was supposed to bring her young into the world, a mere rude and shapeless mass: he was obliged to retouch them again and again, he acknowledged, before they acquired their proper form and beauty. Accordingly we are told, that after having fpent eleven years in compofing his Æneid, he intended to have set apart three more for the revisal of that glorious performance. But being prevented by his laft fickness from giving those finishing touches, which his exquifite judgment conceived to be still necessary, he directed his friends Tucca and Varius to burn the noblest poem that ever appeared in the Roman language. In the fame fpirit of delicacy Mr. Dryden tells us, that had he taken more time in tranflating this author, he might poffibly have fucceeded better; but never, he assures us, could he have fucceeded so well as to have satisfied himself....... In a word, Hortensrus, I agree with you that there is nothing more difficult than to fill up the character of an author, who proposes to raise a just and lasting admiration who is not contented with those little tranfient flashes of applause, which attend the ordinary ordinary race of writers, but confiders only how he may shine out to posterity; who extends his views beyond the present generation, and cultivates those productions which are to florish in future ages. What Sir William Temple observes of poetry, may be applied to every other work where taste and imagination are concerned: "It " requires the greatest contraries to com" pose it: a genius both penetrating and " solid; an expreffion both strong and de"licate. There must be a great agitation " of mind to invent, a great calm to judge " and correct: there must be upon the "same tree, and at the fame time, both " flower and fruit." But tho, I know you would not value yourself upon any performance, wherein these very opposite and very fingular qualities were not confpicuous; yet I must remind you at the fame time, that when the file ceases to polish, it muft necessarily weaken. You will remember therefore, that there is a medium between the immoderate caution of that orator who was three olympiads in writing a fingle oration; and the extravagant expedition of that poet, whose funeral pile was composed of his own numberless produc tions. I am, &c. LETTER LX. TO PALEMON, WRITE this while Cleora is angling I by my fide, under the shade of a pres ing elm that hangs over the banks of our river. A nightingale, more harmonious even than Strada's, is ferenading us from a hawthorn bush which smiles with all the gaiety of youth and beauty; while t gentle gales, Fanning their odorif'rous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Thofe balmy spoils. MILT. WHILST I am thus enjoying the innocent luxury of this vernal delight, I look back upon those scenes of turbulence wherein I was once engaged, with more than ordinary distaste, and despise myself for ever having entertained fo mean a thought as to be rich and great. One of our monarchs ufed used to say, " that he looked upon those to " be the happiest men in the nation, whose " fortune had placed them in the country, " above a high constable, and below the " trouble of a justice of peace." It is in a mediocrity of this happy kind that I here pass my life: with a fortune far above the necefsity of engaging in the drudgery of business; and with defires much too humble to have any relish for the splendid baits of ambition. You must not, however, imagine that I affect the Stoic, or pretend to have eradicated all my paffions: the sum of my philofophy amounts to no more than to cherish none but such as I may easily and innocently gratify, and to banish all the rest as fo many bold intruders upon my repose. endeavor to practise the maxim of a French poet, by confidering every thing that is not within my poffeffion as not worth having: pour m'affûrer le feul bien I Que l'on doit estimer au monde, Tout ce que je n'ai pas, je le compte pour rien. Is it not poffible, Palemon, to reconcile you to these unaspiring sentiments, and to lower your flight to the humble level of genuine nuine happiness? Let me at least prevail with you to spare a day or two from the certamina divitiarum, (as Horace I think calls them) froin those splendid contefts in which you are engaged, to take a view of the fort of life we lead in the country. If there is any thing wanting to complete the happiness I here find, it is that you are so feldom a witness to it. I am, &c. : T LETTER LXI. : To EUPHRONIUS. July 3, 1744. HE beauties of style seem to be generally confidered as below the attention both of an author and a reader. I know not therefore, whether I may venture to acknowledge, that among the numberless graces of your late performance, I particularly admired that strength and elegance with which you have enforced and adorned the noblest sentiments. - 1 nd it was THERE was a time however (and it a period of the trueft refinements) when an |