In the first pair of fyllables the accent may deviate from the rigour of exactness, without any unpleafing diminution of harmony, as may be observed in the lines already cited, and more remarkably in this, Thou alfo mad'ft the night, Maker omnipotent! and thou the day. But, excepting in the first pair of fyllables, which may be confidered as arbitrary, a poet who, not having the invention or knowledge of Milton, has more need to allure his audience by mufical cadences, fhould feldom fuffer more than one aberration from the rule in any fingle verfe. There are two lines in this paffage more remarkably unharmonious: This delicious place, For us too large; where thy abundance wants Here the third pair of fyllables in the first, and fourth pair in the fecond verfe, have their accents retrograde or inverted; the first fyllable being strong or acute, and the fecond weak. The detriment which the measure suffers by this inverfion of the accents is fometimes lefs perceptible, when the verses are carried one into another, but is remarkably ftriking in this place, where the vicious verse concludes a period, and is yet more offenfive in rhyme, when we regularly attend to the flow of every single line. This will appear by reading a couplet in which Cowley, an author not fufficiently ftudious of harmony, has committed the fame fault. -his harmless life Does with fubftantial bleffedness abound, And the foft wings of peace cover him round. In these the law of metre is very grofsly violated by mingling combinations of found directly oppofite to each other, as Milton expreffes in his fonnet, by committing short and long, and fetting one part of the measure at variance with the rest. The ancients, who had a language more capable of variety than ours, had two kinds of verse, the Iambick, confifting of fhort and long fyllables alternately, from which our heroick measure is derived, and the Trochaick, confifting in a like alternation of long and fhort. These were confidered as oppofites, and conveyed the contrary images of speed and flownefs; to confound them, therefore, as in these lines, is to deviate from the established practice. But where the fenses are to judge, authority is not neceffary, the ear is fufficient to detect diffonance, nor fhould I have fought auxiliaries on fuch an occafion against any name but that of Milton. NUMB. 87. TUESDAY, January 15, 1751. Invidus, iracundus, iners, vinofus, amator, The flave to envy, anger, wine, or love, HOR. FRANCIS. HAT few things are fo liberally bestowed, THAT or fquandered with fo little effect, as good advice, has been generally obferved; and many fage pofitions have been advanced concerning the reasons of this complaint, and the means of removing it. It is indeed an important and noble enquiry, for little would be wanting to the happiness of life, if every man could conform to the right as foon as he was shown it. This perverfe neglect of the most falutary precepts, and stubborn resistance of the most pathetick perfuafion, is usually imputed to him by whom the counsel is received, and we often hear it mentioned as a fign of hopeless depravity, that though good advice was given, it has wrought no reformation. Others, who imagine themfelves to have quicker fagacity and deeper penetration, have found out that the inefficacy of advice is ufually the fault of the counsellor, and rules have been laid down, by which this important duty may be fuccessfully perVOL. V. H formed: : formed: We are directed by what tokens to discover the favourable moment at which the heart is dif pofed for the operation of truth and reafon, with what address to adminifter, and with what vehicles to disguise the catharticks of the foul. But, notwithstanding this fpecious expedient, we find the world yet in the fame ftate: advice is still given, but still received with disgust; nor has it appeared that the bitterness of the medicine has been yet abated, or its power encreased, by any methods of preparing it. If we confider the manner in which those who affume the office of directing the conduct of others execute their undertaking, it will not be very wonderful that their labours, however zealous or affectionate, are frequently useless. For what is the advice that is commonly given? A few general maxims, enforced with vehemence and inculcated with importunity, but failing for want of particular reference and immediate application. It is not often that any man can have fo much knowledge of another, as is neceflary to make inftruction useful. We are fometimes not ourselves confcious of the original motives of our actions, and when we know them, our first care is to hide them from the fight of others, and often from those most diligently, whofe fuperiority either of power or understanding may entitle them to infpect our lives; it is therefore very probable that he who endeavours the cure of our intellectual maladies, miftakes their caufe; and that his prefcriptions avail nothing, be cause he knows not which of the paffions or defires is vitiated. Advice Advice, as it always gives a temporary appearance of fuperiority, can never be very grateful, even when is is most neceffary or moft judicious. But for the fame reason every one is eager to inftruct his neighbours. To be wife or to be virtuous, is to buy dignity and importance at a high price; but when nothing is neceffary to elevation but detection of the follies or the faults of others, no man is fo infenfible to the voice of fame as to linger on the ground. Tentanda via eft, qua me quoque possim New ways I muft attempt, my groveling name VIRG. DRYDEN. Vanity is fo frequently the apparent motive of advice, that we, for the moft part, fummon our powers to oppose it without any very accurate enquiry whether it is right. It is fufficient that another is growing great in his own eyes at our expence, and affumes authority over us without our permiffion; for many would contentedly fuffer the confequences of their own mistakes, rather than the infolence of him who triumphs as their deliverer. It is, indeed, feldom found that any advantages are enjoyed with that moderation which the uncertainty of all human good fo powerfully enforces; and therefore the adviser may juftly suspect, that he has inflamed the opposition which he laments by arrogance and fupercilioufnefs. He may fufpect, but needs not haftily to condemn himself, for he can rarely be certain that the fofteft language or most humble H 2 |