As a teacher of wisdom, he may be confidently followed. His religion has nothing in it enthusiastick or fuperftitious: he appears neither weakly credulous nor wantonly sceptical; his morality is neither dangeroufly lax, nor impracticably rigid. All the enchantment of fancy, and all the cogency of argument, are employed to recommend to the reader his real interest, the care of pleasing the Author of his being. Truth is shewn sometimes as the phantom of a vision, sometimes appears half-veiled in an allegory; sometimes attracts regard in the robes of fancy, and sometimes steps forth in the confidence of reason. She wears a thousand dresses, and in all is pleasing. Mille habet ornatus, mille decenter habet. His profe is the model of the middle style; on grave fubjects not formal, on light occafions not groveling; pure without fcrupu : losity, and exact without apparent elaboration; always equable, and always easy, without glowing words or pointed sentences. Addison never deviates from his track to fnatch a grace; he seeks no ambitious ornaments, and tries no hazardous innovations. His page is always luminous, but never blazes in unexpected splendour. It was apparently his principal endeavour to avoid all harshness and feverity of diction; he is therefore sometimes verbose in his tranfitions and connections, and sometimes descends too much to the language of conversation; yet if his language had been lefs idiomatical, it might have lost somewhat of its genuine Anglicism. What he attempted, he performed; he is never feeble, and he did not wish to be energetick; he is never rapid, and he never stagnates. His sentences have neither studied amplitude, nor affected brevity: his periods, though not diligently rounded, are voluble and easy. Whoever wishes to attain an English style, familiar but not coarfe, and elegant but not oftentatious, must give his days and nights to the volumes of Addifon. HUGHES. J HUGHES. OHN HUGHES, the son of a citizen of London, and of Anne Burgess, of an ancient family in Wiltshire, was born at Marlborough, July 29, 1677. He was educated at a private school; and though his advances in literature are in the Biographia very oftentatioufly displayed, the name of his master is somewhat ungratefully concealed. At nineteen he drew the plan of a tragedy; and paraphrafed, rather too diffusely, the ode of Horace which begins Integer Vita. To poetry he added the science of musick, in which he seems to have attained confiderable skill, together with the practice of design, or rudiments of painting. His ftudies did not withdraw him wholly from business, nor did business hinder him from study. He had a place in the office of ordnance, and was secretary to several comEe3 miffions |