THE Poem is in one book, but divided into three principal parts or members. The first [to ver. 201.] gives rules for the Study of the Art of Criticism; the fecond [from thence to ver. 560.] exposes the Caufes of wrong Judgment; and the third [from thence to the end] marks out the Morals of the Critic. When the Reader hath well confidered the whole, and hath obferved the regularity of the plan, the masterly conduct of the feveral parts, the penetration into Nature, and the compafs of learning fo confpicuous throughout, he should then be told that it was the work of an Author who had not attained the twentieth year of his age. A very learned Critic has fhewn, that Horace had the fame attention to method in his Art of Poetry.

CONTENTS

O F THE

ESSAY ON CRITICISM.

I

NTRODUCTION.

That 'tis as great a fault to judge

ill, as to write ill, and a more dangerous one to the public, ver. 1.

That a true Tafte is as rare to be found as a true Genius, ver. 9 to 18.

That most men are born with fome Tafte, but fpoil'd by falfe Education, ver. 19 to 25.

The multitude of Critics and caufes of them, ver. 26

to 45.

That we are to ftudy our own Tafte, and know the limits of it, ver. 46 to 67.

Nature the best guide of judgment, ver. 68 to 87. Improved by Art and Rules, which are but methodized Nature, ver. 88.

Rules derived from the practice of the Ancient Poets, ver. 88. to 110.

That therefore the Ancients are neceffary to be studied by a Critic, particularly Homer and Virgil, ver. 120 to 138.

Of Licences, and the use of them by the Ancients, ver. 140 to 180.

Reverence due to the Ancients, and praise of them, ver. 181, &c.

PART

PART II. Ver. 203, &c.

Causes hindering a true Judgment. 1. Pride, ver. 208. 2. Imperfect Learning, ver. 215. 3. Judging by parts, and not by the whole, ver. 233 to 288. Critics in Wit, Language, Versification, only, 288, 305, 339, &c. 4. Being too hard to please, or too apt to admire, ver. 384. 5. Partiality too much love. to a Sect,-to the Ancients or Moderns, ver. 394. 6. Prejudice or Prevention, ver. 408. 7. Singularity, ver. 424. 8. Inconftancy, ver. 430. 9. Party Spirit, ver. 452, &c. 10. Envy, ver. 466. Against Envy, and in praise of Good-nature, ver. 508, &c. When Severity is chiefly to be used by Critics, ver. 526, &c.

ver.

PART III. Ver. 560, &c.

Rules for the Conduct of Manners in a Critic. 1. Candour, ver. 563. Modefty, ver. 566. Good-breeding, ver. 572. Sincerity and Freedom of Advice, ver. 578. 2. When one's Counsel is to be restrained, 584. Character of an incorrigible Poet, ver. 600. And of an impertinent Critic, ver. 610, &c. Character of a good Critic, ver. 629. The Hiftory of Criticism, and Characters of the beft Critics: Aristotle, ver. 645. Horace, ver. 653. Dionyfius, ver. 665. Petronius, ver. 667. Quintilian, ver. 670. Longinus, ver. 675. Of the Decay of Criticifm, and its Revival. Erafmus, ver. 693. Vida, ver. 705. Boileau, ver. 714. Lord Rofcommon, &c. ver. 725. Conclufion.

ΑΝ

AN

ESSAY

ON

CRITICIS M.

IS hard to fay, if greater want of skill

"T"

Appear in writing or in judging ill;
But of the two, lefs dangerous is th' offence
To tire our patience, than mislead our fenfe.
Some few in that, but numbers err in this,
Ten cenfure wrong for one who writes amiss;
A fool might once himself alone expose,
Now one in verfe makes many more in profe.
'Tis with our judgments as our watches; none
Go juft alike, yet each believes his own.
In Poets as true genius is but rare,
True tafte as feldom is the Critic's fhare,
Both must alike from Heaven derive their light,
These born to judge, as well as those to write.
Let fuch teach others who themselves excel,
And cenfure freely who have written well.
Authors are partial to their wit, 'tis true,
But are not Critics to their judgment too?

Yet, if we look more closely, we shall find
Most have the feeds of judgment in their mind:

10

15

20 Nature

Nature affords at least a glimmering light;

The lines, though touch'd but faintly, are drawn right.
But as the slightest sketch, if justly trac'd,
Is by ill-colouring but the more disgrac'd,
So by falfe learning is good sense defac'd:

Some are bewilder'd in the maze of schools,

26

And fome made coxcombs Nature meant but fools.

In fearch of wit these lose their common sense,

And then turn Critics in their own defence:

Each burns alike, who can, or cannot write,
Or with a rival's, or an eunuch's spite.
All fools have still an itching to deride,
And fain would be upon the laughing fide.

30

If Mævius fcribble in Apollo's fpight,

There are who judge still worse than he can write.
Some have at firft for Wits, then Poets paft,
Turn'd Critics next, and prov'd plain fools at last.

35

Some

VARIATIONS.

Between ver. 25 and 26 were these lines, fince omit

ted by the Author:

Many are spoil'd by that pedantic throng,

Who with great pains teach youth to reason wrong.
Tutors, like Virtuofos, oft inclin'd

By ftrange transfufion to improve the mind,
Draw off the fenfe we have, to pour in new ;
Which yet, with all their skill," they ne'er could do.

Ver. 30, 31. In the first edition thus:

Those hate as rivals all that write; and others
But envy wits, as eunuchs envy lovers.

Ver. 32. "All fools," in the first edition: "All fuch" in edition 1717; fince reftored.