"That the " Messiah " excels the "Pollio" is no great praise, if it be considered from what original the improvements are derived."

"The "Verses on the Unfortunate Lady have drawn much attention by the illaudable singularity of treating suicide with respect, and they must be allowed to be written in some parts with vigorous animation, and in others with gentle tenderness; nor has Pope produced any poem in which the sense predominates more over the diction. But the tale is not skilfully told."

"The "Ode for St. Cecilia's Day" was undertaken at the desire of Steele: in this the author is generally confessed to have miscarried; yet he has miscarried only compared with Dryden, for he has far outgone other competitors."

"One of his greatest though of his earliest works is the "Essay on Criticism," which, if he had written nothing else, would have placed him among the first critics, and the first of the poets, as it exhibits every mode of excellence that can embellish or dignify didactic composition, selection of matter, novelty of arrangement, justness of precept, splendour of illustration, and propriety of digression.

"To the praises which have been accumulated on "The Rape of the Lock" by readers of every class, from the critic to the waiting maid, it is difficult to make any addition.

"The Epistle of " Eloisa to Abelard" is one of the most happy productions of human wit; the subject is so judiciously chosen, that it would be

difficult, in turning over the annals of the world, to find another which so many circumstances concur to recommend."

"The train of my disquisition has now conducted me to that poetical wonder, the translation of the "Iliad"; a performance which no age or nation can pretend to equal."

"He cultivated our language with so much diligence and art that he has left in his "Homer" a treasure of poetical elegancies to posterity. His version may be said to have tuned the English tongue; for since its appearance no writer, however deficient in other powers, has wanted melody. Such a series of lines so elaborately connected, and so sweetly modulated, took possession of the public ear; the vulgar were enamoured of the poem, and the learned wondered at the translation.

"Of the " Odyssey" nothing remains to be observed the same general praise may be given to both translations, and a particular examination of either would require a large volume."

"Of the "Dunciad" the hint is confessedly taken from Dryden's "Mac Flecno;" but the plan is so enlarged and diversified as justly to claim the praise of an original, and affords perhaps the best specimen that has yet appeared of personal satire ludicrously pompous.

"The "Essay on Man" was a work of great labour and long consideration, but certainly not the happiest of Pope's performances.

"

Dr. Johnson, after condemning its principles, goes on to say, "If1 had undertaken to exemplify

Pope's felicity of composition before a rigid critic, I should not select the “ Essay on Man;" for it contains more lines unsuccessfully laboured, more harshness of diction, more levity without elegance, and more heaviness without strength than will be easily found in all his other works.

"The Characters of Men and Women" are the product of diligent speculation upon human life; much labour has been bestowed upon them, and' Pope very seldom laboured in vain."

"After all this, it is surely superfluous to answer the question that has once been asked, whether Pope was a poet! otherwise than by asking in' return, if Pope be not a poet, where is poetry to be found! To circumscribe poetry by a definition will only show the narrowness of the definer, though' a definition which shall exclude Pope will not easily be made. Let us look round upon the present time, and back upon the past; let us inquire' to whom the voice of mankind has decreed the wreath of poetry; let their productions be examined, and their claims stated, and the pretensions of Pope will be no more disputed. Had he given the world only his version, the name of poet must. have been allowed him. If the writer of the "Iliad were to class his successors, he would assign a very high place to his translator, without requiring any other evidence of genius."

SWIFT.

JONATHAN SWIFT was, according to an account said to be written by himself, the son of Jonathan Swift an attorney, and was born in Dublin on St. Andrew's day, 1667. According to his own report, as delivered by Pope to Spence, he was born at Leicester, the son of a clergyman, who was minister of a parish in Herefordshire. Whatever was his birth, his education was Irish. He was sent at the age of six to the school of Kilkenny, and in his fifteenth year (1682) was admitted into the University of Dublin.

In his academical studies he was either not diligent or not happy. He obtained his degree of Bachelor of Arts by special favour; a term used in that University to denote want of merit.

He resolved from that time to study eight hours a day, and continued his industry for seven years, with what improvement is sufficiently known. In this course of daily application he continued three years longer in Dublin, and in this time, it is said, he drew the first sketch of his " Tale of a Tub."

When he was about one and twenty (1680), being, by the death of Godwin Swift his uncle who had supported him, left without subsistence, he went to consult his mother, who then lived at Leicester, about his future course of life, and by her directions solicited the patronage of Sir William Temple, who had married one of Mrs. Swift's

relations, and whose father, Sir John Temple, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, had lived in great familiarity of friendship with Godwin Swift.

Temple was so pleased with the nephew of his father's friend that he detained him two years in his house. Here he became known to King William, who sometimes visited Temple when he was disabled by the gout; and being attended by Swift in the garden, he shewed him how to cut asparagus in the Dutch way.

When Temple removed to Moor-park, he took Swift with him, who was much oppressed with a giddiness and deafness, a malady that pursued him through life, and at last sent him to the grave, deprived of reason. He was advised to try his native air, and went to Ireland; but, finding no benefit, he returned to Sir William, at whose house he continued his studies. He thought exercise of great necessity, and used to run half a mile and down a hill every two hours.

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He now resolved to become a Master of Arts at Oxford. In the testimonial which he produced, the words of disgrace were omitted, and he took his Master's degree (July 5, 1692) with such reception and regard as fully contented him.

While he lived with Temple, he used to pay his mother at Leicester a yearly visit. He travelled on foot, unless some violent weather drove him into a waggon, and at night he would go to a penny lodging, where he purchased clean sheets for sixpence. In 1694 he quitted Moor-park with discontent.