hang about the neck, like an order, and be very much a grace to the person. Fourthly, he ought to have a good stomach, to eat and drink whatever his betters think fit; and therefore it is in this high office as in many others, no puny constitution can discharge it. I do not think Cibber or Tibbald here so happy: but rather a stanch, vigorous, seasoned, and dry old gentleman, whom I have in my eye. I could also wish at this juncture such a person as is truly jealous of the honour and dignity of poetry; no joker, or trifler, but a bard in good earnest; nay, not amiss if a critic, and the better if a little obstinate. For when we consider what great privileges have been lost from this office (as we see from the forecited authentic record of Jovius), namely, those of feeding from the prince's table, drinking out of his own flagon, becoming even his domestic and companion; it requires a man warm and resolute to be able to claim and obtain the restoring of these high honours. I have cause to fear the most of the candidates would be liable, either through the influence of ministers, or for rewards or favours, to give up the glorious rights of the Laureate. Yet I am not without hopes, there is one, from whom a serious and steady assertion of these privileges may be expected; and, if there be such a one, I must do him the justice to say, it is Mr. Dennis, the worthy president of our society. PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF MR. DRYDEN AND MR. POPE, AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES. MR. DRYDEN, HIS POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS. MR. DRYDEN is a mere renegado from monarchy, poetry, and good sense.1 A true republican son of monarchical church.2 A republican atheist. Dryden was from the beginning an αλλοπρόσαλλος, and I doubt not will continue so to the last.* In the poem called Absalom and Achitophel, are notoriously traduced the King, the Queen, the Lords, and Gentlemen; not only their honorable persons exposed, but the whole nation and its representatives notoriously libelled. It is scandalum magnatum, yea, of Majesty itself." He looks upon God's gospel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful purveyor. His very Christianity may be questioned." He ought to expect more severity than other men, as he is most unmerciful in his reflections on others. 1 Milbourn on Dryden's Virgil, 8vo. 1698, p. 6. 4 Ib. p. 8. Janeway, 1682. pref. 8 Ib. p. 175. PARALLEL OF THE CHARACTERS OF MR. POPE AND MR. DRYDEN, AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES. MR. POPE, HIS POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS. MR. POPE is an open and mortal enemy to his country, and the commonwealth of learning.1 Some call him a Popish Whig, which is directly inconsistent.2 Pope, as a Papist, must be a Tory and High-flier. He is both a Whig and Tory.1 He hath made it his custom to cackle to more than one party in their own sentiments.5 In his Miscellanies, the persons abused are the King, the Queen, his late Majesty, both Houses of Parliament, the Privy Council, the Bench of Bishops, the established Church, the present Ministry, &c. To make sense of some passages, they must be construed into royal scandal. He is a Popish rhymester, bred up with a contempt of the Sacred Writings. His religion allows him to destroy heretics, not only with his 1 Dennis, Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, pref. p. 12. 4 Dennis, Character of Mr. P. 5 Theobald, Letter in Mist's Journal, June 22, 1728. 6 List at the end of a Collection of Verses, Letters, Advertisements, 8vo. printed for A. Moore, 1728, and the preface to it, p. 6. 7 Dennis's Remarks on Homer, p. 27. With as good a right as his Holiness, he sets up for poetical infallibility. MR. DRYDEN ONLY A VERSIFIER. His whole libel is all bad matter, beautified (which is all that can be said of it) with good metre.10 Mr. Dryden's genius did not appear in any thing more than his versification, and whether he is to be ennobled for that only is a question." MR. DRYDEN'S VIRGIL. Tonson calls it Dryden's Virgil, to show that this is not that Virgil so admired in the Augustan age, but a Virgil of another stamp, a silly, impertinent, nonsensical writer.12 None but a Bavius, a Mævius, or a Bathyllus, carped at Virgil; and none but such unthinking vermin admire his translator.18 It is true, soft and easy lines might become Ovid's Epistles or Art of Love-but Virgil, who is all great and majestic, &c. requires strength of lines, weight of words, and closeness of expression; not an ambling muse, running on carpet ground, and shod as lightly as a Newmarket racer.-He has numberless faults in his author's meaning, and in propriety of expression.14 9 Milbourn, p. 39. 10 Whip and Key, pref. 11 Oldmixon, Essay on Criticism, p. 84. 12 Milbourn, p. 2. 14 Ib. p. 22, and 102. 18 Ib. p. 35. pen, but with fire and sword; and such were all those unhappy wits whom he sacrificed to his accursed Popish principles. It deserved vengeance to suggest that Mr. Pope had less infallibility than his namesake at Rome. MR. POPE ONLY A VERSIFIER. The smooth numbers of the Dunciad are all that recommend it, nor has it any other merit.10 It must be owned that he hath got a notable knack of rhyming and writing smooth verse.11 MR. POPE'S HOMER. The Homer which Lintot prints does not talk like Homer, but like Pope; and he who translated him, one would swear, had a hill in Tipperary for his Parnassus and a puddle in some bog for his Hippocrene.12 He has no admirers among those that can distinguish, discern, and judge.18 He hath a knack at smooth verse, but without either genius or good knowledge of English. tinguish Homer are the sense, or any tolerable The qualities which disbeauties of his diction, and the harmony of his versification. But this little author, who is so much in vogue, has nei 8 Preface to Gulliveriana, p. 11 9 Dedication to the Collection of Verses, Letters, &c. p. 9. 10 Mist's Journal of June 8, 1728. 11 Character of Mr. P. and Dennis on Homer. 12 Dennis's Remarks on Pope's Homer, p. 12. |