But now, as nothing in this world, no not the most sacred or perfect things either of Religion or Government, can escape the stings of Envy, methinks I already hear these carpers objecting to the clearness of our Hero's title.

It would never (say they) have been esteemed sufficient to make a Hero for the Iliad or Eneis, that Achilles was brave enough to overturn one Empire, or Æneas pious enough to raise another, had they not been Goddess-born, and Princes-bred. What then did this Author mean, by erecting a Player instead of one of his Patrons (a person, never a Hero even on the stage ""), to this dignity of Colleague in the empire of Dulness; and Achiever of a work that neither old Omar, Attila, nor John of Leiden, could entirely bring to pass.

To all this we have, as we conceive, a sufficient answer from the Roman historian, Fabrum esse suæ quemque fortunæ: That every man is the Carver of his own fortune. The politic Florentine, Nicholas Machiavel, goeth still farther, and affirmeth that a man needeth but to believe himself a Hero to be one of the worthiest that ever breathed. "Let him (saith he) but fancy himself capable of high things, and he will of course be able to achieve the highest." From this principle it followeth, that nothing can exceed our Hero's prowess; as nothing ever equalled the greatness of his conceptions. Hear how he con stantly paragons himself; at one time, to ALEXANDER the Great and CHARLES the XII. of Sweden, for the

excess and delicacy of his Ambition; to HENRY the IV. of FRANCE, for honest Policy; to the first BRUTUS, for love of Liberty; to Sir ROBERT WALPOLE, for good Government while in power: at another time, to the godlike SOCRATES, for his Diversions and Amusements1; to HORACE, MONTAIGNE, and Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE, for an elegant Vanity that maketh them for ever read and admired; to TWO Lord CHANCELLORS, for Law, from whom, when confederate against him at the bar, he carried away the prize of Eloquences; and, to say all in a word, to the right reverend the Lord BISHOP of LONDON himself, in the art of writing Pastoral letters1.

Nor did his Actions fall short of the sublimity of his Conceit. In his early youth, he met the Revolutions face to face in Nottingham; at a time when other Patriots contented themselves to follow her. It was here he got acquainted with Old Battle-array, of whom he hath made so honourable mention in one of his immortal Odes". But he shone in Courts as well as Camps: he was called up when the Nation fell in labour of this Revolution: and was a gossip at her christening, with the Bishop and the Ladies. As to his Birth, it is true he pretendeth no relation

7

See Cibber's Life, p. 149. Ibid. p. 424.

6

"Old BATTLE-ARRAY in confusion is fled;

And olive-rob'd Peace is come in his stead," &c.

Colley Cibber's Birth-day Ode, or New-year's Ode (I don't know which), on the Peace.

Colley Cibber's Life, p. 57.

8

Ibid. 58, 59.

either to heathen God or Goddess; but what is as good, he was descended from a Maker of both. And that he did not pass himself on the world for a Hero, as well by birth as education, was his own fault: for, his lineage he bringeth into his life as an Anecdote, and is sensible he had it in his power to be thought nobody's son at all: and what is that, I pray you, but coming into the world a Hero?

But be it (the punctilious Laws of Epic Poesy so requiring) that a Hero of more than mortal birth must needs be procured for this achievement: even for this we have a resource. We can easily derive our Hero's pedigree from a Goddess of no small power and authority amongst men; and legitimate and install him after the right classical and authentic fashion for, like as the ancient Sages found a son of Mars in a mighty Warrior; a son of Neptune in a skilful seaman; a son of Phoebus in a harmonious Poet; so have we here, if need be, a son of FORTUNE in an artful Gamester. And who, I pray

1

you, fitter than the offspring of Chance, to assist in restoring the Empire of Night and Chaos?

There is in truth another objection of greater weight, namely, "That this Hero still existeth, and hath not yet finished his earthly course. For if Solon said well, that no man could be called happy till his death, surely much less can any one, till then, be pronounced a Hero: this species of men being far more subject than others to the caprices of Fortune and Humour." But to this also we have an answer, • Cibber's Life, p. 6. A very pitiful jest indeed!

• A Statuary.

which will (we hope) be deemed decisive. It cometh from himself; who, to cut this matter short, hath solemnly protested that HE WILL NEVER CHANGE OR

AMEND.

With regard to his Vanity, he declareth that nothing shall ever part them. "Nature (saith he) hath amply supplied me in Vanity; a pleasure which neither the pertness of Wit, nor the gravity of Wisdom, will ever persuade me to part with." Our poet had charitably endeavoured to administer a cure to it: But he telleth us plainly, "My superiors. perhaps may be mended by him; but for my part I own myself incorrigible. I look upon my Follies as the best part of my Fortune"." And with good reason we see to what they have brought him!

Secondly, as to Buffoonery, "Is it (saith he) a time of day for me to leave off these fooleries, and set up a new character? I can no more put off my Follies than my Skin; I have often tried, but they stick too close to me; nor am I sure my friends are displeased with them, for in this light I afford them frequent matter of mirth, &c. &c." Having then so pub-. licly declared himself INCORRIGIBLE, he is become dead in law (I mean the law Epopiaan), and devolveth upon the Poet; is now his property; and may be taken and dealt with like an old Egyptian Hero; that is to say, embowelled and embalmed for Posterity.

Nothing therefore (we conceive) remaineth to hinder his own prophecy of himself from taking im

2 Cibber's Life, p. 424.

Ibid. p. 17.

Ibid. p. 19.

mediate effect. A rare felicity! and what few Prophets have had the satisfaction to see, alive! Nor can we conclude better than with that extraordinary one of his, which is conceived in these Oraculous words, MY DULNESS WILL FIND SOMEBODY TO DO IT RIGHT 5.

6 Tandem PHOEBUS adest, morsusque inferre parantem Congelat, et patulos, ut erant, INDURAT hiatus".

6

Cibber's Life, p. 243, octavo edit.

• Ovid, of the serpent biting at Orpheus's head.

W.

"It is difficult to see the propriety and justness of this application from Ovid.