Who fcorn a Lad fhould teach his father fkill,

And, having once been wrong, will be fo ftill. 130 He, who to feem more deep than you or I,

W

Extols old Bards, " or Merlin's Prophecy,

Mistake him not;

he envies, not admires,

And to debase the Sons, exalts the Sires.

NOTES.

VER. 122. Which Betterton's grave action dignify'd, Or wellmouth'd Booth] The epithet gravis, when applied to a Tragedian, fignifies dignity of gefture and action; and in this fenfe the imitator uses the word grave: nothing being more deftructive of his character than ranting, the common vice of StageHeroes, from which this admirable Actor was entirely free. The epithet well-mouth'd, a term of the chace, here applied to his fucceffor, was not given without a particular defign, and to infinuate, that there was as wide a difference between their performances, as there is between scientific music, and the harmony of brute founds, between elocution and vociferation. This compliment was paid to Betterton, as the earlieft of our Author's friends; whom he did not more esteem for the excellence of his dramatic performance, than for the integrity of his life and

manners.

VER. 124. A mufter roll of Names,] An abfurd cuftom of feveral Actors, to pronounce with emphafis the meer Proper Names of Greeks or Romans, which (as they call it) fill the mouth of the Player. P.

VER. 129-130.] Inferior to the original: as VER. 133-4 excel it.

VOL. IV.

* M 3

Quod fi tam Graecis novitas invifa fuisset,

Quam nobis ; quid nunc effet vetus ? aut quid haberet,

Quod legeret tereretque viritim publicus ufus ?

Ut primum pofitis nugari Graecia bellis

Coepit, et in vitium fortuna labier aequa ;

Nunc athletarum ftudiis, nunc arfit equorum.

NOTES.

VER. 138. By learned Critics of the mighty Dead?] A ridicule on the tribe of learned Critics, who think all writers but the ancient unworthy their care and attention. This came properly into a fatire, whofe fubject is the unreasonable fondness for antiquity in general.

VER. 140. with Charles reftor'd;] He fays reftor'd, because the luxury he brought in, was only the revival of that practised in the reigns of his Father and Grandfather.

VER. 143. In Horsemanship t'excell, And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Romance.] The Duke of Newcaftle's book of Horfemanship: the Romance of Parthenia, by the Earl of Orrery, and most of the French Romances tranflated by Perfons of Quality. P.

VER. 146. And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Ramance.] The rife and progrefs of the feveral branches of literary Science is one of the most curious parts of the hiftory of the human mind, and yet is that which amongst us is least attended to. This of fictitious history is not below our notice. The close connexion which every individual has with all that relates to MAN in ge

X

Had ancient times confpir'd to dif-allow

135

What then was new, what had been ancient now?

Or what remain'd, fo worthy to be read
By learned Critics, of the mighty Dead?

y In Days of Eafe, when now the weary Sword Was sheath'd, and Luxury with Charles restor’d; In ev'ry taste of foreign Courts improv'd,

141

All, by the King's Example, liv'd and lov'd." Then Peers grew proud in Horsemanship t'excell, New-market's Glory rofe, as Britain's fell;

The Soldier breath'd the Gallantries of France,

And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Romance.

NOTES.

146

neral strongly inclines us to turn our obfervation upon human affairs, in preference to other attentions, and eagerly to wait the progress and iffue of them. But as the course of human actions is too flow to gratify our curiofity, obfervant men very early contrived to fatisfy its impatience by the invention of hiftory. Which by recording the principal circumstances of past Facts, and laying them close together, in a continued narration, kept the mind from languishing, and gave conftant exercise to its reflections.

But as it commonly happens, that in all indulgent refinements on our fatisfactions, the Procurers to our pleasures run into excefs; fo it happened here. Strict matters of fact, however delicately dreffed up, foon grew too fimple and infipid to a tafte ftimulated by the luxury of art: They wanted fomething of more poignancy to quicken and enforce a jaded appetite. Hence in the politer ages those feigned hiftories relating the quick turns of capricious Fortune; and, in the more barbarous, the RoMANCES, abounding with the falfe provocative of inchantment and miraculous adventures.

• Marmoris aut ebo:is fabros aut aeris amavit;

Sufpendit picta vultum mentemque tabella;

Nunc tibicinibus, nunc eft gavifa tragoedis:

* Sub nutrice puella velut fi luderet infans,

Quod cupide petiit, mature plena reliquit.

NOTES.

But fatiety, in things unnatural, brings on disgust. And the reader at length began to fee that too eager a pursuit after adventures had drawn him from, what firft engaged his attention, MAN and his ways, into the Fairy walks of Monfters and Chimera's. And now those who had run farthest after these delufions, were the first that recovered themfelves. For the next fpecies of fiction, which took its name from its NOVELTY, was of Spanish invention. These presented us with something of humanity; but in a forced unnatural state. For as every thing before was conducted by Necromancy, fo all now was managed by intrigue. And tho' it had indeed a kind of life, it had yet, as in its infancy, nothing of manners. On which account those who could not penetrate into the ill conftitution of its plan, yet grew difgufted at the dryness of the Conduct, and want of eafe in the Catastrophe.

The avoiding thefe defects gave rife to the HEROICAL ROMANCES of the French, here ridiculed by our Poet; in which fome celebrated story of antiquity was fo polluted by modern fable and invention, as was just enough to fhew that the contrivers of them neither knew how to lye nor speak truth. In thefe voluminous extravagances, Love and Honour supplied the place of Life and Manners. But the over-refinement of Pla

a

Then Marble, foften'd into life, grew warm,

And yielding Metal flow'd to human form :
Lely on animated Canvas stole

The sleepy Eye, that spoke the melting soul. 150
No wonder then, when all was Love and sport,
The willing Mufes were debauch'd at Court:
On each enervate ftring they taught the note
To pant, or tremble thro' an Eunuch's throat.
But Britain, changeful as a Child at play, 155
Now calls in Princes, and now turns away.

NOTES.

tonic fentiments always finks into the dregs of the gentle paffion. Thus in attempting a more natural reprefentation of it in the little AMATORY NOVELS which fucceeded those heavier volumes, tho' the writers avoided the drynefs of the Spanish Intrigue, and the extravagance of the French Heroifm, yet, by giving too natural a picture of their fubject, they introduced a worfe evil than a corruption of Tafte, and that was a corruption of Heart.

At length this great People (to whom, it must be owned, every branch of Science has been infinitely indebted) hit upon the true fecret, by which alone a deviation from strict fact, in the commerce of Man, could be really amufing to an improved mind, or useful to promote that improvement. And this was by a faithful and chafte copy of real LIFE AND MANNERS.

In this fpecies of writing, Mr. De Marivaux in France, and Mr. FIELDING in England stand the foremost. And by en riching it with the best part of the Comic art, may be faid to have brought it to its perfection.

VER. 142. A Verfe of the Lord Lanfdown. P.

VER. 149. Lely on animated Canvas ftole The fleepy Eye, etc.] This was the Characteristic of this excellent Colourist's expreffion; who was an exceffive Manierest.

VER. 153. On each enervate ftring etc.] The Siege of Rhodes by Sir William Davenant, the firft Opera fung in England, P.