fuch acquaintance with mankind, and such knowledge both of ancient and modern learning, as are not often attained by the maturest age and longeft experience. It was published about two years afterwards, and being praised by Addison in the Spectator with fufficient liberality, met with fo much favour as enraged Dennis, "who," he fays, "found "himself attacked, without any manner of "provocation on his fide, and attacked in his perfon, instead of his writings, by one who "was wholly a stranger to him, at a time "when all the world knew he was perfecuted by fortune; and not only faw that this was attempted in a clandeftine manner, with "the utmost falfehood and calumny, but "found that all this was done by a little af"fected hypocrite, who had nothing in his "mouth at the fame time but truth, candour, friendship, good-nature, humanity, and magnanimity." How the attack was clandeftine is not eafily perceived, nor how his perfon is depreciated; but he seems to have known fomething of Pope's character, in whom may be discovered VOL. IV. C an an appetite to talk too frequently of his own virtues. The pamphlet is fuch as rage might be expected to dictate. He fuppofes himself to be afked two queftions; whether the Effay will fucceed, and who or what is the author. Its fuccefs he admits to be fecured by the falle opinions then prevalent; the author he concludes to be young and raw. First, because he discovers a fufficiency beyond his little ability, and hath rashly undertaken a task infinitely above his force. Secondly, while this little author struts, and affects the dictatorian air, he plainly fhews that at the fame time he is under the rod, and while he pretends to give law to others is a pedantick flave to authority and opinion. Thirdly, he hath, like fchool-boys, borrowed both from living and dead. Fourthly, he knows not his own mind, and frequently contradicts himself. Fifthly, he is almost perpetually in the wrong. All these pofitions he attempts to prove by quotations and remarks; but his defire to do mischief mischief is greater than his power. He has, however, justly criticised fome paffages. In thefe lines, There are whom heaven has blefs'd with store of wit, Yet want as much again to manage it; it is apparent that wit has two meanings, and that what is wanted, though called wit, is truly judgement. So far Dennis is undoubt edly right; but, not content with argument, he will have a little mirth, and triumphs over the first couplet in terms too elegant to be forgotten. "By the way, what rare num"bers are here! Would not one swear that "this youngster had efpoused fome antiquated "Muse, who had fued out a divorce on ac"count of impotence from fome fuperan"nuated finner; and, having been p-xed by her former spouse, has got the gout in "her decrepit age, which makes her hobble fo damnably." This was the man who would reform a nation finking into barbarity. In another place Pope himself allowed that Dennis had detected one of those blunders C 2 which which are called bulls. The first edition had this line: What is this wit Where wanted, fcorn'd; and envied where acquir'd? "How," fays the critick, " can wit be fcorn'd " where it is not? Is not this a figure fre . quently employed in Hibernian land? The perfon that wants this wit may indeed be fcorned, but the fcorn fhews the honour "which the contemner has for wit." Of this remark Pope made the proper use, by correcting the paffage. I have preserved, I think, all that is reasonable in Dennis's criticifm; it remains that juftice be done to his delicacy. "For his ac quaintance (fays Dennis) he names Mr. "Walsh, who had by no means the qualifi "cation which this author reckons abfolutely neceffary to a critick, it being very certain "that he was, like this Eflayer, a very indif ferent poet; he loved to be well-dreffed; " and I remember a little young gentleman "whom Mr. Walsh used to take into his company, as a double foil to his person and "capacity. 3 capacity.-Enquire between Sunninghill and "Oakingham for a young, fhort, fquab gentleman, the very bow of the God of Love, and tell me whether he be a proper author "to make perfonal reflections?-He may "extol the antients, but he has reason to "thank the gods that he was born a modern; for had he been born of Grecian parents, " and his father confequently had by law had "the absolute disposal of him, his life had "been no longer than that of one of his poems, the life of half a day. Let the person of a gentleman of his parts be ne ver fo contemptible, his inward man is ten "times more ridiculous; it being impoffible "that his outward form, though it be that "of downright monkey, fhould differ fo much from human fhape, as his unthink, ing immaterial part does from human understanding." Thus began the hoftility between Pope and Dennis, which, though it was fufpended for a fhort time, never was appeafed. Pope feems, at firft, to have attacked him wantonly; but though he always profeffed to defpife him, he discovers, by mentioning him often, that he felt his force or his venom. |