Then Criticism the Mufe's handmaid prov'd, COMMENTARY. ΙΙΟ For, as Ignorance, when joined with Humility, produces stupid admiration, on which account it is fo commonly obferved to be the mother of Devotion and blind homage; fo when joined with Vanity (as it always is in bad Critics) it gives birth to every iniquity of impudent abuse and flander. See an example (for want of a better) in a late ridiculous and now forgotten thing, called the Life of Socrates: where the Head of the author (as a man of wit obferved, on reading the book) has just made a fhift to do the office of a Camera obfcura, and represent things in an inverted order; himself above, and Sprat, Rollin, Voltaire, and every other writer of reputation, below. NOTES. VER. 112. Some on the leaves-Some drily plain,] The first the Apes of thofe Italian Critics who at the restoration of letters These leave the fenfe, their learning to difplay, Know well each ANCIENT'S proper character ; COMMENTARY. VER, 118. You then whofe fudgment, etc.] He comes next to the ancient Poets, the other and more intimate commentators of Nature. And fhews [from ver. 117 to 141.] that the study of These must indifpenfibly follow that of the ancient Critics, as they furnish us with what the Critics, who only give us general rules, cannot fupply: while the study of a great original Poet, in "His Fable, Subject, fcope in ev'ry page; "Religion, Country, genius of his Age;" will help us to thofe particular rules which only can conduct us NOTES. having found the claffic writers miferably deformed by the hands of monkifh Librarians, very commendably employed their pains and talents in reftoring them to their native purity. The fecond, the plagiaries from the French Critics, who had made fome admirable commentaries on the antient critics. But that acumen and tafte, which feparately constitute the diftinct value of thofe two fpecies of Italian and French Criticifm, make no part of the character of these paltry mimics at home, defcribed by our Poet in the following lines, "Thefe leave the fenfe, their learning to display, Which fpecies is the leaft hurtful, the Poet has enabled us to determine in the lines with which he opens his poem, "But of the two, lefs dang'rous is th' offence His Fable, Subject, fcope in ev'ry Page; VARIATIONS. 120 VER. 123. Cavil you may, but never criticize.] The author after this verse originally inferted the following, which he has however omitted in all the editions: Zoilus, had these been known, without a Name COMMENTARY. P. } fafely through every confiderable work we undertake to examine; and, without which, we may cavil indeed, as the Poet truly obferves, but can never criticize. We might as well fuppofe that Vitruvius's book alone would make a perfect Judge of Architecture, without the knowledge of fome great mafter-piece of science, fuch as the Rotonda at Rome, or the Temple of Minerva at Athens; as that Aristotle's should make a perfect Judge of wit, without the study of Homer and Virgil. These therefore he principally recommends to complete the Critic in his Art. But as the latter of these Poets has, by fuperficial judges been confidered rather as a copier of Homer, than an original from Nature, our Author obviates that common error, and shews it to have arisen (as often error does) from a truth, viz. that Homer and Nature were the fame; and how that the ambitious young Poet, though he fcorned to stoop at any thing fhort of Nature, when he came to understand this great truth, had the prudence to contemplate Nature in the place where she was seen to most advantage, collected in all her charms in the clear mirror of Homer. Hence it would Be Homer's works your ftudy and delight, And trace the Mufes upward to their spring. When firft young Maro in his boundless mind A work t' outlaft immortal Rome defign'd, 131 Perhaps he feem'd above the Critic's law, And but from Nature's fountain fcorn'd to draw: VER. 130. VARIATIONS. When firft young Maro fung of Kings and Wars, COMMENTARY. follow, that though Virgil ftudied Nature, yet the vulgar reader would believe him to be a copier of Homer, and though he copied Homer, yet the judicious reader would fee him to be an imitator of Nature: the finest praise which any one, who came after Homer, could receive. NOTES. VER. 130. When firft young Maro, etc.] Virg. Eclog. vi. Vellit. It is a tradition preferved by Servius, that Virgil began with writing a poem of the Alban and Roman affairs; which he found above his years, and defcended first to imitate Theo, critus on rural fubjects, and afterwards to copy Homer in Hẹroic poetry. P. 1 But when t'examine ev'ry part he came, Some beauties yet no Precepts can declare, 140 Are nameless graces which no methods teach, COMMENTARY. VER. 141. Some beauties yet no Precepts can declare, etc.] Our author, in these two general directions for studying Nature and her Commentators, having confidered Poetry as it is, or may be reduced to Rule; left this fhould be mistaken as fufficient to attain PERFECTION either in writing or judging, he proceeds [from ver. 140 to 201.] to point up to those sublimer beauties which Rules will never reach, nor enable us either to execute or taste: beauties, which rise fo high above all precept as not even to be defcribed by it; but being entirely the gift of Heaven, Art, and Reafon have no further share in them than just to regulate their operations. These Sublimities of Poetry, like the Mysteries of Religion (fome of which are above Reason, and fome contrary to it) may be divided into two forts, such as are above Rules, and fuch as are contrary to them. VER. 146. If, where the rules, etc.] The first sort our author |