"wholly a stranger to him, at a time "when all the world knew he was per"fecuted by fortune; and not only faw "that this was attempted in a clan"deftine manner, with the utmoft falfe"hood and calumny, but found that "all this was done by a little affected "hypocrite, who had nothing in his "mouth at the fame time but truth, "candour, friendship, good-nature, humanity, and magnanimity."

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How the attack was clandeftine is not eafily perceived, nor how his perfon is depreciated; but he feems to have known fomething of Pope's character, in whom may be discovered an appetite to talk too frequently of his own vir

tucs."

B 4

The

The pamphlet is fuch as rage might be expected to dictate. He fuppofes himself to be afked two questions; whe

ther the Effay will fucceed, and who or what is the author.

Its fuccefs he admits to be fecured by the falfe opinions then prevalent; the author he concludes to be young and

raw.

First, because he difcovers a fufficiency beyond his little ability, and hath rafhly undertaken a task infinitely above his force. Secondly, while this little author ftruts, and affects the dictatorian. air, he plainly fhews that at the fame time he is under the rod, and while he pretends to give law to others is a pedantick flave to authority and opinion.

Thirdly, he hath, like fchoolboys, borrowed both from living and dead. Fourthly, he knows not his own mind,' and frequently contradicts himfelf. Fifthly, he is almoft perpetually in the wrong.

All thefe pofitions he attempts to prove by quotations and remarks; but his defire to do mifchief is greater than his power. He has, however, juftly criticised fome paffages. In thefe lines, There are whom heav'n has blefs'd with store of wit,

Yet want as much again to manage it; For wit and judgement ever are at ftrife

it is apparent that wit has two meanings, and that what is wanted, though called

called wit, is truly judgement. So far Dennis is undoubtedly right; but, not content with argument, he will have a little mirth, and triumphs over the first couplet in terms too elegant to be forgotten. "By the way, what rare num"bers are here! Would not one swear "that this youngster had efpoufed fome "antiquated Mufe, who had fued out "a divorce on account of impotence "from fome fuperannuated finner; and,.

1

having been p-xcd by her former

fpoufe, has got the gout in her de

crepit age, which makes her hobble "fo damnably." This was the man who would reform a nation finking into barbarity.

In another place Pope himself allowed that Dennis had detected one of thofe

blunders which are called bulls. The firft edition had this line:

What is this wit

Where wanted, fcorn'd, and envied where acquir'd?

"How," fays the critick, " can wit be "fcorn'd where it is not? Is not this a

figure frequently employed in Hiber

"nian land? The perfon that wants this "wit may indeed be fcorned, but the "fcorn fhews the honour which the " contemner has for wit." Of this remark Pope made the proper ufe, by correcting the paffage.

I have preferved, I think, all that is reasonable in Dennis's criticifm; it re