240 But in fuch lays as neither ebb nor flow, But the joint force and full refult of all. 245 Thus when we view fome well-proportion'd dome, (The world's just wonder, and ev'n thine, O Rome!) No fingle parts unequally furprize, All comes united to th' admiring eyes; COMMENTARY. 250 parts must be fashioned with regard to their mutual relations, in the stations they occupy in that whole, from whence, the beauty required is to arife: But that regard will occafion fo unreducible a form in each part, when confidered fingly, as to prefent a very mis-fhapen appearance. NOTES. VER. 248. The world's just wonder, and ev'n thine, O Rome!] The Pantheon. There is fomething very Gothic in the taste and judgment of a learned man, who defpifes this masterpiece of Art, for thofe very qualities which deferve our admiration.- "Nous efmerveillons comme l'on fait fi grand cas de ce Pantheon, veu que fon edifice n'eft de fi grande "industrie comme l'on crie: car chaque petit Masson peut "bien concevoir la maniere de fe façon tout en un instant: "car eftant la base fi maffive, et les murailles fi efpaiffes, ne 66 nous a femblé difficile d'y adjoufter la voute à claire voye." Pierre Belon's Obfervations, etc. The nature of the Gothic No monftrous height, or breadth, or length appear; The Whole at once is bold, and regular. Whoever thinks a faultlefs piece to fee, Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er fhall be. In ev'ry work regard the writer's End, 255 Since none can compass more than they intend; COMMENTARY. VER. 253. Whoever thinks a faultless piece to fee,] He fhews next [from ver. 252 to 264.] that to fix our cenfure on single parts, tho' they happen to want an exactness consistent enough with their relation to the rest, is even then very unjuft: And for these reasons, 1. Because it implies an expectation of a faultless piece, which is a vain imagination: 2. Because no more is to be expected of any work than that it fairly attains its end: But the end may be attained, and yet these trivial faults committed: Therefore, in fpight of such faults, the work will merit that praise that is due to every thing which attains its end. 3. Because fometimes a great beauty is not to be procured, nor a notorious blemish to be avoided, but by fuffering one of thefe minute and trivial errors. 4. And laftly, because the general neglect of them is a praise; as it is the indication of a Genius, attentive to greater matters. NOTES. Atructures apparently led him into this mistake of the Architectonic art in general; that the excellency of it confisted in raising the greatest weight on the leaft affignable fupport, fo that the edifice should have ftrength without the appearance of it, in order to excite admiration. But to a judicious eye it would have a contrary effect, the Appearance (as our poet expreffes it) of a monstrous height, or breadth, or length. Indeed did the juft proportions in regular Architecture take off from the grandeur of a building, by all the fingle parts coming united to the eye, as this learned traveller seems to infinuate, it would be a reasonable objection to thofe rules on which this Mafter-piece of Art was conftructed. But it is not fo. The Poet tells us truly, "The Whole at once is BOLD and regular." And if the means be juft, the conduct true, COMMENTARY. VER. 263. Moft Critics, fond of fame fubfervient art, etc.] II. The fecond way in which a narrow capacity, as it relates to the matter, fhews itself, is judging by a favorite Part. The author has placed this [from ver. 262 to 285.] after the other of judging by parts, with great propriety, it being indeed a natural confequence of it. For when men have once left the whole to turn their attention to the feparate parts, that regard and reverence due only to a whole is fondly transferred to one or other of its parts. And thus we fee that Heroes themselves as well as Hero-makers, even Kings as well as Poets and Critics, when they chance never to have had, or long to have loft the idea of that which is the only legitimate object of their office, the care and confervation of the whole, are wont to devote themselves to the fervice of fome favourite part, whether it be love of money, military glory, defpotic power, etc. And all, as our Author fays on this occafion, " to one lov'd Folly facrifice." This general mifconduct much recommends that maxim in good Poetry and Politics, to give a principal attention to the whole; a maxim which our author has elfewhere fhewn to be equally true likewife in Morals and Religion; as being founded 1 Once on a time, La Mancha's Knight, they say, A certain Bard encount'ring on the way, Difcours'd in terms as juft, with looks as fage, As e'er could Dennis, of the Grecian ftage; 270 Concluding all were defp'rate fots and fools, Who durft depart from Aristotle's rules. Our Author, happy in a judge fo nice, Produc'd his Play, and begg'd the Knight's advice; COMMENTARY. in the order of things: For if we examine, we shall find the mifconduct here complained of, to arise from this imbecility of our nature, that the mind must always have fomething to rest upon, to which the paffions and affections may be interestingly directed. Nature prompts us to feek it in the most worthy object; and common fenfe points out to a Whole or Syftem: But Ignorance, and the falfe lights of the Paffions, confound and dazzle us; we ftop fhort, and before we get to a Whole, take up with fome Part; which from thence becomes our Favourite. NOTES. VER. 267. Once on a time, etc.] This tale is fo very appofite, that one would naturally take it to be of the Poet's own invention; and fo much in the fpirit of Cervantes, that we might eafily mistake it for one of the chief beauties of that incomparable Satire. Yet, in truth it is neither; but a story taken by our Author from the Spurious Don Quixote; which fhews how proper an ufe may be made of general reading, when if there be but one good thing in a book (as in that wretched performance there fcarce was more) it may be picked out, and employ'd to an excellent purpofe. Made him observe the subject, and the plot, 275 The manners, paffions, unities; what not? All which, exact to rule, were brought about, Were but a Combat in the lifts left out. "What leave the Combat out?" exclaims the Knight; Yes, or we must renounce the Stagirite. 280 "Not fo, by Heav'n" (he anfwers in a rage) "Knights, fquires, and fteeds, must enter on "the stage." So vaft a throng the stage can ne'er contain. “Then build a new, or act it in a plain." Thus Critics of lefs judgment than caprice, 285 Curious not knowing, not exact but nice, COMMENTARY. VER, 285. Thus Critics of lefs judgment than caprice, Form foort ideas, etc.] 2. He concludes his obfervations on thofe two forts of Judges by parts, with this general reflection-The curious not knowing are the first fort, who judge by parts, and with a microscopic fight (as he fays elfewhere examine bit by bit: The not exact but nice, are the fecond, who judge by a favourite part, and talk of a whole to cover their fondness for a part; as Philofophers do of principles, in order to obtrude notions and opinions in their stead. NOTES. VER. 285. Thus Critics of lefs judgment than caprice, Curious not knowing, not exact but nice.] In these two lines the poet finely defcribes the way in which bad writers are wont to imitate the qualities of good ones. As true Judgment |