Juft precepts thus from great examples giv❜n,

She drew from them what they deriv'd from Heav'n. The gen'rous Critic fann'd the Poet's fire,

100

And taught the world with reason to admire.
Then Criticism the Mufes handmaid prov'd,
To dress her charms, and make her more belov❜d:
But following wits from that intention stray'd,
Who cou'd not win the mistress, woo'd the maid ;
Against the Poets their own arms they turn'd,
Sure to hate moft the men from whom they learn'd.
So modern 'Pothecaries, taught the art
By Doctor's bills to play the Doctor's part,
Bold in the practice of mistaken rules,
Prefcribe, apply, and call their mafters fools.
Some on the leaves of ancient authors prey,
Nor time nor moths e'er fpoil'd fo much as they.

110

Some

VER. 98. Just precepts] Nec enim artibus editis factum eft ut argumenta inveniremus, fed dicta funt omnia antequam præciperentur; mox ea fcriptores obfervata et colleta ediderunt. Quintil. P.

VER. 112. Some on the leaves-Some drily plain. ] The firft, the Apes of those Italian Critics, who at the restoration of letters having found the claffic writers miferably mangled by the hands of monkish Librarians, very commendably employed their pains and talents in restoring them to their native purity. The fecond, the plagiaries from the French, who had made fome admirable Commentaries on the ancient critics. But that acumen and tafe, which feparately conftitute the diftinct value "of thofe two fpecies of foreign Criticifm, make no part of the character of these paltry mimics at home, defcribed by our Poet in the following lines,

Thefe leave the fenfe, their learning to display,
And thofe explain the meaning quite away.

Which fpecies is the leaft hurtful, the Poet has enabled

us

Some drily plain, without invention's aid,
Write dull receits how poems may be made.
These leave the fenfe, their learning to display,
And those explain the meaning quite away.

115

You then whofe judgment the right course would fteer,

120

Know well each ANCIENT's proper character;
His Fable, Subject, fcope in ev'ry page;
Religion, Country, genius of his Age:
Without all these at once before your eyes,
Cavil you may, but never criticize.
Be Homer's works your study and delight,
Read them by day, and meditate by night;
Thence form your judgment, thence your maxims

bring,

And trace the Mufes upward to their spring.

125

Still

us to determine in the lines with which he opens his poem,

But of the two lefs dang'rous is th' offence

To tire our patience than mislead our sense.

From whence we conclude, that the reverend Mr. Upton was much more innocently employed when he quibbled upon Epictetus, than when he commented upon Shakefpear.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 123. Cavil you may, but never criticize.] The author after this verse originally inferted the following, which he has however omitted in all the editions:

Zoilus, had these been known, without a name

Had dy'd, and Perault ne'er been damn'd to fame;
The fenfe of found Antiquity had reign'd,
And facred Homer yet been unprophan'd.
None e'er had thought his comprehenfive mind
To modern cuftoms, modern rules confin'd;
Who for all ages writ, and all mankind.

P.

131

Still with itself compar'd, his text perufe ;
And let your comment be the Mantuan Mufe.
When firft young Maro in his boundless mind
A work t'outlaft immortal Rome design'd,
Perhaps he feem'd above the Critic's law,
And but from Nature's fountains fcorn'd to draw:
But when t' examine ev'ry part he came,
Nature and Homer were, he found, the fame.
Convinc'd, amaz'd, he checks the bold design;
And rules as trict his labour'd work confine,
As if the Stagirite o'erlook'd each line.
Learn hence for ancient rules a just esteem;
To copy nature is to copy them.

Some beauties yet no Precepts can declare,
For there's a happiness as well as care.
Mufic resembles Poetry, in each

}

140

Are nameless graces which no methods teach,
And which a master-hand alone can reach. 145

If,

VER. 130. When firft young Maro, etc.] Virg. Eclog. vi. Cum canerem reges et prælia, Cynthius aurem

Vellit.

It is a tradition preferved by Servius, that Virgil began with writing a poem of the Alban and Roman affairs; which he found above his years, and defcended first to imitate Theocritus on rural fubjects, and afterwards to copy Homer in Heroic poetry. P.

VER. 130.

VARIATIONS.

When firft young Maro fung of Kings and Wars,
Ere warning Phoebus touch'd his trembling ears.

If, where the rules not far enough extend,

(Since rules were made but to promote their end) Some lucky Licence anfwer to the full

;

97

150

155

}

Th' intent propos'd, that Licence is a rule. Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take, May boldly deviate from the common track ; From vulgar bounds with brave diforder part, And fnatch a grace beyond the reach of art, Which without paffing thro' the judgment, gains The heart, and all its end at once attains. In profpects thus, fome objects please our eyes, Which out of nature's common order rise, The shapeless rock, or hanging precipice. Great Wits fometimes may gloriously offend, And rife to faults true Critics dare not mend. But tho' the Ancients thus their rules invade, (As Kings dispense with laws themselves have made) Moderns, beware! or if you must offend Against the precept, ne'er tranfgrefs its End; Let it be feldom, and compell'd by need; And have, at least, their precedent to plead. The Critic elfe proceeds without remorse, Seizes your fame, and puts his laws in force.

160

165

I know there are, to whofe prefumptuous thoughts Those freer beauties, ev'n in them, feem faults. 170 Some

VER. 146. If, where the rules, etc.] Neque enim rogationibus plebifve fcitis fancta funt ifta Præcepta, fed hoc, quicquid eft, Utilitas excogitavit. Non negabo autem fic utile effe plerumque; verum fi eadem illa nobis aliud fuadebit Utilitas, hanc, relictis magiftrorum autoritatibus, fequemur. Quintil. lib. ii. cap. 13. P.

Some figures monftrous and mis-shap'd appear,
Confider'd fingly, or beheld too near,

175

Which, but proportion'd to their light, or place,
Due diftance reconciles to form and grace.
A prudent chief not always must display
His pow'rs in equal ranks, and fair array,
But with th' occafion and the place comply,
Conceal his force, nay seem sometimes to fly.
Those oft are stratagems which errors seem,
Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream.
Still green with bays each ancient Altar ftands,
Above the reach of facrilegious hands;
Secure from Flames, from Envy's fiercer rage,
Deftructive War, and all-involving Age.

180

See, from each clime the learn'd their incense bring! Hear, in all tongues confenting Pæans ring!

185

In praise so just let ev'ry voice be join'd,

And fill the gen'ral chorus of mankind.

Hail,

VER. 175. A prudent chief, etc.] Olov Ti woan of φρόνιμοι τρατηλάτα κατὰ τὰς τάξεις τῶν τρατευμάτων — Dion. Hal. De ftruct. orat.

VER. 180. Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream.] Modefte, et circumfpecto judicio de tantis viris pronunciandum eft, ne (quod plerifque accidit) damnent quod non intelligunt. Ac fi neceffe eft in alteram errare partem, omnia eorum legentibus placere, quam multa difplicere maluerim. Quint. P.

VER. 183. Secure from flames, from envy's fiercer rage,

Deftructive war, and all-involving age.] The Poet here alludes to the four great caufes of the ravage amongst ancient writings: The deftruction of the Alexandrine and Palatine libraries by fire; the fiercer rage of Zoilus and Mavius and their followers against Wit; the irruption of the Barbarians into the empire; and the long reign of Ignorance and Superftition in the cloisters.