lavish in their applaufe of all who come within the compass of their recollection; yet he who praises every body, praises 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-stairs 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 seen it in a book. Not in a bound book, faid Johnson; 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. Fortescue fays, that their afternoon's employment was the study of the Scriptures.

IRENE;

A

TRA G E D Y.

1

YE glittring Train! whom lace and velvet bless,

Sufpend the foft folicitudes of drefs;

From grov'ling bufinefs and fuperfluous care,
Ye fons of Avarice! a moment spare:
Vot'ries of Fame and worshippers of Pow'r!
Difimifs the pleafing phantoms for an hour.
Our daring Bard, with fpirit unconfin'd,
Spreads wide the mighty moral for mankind.
Learn here how Heav'n fupports the virtuous mind,
Daring, tho' calm; and vig'rous, tho' refign'd.
Learn here what anguifh racks the guilty breaft,
In pow'r dependent, in fuccefs depreft.

Learn here that Peace from Innocence muft flow;
All elfe is empty found, and idle fhow.

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 artless plot forgive; And spare 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 fpreads; 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 Reason, Nature, Truth he dares to trust: Ye Fops be filent! and ye Wits be just!