English Thou 12-20-26 13897 [ ] ADVERTISEMENT. I F I had adopted the hint of an intel ligent acquaintance, this Rhapsody would have endeavoured to have found its way to Lord Mansfield and to Lord Marchmont, the two furviving executors and trustees of Mr. Pope. But I declined the thought of addreffing it to any Man living, having obtained the permiffion of infcribing it to the greatest Lady in the three Kingdoms. The writer hopes, that the influence of her Royal Name will introduce it into the highest company, and that it may have the good fortune of obtaining the more friends, on the account of Her, who has not an enemy in the world. * Protected by the title of this Essay, which difdains method, the writer has faid fomething of every thing that has the most diftant relation to the Life and Writings of Mr. Pope. He has laid before the reader all the anecdotes, obfervations, and reflections, which offered themfelves for that purpose. Perhaps he has called off the Reader's attention from the main fubject, by a profufion of quotations, which occafion tautologies, to remark the pains that are taken to record what other people have faid. Memory, like a coy female, has fuffered herself to be wooed, but not to be compleatly won. By turning to the original authors, many errors are discoverable, though no very important ones. The Eflay has, without defign, all the negligence of converfation, instead of the correct nefs nefs of a claffical performance. But this compofition is not for the Learned, for they are above it; it is only for those who love to be amufed, and are fonder of warm fentiments than of grammatical perfection. In the Summer season, the season when this was written, a green lane and a verdant track, no matter how much out of the way, are better than the turnpike road; and a little deviation to the right and to the left may give more delight to the fancy than the geometrical nearness of strait line. The pleasure of the writer it to please the reader. He has no merecnary views. He "afks but the cheap reward of empty praise ;” which if he cannot honestly obtain, it will be enough for him to hope to avoid cenfure for what he has written, and to offend no more. |