But, before I enter on this fubject, I shall confider what is particular in the style of Philips, and examine what ought to be the style of heroick poetry, and next inquire how. far he is come up to that ftyle..

His ftyle is particular, because he lays afide rhyme, and writes in blank verse, and ufes old words, and frequently poftpones the adjective to the fubftantive, and the fubftantive to the verb; and leaves out little particles, a, and the; ber, and his; and ufes frequent appofitions. Now let us examine, whether these alterations of ftyle be conformable to the true fublime.

WALSH.

W AL SH.

ILLIAM WALSH, the fon of Jofeph Walth, Efq; of Abberley in Worcestershire, was born in 1663, as appears from the account of Wood; who relates, that at the age of fifteen he became, in 1678, a gentleman commoner of Wadham College.

He left the univerfity without a degree, and purfued his ftudies in London and at home; that he studied, in whatever place, is apparent from the effect; for he became, in Mr. Dryden's opinion, the beft critick in the

nation.

He was not, however, merely a critick or a fcholar, but a man of fashion, and, as Dennis remarks, oftentatiously splendid in his drefs. He was likewife a member of parliament and a courtier, knight of the fhire Gg 2

for

for his native county in several parliaments; in another the representative of Richmond in Yorkshire; and gentleman of the horse to Queen Anne under the duke of Somerset.

Some of his verfes fhew him to have been a zealous friend to the Revolution; but his political ardour did not abate his reverence or kindness for Dryden, to whom he gave a Differtation on Virgil's Paftorals, in which, however ftudied, he difcovers fome ignorance of the laws of French verfification.

the

In 1705, he began to correfpond with Mr. Pope, in whom he discovered very early power of poetry. Their letters are written upon the paftoral comedy of the Italians, and those paftorals which Pope was then preparing to publish.

The kindneffes which are firft experienced are feldom forgotten. Pope always retained a grateful memory of Walth's notice, and mentioned him in one of his latter pieces among those that had encouraged his juvenile ftudies:

Granville the polite,

And knowing Walfh, would tell me I could write.

In his Effay on Criticism he had given him more fplendid praise, and, in the opinion of his learned commentator, facrificed a little of his judgement to his gratitude.

The time of his death I have not learned. It must have happened between 1707, when he wrote to Pope; and 1721, when Pope praised him in his Effay. The epitaph makes him forty-fix years old: if Wood's account be right, he died in 1709.

He is known more by his familiarity with greater men, than by any thing done or written by himself.

His works are not numerous. In prose he wrote Eugenia, a defence of women; which Dryden honoured with a Preface,

Efculapius, or the Hofpital of Fools, published after his death.

A collection of Letters and Poems, amorous and gallant, was published in the volumes called Dryden's Mifcellany, and fome other occafional pieces.

To his Poems and Letters is prefixed a very judicious preface upon Epiftolary Compofition and Amorous Poetry.

In his Golden Age reflored, there was fomething of humour, while the facts were recent; but it now ftrikes no longer. In his imitation of Horace, the first stanzas are happily turned; and in all his writings there are pleafing paffages. He has however more elegance than vigour, and feldom rifes higher than to be pretty,