propriety for a man in his station, «Not a "mouse stirring *." I proceed to a fecond remark, not less important than the former. No person of reflection but must be fenfible, that an incident makes a stronger impreffion on an eye-witness, than when heard at second hand. Writers of genius, fenfible that the eye is the best avenue to the heart, reprefent every thing as paffing in our fight; and from readers or hearers, transform us, as it were, into fpectators. A skilful writer conceals himself, and prefents his personages. In a word, every thing becomes dramatic as much as poffible. Plutarch, de gloria Athenienfium, obferves, that Thucydides makes his reader a fpectator, and infpires him with the fame paffions as if he were an eye-witnefs. I am intitled to * One can scarce avoid fmiling at the blindness of a certain critic, who, with an air of self-sufficiency, condemns this expreffion as low and vulgar. A French poet, fays he, would exprefs the fame thought in a more fublime manner : "Mais tout dort, et l'armée, et les vents, et Neptune." And he adds, "The English poet may please at London, but "the French every where else." make make the fame obfervation upon our countryman Swift. From this happy talent arifes that energy of ftyle which is peculiar to him he cannot always avoid narration; but the pencil is his choice, by which he bestows life and colouring upon his objects. Pope is richer in ornament, but poffeffes not in the fame degree the talent of drawing from the life. A tranflation of the fixth fatire of Horace, begun by the former and finished by the latter, affords the fairest opportunity for a comparison. Pope obviously imitates the picturesque manner of his friend: yet every one of taste must be fenfible, that the imitation, though fine, falls fhort of the original. In other instances, where Pope writes in his own style, the difference of manner is still more confpicuous, Abstract or general terms have no good effect in any compofition for amusement ; because it is only of particular objects that images can be formed *. Shakespear's style in that respect is excellent. Every article * See chap. 4. in his descriptions is particular, as in nature; and if accidentally a vague expreffion flip in, the blemish is extremely difcernible by the bluntness of its impreffion. Take the following example. Falftaff, excufing himself for running away at a robbery, says, By the Lord, I knew ye, as well as he that made ye. Why, hear ye, my mafters; was it for me to kill the heir-apparent? fhould I turn upon the true prince? Why, thou knowest, I am as valiant as Hercules; but beware instinct, the lion will not touch the true prince: instinct is a great matter. I was a coward on instinct: I fhall think the better of my felf, and thee, during my life; I, for a valiant lion, and thou for a true prince. But, by the Lord, lads, I am glad you have the money. Hoftefs, clap to the doors; watch tonight, pray to-morrow. Gallants, lads, boys, hearts of gold, all the titles of good fellowship come to you! What, fhall we be merry? fhall we have a play extempore? First Part Henry IV. at 2. fc. 9. The particular words I object to are, inftinet is a great matter, which make but a poor figure, compared with the liveliness of of the rest of the fpeech. It was one of Homer's advantages, that her wrote before general terms were multiplied: the fuperior genius of Shakespear displays itself in avoiding them after they were multiplied. Addifon describes the family of Sir Roger de Coverley in the following words. You would take his valet de chambre for his brother, his butler is gray-headed, his groom is one of the gravest men that I have ever seen, and his coachman has the looks of a privy counsellor, Spectator, No 106. The defcription of the groom is lefs lively than of the others; plainly because the expreffion, being vague and general, tends not to form any image.. "Dives opum "variarum," is an expreffion still more vague; and fo are the following. Mæcenas, mearum Grande decus, columenque rerum. Horat. Carm. 1.2. ode 17. *Georg. l. ii. 468. et fide Teia Dices laborantes in uno Penelopen, vitreamque Circen. Horat. Carm. l. 1. ode 17. In the fine arts, it is a rule, to put the capital objects in the strongest point of view; and even to present them oftener than once, where it can be done. In hiftory-painting, the principal figure is placed in the front, and in the beft light: an equestrian statue is placed in a centre of ftreets, that it may be feen from many places at once. In no compofition is there a greater opportunity for this rule than in writing: Sequitur pulcherrimus Aftur, Aftur equo fidens et verficoloribus armis. Full many a lady Eneid. x. 180. I've ey'd with best regard, and many a time VOL. III. C c And |