"of a mighty tree, which rises from the most vigo"rous seed; is improved with industry, flourishes and "produces the finest fruit, but bears too many branches, which might be lopped into form, to give it a more regular appearance.

"What is Homer's poem then, according to "Mr. Pope, a confused heap of beauties, without "order or symmetry, and a plot whereon nothing "but seeds, nor nothing perfect or formed is to be "found; and a production loaded with many unprofitable things which ought to be retrenched, "and which choke and disfigure those which de"serve to be preserved? Mr. Pope will pardon me "if I here oppose those comparisons, which to me appear very false, and entirely contrary to what "the greatest of ancient and modern critics ever "thought.

"The Iliad is so far from being a wild paradise, "that it is the most regular garden, and laid out "with more symmetry, than any ever was. Every "thing therein is not only in the place it ought to "have been, but every thing is fitted for the place "it hath. He presents you, at first, with that which "ought to be first seen; he places in the middle "what ought to be in the middle, and what would "be improperly placed at the beginning or end; "and he removes what ought to be at a greater dis"distance, to create the more agreeable surprise; "and to use a comparison drawn from painting, he "places that in the greatest light which cannot be "too visible, and sinks in the obscurity of the shade "what does not require a full view; so that it may "be said that Homer is the painter who best knew "how to employ the shades and lights. The sc"cond_comparison is equally unjust: how could "Mr. Pope say, 'that one can only discover seeds, "and the first productions of every kind in the "Iliad? Every beauty is there to such an amaz"ing perfection, that the following ages could add "nothing to those of any kind; and the ancients "have always proposed Homer as the most perfect "model in every kind of poetry.

"The third comparison is composed of the errors "of the two former; Homer had certainly an incom

“parable fertility of invention, but his fertility is always checked by that just sense which made him "reject every superfluous thing which his vast imagination could offer, and to retain only what was necessary and useful. Judgment guided the hand "of this admirable gardener, and was the pruning"hook he employed to lop off every useless branch."

Thus far Madam Dacier differs in her opinion from Mr. Pope concerning Homer; but these remarks, which we have just quoted, partake not at all of the nature of criticism; they are mere assertion. Pope had declared Homer to abound with irregular beauties. Dacier has contradicted him, and asserted, that all his beauties are regular, but no reason is assigned by either of these mighty geniuses in support of their opinions, and the reader is left in the dark as to the real truth. If he is to be guided by the authority of a name only, no doubt the argument will preponderate in favor of our countryman. The French lady then proceeds to answer some observations which Mr. Pope made upon her remarks upon the Iliad, which she performs with a warmth that generally attends writers of her sex. Mr. Pope, however, paid more regard to this fair antagonist than any other critic upon his works. He confessed that he had received great helps from her, and only thought she had (through a prodigious and almost superstitious fondness for Homer) endeavoured to make him appear without any fault or weakness, and stamp a perfection on his works which is no where to be found. He wrote her a very obliging letter, in which he confessed himself exceedingly sorry that he ever should have displeased so excellent a wit; and, she, on the other hand, with a goodness and frankness peculiar to her, protested to forgive it; so that there remained no animosities between those two great admirers and translators of Homer.

Mr. Pope, by his successful translation of the Iliad, as we have before remarked, drew upon him the envy and raillery of a whole tribe of writers. Though he did not esteem any particular man amongst his enemies of consequence enough to proke an answer, yet, when they were considered col

lectively, they offered excellent materials for a gene. ral satire. This satire he planned and executed with so extraordinary a mastery, that it is by far the most complete poem of our Author's: it discovers more invention, and a higher effort of genius, than any other production of his. The hint was taken from Mr. Dryden's Mac Flecknoe; but as it is more general, so it more pleasing. The Dunciad is so universally read, that we reckon it superfluous to give any further account of it here; and it would be an unpleasing task to trace all the provocations and resentments which were mutually discovered upon this occasion. Mr. Pope was of opinion that, next to praising good writers, there was a merit in exposing bad ones; though it does not hold infalli bly true that each person stigmatized as a dunce was genuinely so. Something must be allowed to personal resentment: Mr. Pope was a man of keen passions; he felt an injury strongly, retained a long remembrance of it, and could very pungently repay it. Some of the gentlemen, however, who had been more severely lashed than the rest, meditated a revenge which redounds but little to their honor. They either intended to chastise him corporally, or gave it out that they had really done so, in order to bring shame upon Mr. Pope, which, if true, could only bring shame upon themselves.

While Mr. Pope enjoyed any leisure from severe applications to study, his friends were continually soliciting him to turn his thoughts towards gomething that might be of lasting use to the world, and engage no more in a war with dunces, who were now effectually humbled. Our great dramatic poet Shakespeare had passed through several hands, some of whom were very reasonably judged not to have understood any part of him tolerably, mach less were capable to correct or revise him.

The friends of Mr. Pope, therefore, strongly inportuned him to undertake the whole of Shakespeare's plays, and, if possible, by comparing all the different copies now to be procured, restore him to his ancient purity: to which our poet made this modest reply, That. not having attempted any thing in the drama, it might in him be deemed too much

presumption. To which he was answered, That this did not require great knowledge of the foundation and disposition of the drama, as that must stand as it was, and Shakespeare himself had not always paid strict regard to the rules of it; but this was to clear the scenes from the rubbish with which ignorant editors had filled them.

His proper business in this work was to render the text so clear as to be generally understood, to free it from obscurities, and sometimes gross absurdities, which now seem to appear in it, and to explain doubtful and difficult passages, of which there are great numbers. This, however, was an arduous province, and how Mr. Pope has acquitted himself in it has been differently determined: it is certain he never valued himself upon that performance, nor was it a task in the least adapted to his genius: for it seldom happens that a man of lively parts can undergo the servile drudgery of collecting passages in which more industry and labour are necessary than persons of quick penetration generally have to be

stow.

It has been the opinion of some critics that Mr. Pope's talents were not adapted for the drama, otherwise we cannot well account for his neglecting the most gainful way of writing which poetry affords, especially as his reputation was so high that, without much ceremony or mortification, he might have had any piece of his brought upon the stage. Mr. Pope was attentive to his own interest, and if he had not either been conscious of his inability in that province, or too timid to risk the popular approbation, he would certainly have attempted the drama. Neither was he esteemed a very competent judge of what plays were proper or improper for representation. He wrote several letters to the manager of Drury-lane theatre, in favor of Thomson's Agamemnon, which, notwithstanding his approbation, Thompson's friends were obliged to mutilate and shorten; and, after all, it proved a heavy play; though it was generally allowed to have been one of the best acted plays that had appeared for some years.

He was certainly concerned in the comedy which

was published in Mr. Gay's name, called Three Hours after Marriage, as well as Dr. Arbuthnot. This illustrious triumvirate, though men of the most various parts, and extensive understanding, yet were not able, it seems, to please the people, though the principal parts were supported by the best actors in that way on the stage. Dr. Arbuthnot and Mr. Pope were, no doubt, solicitous to conceal their concern in it; but by a letter which Mr. Gay wrote to Pope, published in Ayre's Memoirs, it appears evident (if Ayre's authority may be depended on) that they both assisted in the composition.

66

Dear Pope.

"Too late I see and confess myself mistaken in "relation to the comedy; yet I do not think had I fol"lowed your advice, and only introduced the mum"my, that the absence of the crocodile had saved it. "I can't help laughing myself (though the vulgar do not consider it was designed to look ridiculous) to "think how the poor monster and mummy were "dashed at their reception, and, when the cry was "loudest, I thought that, if the thing had been "written by another, I should have deemed the 44 town in some measure mistaken; and as to your apprehension that this may do us future injury, "do not think of it; the Doctor has a more valuable 66 name than can be hurt by any thing of this nature, "and yours is doubly safe; I will, if any shame there be, take it all to myself, and indeed I ought, the "motion being first mine, and never heartily ap"proved by you."

Of all our poet's writings, none were read with more general approbation than his Ethic Epistles, or multiplied into more editions. Mr. Pope, who was a perfect economist, secured to himself the profits arising from his own works; he was never subjected to necessity, and therefore was not to be imposed upon by the art or fraud of publishers.

But now approaches the period in which, as he himself expressed it, he stood in need of the generous tear he paid;