well known, and once fo much ap

plauded.

On the EARL of DORSET.

*(1) Dorset, the grace of courts, the Mufes pride,
(2) Patron of arts, and judge of nature, dy’d.
The fcourge of pride, though fanctify'd or great,
Of fops in learning, and of knaves in state. (3)
Yet foft in nature, (4) though fevere his lay,
His anger moral, and his wisdom gay.
(5) Bleft fatyrist! who touch'd the mean so true
As fhew'd, vice had his hate and pity too.
Bleft courtier! who could King and country please,
Yet (6) facred kept his friendship and his ease.
Bleft peer! his great forefather's every grace
Reflecting, and reflected on his race;
Where other Buckhursts, other Dorsets fhine
And patriots ftill, or poets, deck the line!

POPE.

(Johnson.)

"The firft diftich of this.

Epitaph contains a kind of information which few would want-that the man

for

*The fame references do for the Epitaph, Criticism, and Reply, which, in reading, fhould follow each other. In foine inftances, the Criticism and Reply are neceffarily without a correfponding number in the Epitaph.

for whom the tomb was erected (1) died, &c. What is meant by judge of nature, is not easy to say. Nature is not the object of human judgment; for it is vain to judge where we cannot alter. If by nature is meant what is commonly called nature by the critics, a just representation of things really existing and actions really performed, nature cannot be properly opposed to art; nature being in this sense only the best effect of art." (2)

"The fcourge of pride"

POPE.

"Of this couplet, the fecond line iş not, what is intended, an illuftration of the former, pride in the great, is indeed well enough connected with knaves in state *** but the mention of fanctified pride will not lead the thoughts to fops in learning *** but to fomething more gloomy and more formidable than foppery." (3)

"Yet foft his nature"

POPE.

"This is a high compliment, but was not first bestowed on Dorfet by Pope. (4) The next verse is extremely beautiful:

"Bleft fatyrift"

POPE.

"In this diftich is another line, of which Pope was not the author. (5) ***

"Bleft courtier"

POPE.

"Whether a courtier can be properly commended for keeping his eafe facred, may, perhaps, be disputable. * * * I wifh our poets would attend a little more accurately to the use of the word (6) facred, which furely fhould never be applied in a serious compofition, but where some reference may be made to a higher Being, or where fome duty is exacted or implied. *** I know not whether this Epitaph

be

be worthy either of the writer or of the man entombed." (7)

(Reply.) (1) The poet's meaning is very clear, unless it be purposely perverted-" Neither the rank nor accomplishments of Dorset exempted him from the common lot of all men"-this was not intended for information, but it is a natural reflection. (2) "A patron to artists, and himself a philofopher."

(3) He was the fcourge of pride wherefoever he found it-he corrected those pretenfions to learning where vanity was predominant, and had no respect to knaves in power." (4) If this was his real character, fhould it be fuppreffed because it had been faid before? Befides, it has nothing particular, and may be justly said of many, without incurring the cenfure of plagiarism.

(5) This

(5) This is an affertion without proof -as it is in the nature of an accufation, it ought to have been fupported.

(6) The word " facred" is frequently used without the least idea of a religious application

"Sacred to ridicule his whole life long,
And the fad burthen of fome merry fong."

POPE.

Nay, it required not Dr. Johnson's learning to know, that the Latin word from whence it is derived, fometimes fignifies the very reverse to any thing fet apart for divine ufes

Ego fum malus, ego fum facer, fceleftus.

PLAUTUS.

(7) It is worthy of both for ought that has appeared to the contrary-however, there is a fault, which, as it efcaped the notice of the poet (who furely had the best ear of the two) his critic

may