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"does he exprefs a favage nature, in fastening upon the celebrated author, dwelling upon "his imaginary defects, and paffing over his 'confpicuous excellences. He treats all "writers upon the fame impartial foot; and is not, like the little critics, taken up entirely in finding out only the beauties of the ancient, and nothing but the errors of the mo "dern writers. Never did any one express more

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kindness and good nature to young and unfi nished authors; he promotes their interefts, "protects their reputation, extenuates their

faults, and fets off their virtues, and by his can "dour guards them from the feverity of his "judgement. He is not like thofe dry critics, "who are morose because they cannot write "themselves, but is himself master of a good vein “in poetry, and though he does not often em“ploy it, yet he has fometimes entertained "his friends with his unpublished perform "ances." band-ei dolla nii to mdd a Las atacant botlaze ban nelipes to samaz baThe rest of the Day: Monks feem to be but feeble mortals, in comparison with the gigan tic Johnfonwhov yet with all his abilities, and the help of the fraternity, could drive the publication but to forty papers, which were after

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afterwards collected into a volume, and called in the title a Sequel to the Spectators,

Some years afterwards (1716 and 1717) he published two volumes of Effays in profe, which can be commended only as they are written for the highest and noblest purpose, the promotion of religion. Blackmore's profe is not the profe of a poet; for it is languid, fluggish, and lifeless; his diction is neither daring nor exact, his flow neither rapid nor eafy, and his periods neither smooth nor strong, His account of Wit will fhew with how little clearnefs he is content to think, and how little his thoughts are recommended by his language,

"As to its efficient caufe, Wit owes its pro"duction to an extraordinary and peculiar "temperament in the conftitution of the pof"feffor of it, in which is found a concur"rence of regular and exalted ferments, and

an affluence of animal fpirits, refined and " rectified to a great degree of purity; wheńce, being endowed with vivacity, brightness, "and celerity, as well in their reflexions as direct motions, they become proper in

"ftruments

"ftruments for the fpritely operations of the "mind; by which means the imagination can "with great facility range the wide field of "Nature, contemplate an infinite variety of "objects, and, by obferving the fimilitude and "disagreement of their several qualities, fingle "out and abstract, and then fuit and unite "thofe ideas which will best serve its purpose. "Hence beautiful állufions, furprising meta"phors, and admirable fentiments, are always “ready at hand: and while the fancy is full "of images collected from innumerable ob

jects and their different qualities, relations, "and habitudes, it can at pleasure dress a "common notion in a strange but becoming "garb; by which, as before obferved, the "fame thought will appear a new one, "to the great delight and wonder of the hears What we call genius refults from this "particular happy complexion in the first "formation of the person that enjoys it, and

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is Nature's gift, but diverfified by various fpecific characters and limitations, as its "active fire is blended and allayed by differ "ent proportions of phlegm, or reduced and "regulated by the contraft of oppofite fer

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ments. Therefore, as there happens in the

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compofition of a facetious, genius a greater for lefs, though ftill an inferior, degree of * judgement and prudence, one man of wit "will be varied and diftinguished from ano ther." od gamoido vd bic

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In thefe Effays he took little care to propi, tiate the wits; for he scorns to avert their malice at the expence of virtue or of truth.

Several, in their books, have many far

" caftical 'and'spiteful strokes at

rel

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at religion in general'; while others make themfelves plea«fant with the principles of the Christian. “Of the last kind, this age has seen a’most ર audacious, example in the book intituled, doidw « A Tale of a Tub. Had this writing been * published în a pagan or popish nation, who are justly impatient of all Indignity offered «to the established religion of their country,

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no doubt but the author would have received the punishment he deferved. But the fate of this impicts buffoon is very different; di for in a proteftant kingdom, vellous of their civil and religious immunities, he has not only escaped affronts and the effects of puble refentment, but has been careffed and patronized by perfons of great figure, and

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" of all denominations. Violent party-men, "who differed in all things befides, agreed in "their turn to fhew particular respect and "friendship to this infolent derider of the worship of his country, till at last the reputed writer is not only gone off with im

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punity, but triumphs in his dignity and pre"ferment. I do not know that any inquiry 66 ór fearch was ever made after this writing, "or that bany's reward was ever offered for "the discovery of the author, or that the in"famous book was ever condemned to be "burnt in public: whether this proceeds. "from the exceffive efteem and love that "men in power, during the late reign, had for "wit, or their defect of zeal and concern for "the Chriftian Religion, will be determined " beft by thofe who are beft acquainted with "their character,bos es

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In another place he fpeaks with: becoming abhorrence sofa godless author who has burlesqueda Pfalm. This author was supposed to be Pope, who published a reward for any one that would produce the coiner of the accufation, but never denied it; and was after

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