The hero of Butler is a Prefbyterian Juftice, who, in the confidence of legal authority, and the rage of zealous ignorance, ranges the country to reprefs fuperftition and correct abuses, accompanied by an independent Clerk, difputatious and obftinate, with whom he often debates, but never conquers him.

Cervantes had fo much kindnefs for Don Quixote, that, however he embarraffes him with abfurd diftreffes, he gives him fo much fenfe and virtue as may preferve our efteem: wherever he is, or whatever he does, he is made by matchless dexterity commonly ridiculous, but never contemptible.

But for poor Hudibras, his poet had no tenderness; he chufes not that any pity fhould be fhewn or respect paid him he gives him up at once to laughter and contempt, without any quality that can dignify or protect him.

In forming the character of Hudibras, and defcribing his perfon and habiliments, the author feems to labour with a tumultuous confufion of diffimilar ideas. He had read the hiftory of the mock knights-errant ; he knew the notions and manners of a Prefbyterian magistrate, and tried to unite the abfurdities of both, however diftant, in one perfonage. Thus he gives him that pedantic oftentation of knowledge which has no relation to chivalry, and loads him with martial encumbrances that can add nothing to his civil dignity. He fends him out a colonelling, and yet never brings him within fight of war.

If Hudibras be confidered as the reprefentative of the Presbyterians, it is not eafy to say why his weapons fhould be reprefented as ridiculous or ufelefs; for, whatever judgement might be paffed upon their know

ledge

ledge or their arguments, experience had fufficiently fhown that their fwords were not to be defpifed.

The hero, thus compounded of fwaggerer and pedant, of knight and justice, is led forth to action, with his fquire Ralpho, an Independant enthusiast.

Of the contexture of events planned by the author, which is called the action of the poem, fince it is left imperfect, no judgement can be made. It is probable, that the hero was to be led through many lucklefs adventures, which would give occafion, like his attack upon the bear and fiddle, to expofe the ridiculous rigour of the fectaries; like his encounter with Sidrophel and Whacum, to make fuperftition and credulity. contemptible; or, like his recourfe to the low retailer of the law, difcover the fraudulent practices of different profeffions.

What ferics of events he would have formed, or in what manner he would have rewarded or punished his hero, it is now vain to conjecture. His work must have had, as it seems, the defect which Dryden imputes to Spenfer; the action could not have been one; thofe could only have been a fucceffion of incidents, each of which might have happened without the reft, and which could not all cooperate to any fingle conclufion.

The difcontinuity of the action might however have been easily forgiven, if there had been action enough: but I believe every reader regrets the paucity of events, and complains that in the poem of Hudibras, as in the history of Thucydides, there is more faid than done. The fcenes are too feldom changed, and the attention is tired with long converfation.

It is indeed much more eafy to form dialogues than to contrive adventures. Every pofition makes way for

an

an argument, and every objection dictates an answer. When two difputants are engaged upon a complicated and extenfive queftion, the difficulty is not to continue, but to end the controverfy. But whether it be that we comprehend but few of the poffibilities of life, or that life itself affords little variety, every man who has tried knows how much labour it will coft to form fuch a combination of circumstances, as shall have at once the grace of novelty and credibility, and delight fancy without violence to reafon.

Perhaps the Dialogue of this poem is not perfect. Some power of engaging the attention might have been added to it, by quicker reciprocation, by feafonable interruptions, by fudden queftions, and by a nearer approach to dramatick fpritelinefs; without which, fictitious fpeeches will always tire, however fparkling with fentences, and however variegated with allufions.

The great fource of pleasure is variety. Uniformity must tire at last, though it be uniformity of excellence. We love to expect; and, when expectation is difappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting. For this impatience of the prefent, whoever would please, must make provision. The skilful writer irritat, mulcet, makes a due diftribution of the still and animated parts. It is for want of this artful intertexture, and thofe neceffary changes, that the whole of a book may be tedious, though all the parts are praised.

If unexhauftible wit could give perpetual pleasure, no eye would ever leave half-read the work of Butler; for what poet has ever brought fo many remote images fo happily together? It is fcarcely poffible to perufe a

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page without finding fome affociation of images that was never found before. By the first paragraph the reader is amufed, by the next he is delighted, and by a few more ftrained to aftonishment; but aftonishment is a toilfome pleafure; he is foon weary of wondering, and longs to be diverted.

Omnia vult belle Matho dicere, dic aliquando

Et bene, dic neutrum, dic aliquando male. Imagination is useless without knowledge: nature gives in vain the power of combination, unless study and obfervation fupply materials to be combined. Butler's treasures of knowledge appear proportioned to his expence whatever topic employs his mind, he fhews himfelf qualified to expand and illuftrate it with all the acceffories that books can furnish: he is found not only to have travelled the beaten road, but the byepaths of literature; not only to have taken general furveys, but to have examined particulars with minute infpection.

If the French boaft the learning of Rabelais, we need not be afraid of confronting them with Butler.

But the most valuable parts of his performance are thofe which retired study and native wit cannot fupply. He that merely makes a book from books may be useful, but can scarcely be great. Butler had not suffered life to glide befide him unfeen or unobserved. He had watched with great diligence the operations of human nature, and traced the effects of opinion, humour, intereft, and paffion. From fuch remarks proceeded that great number of fententious diftichs which have paffed into converfation, and are added as proverbial axioms to the general stock of practical knowledge.

When

When any work has been viewed and admired, the first question of intelligent curiofity is, how was it performed? Hudibras was not a hafty effufion; it was not produced by a fudden tumult of imagination, or a fhort paroxyfm of violent labour. To accumulate fuch a mass of sentiments at the call of accidental defire, or of fudden neceffity, is beyond the reach and power of the most active and comprehenfive mind. I am informed by Mr. Thyer of Manchester, the excellent editor of this author's reliques, that he could fhew fomething like Hudibras in profe. He has in his poffeffion the common-place book, in which Butler repofited, not fuch events or precepts as are gathered by reading; but fuch remarks, fimilitudes, allufions, affemblages, or inferences, as occafion prompted, or meditation produced; thofe thoughts that were generated in his own mind, and might be usefully applied to fome future purpose. Such is the labour of thofe who write for immortality.

But human works are not eafily found without a perishable part. Of the ancient poets every reader feels the mythology tedious and oppreffive. Of Hudibras, the manners, being founded on opinions, are temporary and local, and therefore become every day lefs intelligible, and lefs ftriking: What Cicero fays of philofophy is true likewife of wit and humour, that "time effaces the fictions of opinion, and confirms "the determinations of Nature." Such manners as depend upon ftanding relations and general paffions are co-extended with the race of man; but those modifications of life, and peculiarities of practice, which are the progeny of error and perverfenefs, or at best of fome accidental influence or tranfient perfuafion, muft perish with their parents.

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