His precepts teach but what his works inspire. 660 They judge with fury, but they write with phlegm : Thee, bold Longinus! all the nine inspire, Thus long succeeding critics justly reigned, 1 Of Halicarnassus. 670 680 690 A second deluge learning thus o'er-run, At length Erasmus, that great injured name, But see! each muse, in Leo's golden days, Stones leaped to form, and rocks began to live; But soon by impious arms from Latium chased, But we, brave Britons, foreign laws despised, 1 Chiefly known by his Art of Poetry. 720 And here restored wit's fundamental laws. Such was the muse, whose rules and practice tell,1 "Nature's chief master-piece is writing well." Such was Roscommon, not more learned than good, To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known, Such late was Walsh-the muse's judge and friend, 730 The clearest head, and the sincerest heart. 1 Essay on Poetry by the Duke of Buckingham. Our poet is not the only one of his time who complimented this essay, and its noble author. Mr. Dryden had done it very largely in the dedication to his translation of the Eneid: and Dr. Garth in the first edition of his Dispensary says, - "The Tiber now no courtly Gallus sees, But smiling Thames enjoys his Normanbys. Though afterwards omitted, when parties were carried so high in the reign of Queen Anne, as to allow no commendation to an opposite in politics. The Duke was all his life a steady adherent to the Church of England party, yet an enemy to the extravagant measures of the court in the reign of Charles II. On which account after having strongly patronized Mr. Dryden, a coolness succeeded between them on that poet's absolute attachment to the court, which carried him some lengths beyond what the Duke could approve of. This nobleman's true character had been very well marked by Mr. Dryden before, "The muse's friend, True to his prince, but not a slave of state." Abs. and Achit. Our author was more happy, he was honoured very young with his friendship, and it continued till his death in all the circumstances of a familiar esteem. (Her guide now lost) no more attempts to rise, But in low numbers short excursions tries: Content, if hence the unlearned their wants may view, The learned reflect on what before they knew: Careless of censure, nor too fond of fame; Not free from faults, nor yet too vain to mend. 740 Nolueram, Belinda, tuos violare capillos; MART., Epigr. xii. 84. TO MRS. ARABELLA FERMOR.2 MADAM,-It will be in vain to deny that I have some regard for this piece, since I dedicate it to you. Yet you may bear me witness, it was intended only to divert a few young ladies, who have good sense and good humour enough to laugh not only at their 1 It appears, by this motto, that the following poem was written or published at the lady's request. But there are some further circumstances not unworthy relating. Mr. Caryl (a gentleman who was secretary to Queen Mary, wife of James II., whose fortunes he followed into France, author of the comedy of Sir Solomon Single, and of several translations in Dryden's Miscellanies) originally proposed the subject to him in a view of putting an end, by this piece of ridicule, to a quarrel that was risen between two noble families, those of Lord Petre and of Mrs. Fermor, on the trifling occasion of his having cut off a lock of her hair. The author sent it to the lady, with whom he was acquainted; and she took it so well as to give about copies of it. That first sketch (we learn from one of his letters) was written in less than a fortnight, in 1711, in two cantos only, and it was so printed; first, in a miscellany of Bern, Lintot's, without the name of the author. But it was received so well that he made it more considerable the next year by the addition of the machinery of the sylphs, and extended it to five cantos. This insertion he always esteemed, and justly, the greatest effort of his skill and art as a poet.- Warburton. Miss Arabella Fermor was, in 1714, married to Francis Perkins, Esq. of Ufton Court, Berks. Her portrait is still preserved at her father's seat, Tusmore. C |