other excellencies, I confess are above my imitation. One Ode,' which infinitely pleased me in the reading, I have attempted to translate in Pindarick verse it is that which is inscribed to the present Earl of Rochester, to whom I have particular obligations, which this small testimony of my gratitude can never pay. It is his darling in the Latin, and I have taken some pains to make it my masterpiece in English: for which reason, I took this kind of verse, which allows more latitude than any other. Every one knows it was introduced into our language, in this age, by the happy genius of Mr. Cowley. The seeming easiness of it has made it spread; but it has not been considered enough, to be so well cultivated. It languishes in almost every hand but his, and some very few, whom, to keep the rest in countenance, I do not name. He, indeed, has brought it as near perfection as was possible in so short a time. But if I may be allowed to speak my mind modestly, and without injury to his sacred ashes, somewhat of the purity of English, somewhat of more equal thoughts, somewhat of sweetness in the numbers,-in one word, somewhat of a finer

3 The 29th ode of the third book.-See vol. ii. p. 219. 4 I suppose the Pindaricks of Oldham, whom our author has so highly praised, were meant to be included within. this exception. It is not easy to point out the other poets whom he meant to except. Spratt and Duke had, I think, at this time written pindarick odes; but had no title to exemption from the general censure.

turn, and more lyrical verse, is yet wanting. As for the soul of it, which consists in the warmth and vigour of fancy, the masterly 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 essential, what rules of morality or respect have I broken, in naming the defects, that they may hereafter be amended? Imitation is a nice point, and there are few poets who deserve to be models in all they write. Milton's PARADISE LOST is admirable; but am I therefore bound to maintain, that there are no flats amongst his elevations, when it is evident he creeps along sometimes, for above an hundred lines together? Cannot I admire the height of his invention, and the strength of his expression, without defending his antiquated words, and the perpetual harshness of their sound? 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 lyrick poets, let me have leave to say, that in imitating him, our numbers should for the most part be lyrical: for variety, or rather where the majesty of the thought requires it, they may be stretched to the English heroick of five feet, and to the French Alexandrine of six. But the ear must preside, and direct the judgment to the choice of numbers. Without the nicety of this, the harmony or Pindarick verse can never be complete: the ca

50

PREFACE TO THE

dency of one line must be a rule to that of the next; and the sound of the former must slide gently into that which follows, without leaping from one extreme into another. It must be done like the shadowings of a picture, which fall by degrees into a darker colour. I shall be glad if I have so explained myself as to be understood, but if I have not, quod nequeo dicere, et sentio tantùm, must be my excuse.

There remains much more to be said on this subject; but to avoid envy, I will be silent. What I have said is the general opinion of the best judges, and in a manner has been forced from me, by seeing a noble sort of poetry so happily restored by one man, and so grossly copied by almost all the rest. A musical 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, expers ipsa secandi.

I hope it will not be expected from me, that I should say anything of my fellow undertakers in this Miscellany. Some of them are too nearly related to me," to be commended without sus

5 Here, as usual, our author has quoted from memory. Horace's words are-exors ipsa secandi. So above, Juvenal has-nequeo monstrare, et sentio tantùm.

"Dryden's eldest son, Charles, contributed a Latin poem to this Miscellany, entitled HORTI ARLINGTO

picion of partiality: others I am sure need it not; and the rest I have not perused.-To conclude, I am sensible that I have written this too hastily and too loosely; I fear I have been tedious, and which is worse, it comes out from the first draught, and uncorrected. This I grant is no excuse; for it may be reasonably urged, why did he not write with more leisure, or, if he had it not (which was certainly my case) why did he attempt to write on so nice a subject? The objection is unanswerable; but in part of recompense, let me assure the reader, that in hasty productions he is sure to meet with an author's present sense, which cooler thoughts would possibly have disguised. There is undoubtedly more of spirit, though not of judgment, in these uncorrect essays, and consequently though my hazard be the greater, yet the reader's pleasure is not the less. *

JOHN DRYDEN.

NIANI. Mr. William Bowles, and Mr. Stafford, are the only other contributors, whose names are given, and I know not whether either of them was related to our author.

* The dates of our author's smaller poems are not generally known. It may not be improper therefore to observe, that the pieces written by him, which appeared in the second Miscellany, are the Episode of Nisus and Euryalus, that of Lausus and Mezentius, and the Speech of Venus to Vulcan, (book viii.) from Virgil; various portions of the first five books of Lucretius; three Idylliums of

Theocritus; the third Ode of the first book of Horace inscribed to the Earl of Roscommon, on his intended voyages to Ireland; the 29th Ode of the third book, inscribed to Laurence Hyde, Earl of Rochester; the second Epode; and two songs,-Sylvia the fair, and Go tell Amynta, &c.

The collection of the preceding year (1684) contained MAC FLECKNOE, ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL, THE MEDAL, the third Idyllium of Theocritus, paraphrased, several prologues and epilogues, the fourth Eclogue of Virgil, translated, and the Tears of Amynta for the Death of Damon; most of which had previously been published.