Devour'd each other: Nor ftood much in awe
Of man, but fled him, or with countenance grim,
Glar'd on him pafsing.

The noblest and most majestick pauses which our verfification admits, are upon the fourth and fixth fyllables, which are both ftrongly founded in a pure and regular verfe, and at either of which the line is fo divided, that both members participate of harmony.

But now at last the facred influence

Of light appears, and from the walls of heav'n
Shoots far into the bofom of dim night.
A glimmering dawn: here nature first begins
Her fartheft verge, and chaos to retire.

But far above all others, if I can give any credit to my own ear, is the rest upon the fixth fyllable, which taking in a complete compafs of found, fuch as is fufficient to conftitute one of our lyrick meafures, makes a full and folemn clofe. Some paffages which conclude at this ftop, I could never read without fome ftrong emotions of delight or admiration.

Before the hills appear'd or fountain flow'd,
Thou with the eternal wifdom didft converfe,
Wisdom thy fifter; and with her didft play
In prefence of the almighty Father, pleas'd
With thy celeftial fong.

Or other worlds they feem'd, or happy ifles,
Like thofe Hefperian gardens fam'd of old,
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flow'ry vales,
Thrice happy ifles! But who dwelt happy there,
He ftaid not to inquire.

He

He blew

His trumpet, heard in Oreb fince, perhaps
When GoD defcended; and, perhaps, once more
To found at generat doom.

If the poetry of Milton be examined, with regard to the paufes and flow of his verfes into each other, it will appear, that he has performed all that our language would admit; and the comparison of his numbers with thofe who have cultivated the fame manner of writing, wilk fhow that he excelled as much in the lower as the higher parts of his art, and that his skill in harmony was not less than his invention or his learning.

NUMB. 91. TUESDAY, January 29, 1751.

Dulcis inexpertis cultura potentis amici,
Expertus metuit.

To court the great ones, and to foothe their pride,
Seems a fweet talk to thofe that never tried;
But thofe that have, know well that danger's near.

nours.

HOR.

CREECH.

ΤΗ HE SCIENCES having long feen their votaries labouring for the benefit of mankind without reward, put up their petition to Jupiter for a more equitable diftribution of riches and hoJupiter was moved at their complaints, and touched with the approaching miseries of men, whom the SCIENCES, wearied with perpetual ingratitude, were now threatening to forfake, and who would have been reduced by their departure to feed in dens upon the maft of trees,

to

to hunt their prey in deferts, and to perish under the paws of animals ftronger and fiercer than themfelves.

A fynod of the celeftials was therefore convened, in which it was refolved, that PATRONAGE fhould defcend to the affiftance of the SCIENCES. PATRONAGE was the daughter of ASTREA, by a mortal father, and had been educated in the fchool of TRUTH, by the Goddeffes, whom she was now appointed to protect. She had from her mother that dignity of afpect, which ftruck terror into false merit, and from her mistress that reserve, which made her only acceffible to those whom the SCIENCES brought into her prefence.

She came down, with the general acclamation of all the powers that favour learning. HOPE danced before her, and LIBERALITY ftood at her fide, ready to scatter by her direction the gifts which FORTUNE, who followed her, was commanded to fupply. As the advanced towards Parnaffus, the cloud which had long hung over it, was immediately difpelled. The fhades, before withered with drought, fpread their original verdure, and the flowers that had languifhed with chilness brightened their colours, and invigorated their fcents; the Mufes tuned their harps and exerted their voices; and all the concert of nature welcomed her arrival.

On Parnaffus the fixed her refidence, in a palace raised by the SCIENCES, and adorned with whatever could delight the eye, elevate the imagination, or enlarge the understanding. Here the difperfed the gifts of FORTUNE with the impartiality of JUSTICE, and the difcernment of TRUTH.

Her

Her gate ftood always open, and HOPE fat at the portal, inviting to entrance all whom the SCIENCES numbered in their train. The court was therefore thronged with innumerable multitudes, of whom, though many returned difappointed, feldom any had confidence to complain; for PATRONAGE was known to neglect few, but for want of the due claims to her regard. Thofe, therefore, who had folicited her favour without fuccefs, generally withdrew from publick notice, and either diverted their attention to meaner employments, or endeavoured to fupply their deficiencies by clofer application.

In time, however, the number of thofe who had mifcarried in their pretenfions grew fo great, that they became lefs afhamed of their repulses; and instead of hiding their difgrace in retirement, began to befiege the gates of the palace, and obftruct the entrance of fuch as they thought likely to be more careffed. The decifions of PATRONAGE, who was but half a Goddefs, had been fometimes erroneous; and though fhe always made hafte to rectify her mistakes, a few inftances of her fallibility encouraged every one to appeal from her judgment to his own and that of his companions, who are always ready to clamour in the common caufe, and elate each other with reciprocal applaufe.

HOPE was a feady friend to the disappointed, and IMPUDENCE incited them to accept a fecond invitation, and lay their claim again before PATRONAGE. They were again, for the most part, fent back with ignominy, but found HOPE not alienated, and IMPUDENCE more resolutely zeal

ous;

ous; they therefore contrived new expedients, and hoped at laft to prevail by their multitudes which were always increafing, and their perfeverance which HOPE and IMPUDENCE forbad them to relax.

PATRONAGE having been long a ftranger to the heavenly affemblies, began to degenerate towards terrestrial nature, and forget the precepts of JUSTICE and TRUTH. Instead of confining her friendship to the SCIENCES, fhe fuffered herfelf, by little and little, to contract an acquaintance with PRIDE, the fon of FALSEHOOD, by whofe embraces fhe had two daughters, FLATTERY and CAPRICE. FLATTERY was nurfed by LIBERALITY, and CAPRICE by FORTUNE, without any affiftance from the lef fons of the SCIENCES.

PATRONAGE began openly to adopt the fentiments and imitate the manners of her husband, by whofe opinion fhe now directed her decifions with very little heed to the precepts of TRUTH; and as her daughters continually gained upon her affections, the SCIENCES loft their influence, till none found much reason to boaft of their reception, but those whom CAPRICE or FLATTERY conducted to her throne.

The throngs who had fo long waited, and so often been difmiffed for want of recommendation from the SCIENCES, were delighted to fee the power of thofe rigorous Goddeffes tending to its extinction. Their patroneffes now renewed their encouragements. HOPE fmiled at the approach of CAPRICE, and IMPUDENCE was always at hand to introduce her clients to FLATTERY.

PATRONAGE had now learned to procure herself reverence by ceremonies and formalities, and in

ftead