lines are, as I have cited them, in the 13th book of the metamorphofis. But unluckily they are put into the mouth of Polypheme. So that instead of instructing one poet by the other, I only propofe that they should make an exchange; Ovid take Virgil's fea, and Virgil be contented with Ovid's water. However this be, you may be sure the authority of the Prince of the Latin poets will carry it with admiring posterity above all such scruples of decorum. No body wonders therefore to read in Taffo, Non fon' io Da difprezzar, fe ben me fteffo vidi But of all the mifappliers of this fine original fentiment, commend me to that other Italian, who made his fhepherd furvey himself, in a fountain indeed, but a fountain of his own weeping. 3. You will forgive my adding one other instance "of this vicious application of a fine thought." You remember those agreeable verses of Sir John Suckling, "Tempests of winds thus (as my ftorms of grief Carry my tears which should relieve my heart) Have hurried to the thankless ocean clouds And fhow'rs, that needed not at all the courtesy, When the poor plains have languish'd for the want, And almoft burnt afunder" I don't ftay to examine how far the fancy of tears relieving the heart is allowable. But admitting the propriety of the observation, in the sense the poet intended it, the fimile is applied and expreffed with the utmost beauty. It accordingly ftruck the best writers of that time. SPRAT, in his hiftory of the Royal Society, is taking notice of the mifapplication of philofophy to subjects of Religion. "That shower, fays "he, has done very much injury by falling on the "fea, for which the fhepherd, and the ploughman, call'd in vain: The wit of men has been profufely "pour'd out on Religion, which needed not its help, "and which was only thereby made more tempeftu"ous: while it might have been more fruitfully spent, on fome parts of philofophy, which have been "hitherto barren, and might foon have been made " fertil." p. 25. You fee what wire-drawing here is to make the comparison, so proper in its original use, just and pertinent to a subject to which it had naturally no relation. Befides, there is an abfurdity in speaking of a fhower's doing injury to the fea by falling into it. But the thing illuftrated by this comparison requiring the idea of injury, he transfers the idea to the comparing thing. He would foften the abfurdity, by running the comparison into metaphorical expreffion, but, I think, it does not remove it. In fhort, for these reasons, one might eafily have inferr'd an Imitation, without that parenthesis to apologize for it"To ufe that metaphor which an excellent poet of our nation turns to another purpose But 1 But a poet of that time has no better fuccefs in the management of this metaphor, than the Hif torian. LOVE makes fo many hearts the prize Of the bright CARLISLE's conqu❜ring eyes; And the vex'd Sailors curfe the rain, For which poor Shepherds pray'd in vain. Waller's Poems, p. 25, The Sentiment ftands thus. "She regards the captive hearts of others no more than those others the tears of leffer beauties." Thus, with much difficulty, we get to tears. And when we have them the allufion to loft clouds is fo ftrain'd, (befides that he makes his showers both useless and injurious) that one readily perceives the poet's thought was distorted by imitation. X. The charge of Plagiarism is fo difreputable to a great writer that one is not furpriz'd to find him anxious to avoid the imputation of it. Yet "this very anxiety ferves fometimes, to fix it upon " him." Mr. Dryden, in the Preface to his tranflation of Fresnoy's Art of painting, makes the following obfervation on Virgil." He pretends fometimes to trip, but 'tis only to make you think him in dan "ger 66 ger of a fall when he is moft fecure. Like a skill ful dancer on the Rope (if You will pardon the "meanness of the fimilitude) who flips willingly "and makes a feeming ftumble, that You may think "him in great hazard of breaking his neck; while ❝ at the same time he is only giving You a proof of "his dexterity. My late Lord Rofcommon was of"ten pleas'd with this reflection, &c.” p. 50. His apology for the use of this fimile, and his concluding with Lord Rofcommon's fatisfaction at his remark, betray, I think, an anxiety to pass for original, under the consciousness of being but an imitator. So that if we were to meet with a paffage, very like this, in a celebrated antient, we could hardly doubt of it's being copied by Mr. Dryden. What think you then of this obfervation in one of Pliny's Letters, "Ut quasdam artes, ità eloquentiam nihil "magis quàm ancipitia commendant. Vides qui fune "in fumma nituntur, quantos foleant excitare cla "mores, cùm jam jamque cafuri videntur." L. ix. Ep. 26. PRIOR, one may obferve, has acted more naturally in his Alma, and by fo doing, tho' the resemblance be full as great, one is not fo certain of his being an Imitator. The verfes are, of BUTLER. He perfect Dancer climbs the Rope, Straight Straight gath❜ring all his active strength And owe your pleafure to your fright. C. 11. Tho' the two laft lines seem taken from the application of this fimilitude in Pliny, "Sunt enim ma“ximè mirabilia, quæ maximè inexpectata, et ma"ximè periculofa." XI. Writers are, fometimes, follicitous to conceal themselves: At others, they are fond to proclaim their Imitation. "It is when they have a mind to "fhew their dexterity in contending with a great 66 original," You remember thefe lines of Milton in his Comus, Wifdom's felf Oft feeks to fweet retired Solitude, Where with her beft nurse, contemplation, Were all too ruffled, and fometimes impair'd. On which Dr. Warburton has the following note. "Mr. Pope has imitated this thought and (as was "always his way when he imitated) improved it." Bear me, fome Gods! oh, quickly bear me hence To wholesome Solitude, the nurse of Sense; Where Contemplation prunes her ruffled wings, And the free Soul looks down to pity Kings. Mr. |