spoke of, lie fo remote from vulgar apprehenfion, that, without either jealoufy or malignity, DULLNESS itself will be fure to create them many peevish detractors. For an ordinary critic can scarce help finding fault with what he does not understand, or being angry where he has no ideas. On all these accounts, it may poffibly happen, as I faid, that your critical labours will draw upon you much popular refentment and invective. But if fuch should be the prefent effect of your endeavours to cultivate and complete this elegant part of literature; you, who know the temper of the learned world, and, by your eminent merits, have fo oft provoked its injustice, will not be disturbed or furprized at it: much lefs should it discourage those who VOL. II. b are are difpofed to do you more right, from celebrating, and, as they find themfelves able,, from copying your example; For use will father what's begot by SENSE, as well in this, as in other inftances. YOU SEE, Sir, what there is of encomium in the turn of this Letter, was intended not fo much for your fake, as my own. Had my purpose been any other, I muft have chofen very ill among the various parts of your character to take this for the'. fubje&t of an addrefs to you. For, after all I have faid and think of your critical abilities, it might feem' alhoft as frange in a panegyrift on Mr. Warburton fo tell of his admirable criticifms on POPE and SHAKESPEARE, as it would be in him, who fhould defign an encomium on Socrates, to infift on his excellent feulp ture > be ture of MERCURY and the GRACES. Yet there is a time, when it may allowed to lay a ftrefs on the amusements of fuch men. It is, when an adventurer in either art would do an honour to his profeffion. I am, with the truest esteem, Reverend Sir, Your most obedient and most humble fervant, CAMBRIDGE, R. HURD. CUM Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, Legibus emendes; in publica commoda peccem, Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Caefar. COMMENTARY. EPISTOLA AD AUGUSTUM.] In conducting this work, which is an apology for the poets of his own time, the method of the writer is no other, than that which plain fenfe, and the subject itself, required of him. For, as the main diflike to the Augustan poets had arifen from an exceffive reverence paid to their elder brethren, the firft part of the epiftle [from line 1 to 118] is very naturally laid out in the ridicule and confutation of fo abfurd a prejudice. And having, by this preparation, obtained a candid hearing for his defence, he then proceeds [in what follows, to the end] to vindicate their real merits; fetting in view the excellencies of the Latin poetry, as cultivated by the great modern masters; and throwing the blame of their ill fuccefs, and of the contempt in which they had lain, not fo much on themselves, or their proa feffon (the dignity of which, in particular, he infists highly upon, and afferts with spirit) as on the vicious VOL, II, B tafte |