That first was H-vy's, F-'s next, and then NOTES. and florid panegyrical speeches; particularly one very full of puerilities and flatteries; which afterwards got into an address in the same pretty style; and was lastly served up in an Epitaph, between Latin and English, published by its author. Pope. Ver. 69. The gracious dew of pulpit eloquence,] Our moral Bard was no great adept in theology, nor did he enter into the depths of pulpit eloquence. This rendered his judgment of things, on certain occasions, but slight and superficial. It is plain here be gibeth at this master-stroke of pulpit eloquence: but Master Doctor Thomas Playfere might have taught him better. This eminent Court Divine, in his Spital sermon, preached in the year 1595, layeth open the whole mystery. "The voice of a preacher (saith he, himselfe a powerful preacher,) ought to be the voice of a Crier, which should not pipe to make the people dance, but mourne to make them weep. Hence it is, that in the oulde law, none that was blinde, or had anie blemishe in his eye, might serve at the aulter; because for that impediment in his eye he could not well shew his inwarde sorrowing by his outward weeping. And when they offered up their first-borne, who was ordinarily in every family their prieste, or their preacher, they offered also with him a paire of turtle-doves or two young pigeons. That paire of turtledoves did signify a paire of mournfull eyes: those two younge pigeons did signifie likewise two weeping eyes: and at that offering they prayed for their first-borne, that afterwards he might have such eyes himselfe. For indeed, as Austin witnesseth, THERE IS MORE GOOD TO BE DONE with sighing than with speaking, with weeping than with words. Plus gemitibus quam sermonibus, plus fletu quam affatu." SCRIBL. Warburton. Ver. 73. O come, that easy, Ciceronian style,] Dr. Bland, of Eton, was a very bad writer, Dr. Middleton a remarkable good one; perhaps our best: but he was the friend of Pope's enemy, Hervey: hinc illæ lachrymæ ! Lord Bennet. As, though the pride of Middleton and Bland, 75 All boys may read, and girls may understand! NOTES. Ver. 75. pride of Middleton] The life of Tully, the most important of his works, procured Dr. Middleton a great reputation, and a great sum of money, which he generously gave to his nieces. It is a most pleasing and useful work, and gives a comprehensive view of a most interesting period in the Roman history, and of the characters principally concerned in those important events. It may be worth observing, that he is much indebted, without acknowledging it, to a curious book little known, intitled, G. Bellendini, Scoti, de Tribus Luminibus Romanorum, Libri 16. Parisiis. Apud Tassanum du Bray: 1634, folio; dedicated to King Charles. It comprehends a history of Rome from the foundation of the city to the time of Augustus, drawn up in the very words of Cicero, without any alteration of any expression. In this book Middleton found every part of Cicero's own history in his own words, and his works arranged in chronological order, without farther trouble. The impression of this work being shipped for England, was lost in the vessel, which was cast away, and only a few copies remained that had been left in France. I venture to say, that the style of Middleton, which is commonly esteemed very pure, is blemished with many vulgar and cant terms; such as, "Pompey had a month's mind: on that score; these advances; this squeamishness," &c. He has not been successful in the translations of those many Epistles of Tully which he has inserted; which, however curious, yet break the thread of the narration. Mongault and Melmoth have far exceeded him in their excellent translations of those pieces. Warton. The book mentioned by Warton, Bellendenus, has been edited by a profound scholar, and eloquent writer, Dr. Samuel Parr, whose animated preface, &c. is in the hands of every scholar. He speaks with a warmth that does honour to his heart, respecting Dr. Middleton's conduct, in not avowing to whom he was so much indebted. Bowles. Ver. 75. and Bland,] He had been master of Eton College, and a friend of Sir Robert Walpole. He translated into Latin, with Then might I sing, without the least offence, NOTES. 80 with much purity and elegance, the Soliloquy of Cato in the beginning of the fifth act of that Tragedy. Warton. Ver. 76. All boys may read, and girls may understand!] i. e. full of school phrases and Anglicisms. Warburton. Ver. 78. nation's sense;] The cant of politics at that time. Warburton. Ver. 80. CAROLINA] Queen Consort to King George II. She died in 1737. Her death gave occasion, as is observed above, to many indiscreet and mean performances, unworthy of her memory, whose last moments manifested the utmost courage and resolution. Pope. Ver. 81. And hail her passage to the realms of rest,] Dryden has a passage similar to the former couplet in his Absalom and Achitophel, part i. Or fled she with his life, and left this verse To hang on her departed patron's hearse? And a verse, resembling the last of this quotation, a little earlier in the same poem: All parts fulfill'd of subject, and of son: as Cowley also, on the death of the Earl of Balcarras : Wakefield. Perform'd all parts of virtue's vigorous life. Ver. 82. and all her children bless'd!] No subtle commentary can torture these words to mean any thing but the most poignant sarcasm on the behaviour of this great personage to her son on her death-bed. A very severe copy of verses was circulated at the time, said to be written by Lord Chesterfield, which ended thus: "And unforgiving, unforgiven died!" So that our author's own note is at variance with his text, as is a letter written to Mr. Allen. Warton. So-Satire is no more-I feel it die No Gazetteer more innocent than I NOTES. Ver. 82. all her children bless'd!"] Her memory has been vindicated in the most satisfactory manner by Mr. Coxe: "The enemies of Queen Caroline have represented her as being of an unforgiving temper; and even reproached her with want of maternal tenderness. It was maliciously suggested, that she fomented the misunderstanding between the King and the Prince of Wales; but, on the contrary, she exerted her utmost influence to abate the petulance of the Son, and the irritability of the Father. "The tongue of slander has even reproached her with maintaining her implacability to the hour of her death, and refusing her pardon to the Prince, who had humbly requested to receive her blessing. To this imputation Lord Chesterfield alludes, in a copy of verses circulated at that time: "And unforgiving, unforgiven dies!". Pope also has consigned to posterity this aspersion: " and all her children bless'd!" "I am happy to have it in my power to remove this stigma from the memory of this great Princess. She sent her blessing to her Son, and a message of forgiveness, and told Sir Robert Walpole she would have seen him with pleasure, but prudence forbad the interview, as it might embarrass and irritate the King." Memoirs of Sir Robert Walpole, p. 497. Bowles. Ver. 84. No Gazetteer more innocent than I-] The Gazetteer is one of the low appendices to the Secretary of State's office; and his business is to write the government's newspaper, published by authority. Sir Richard Steele for some time had this post; and he describes the condition of it very well, in the Apology for himself and his Writings: "My next appearance as a writer was in the quality of the lowest minister of state, to wit, in the office of Gazetteer; where I worked faithfully according to order, without ever erring against the rule observed by all ministers, to keep that paper very innocent and very insipid. It was to the reproaches I heard every Gazette day against the writer of it, that I owe 85 And let, a-God's name, every fool and knave Immortal S-k, and grave Dere. Silent and soft, as saints remove to heaven, 95 Receive, and place for ever near á king! NOTES. I owe the fortitude of being remarkably negligent of what people say, which I do not deserve." Warburton. Ver. 87. Why so? if satire] About this time a great spirit of liberty was prevalent. All the men of wit and genius, who indeed were all in the opposition, joined in increasing it. Glover wrote his Leonidas with this view; Nugent, his Odes to Mankind, and to Mr. Pulteney; King, his Miltonis Epistola, and Templum Libertatis; Thomson his Britannia, his Liberty, and his tragedy of Agamemnon; Mallet, his Mustapha; and Brooke, his Gustavus Vasa; our author, his Imitations of Horace, and these two Dialogues; and Johnson, his London. Warton. Ver. 92. Immortal S-k, and grave De-re.] A title given that Lord by king James II. He was of the Bedchamber to king William; he was so to king George I.; he was so to king George II. This Lord was very skilful in all the forms of the House, in which he discharged himself with great gravity. Pope. Pope alludes to Charles Hamilton, third son of the Duke of Hamilton, who was created Earl of Selkirk in 1687. Bowles. Ver. 97. There, where no passion, &c.] The excellent writer De l'Esprit des Loir gives the following character of the Spirit of Courts, |