His apology for the use of this simile, and his concluding with Lord Roscommon's satisfaction 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 passage, very like this, in a celebrated ancient, we could hardly doubt of its being copied by Mr. Dryden. What think you then of this observation in one of Pliny's Letters, "Ut quasdam ́artes, "ità eloquentiam nihil magis quàm ancipitia "commendant. Vides qui fune in summa "nituntur, quantos soleant excitare clamores, "cùm jam jamque casuri videntur." L. ix. Ep. 26.

PRIOR, one may observe, has acted more naturally in his Alma, and by so doing, though the resemblance be full as great, one is not so certain of his being an Imitator. The verses are, of BUTLER :

He perfect Dancer climbs the Rope,
And balances your fear and hope:
If after some distinguish'd leap,
He drops his Pole and seems to slip;
Strait gath'ring all his active strength
He rises higher half his length.

With wonder you approve his slight,
And owe your pleasure to your fright.

C. II.

Though the two last lines seem taken from the application of this similitude in Pliny, “Sunt enim maximè mirabilia, quæ maximè "inexpectata, et maximè periculosa."

XI. Writers are, sometimes, sollicitous to conceal themselves: At others, they are fond to proclaim their Imitation. "It is when

"they have a mind to shew their dexterity in

You remember these lines of Milton in his Comus,

Wisdom's self

Oft seeks to sweet retired Solitude,

Where, with her best nurse, Contemplation, She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings,

That in the various bustle of resort

Were all too ruffled, and sometimes 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, some 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. Pope has not only improved the harmony, but the sense. In Milton, Contem

66

plation is called the Nurse; in Pope, more. "properly Solitude: In Milton, Wisdom is "said to prune her wings; in Pope, Contemplation is said to do it, and with much greater

propriety, as she is of a soaring nature, and 66 on that account is called by Milton himself, "the Cherub Contemplation."

One sees that Mr. Pope's view was to surpass his original; "which, it is said, was always his way when he imitated." The meaning is, when he purposely and professedly bent himself to Imitation; for then his fine genius taught him to seize every beauty, and his wonderful judgment, to avoid every defect or impropriety, in his author. And this distinction is very material to our passing a right judgment on the merit of Imitators. It is

commonly said, that their imitations fall short of their originals. And they will do so, whatever the Genius of the Imitator be, if they are formed only on a general resemblance of the thought imitated. For an Inventor comprehends his own idea more distinctly and fully, and of course expresses his purpose better, than a casual Imitator. But the case is different, when a good writer studies the passage from which he borrows. For then he not only copies, but improves on the first idea; and thus there will frequently (as in the case of Pope) be greater merit in the Copyist, than the original.

XII. We sometimes catch an Imitation lurking "in a licentious Paraphrase." The ground of suspicion lies in the very complacency with which a writer expatiates on a borrowed sentiment. He is usually more reserved in adorning one of his own.

1. AURELIUS VICTOR observes of Fabricius, "quòd difficiliùs ab honestate, quàm Sol à suo "cursu, averti posset."

TASSO flourishes a little on this thought;

Prima dal corso distornar la Luna

E le stelle potrà, che dal diritto

Torcere un sol mio passo

C. x. S. 24.

Mr. Waller rises

upon

the Italian,

"where her love was due,

So fast, so faithful, loyal, and so true,

That a bold hand as soon might hope to force The rowling lights of heav'n, as change her

course."

On the Death of Lady RICH.

But Mr. COWLEY, knowing what authority he had for the general sentiment, gives the reins to his fancy and wantons upon it without

measure.

Virtue was thy Life's centre, and from thence Did silently and constantly dispense

The gentle vigorous influence

To all the wide and fair circumference:
And all the parts upon it lean'd so easilie,
Obey'd the mighty force so willinglie,
That none could discord or disorder see
In all their contrarietie.

Each had his motion natural and free,

And the whole no more mov'd, than the whole

world could be.

BRUTUS.