lavish in their applaufe of all who come within the compafs of their recollection; yet he who praises every body, praifes nobody; when both fcales are equally loaded, neither can preponderate. A congé d'elire, faid a gentleman, has not the force of a pofitive command, but implies only a strong recommendation. Yes, replied Johnfon, who overheard him, juft fuch a recommendation as if I fhould throw you out of a three-pairof-ftairs window, and recommend you to fall to the ground. He would not allow the verb derange, a word at prefent much in ufe, to be an English word. Sir, faid a gentleman who had fome pretenfions to literature, I have feen it in a book. Not in a bound book, faid Johnfon; difarrange is the word we ought to use instead of it. He thought very favourably of the profeffion of the law, and faid, that the fages thereof, for a long feries backward, had been friends to religion. Fortefcue fays, that their afternoon's employment was the study of the Scriptures. E glitt'ring Train! whom lace and velvet blefs, From grov'ling bufinefs and fuperfluous care, Learn here that Peace from Innocence muft flow; If truths like thefe with pleafing language join & Ennobled, yet unchang'd, if Nature fhine: If no wild draught depart from Reafon's rules, Nor gods his heroes, nor his lovers fools: Intriguing wits! his artlefs plot forgive; And fpare him, beauties! tho' his lovers live. Be this at least his praife; be this his pride; To force applaufe no modern arts are try'd. Shou'd partial cat-calls all his hopes confound, He bids no trumpet quell the fatal found. Shou'd welcome fleep relieve the weary wit, He rolls no thunders o'er the drowsy pit. No fnares to captivate the judgment spreads; Nor bribes your eyes to prejudice your heads. Unmov'd tho' witlings fneer and rivals rail; Studious to pleafe, yet not afham'd to fail. He fcorns the meek addrefs, the fuppliant ftrain, With merit needlefs, and without it vain. In Reafon, Nature, Truth he dares to truft: Ye Fops be filent! and ye Wits be juft! |