of life, to be concealed in gloomy and unprofitable folitude.

If we confider the votaries of this idle art with respect to fame, that fingle recompence which they pretend to derive, or indeed to feek, from their ftudies; we fhail find, they do not by any means enjoy an equal proportion of it with the fons of Oratory. For even the best poets fall within the notice of but a very fmall proportion of mankind; whilft indifferent ones are univerfally disregarded. Tell me, Maternus, did ever the reputation of the most approved rehearsal of the poetical kind, reach the cognizance even of half the town; much lefs extend itself to diftant provinces? Did ever any foreigner, upon his arrival here, inquire after Baffus? Or if he did, it was merely as he would after a picture or a statue; just to look upon him, and pass on. I would in no fort be understood as difcouraging the pursuit of poetry, in those who have no talents for oratory; if happily they can by that means amuse their leisure and establish a just character. I look upon every fpecies of Eloquence as venerable and facred; and give her the preference in whatever Cc 2 guife

guife she may think proper to appear, to any other of her fifter-arts: not only, Maternus, when she exhibits herself in your chosen favorite, the folemn tragedy, or lofty heroic, but even in the pleasant lyric, the wanton elegy, the severe iambic, the witty epigram, or, in one word, in whatever other habit she is pleased to affume. But (I repeat it again) my complaint is levelled fingly against you; who, defigned as you are by nature for the most exalted rank of eloquence, choose to defert your station, and deviate into a lower order. Had you been endued with the athletic vigor of Nicostratus, and born in Greece, where arts of that fort are esteemed not unworthy of the most refined characters; as I could not patiently have fuffered that uncommon ftrength of arm, formed for the nobler combat, to have idly spent itself in throwing the javelin, or toffing the coit: fo I now call you forth from rehearsals and theatres, to the forum, and business, and high debate: especially · fince you cannot urge the fame plea for engaging in poetry which is now generally alledged, that it is lefs liable to give offence. than oratory. For the ardency of your ge

nius has already flamed forth, and you have incurred the difpleasure of our fuperiors: not, indeed, for the fake of a friend; That would have been far lefs dangerous; but in fupport, truly, of Cato! Nor can you offer in excufe, either the duty of your profeffion, juftice to your client, or the unguarded heat of debate. You fixed, it fhould feem, upon this illustrious and popular fubject with deliberate defign, and as a character that would give weight and authority to your fentiments. You will reply (I am aware)" it was that very circumstance "which gained you fuch univerfal applaufe, "and rendered you the general topic of dif "course," Talk no more then, I beseech you, of fecurity and repofe, whilst you thus induftriously raise up to yourself fo potent an adverfary. For my own part, at least, I am contented with engaging in queftions of a more modern and private nature; wherein, if in defence of a friend I am under a neceffity of taking liberties unacceptable, perhaps, to my superiors, the honeft freedom of my zeal will, I trust, not only be excufed but applauded.

AFTER having delivered this with his ufual

CC 3

ufual warmth and earnestness; I am prepar`d (replied Maternus, in a milder tone and with an air of pleasantry) to draw up a charge against the orators, no less copious than my friend's panegyric in their behalf. I fufpected, indeed, he would turn out of his road, in order to attack the poets: tho' I must own at the fame time, he has fomewhat foftened the feverity of his fatire, by certain conceffions he is pleased to make in their favor. He is willing, I perceive, to allow thofe whofe genius does not point to oratory, to apply themselves to poetry. Nevertheless, I do not fcruple to acknowledge, that with some talents, perhaps for the forum, I chofe to build my reputation on dramatic poetry. The first attempt I made for this purpose, was by expofing the dangerous power of Vatinius: a power which even Nero himself difapproved, and which that infamous favorite abused, to the profanation of the facred Mufes. And I am perfuaded, if I enjoy any share of fame, it is to poetry rather than to orato.. that I am indebted for the acquifition. It is my fixed purpose, therefore, entirely to withdraw myself from the fatigue of the

ry

bar,

bar. I am by no means ambitious of that fplendid concourse of clients, which Aper has reprefented in fuch pompous colors, any more than I am of thofe fculptured honors which he mentioned; tho' I must confess, they have made their way into my family, notwithstanding my inclinations to the contrary. Innocence is, now at least, a furer guard than eloquence; and I am in no apprehenfion I shall ever have occafion to open my lips in the fenate, unless, perhaps, in defence of a friend.

WOODS and groves and folitude, the objects of Aper's invective, afford me, I will own to him, the most exquifite fatisfaction. Accordingly, I efteem it one of the great privileges of poetry, that it is not carried on in the noife and tumult of the world, amidst the painful importunity of anxious fuitors, and the affecting tears of diftreffed criminals. On the contrary, a mind enamored of the Mufes, retires into fcenes of innocence and repofe, and enjoys the facred haunts of filence and contempla-. tion. Here genuine Eloquence received her birth, and here the fixed her facred and fequestered manfion. 'Twas bere, in de