Now he embellishes his HELEN's Loves,
Outdocs his Softnefs, and his Senfe improves!

DRYDEN, Preface to VIRGIL'S ÆNEIS.

"YOUR Effay on Poetry, which was published "without a Name, and of which I was not ho"noured with the Confidence, I read over and over, " with much Delight, and as much Inftruction; " and, without flattering you, or making myfelf "more moral than I am, not without fome Envy. "I was loth to be informed how an Epic Poem "fhould be written, or how a Tragedy fhould be "contriv'd and manag'd, in better Verfe, and with more Judgment, than I could teach others.

I gave the unknown Author his due Commen"dation, I must confefs: But who can anfwer "for me, and for the reft of the Pocts who heard

me read the Poem, whether we should not have "been better pleased, to have seen our own Names at the Bottom of the Title-Page? Perhaps we "commended it the more, that we might feem to "be above the Cenfure, &c."

DRYDEN, Ibid.

"THIS is but doing Juftice to my Country; Part " of which Honour will reflect on your Lordship;

• whose

"whofe Thoughts are always juft, your Numbers "harmonious, your Words chofen, your Expref"fions ftrong and manly, your Verfe flowing, and

your Turns as happy as they are cafy. If you "would fet us more Copies, your Example would "make all Precepts needlefs. In the mean time, "that little you have writ is owned, and that par"ticularly by the Poets (who are a Nation not "over-lavish of Praise to their Contemporaries) as "a particular Ornament of our Language: But the "fweeteft Effences are always confined in the "fmalleft Glaffes."

DRYDEN, Dedication to AURENGEZEB.

How great and manly in your Lordship, is your Contempt of popular Applause; and your retired Virtue, which fhines only to a few; with whom you live so easily and freely, that you make it evident, you have a Soul which is capable of all the Tenderness of Friendship, and that you only retire yourself from thofe, who are not capable of returning it! Your Kindness, where you have once plac'd it, is inviolable: And 'tis to that only I attri bute my Happiness in your Love. This makes me more cafily forfake an Argument, on which I could otherwise delight to dwell; I mean your Judgment

in your Choice of Friends; because I have the Ho nour to be one. After which, I am fure you will more cafily permit me to be filent, in the Care you have taken of my Fortune; which you have refcu'd, not only from the Power of others, but from my worst of Enemies, my own Modesty and Laziness. Which Favour, had it been employ'd on a more deserving Subject, had been an Effect of Justice in your Nature; but as plac'd on me, is only Charity. Yet withal, 'tis conferred on fuch a Man, as prefers your Kindness itself, before any of its Confequences; and who values, as the greatest of your Favours, thofe of your Love, and of your Conversation. From this Conftancy to your Friends, I might reafonably affume, that your Refentments would be as strong and lasting, if they were not restrained by a nobler Principle of Good-nature and Generofity. For certainly, 'tis the fame Compofition of Mind, the fame Refolution and Courage, which makes the greatcft Friendships, and the greatest Enmities. To this Firmness in all your Actions (tho' you are wanting in no other Ornaments of Mind and Body, yet to this) I principally afcribe the Interest your Merits have acquir'd you in the Royal Family. A Prince, who is constant to himself, and steady in all his Undertakings; one with whom the Character of HORACE will agree,

Si fractus illabatur orbis,
Impavidum ferient ruina,

Such a one cannot but place an Esteem, and repose a Confidence on him, whom no Adverfity, no Change of Courts, no Bribery of Interest, or Cabal of Factions, or Advantages of Fortune, can remove from the folid Foundations of Honour and Fidelity.

Ille meos, primus qui me fibi junxit, amores Abftulit, ille habeat fecum, fervetque fepulcro.

How well your Lordship will deferve that Praise, I need no Inspiration to foretel. You have already left no room for Prophecy: Your early Undertakings have been fuch, in the Service of your King and Country, when you offer'd yourself to the most dangerous Employment, that of the Sea: when you chose to abandon those Delights, to which your Youth and Fortune did invite you, to undergo the Hazards, and, which was worse, the Company of common Seamen; that you have made it evident, you will refuse no Opportunity of rendring yourself useful to the Nation, when either your Courage or Conduct fhall be required.

Bishop BURNET, Preface to Sir T. MORE's Utopia.' OUR Language is now certainly properer and more natural than it was formerly, chiefly fince the

Cor

Correction that was given by the Rehear fal: And it is to be hoped that the Effay on Poetry, which may be well match'd with the best Pieces of its kind that even AUGUSTUS's Age produced, will have a more powerful Operation; if clear Sense, joined with home, but gentle Reproofs, can work more on our Writers, than that unmerciful expofing of 'em has done.

ADDISON, Spectator, No. 253.

WE have three Poems in our Tongue, which are of the fame Nature, and each of them a Master-piece in its kind: The Effay on Tranflated Verfe, the Effay on Poetry, and the Effay on Criticism.

Lord LANSDOWN, Essay on Unnatural Flights, &c.
ROSCOMMON first, then MULGRAVE ofe, like Light,
To clear our Darkness, and to guide our Flight:
With steady Judgment, and in lofty Sounds,
They gave us Patterns, and they fet us Bounds.
The STAGYRITE and HORACE laid afide,
Inform'd by them we need no foreign Guide:
Who feek from Poetry a lafting Name,

May from their Leffons learn the Road to Fame.

PRIOR, Alma, Cant. 2.

Happy the Poet! bleft the Lays!

Which BUCKINGHAM has deign'd to praife.

GARTH,