your Hero by any human means, or yourself by your own wit, feek relief from Heaven, and the Gods will do your business very readily. This is according to the direct Prescription of Horace in his Art of Poetry,

Nec Deus interfit, nifi dignus vindice Nodus
Inciderit.---

That is to fay, A Poet fhould never call upon the
Gods for their Afiftance, but when he is in great
Perplexity.

For the DESCRIPTION S.

For a Tempeft. Take Eurus, Zephyr, Auster, and Boreas, and caft them together in one verse : add to these of Rain, Lightning and Thunder (the loudeft you can) quantum fufficit : mix your Clouds and Billows well together 'till they foam, and thicken your Defcription here and there with a Quickfand. Brew your Tempest well in your head, before you fet it a blowing.

For a Battle. Pick a large quantity of Images and Descriptions from Homer's Iliads, with a spice or two of Virgil, and if their remain any overplus, you may lay them by for a Skirmish. Seafon it well with Similes, and it will make an excellent Battle.

For a Burning Town. If fuch a Description be neceffary (because it is certain there is one in

Virgil) old Troy is ready burnt to your hands. But if you fear that would be thought borrowed, a Chapter or two of the Theory of the Conflagration, well circumftanced and done into verfe, will be a good Succedaneum.

As for Similes and Metaphors, they may be found all over the Creation; the most ignorant may gather them, but the difficulty is in applying them. For this advise with your Bookfeller.

CHAP. XVI.

A Project for the Advancement of the Stage.

Τ may be thought that we should not wholly

IT

omit the Drama, which makes fo great and fo lucrative a part of Poctry. But this Province is fo well taken care of, by the prefent Managers of the Theatre, that it is perfectly needless to suggest to them any other Methods than they have already practifed for the advancement of the Bathos.

Here therefore, in the Name of all our Brethren, let me return our fincere and humble Thanks to the moft Auguft Mr. Barton Booth, the mott Screne Mr. Robert Wilks, and the most Undaunted Mr. Colly Cibber; of whom let it be

known, when the People of this Age shall be Anceftors, and to all the Succeffion of our Successors, that to this present Day they continue to Out-do even their own Out-doings: And when the inevitable Hand of fweeping Time shall have brushed off all the Works of To day, may this Teftimony of a Co-temporary Critic to their Fame, be extended as far as To-morrow.

Yet, if to fo wife an Administration it be poffible any thing can be added, it is that more ample and comprehenfive Scheme which Mr. Dennis and Mr. Gildon (the two greatest Critics and Reformers then living) made publick in the year 1720, in a Project figned with their Names, and dated the 2' of February. I cannot better conclude than by presenting the Reader with the Substance of it.

1. It is proposed, That the two Theatres be incorporated into one Company; that the Royal Academy of Mufick be added to them as an Orchestra ; and that Mr. Figg with his Prize-fighters, and Violante with the Rope-dancers, be admitted in Partnership.

2. That a fpacious Building be erected at the Public expence, capable of containing at least ten thousand Spectators, which is become absolutely neceffary by the great addition of Children and Nurses to the Audience, fince the new Entertainments. That there be a Stage as large as the Athenian, which was near ninety thousand geometri

cal paces fquare, and feparate divifions for the two Houfes of Parliament, my Lords the Judges, the honourable the Directors of the Academy, and the Court of Aldermen, who fhall all have their Places frank.

3. If Weminfer-Hall be not allotted to this fervice (which by reafon of its proximity to the two Chambers of Parliament above-mentioned, feems not altogether improper ;) it is left to the wildom of the Nation whether Somerfet-Houfe may not be demolished, and a Theatre built upon that Side, which lies convenient to receive Spectators from the County of Surrey, who may be wafted thither by water-carriage, efteemed by all Projectors the cheapest whatsoever. To this may be added, that the river Thames may in the readieft manner conthofe eminent Perfonages from Courts beyond the feas, who may be drawn either by Curicity to behold fome of our moft celebrated Pieces, or by Affection to fee their Countrymen, the Harlequins and Eunuchs; of which convenient notice may be given, for two or three months before, in the publick Prints.

vey

4. That the Theatre abovefaid be envirored with a fair Quadrangle of Buildings, fitted for the accommodation of decay'd Critics and Pots; out of whom Six of the moft aged (their age to be computed from the year wherein their firft work was published) shall be elected to manage the af

fairs of the fociety, provided nevertheless that the Laureat for the time being, may be always one. The Head or Prefident over all (to prevent difputes, but too frequent among the learned) fhall be the most ancient Poet and Critic to be found in the whole Island.

5. The Male-Players are to be lodged in the garrets of the faid Quadrangle, and to attend the perfons of the Poets, dwelling under them, by brushing their apparel, drawing on their shoes, and the like. The Actresses are to make their beds, and wash their linen.

6. A large room shall be fet apart for a Library to confift of all the modern Dramatick Poems, and all the Criticisms extant. In the midst of this room shall be a round table for the Council of Six to fit and deliberate on the Merits of Plays. The Majority fhall determine the Difpute; and if it fhould happen that three and three fhould be of each fide, the Prefident fhall have a cafting Voice, unless where the Contention may run fo high as to require a decifion by Single Combat.

7. It may be convenient to place the Counfel of Six in fome confpicuous fituation in the Theatre, where after the manner ufually practifed by compofers in musick, they may give Signs (before settled and agreed upon) of Diflike or Approbation. In confequence of thefe Signs the whole audience