advised him to correctnefs, which, as he told him, the English poets had hitherto neglected, and which therefore was left to him as a bafis of fame; and, being delighted with rural poems, recommended to him to write a pastoral comedy, like those which are read fo eagerly in Italy; a defign which Pope probably did not approve, as he did not follow it.

Pope had now declared himself a poet; and, thinking himself entitled to poetical conversation, began at feventeen to frequent Will's, a coffee-houfe on the north fide of Ruffel-street in Covent-garden, where the wits of that time used to affemble, and where Dryden had, when he lived, been accuftomed to prefide.

During this period of his life he was indefatigably diligent, and insatiably curious ; wanting health for violent, and money for expensive pleasures, and having certainly excited in himself very ftrong defires of intellectual eminence, he spent much of his time over his books; but he read only to ftore his mind with facts and images, feizing

all that his authors prefented with undistinguishing voracity, and with an appetite for knowledge too eager to be nice. In a mind like his, however, all the faculties were at once involuntarily improving. Judgement is forced upon us by experience. He that reads many books must compare one opinion or one style with another; and when he compares, must neceffarily distinguish, reject, and prefer. But the account given by himself of his ftudies was, that from fourteen to twenty he read only for arnufement, from twenty to twenty-feven for improvement and inftruction; that in the first part of this time he defired only to know, and in the fecond he endeavoured to judge.

The Paftorals, which had been for fome time handed about among poets and criticks, were at last printed (1709) in Tonson's Mifcellany, in a volume which began with the Paftorals of Philips, and ended with those of Pope.

The fame year was written the Essay on Criticism; a work which displays fuch extent of comprehension, such nicety of distinction,

fuch

fuch acquaintance with mankind, and such knowledge both of ancient and modern learning, as are not often attained by the maturest age and longest experience. It was published about two years afterwards, and being praised by Addison in the Spectator with fufficient liberality, met with so much favour as enraged Dennis, " who," he fays, "found himself attacked, without any manner of provocation on his fide, and attacked in his perfon, instead of his writings, by one who was wholly a stranger to him, at a time " when all the world knew he was perfecuted by fortune; and not only faw that this was

attempted in a clandeftine manner, with "the utmost falfehood and calumny, but "found that all this was done by a little af"fected hypocrite, who had nothing in his "mouth at the fame time but truth, candour, friendship, good-nature, humanity, and magnanimity."

How the attack was clandeftine is not easily perceived, nor how his perfon is depreciated; but he seems to have known fomething of Pope's character, in whom may be discovered VOL. IV. C

an

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an appetite to talk too frequently of his own virtues.

The pamphlet is such as rage might be expected to dictate. He fuppofes himself to be asked two queftions; whether the Effay will fucceed, and who or what is the author.

Its fuccefs he admits to be fecured by the falfe opinions then prevalent; the author he concludes to be young and raw.

Firft, because he discovers a fufficiency be-yond his little ability, and hath rafhly undertaken a task infinitely above his force. Secondly, while this little author ftruts, and affects the dictatorian air, he plainly fhews that at the fame time he is under the rod, and while he pretends to give law to others is à pedantick flave to authority and opinion. -Thirdly, he hath, like fchool-boys, borrowed both from living and dead. Fourthly, he knows not his own mind, and frequently contradicts himself. Fifthly, he is almost perpetually in the wrong.

All these pofitions he attempts to prove by quotations and remarks; but his defire to do mifchief

mischief is greater than his power. He has, however, justly criticifed fome paffages. In thefe lines,

There are whom heaven has blefs'd with store

of wit,

Yet want as much again to manage it;
For wit and judgement ever are at ftrife-

it is apparent that wit has two meanings, and that what is wanted, though called wit, is truly judgement. So far Dennis is undoubtedly right; but, not content with argument, he will have a little mirth, and triumphs over the first couplet in terms too elegant to be forgotten. "By the way, what rare num"bers are here! Would not one fwear that "this youngster had efpoufed fome antiquated

in

Mufe, who had fued out a divorce on ac"count of impotence from fome fuperan"nuated finner; and, having been p-xed by her former fpoufe, has got the gout "her decrepit age, which makes her hobble "fo damnably." This was the man who would reform a nation finking into barbarity.

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In another place Pope himself allowed that Dennis had detected one of those blunders which

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