one opinion or one style with another; and, when he compares, muft neceffarily diftinguifh, reject, and prefer. But the account given by himself of his ftudies was, that from fourteen to twenty he read only for amusement, from twenty to twenty-feven for improvement and inftruction; that in the firft part of this time he defired only to know, and in the fecond he endeavoured to judge.

The paftorals, which had been for fome time handed about among poets and criticks, were at laft printed (1709) in Tonfon's Mifcellany, in a volume which began with the Paftorals of Philips, and ended with thofe of Pope.

The fame year was written the "Effay on Criti"cifm;" a work which difplays fuch extent of comprehenfion, fuch nicety of diftinction, fuch acquaintance with mankind, and fuch knowledge both of ancient and modern learning, as are not often attained by the matureft age and longeft experience. It was published about two years afterwards; and, being praised by Addison in the "Spectator" with fufficient liberality, met with fo much favour as enraged Dennis," who," he says, " found himself attacked, with"out any manner of provocation on his fide, and at"tacked in his perfon, instead of his writings, by

one who was wholly a ftranger to him, at a time "when all the world knew he was perfecuted by "fortune; and not only faw that this was attempted " in a clandeftine manner, with the utmost falsehood "and calumny, but found that all this was done by "a little affected hypocrite, who had nothing in "his mouth at the fame time but truth, candour,

"friend

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friendship, good-nature, humanity, and magna "nimity."

How the attack was clandeftine is not eafily perceived, nor how his perfon is depreciated; but he feems to have known fomething of Pope's character, in whom may be difcovered an appetite to talk too frequently of his own virtues.

The pamphlet is fuch as rage might be expected to dictate. He fuppofes himself to be asked two queftions; whether the Effay will fucceed, and who or what is the author.

Its fuccefs he admits to be fecured by the false opinions then prevalent; the author he concludes to be" young and raw."

"First, because he difcovers a fufficiency beyond "his laft ability, and hath rafhly undertaken a task infinitely above his force. Secondly, while this "little author ftruts, and affects the dictatorian air, "he plainly fhews, that at the fame time he is under "the rod and, while he pretends to give laws to "others, is a pedantick flave to authority and opinion.

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Thirdly, he hath, like fchool-boys, borrowed both "from living and dead. Fourthly, he knows not "his own mind, and frequently contradicts himself. "Fifthly, he is almoft perpetually in the wrong."

All thefe pofitions he attempts to prove by quotations and remarks; but his defire to do mifchief is greater than his power. He has, however, juftly criticised some paffages in these lines :

There are whom Heaven has blefs'd with ftore of Wit,
Yet want as much again to manage it;

For Wit and Judgement ever are at ftrife

It is apparent that wit has two meanings, and that what is wanted, though called wit, is truly judgment. So far Dennis is undoubtedly right; but not content with argument, he will have a little mirth, and triumphs over the firft couplet in terms too elegant to be forgotten. "By the way, what rare "numbers are here! Would not one fwear that this

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youngfter had efpoufed fome antiquated Mufe, who "had fued out a divorce on account of impotence "from fome fupperannuated finner; and, having been "p-xed by her former fpoufe, has got the gout "in her decrepit age, which makes her hobble fo "damnably?" This was the man who would reform a nation finking into barbarity.

In another place Pope himself allowed that Dennis had detected one of those blunders which are called "bulls." The first edition had this line,

What is this wit

Where wanted fcore'd; and envied where acquired?

"How," fays the critick, "can wit be fcorn'd where "it is not? Is not this a figure frequently employed "in Hibernian land? The perfon that wants this wit

may indeed be fcorned, but the fcorn fhews the "honour which the contemner has for wit." Of this remark Pope made the proper use, by correcting the paffage.

I have preferved, I think, all that is reasonable in Dennis's criticifi; it remains that juftice be done to his delicacy. "For his acquaintance (fays Dennis) "he names Mr. Walth, who had by no means "the qualification which this author reckons abfo"lutely neceffary to a critick, it being very certain VOL. III. ❝s that

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"that he was, like this Effayer, a very indifferent 66 poet; he loved to be well-dreffed; and I remem"ber a little young gentleman whom Mr. Walfh used "to take into his company, as a double foil to his person "and capacity. Enquire, between Sunning-hill and Oakingham, for a young, fhort, fquab gentleman, "the very bow of the God of Love, and tell me "whether he be a proper author to make perfonal "reflections-He may extol the ancients, but he "has reason to thank the gods that he was born a "modern; for had he been born of Grecian parents, "and his father confequently had by law had the "abfolute difpofal of him, his life had been no longer than that of one of his poems, the life of half a day. Let the perfon of a gentleman of his parts be never fo contemptible, his inward man "is ten times more ridiculous; it being impoffible "that his outward form, though it be that of downright monkey, fhould differ fo much from human

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shape, as his unthinking, immaterial part does from human understanding." Thus began the hoftility between Pope and Dennis, which, though it was fufpended for a fhort time, never was appeafed. Pope feems, at first, to have attacked him wantonly; but, though he always profeffed to defpife him, he 'difcovers, by mentioning him very often, that he felt his force or his venom.

Of this Effay, Pope declared, that he did not expect the fale to be quick, becaufe "not one gentle"man in fixty, even of liberal education, could underftand it." The gentlemen, and the education of that time, feem to have been of a lower character

than

than they are of this. He mentioned a thousand copies as a numerous impreffion.

Dennis was not his only cenfurer: the zealous Papifts thought the monks treated with too much contempt, and Erafmus too ftudioufly praised; but to these objections he had not much regard.

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The Effay" has been tranflated into French by Hamilton, author of the "Comte de Grammont,' whofe verfion was never printed, by Robotham, fecretary to the King for Hanover, and by Refnel; and commented by Dr. Warburton, who has difcovered in it fuch order and connection as was not perceived by Addison, nor, as is faid, intended by the author.

Almoft every poem, confifting of precepts, is for far arbitrary and immethodical, that many of the of the paragraphs may change places with no apparent inconvenience; for of two or more pofitions, depending upon fome remote and general principle, there is feldom any cogent reafon why one fhould precede the other. But for the order in which they ftand, what-, ever it be, a little ingenuity may eafily give a reafon. "It is poffible," fays Hooker," that, by long cir "cumduction, from any one truth all truth may be "inferred." Of all homogeneous truths,, at leaft of all truths refpecting the fame general end, in what-. ever feries they may be produced, a concatenation by intermediate ideas may be formed, such as, when, it is once fhewn, fhall appear natural; but if this order be reverfed, another mode of connection equally fpecious may be found or made. Ariftotle is praised for naming Fortitude firft of the cardinal virtues, as that without which no other virtue can steadily be practifed;

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