in countenance) I do not name. He, indeed, has brought it as near perfection as was poffible in fo fhort a time. But if I may be allowed to speak my mind modeftly, and without injury to his facred afhes, fomewhat of the purity of the English, fomewhat of more equal thoughts, fomewhat of fweetness in the numbers, in one word, fomewhat of a finer turn, and more Lyrical Verfe, is yet wanting. As for the foul of it, which confifts in the warmth and vigour of fancy, the mafterly figures, and the copiousness of imagination, he has excelled all others in this kind. Yet if the kind itself be capable of more perfection, though rather in the ornamental parts of it, than the effential, what rules of morality or refpect have I broken, in naming the defects, that they may hereafter be amended? Imitation is a nice point, and there are few Foets who deferve to be models in all they write. Milton's Paradise Loft is admirable; but am I therefore bound to maintain, that there are no flats against his elevations, when 'tis evident he creeps along fometimes for above an hundred lines together? Cannot I admire the height of his invention, and the strength of his expreffion, without defending his antiquated words, and the perpetual harfhnefs of their found? It is as much commendation as a man can bear, to own him excellent; all beyond it is idolatry. Since Pindar was the prince of Lyric Poets, let me have leave to fay, that, in imitating him, our numbers fhould, for the most part, be Lyrical. For variety, or rather where the majefty of thought requires it, they may be ftretched to the English Heroic of five feet, and to the French Alexandrine of fix. But the car muft prefide, and direct the judgment to the choice of numbers. Without the nicety of this, the harmony of Pindaric Verfe can never be complete: the candency of one line must be a rule to that of the next: and the found of the former must flide gently into that which follows; without leaping from one extreme into another. It must be done like the fhadowings of a picture, which fall by degrees into a darker colour. I fhall be glad, if I have fo explained myself as to be understood; but if I have not, quod nequeo dicere & fentio tantùm, must be my excufe. There remains much more to be faid on this fubject; but, to avoid envy, I will be filent. What I have faid is the general opinion of the beft judges, and in a manner has been forced from me, by feeing a noble fort of Poetry fo happily reftored by one man, and fo grofly copied by almoft all the reft. A mufical ear, and a great genius, if another Mr. Cowley could arise in another age, may bring it to perfection. In the mean time, --Fungar vice cotis, acutum Reddere quæ ferrum valet, exfors ipfa fecandi. To conclude, I am fenfible that I have written this too hastily and too loofly: I fear I have been tedious, and, which is worfe, it comes out from the first draught, and uncorrected. This I grant is no excufe: for it may be reasonably urged, why did he not write with more leisure, or, if he had it not (which was certainly my cafe) why did he attempt to write on fo nice a subject? the objection is unaufwerable; but, in part of recompence, let me affure the reader, that, in hafty productions, he is fure to meet with an author's prefent fense, which cooler thoughts would poffibly have difguifed, There is undoubtedly more of fpirit, tho' not of judgment, in thefe uncorrect Effays, and confequently, though my hazard be the greater, yet the reader's pleasure is not the lefs. JOHN DRYDEN. A MARYLLI S Or, the THIRD IDYLLIUM of THEOCRITUS, Paraphrased. Amaryllis love compels my way, TMy browzing goats upon the mountains ftray: O Tityrus, tend them well, and fee them fed } Some |