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Poem of Mr. Pope's is prefixed to it [M].

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took the freedom to diffent from one another in dijcourfe, or upon occafion to speak a Latin fentence without fearing the imputation of pedantry or illbreeding. Such is the general character of the interlocutors laid down by the author; and he has carried on the dialogue between them with the exactest propriety and confiftence with that character. Philander is a Gentleman who has a perfect knowledge of medals; Cynthio's humour is to run down every thing, that was rather for oftentation than ufe. He was fill preferring good fenje to arts and fciences, and often took a pleasure to appear ignorant, that he might the better turn to ridicule thofe, that valued themfelves on their books and ftudies, tho' at the fame time one might very well fee, that he could not have attack'd many parts of learning fo fuccessfully, bad be not borrowed his affiftanees from them. Eugenius, the third perfon in the dialogue, is one, who endeavoured rather to be agreeable than shining in converfation, for which reajon · be was more beloved, tho' not so much admired as Cynthio. This manner of writing by way of dialogue Mr. Addifon borrowed from the ancients, whofe fineft treatifes are in that caft; which has likewife been followed by feveral eminent Italian, French and English Authors. But perhaps there are few copies from thofe noble originals of the Greeks and Romans fuperior to this of our author.

[M] An admirable Poem of Mr. Pope's prefixed to t.] He begins with a beautiful reflexion, that molt of the grand monuments of antiquity, triumphal arches, temples and tombs, have been deftroyed either by age, the irruption of the Barbarians, or the zeal of Chriftians; whereas medals fill preferve the memory of the greateft perfonages in antiquity. Thence he takes occafion to rally with the D 2

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In the year 1702, Mr. Addifon defigning to return to England, received advice from his friends, that he was pitched upon to attend the army under Prince Eugene, who had just begun the war in Italy, as Secretary from King William; but the news of the King's death, which he heard at Geneva, put an end to that affair; and as his hopes of advancement in England were fallen with the credit of his friends, who were out of power at the beginning of her

finest humour the exceffes which fome antiquaries. are guilty of in profecuting this study.

With sharpen'd fight pale antiquaries pore
Th' infcription value, but the ruft adore:
This the blue varnish, that the green endears,
The facred ruft of twice two hundred years.
To gain Pefcenius one employs bis fchemes;
One grafps a Cecrops in ecstatic dreams;
Poor Vadius long with learned Spleen devour'd,
Can tafte no pleasure fince his field was fcour'd;
And Curio, reflefs by the fair one's fide,
Sighs for an Otho, and neglects bis bride.

He then addreffes himself to Mr. Addifon in this

manner:

Theirs is the vanity, the learning thine.

Touch'd by thy hand, again Rome's glories fhine:
Her Gods and God like Heroes rife to view,
And all her faded garlands bloom anew.
Nor blufb, thofe ftudies thy regard engage;
Thefe pleas'd the Fathers of poetic rage;
The verje and fculpture bore an equal part,
And art reflected images to art.

her late Majefty's reign, he had leifure to make the tour of Germany in his way home (e). He remained without any pub lic employment till the year 1704, when the Duke of Marlborough's fuccefs' furnished him with a fubject worthy of the genius that appears in his Campaign, which a certain author (f) is of opinion was his most noble production, and incomparably preferable to Cato. We fhall give the judgment of an ingenious writer in Holland upon this Poem [N]. The Lord Treasurer

(e) Id.ibid.. (f) The CRITICKS, Vol. I. No 12. March 24, 1718.

[N] The judgment of an ingenious writer in Holland upon this Poem.] "It is not, fays he (9), properly "an Epic-poem, but it is an incomparable piece in "heroic verfe, in which the author celebrates with "all the grandeur and magnificence imaginable the

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victory at Hochftet, and the noble actions of the

English Hero, who there laid the bafis of that vaft "reputation, which he has gained over all Europe. "We may justly affirm, that there is nothing want"ing to the perfection of this Poem; and that Mr. "Addison, thus rais'd and fupported by the noble"nefs of his fubject, is as much fuperior to him"felf, as he is in all his other pieces to the greatest 66 part of the other Poets of what nation foever, I "imagine I fhall pay no extravagant compliment to "the author, if I venture to promife, that, unlefs Polite Literature fhould abfolutely fall into neglect in England, this work of his will prove

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(9) Differtation fur la Poëfie Angloife, in the Journal Literaire,. tome ix. p. 189.

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Treasurer Godolphin, who was an excellent judge of poetry, had a fight of this work, when it was only carried on as far as the applauded fimile of the Angel [0]; and

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a more illuftrious and lafting monurnent of the "Duke of Marlborough's glory, than Blenheimhoufe, which the Parliament has ordered to be "built for him; in order to transmit to pofterity "the memory of his heroic actions, and the grati"tude of the nation."

[O] The applauded fimile of the Angel.] It is prodigiously commended in the Tatler, N. 43. where we have a difcourfe upon the abfurdities, which Poets, especially the writers of Tragedy, are guilty of in the ufe of fimiles. I fhall tranfcribe the paffage, which relates to that of Mr. Addison, because it is written with a just spirit of criticism. "There

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is nothing more proper and natural for a Poet, whole bufinefs it is to defcribe, and who is a fpectator of one in that circumftance, (viz. under a weight of forrow, or fall of meditation upon "what he is to execute,) when his mind is working up a great image, and that the ideas hurry upon his imagination; I fay, there is nothing fo natural for a Poet to relieve and clear himself from the burthen of thought at that time by altering his conception in fimile and metaphor. The highest "art of the mind of man is to poffefs itfelf with "tranquillity in imminent danger, and to have its "thoughts fo free as to act at that time without

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perplexity. The ancient authors have compared "this fedate courage to a rock, that remains un"moveable amidst the rage of winds and waves ; "but that is too ftupid and inanimate a fimilitude, "and could do no credit to the Hero. At other

times they are all of them wonderfully obliged to "a Lybian lion, which may give indeed very agree

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and approved the Poem, by beftowing on the author, a few days after, the place of Commiffioner of Appeals, vacant by the death

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"able terrors to a defcription, but is no compliment to the person to whom it is applied. Eagles, ty66 gers and wolves are made ufe of on the fame oc

cafion, and very often with much beauty; but "this is ftill an honour done to the brute rather "than to the Hero: Mars, Pallas, Bacchus and Her"cules, have each of them furnished very good fi❝ miles in their time, and made doubtless a greater im

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preffion on the mind of a Heathen than they have "on that of a modern reader. But the fublime I am talking of, and which I really think as great as ever enter'd into the thought of man, is in the "Poem call'd The Campaign, where the fimile of a miniftring Angel fets forth the most fedate and the "molt active courage, engaged in an uproar of nature, a confufion of elements, and a scene of divine vengeance. Add to all, that thefe lines compliment the General and his Queen at the fame "time; and have all the natural horrors height"ened by the image that was still fresh in the mind "of every reader :

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" 'Twas then great Malboro's mighty foul was " provid,

"That in the fhock of charging hofts unmov'd,
Amidst confufion, borror and defpair,

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Examin'd all the dreadful ftenes of war; "In peaceful thought the field of death furvey'd, "To fainting fquadrons fent the timely aid; Infpir'd repuls'd battalions to engage, "And taught the doubtful battle where to rage. "So when an Angel, by divine command, "With rifing tempefts shakes a guilty land:

"Such

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