Pretty in amber to observe the forms Of hairs, or straws, or dirt, or grubs, or worms! 170 NOTES. could collect together the several graces of Masinissa, Xenophon, and Plato, he might then be enabled to give the public some faint and imperfect resemblance of his person. Nor was Salmasius's judgment of his own parts less favourable to himself; as Mr. Colomies tells the story. This critic, on a time, meeting two of his brethren, Messrs. Gaulman and Maussac, in the royal library at Paris, Gaulman, in a virtuous consciousness of their importance, told the other two, that he believed they three could make head against all the learned in Europe. To which the great Salmasius fiercely replied: "Do you and M. Maussac join yourselves to all that are learned in the world, and you shall find that I alone am a match for you all." Vossius tells us, that when Laur. Valla had snarled at every name of the first order in antiquity, such as Aristotle, Cicero, and one whom I should have thought this critic the likeliest to reverence, the redoubtable PRISCIAN, he impiously boasted that he had arms even against Christ himself. But Codrus Urcaus went further, and actually used those arms which the other only threatened with. This man, while he was preparing some trifling piece of criticism for the press, had the misfortune to hear his papers were destroyed by fire; on which he is reported to have broke out: "Quodnam ego tantum scelus concepi, O Christe! quem ego tuorum unquam læsi, ut ita inexpiabili in me odio debaccheris? Audi ea quæ tibi mentis compos, et ex animo dicam. Si forte, cum ad ultimum vitæ finem pervenero, supplex accedam ad te oratum, neve audias, neve inter tuos accipias oro; cum infernis Diis in æternum vitam agere decrevi." Whereupon, says my author, he quitted the converse of men, threw himself into the thickest of a forest, and wore out the wretched remainder of his life in all the agonies of despair. Warburton. This attack by Warburton upon the early promoters of literature is much too indiscriminate, and is by no means called for by the passage in Pope, in which he meant only to refer to his contemporary critics and word-catchers. That the GENIUS, or rather the professors of PHILOLOGY are deservedly characterized by the name The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, NOTES. name of ribalds, is a strange assertion for a commentator who has devoted so considerable a portion of his time to that employment, and has not been sparing of his sarcasms on those who have not always agreed with him in opinion. Of the names mentioned with such contempt by Warburton, many are far beyond his power to depreciate, and the manner in which he speaks of Argyropylus, Lascar, Hermolaus Barbarus, Pomponius Lætus, &c. shews that he was but little acquainted with their characters. To cast a ridicule on learning, by repeating a series of absurd imputations on its professors, many of which have not the slightest foundation in truth, is certainly not the business either of a scholar or a divine. That in their dissensions the early critics often transgressed the bounds of civility, and even of decency, is well known; but to revive these exploded calumnies, in order to discredit the study of philology itself, can scarcely be allowed; particularly when we consider that the person who brings them forward, has both attacked others and been attacked himself, with a degree of asperity and virulence not exceeded by any of the critics of former times, of which a sufficient instance appears in the ensuing notes on ver. 169. Ver. 164. slashing Bentley] This great man, with all his faults, deserved however to be put into better company. The following words of Cicero describe him not amiss: "Habuit à naturâ genus quoddam acuminis, quod etiam arte limaverat, quod erat in reprehendendis verbis versutum et solers; sed sæpe stomachosum, nonnunquam frigidum, interdum etiam facetum." Warburton. Ver. 164. slashing Bentley] The following epigram by Pope, on Bentley's edition of Milton, to which the epithet "slashing" alludes, I have found in his hand-writing: "Did Milton's prose, O Charles! thy death defend? A furious foe unconscious proves a friend. While he but sought his author's fame to further, Bowles. Were others angry: I excused them too; Well might they rage, I gave them but their due. NOTES. This epigram is rendered quite unintelligible in Mr. Bowles's edition, by a misprint in the third line, where we read, "On Milton's verse did Milton comment," &c. Ver. 169. Pretty! in amber to observe the forms, &c.] Our poet had the full pleasure of this amusement soon after the publication of his Shakespear. Nor has his friend been less entertained since the appearance of his edition of the same poet; the liquid amber of whose wit has lately licked up and enrolled such a quantity of these insects, and of tribes so grotesque and various, as would have puzzled Reaumur to give names to. Two or three of them it may not be amiss to preserve and keep alive: Such as the Rev. Dr. Zachary Grey, Thomas Edwards, Esq. and, to make up the triumvirate, their learned coadjutor, that very respectable personage, Mr. Theophilus Cibber. As to the poetic imagery of this passage, it has been much and justly admired; for the most detestable things in nature, as a toad or a beetle, become pleasing, when well represented in a work of art. But it is no less eminent for the beauty of the thought; for though a scribbler exists by being thus incorporated, yet he exists entombed. The last of them, one Capell, has been something less happy. He sticks in the surface, has stuck there these twenty years, and will stick for ever. Sedet, æternumque sedebit, infelix Theseus; so that instead of being embalmed, he is gibbetted; a lasting example of the wrath of the Muses! Warburton. For this lively sally Warburton was attacked by Thomas Edwards, a barrister of Lincoln's-inn, and a gentleman of independent fortune, who, if he did not pour forth as many sonnets against Warburton as Father Lazzarelli did against Bonaventura Arrighini, under the name of Don Ciccio, honoured him at least with some, not exceeded in severity by any in that celebrated collection. The Canons of Criticism of Edwards have given him a permanent rank amongst our first critics. Of this work a sixth edition, with additions, was printed in 1758, 8vo. 175 A man's true merit 'tis not hard to find; a-year; 180 He, who still wanting, though he lives on theft, Steals much, spends little, yet has nothing left : And he, who now to sense, now nonsense leaning, Means not, but blunders round about a meaning: And he, whose fustian's so sublimely bad, It is not poetry, but prose run mad : All these, my modest satire bade translate, And own'd that nine such poets made a Tate. 190 NOTES. Pope. Ver. 180. a Persian tale] Amb. Philips translated a book called the Persian Tales. Philips, certainly not a very animated or first-rate writer, yet appears not to deserve quite so much contempt, if we look at his first and fifth Pastoral, his Epistle from Copenhagen, his Ode on the Death of Earl Cowper, his translations of the two first Olympic Odes of Pindar, the two Odes of Sappho, and, above all, his pleasing tragedy of the Distressed Mother. The secret grounds of Philips's malignity to Pope, are said to be the ridicule and laughter he met with from all the Hanover Club, of which he was secretary, for mistaking the incomparable ironical paper in the Guardian, No. 40, which was written by Pope, for a serious criticism on pastoral poetry. Warton. Ver. 189. All these, my modest satire bade translate,] See their works, in the Translations of classical books by several hands. Pope. Ver. 190. And own'd that nine such poets] Before this piece was How did they fume, and stamp, and roar, and chafe; And swear, not ADDISON himself was safe! Peace to all such! But were there one whose fires True genius kindles, and fair fame inspires; NOTES. was published, Dr. Young had addressed two Epistles to our author, in the year 1730, concerning the authors of the age; in which are many passages that bear a great resemblance to many of Pope's; though Pope has heightened, improved, and condensed the hints, images, and sentiments of Young. Warton. Ver. 192. And swear, not ADDISON himself was safe!] This is an artful preparative for the following transition; and finely obviates what might be thought unfavourable of the severity of the satire, by those who were strangers to the provocation. Warburton. Ver. 192. ADDISON himself was safe!] This character of Addison has been considered as Pope's master-piece, "in hoc dicendi genere." It is certainly most successfully laboured; but how far it was a likeness, is with me very doubtful. Bowles. Our poet's It was cul Ver. 193. But were there one whose fires, &c.] friendship with Mr. Addison began in the year 1713. tivated, on both sides, with all the marks of mutual esteem and affection, and a constant intercourse of good offices. Mr. Addison was always commending moderation; warned his friend against a blind attachment to party; and blamed Steele for his indiscreet zeal. The translation of the Iliad being now on foot, he recommended it to the public, and joined with the Tories in pushing the subscription; but at the same time advised Mr. Pope not to be content with the applause of one half of the nation. On the other hand, Mr. Pope made his friend's interest his own, (see note on ver. 215. 1 Ep. b. ii. of Hor.) and, when Dennis so brutally attacked the tragedy of Cato, he wrote the piece called A Narrative of his Madness. Thus things continued till Mr. Pope's growing reputation, and superior genius* in poetry, gave umbrage to his friend's false delicacy: This statement of Warburton's is neither candid nor true: it is very easy to say, "Pope's growing reputation gave umbrage to |