$99. Reflections upon seeing Mr. quisque habitare, ubi sedere, ubi disPOPE'S House at Binfield. In a putare sit solitus." Letter.

Thus, you see, I could defend myself by an example of great auYour letter found me just upon thority, were I in danger upon this my return from an excursion into occasion of being ridiculed as a roBerkshire, where I have been paying mantic visionary. But I am too well a visit to a friend, who is drinking acquainted with the refined sentithe waters at Sunning-Hill. In one ments of Orontes, to be under any of my morning rides over that de-apprehension he will condemn the lightful country, I accidentally passed impressions I have here acknowledgthrough a little village, which afford- ed. On the contrary, I have often ed me much agreeable meditation; heard you mention with approbation, as in times to come, perhaps, it will a circumstance of this kind which is be visited by the lovers of the polite related of Silius Italicus. The anarts, with as much veneration as nual ceremonies which that poet perVirgil's tomb, or any other celebrated formed at Virgil's sepulchre, gave spot of antiquity. The place I mean you a more favourable opinion of his is Binfield, where the Poet, to whom taste, you confessed, than any thing I am indebted (in common with eve-in his works was able to raise. ry reader of taste) for so much ex- It is certain, that some of the quisite entertainment, spent the ear- greatest names of antiquity have disliest part of his youth. I will not tinguished themselves, by the high scruple to confess, that I looked upon reverence they showed to the poetical the scene where he planned some of character. Scipio, you may rememthose beautiful performances, which ber, desired to be laid in the same first recommended him to the notice tomb with Ennius; and I am inclinof the world, with a degree of enthu-ed to pardon that successful madsiasm; and could not but consider man Alexander many of his extravathe ground as sacred, that was im- gancies, for the generous regard he pressed with the footsteps of a genius paid to the memory of Pindar, at the that undoubtedly does the highest sacking of Thebes. honour to our age and nation.

There seems, indeed, to be someThe situation of mind in which I thing in poetry that raises the profound myself upon this occasion, fessors of that very singular talent, suggested to my remembrance a far higher in the estimation of the passage in Tully, which I thought I world in general, than those who never so thoroughly entered into the excel in any other of the refined spirit of before. That noble author, arts. And accordingly we find that in one of his philosophical conversa-poets have been distinguished by antion-pieces, introduces his friend At-tiquity with the most remarkable ticus as observing the pleasing effect honours. Thus Homer, we are told, which scenes of this nature are wont was deified at Smyrna; as the citito have upon one's mind: "Move- zens of Mitylene stamped the image mur enim," says that polite Roman, of Sappho upon their public coin: "nescio quo pacto, locis ipsis, in Anacreon received a solemn invitaquibus eorum, quos diligimus aut admiramur, adsunt vestigia. Me "We are affected, I know not how, by those quidem ipsæ illæ nostræ Athenæ, non we love or admire. Indeed, I am not so much places in which we see the traces of those whom tam operibus magnificis exquisitisque delighted at Athens by the magnificent works antiquorum artibus delectant, quam recollection of her great men, where they used and the exquisite arts of antiquity, as by the recordatione summorum virorum, ubi to live, sit, and dispute."

tion to spend his days at Athens, and $100. On the Delicacy of every Hipparchus, the son of Pisistratus, Author of Genius, with respect to fitted out a splendid vessel in order his own performances. In a Letter. to transport him thither: and when Virgil came into the theatre at If the ingenious piece you comRome, the whole audience rose up municated to me, requires any farand saluted him, with the same re- ther touches of your pencil, I must spect as they would have paid to Au- acknowledge the truth to be, what gustus himself. you are inclined to suspect, that my Painting, one would imagine, has friendship has imposed upon my the fairest pretensions of rivalling her judgment. But though in the presister art in the number of admirers; sent instance your delicacy seems and yet, where Apelles is mentioned far too refined; yet, in general, I once, Homer is celebrated a thou- must agree with you, that works of sand times. Nor can this be ac- the most permanent kind, are not counted for by urging that the works the effects of a lucky moment, nor of the latter are still extant, while struck out at a single heat. The those of the former have perished best performances, indeed, have gelong since; for is not Milton's Para- nerally cost the most labour; and dise Lost more universally esteemed that ease, which is so essential to than Raphael's Cartoons? fine writing, has seldom been attain

The truth, I imagine, is, there are ed without repeated and severe cormore who are natural judges of the rections: Ludentis speciem dabit et harmony of numbers, than of the torquebitur,* is a motto that may be grace of proportions. One meets applied, I believe, to most successful with but few who have not, in some authors of genius. With as much degree at least, a tolerable ear; but facility as the numbers of the natural a judicious eye is a far more uncom- Prior seem to have flowed from him, mon possession. For as words are they were the result (if I am not the universal medium, which all men misinformed) of much application: employ in order to convey their sen- and a friend of mine, who undertook timents to each other; it seems a to transcribe one of the noblest perjust consequence, that they should formances of the finest genius that be more generally formed for relish- this, or perhaps any age can boast, ing and judging of performances in has often assured me, that there is that way whereas the art of repre- not a single line, as it is now pubsenting ideas by means of lines and lished, which stands in conformity colours, lies more out of the road of with the original manuscript. The common use, and is therefore less truth is, every sentiment has its peadapted to the taste of the general culiar expression, and every word its run of mankind. precise place, which do not always I hazard this observation, in the inmediately present themselves, and hopes of drawing from you your sen- generally demand frequent trials, betiments upon a subject, in which no fore they can be properly adjusted ; man is more qualified to decide; as not to mention the more important indeed it is to the conversation of difficulties, which necessarily occur Orontes, that I am indebted for the in settling the plan and regulating discovery of many refined delicacies the higher parts which compose in the imitative arts, which, without structure of a finished work. his judicious assistance, would have lain concealed to me with other common observers.

the

Those, indeed, who know what

*The appearance of ease, the result of

Fitzosborne.labour.

pangs it costs even the most fertile | But being prevented by his last sickgenius to be delivered of a just and ness from giving those finishing regular production, might be inclin- touches, which his exquisite judg ed, perhaps, to cry out with the most ment conceived to be still necessary, ancient of authors, Oh! that mine he directed his friends Tucca and adversary had written a book! A Varius to burn the noblest poem that writer of refined taste has the con- ever appeared in the Roman lantinual mortification to find himself guage. In the same spirit of delicaincapable of taking entire possession cy, Mr. Dryden tells us, that had he of that ideal beauty which warms taken more time in translating this and fills his imagination. His con- author, he might possibly have suc ceptions still rise above all the pow-ceeded better but never, he assures ers of his art, and he can but faintly us, could he have succeeded so well copy out those images of perfection, as to have satisfied himself. which are impressed upon his mind. In a word, Hortensius, I agree with Never was any thing, says Tully, you, that there is nothing more diffimore beautiful than the Venus of cult than to fill up the character of Apelles, or the Jove of Phidias; yet an author, who proposes to raise a were they by no means equal to those just and lasting admiration; who is high notions of beauty which ani- not contented with those little tranmated the geniuses of those wonder- sient flashes of applause, which atful artists. In the same manner, he tend the ordinary race of writers, but observes, the great masters of oratory considers only how he may shine out imagined to themselves a certain per- to posterity; who extends his views fection of eloquence, which they beyond the present generation, and could only contemplate in idea, but cultivates those productions which in vain attempted to draw out in ex- are to flourish in future ages. What pression. Perhaps no author ever Sir William Temple observes of perpetuated his reputation, who could poetry, may be applied to every other write up to the full standard of his work where taste and imagination own judgment and I am persuaded are concerned: "It requires the that he, who upon a survey of his greatest contraries to compose it; a compositions can with entire com- genius both penetrating and solid; placency pronounce them good, will an expression both strong and delihardly find the world join with him cate. There must be a great agitain the same favourable sentence. tion of mind to invent, a great calm The most judicious of all poets, to judge and correct: there must be the inimitable Virgil, used to resem-upon the same tree, and at the same ble his productions to those of that time, both flower and fruit." But animal, who, agreeably to the notions though I know you would not value of the Ancients, was supposed to yourself upon any performance, bring forth her young into the world, wherein these very opposite and very a mere rude and shapeless mass; he singular qualities were not conspicu was obliged to retouch them again ous; yet I must remind you at the and again, he acknowledged, before same time, that when the file ceases they acquired their proper form and to polish, it must necessarily weaken. beauty. Accordingly we are told, You will remember, therefore, that that after having spent eleven years there is a medium between the imin composing his Eneid, he intended moderate caution of that orator, who to have set apart three more for the was three Olympiads in writing a revisal of that glorious performance. single oration: and the extravagant

expedition of that poet, whose funeral that no judicious writer durst atpile was composed of his own num-tempt to touch the subject after him. berless productions. Fitzosborne. Having produced so illustrious an

a Letter.

instance in favour of an art, for

$101. Reflections upon Style. In which I have ventured to admire you; it would be impertinent to add a second, were I to cite a less auThe beauties of Style seem to be thority than that of the immortal generally considered as below the Tully. This noble author, in his attention both of an author and a dialogue concerning the celebrated reader. I know not, therefore, whe-Roman orators, frequently mentions ther I may venture to acknowledge, it as a very high encomium, that that among the numberless graces they possessed the elegance of their of your late performance, I particu-native language; and introduces larly admired that strength and ele- Brutus as declaring, that he should gance with which you have enforced prefer the honour of being esteemed and adorned the noblest sentiments. the great master and improver of There was a time, however, (and Roman eloquence, even to the glory it was a period of the truest refine- of many triumphs. ments) when an excellence of this But to add reason to precedent, kind was esteemed in the number and to view this art in its use as well of the politest accomplishments; as as its dignity; will it not be allowed it was the ambition of some of the of some importance, when it is congreatest names of antiquity to distin-¦sidered, that eloquence is one of the guish themselves in the improvement, most considerable auxiliaries of of their native tongue. Julius Cæsar, truth? Nothing indeed contributes who was not only the greatest hero, more to subdue the mind to the but the finest gentleman that ever, force of reason, than her being supperhaps, appeared in the world, was ported by the powerful assistance of desirous of adding this talent to his masculine and vigorous oratory. As other most shining endowments on the contrary, the most legitimate and we are told he studied the lan- arguments may be disappointed of guage of his country with much ap- that success they deserve, by being plication as we are sure he possess-attended with a spiritless and ened it in its highest elegance. What feebled expression. Accordingly, a loss, Euphronius, is it to the litera- that most elegant of writers, the inry world, that the treatise which he imitable Mr. Addison, observes, in wrote upon this subject is perished one of his essays, that "there is as with many other valuable works of much difference between comprethat age! But though we are de- hending a thought clothed in Cicero's prived of the benefit of his observa- language and that of an ordinary tions, we are happily not without an writer, as between seeing an object instance of their effects; and his by the light of a taper and the light own memoirs will ever remain as the of the sun." best and brightest exemplar, not It is surely then a very strange only of true generalship, but of fine conceit of the celebrated Malwriting. He published them, indeed, branche, who seems to think the only as materials for the use of those pleasure which arises from perusing who should be disposed to enlarge a well written piece, is of the criminal upon that remarkable period of the kind, and has its source in the weakRoman story; yet the purity and ness and effeminacy of the human gracefulness of his style were such, heart. A man must have a very un

common severity of temper indeed, sophy. Their sentiments are sunk who can find any thing to condemn by the lowest expressions, and seem in adding charms to truth, and gain- condemned to the first curse, of ing the heart by captivating the ear; creeping upon the ground all the in uniting roses with the thorns of days of their life. Others, on the science, and joining pleasure with contrary, mistake pomp for dignity; instruction. and, in order to raise their expres

The truth is, the mind is delighted sions above vulgar language, lift with a fine style, upon the same them up beyond common apprehenprinciple that it prefers regularity to sions, esteeming it (one should imaconfusion, and beauty to deformity. gine) a mark of their genius, that it A taste of this sort is indeed so far requires some ingenuity to penetrate from being a mark of any depravity their meaning. But how few writers, of our nature, that I should rather like Euphronius, know to hit that consider it as an evidence, in some true medium which lies between degree, of the moral rectitude of its those distant extremes! How selconstitution, as it is a proof of its re- dom do we meet with an author, taining some relish at least of har- whose expressions, like those of my mony and order. friend, are glowing but not glaring, One might be apt indeed to sus-whose metaphors are natural but not pect, that certain writers amongst common, whose periods are harmonius had considered all beauties of this ous but not poetical; in a word, sort in the same gloomy view with whose sentiments are well set, and Malbranche: or, at least, that they shown to the understanding in their avoided every refinement in style, as truest and most advantageous lustre unworthy a lover of truth and philoFitzosborne.

END OF VOL. I.