P. See Sir Robert !———hum— And never laugh-for all my life to come? from them in the ranks of existence, and naturally look on those whom they find trifling with long beards, with contempt and indignation, like that which women feel at the effeminacy of men. If dotards will contend with boys in thofe performances, in which boys must always excel them; if they will dress crippled limbs with embroidery, endeavour at gayety with faultering voices; and darken the affemblies of pleasure, with the ghaftlinefs of disease, they may well expect those who find their diverfions obftructed, will hoot them away; and if they defcend to competition with youth, they must bear the infolence of fuccessful rivals. Epil. to the Sat. Dial.i, ver. 27° The The lines are exceffively beautiful, and poetical; but the two laft in particular contain an exact characteristic of the opinion which Sir Richard Walpole had of mankind. That minifter used often to declare, that every man had his price; and that although fome men made a fhow of patriotifm, it did not proceed from real virtue, but the want of a fufficient bribe. It appeared from the report of the fecret committee for enquiring into the conduct of Robert earl of Orford, that upwards of fifty thoufand pounds were paid to authors and printers of news-papers, fuch as Free-Britons, Daily Courants, Corn-Cutter's Journals, Gazetteers, and other political papers, from 1731 to 1741. Dr. Warburton very justly obferves on this, that the benevolence of one minifter expended, for the current dullness of ten years in Britain, M 2 Britain, double the fum which gained Lewis XIV. fo much honour, in annual penfions to learned men all over Europe. In which, and in a much longer time, not a pension at court, nor preferment in the church or universities, of any confideration, was beftowed on any man distinguished for his learning, separately from party-merit, or pamphlet-writing t. Yet all the panegyrics which these political writers bestowed on their patron, are now buried in oblivion: not one of them is fo well known as this compliment of Mr. Pope's. What could induce Mr. Walpole to introduce ftrokes of party politicks into his Catalogue of roy + Notes on the Dunciad, book ii. v. 314. al al and noble authors, I cannot conceive: they are unpardonable in a mere literary book; but particularly fo, when they tranfgrefs the bounds of truth. "It is not proper nor neceffary," says he, for me to touch his character here. Sixteen unfortunate and inglorious years fince his removal have already "written his elogium §." t Suppofing that the years fince Sir Robert Walpole's removal, were as inglorious as thofe of his miniftry; yet is it any apology for a bad minifter to say, § Vol. ii. p. 138. And fpeaking of admiral Montague, he fays," It is remarkable that he was the last commoner who was honoured with the garter, except one man, to whose virtues and merit may fome impartial pen do as much juftice, as I have fatisfaction in rendering to this great perfon." p. 8. M 3 that that he was fucceeded by as great knaves as himfelf? How well the national honour of Great Britain was fupported during his miniftry is well known; but how could a minifter act with becoming firmnefs in the affairs of Europe, whose grea. teft dread was that of a war? and who would let his fovereign and his country receive any infults fooner than go into one, a time in which he knew his own power would be in danger of falling. Yet, even during fo long and peaceable an adminiftration, the only effect that refulted from it, was the introducing the moft iniquitous fcheme of government that could poffibly be framed, fince he laid the foundation of his power on infamy, bribery, and corruption; nor could it fubfift, but at the expence of virtue, patriotifm, probity, and honour. Mr. Pope draws a ftriking and most beau |