Infidels. A Battle was fought, Aquitimo was taken and put to Death, and Chriftianity was for a Time eftablished at Congo; but the Nation has relapsed into its former Follies.

Such was the State of the Portugueze Navigation, when in 1492, Columbus made the daring and profperous Voyage, which gave a new World to European Curiofity and European Cruelty. He had offered his Propofal, and declared his Expectations to King John of Portugal, who had flighted him as a fanciful and rafh Projector, that promifed what he had no reasonable Hopes to perform. Columbus had folicited other Princes, and had been repulfed with the fame Indignity; at laft Isabella of Arragon, furnished him with Ships, and having found America, he entered the Mouth of the Tagus in his Return, and fhewed the Natives of the new Country. When he was admitted to the King's Prefence, he acted and talked with fo much Haughtinefs, and reflected on the Neglect which he had undergone with fo much Acrimony, that the Courtiers who faw their Prince infulted, offered to deftroy him; but the King who knew that he deferv. ed the Reproaches that had been used, and who now fincerely regretted his Incredulity, would fuffer no Violence to be offered him, but difmiffed him with Prefents and with Honours.

The Portugueze and Spaniards became now jea lous of each others Claim to Countries, which neither had yet feen; and the Pope, to whom they appealed, divided the new World between them by a Line drawn from North to South, a hunrded Leagues weftward from Cape Verd and the Azores, giving all that lies weft from that Line to the Spaniards, and all that lies eaft to the Portugueze. This was no very fatisfactory Divifion, for the east and weft must meet at laft, but that Time was then at great Distance.

According

According to this Grant, the Portuguese continued their Difcoveries eastward, and became Mafters of much of the Coaft both of Africa and the Indies, but they seized much more than they could occupy, and while they were under the Dominion of Spain, loft the greater Part of their Indian Ter

ritories.

A DIS

VERY Art is beft taught by Example. No

Propriety than Remarks on the Works of tl.ofe who have moft excelled. I fhall therefore endeavour, at this Vifit, to entertain the young Students in Poetry, with an Examination of Pope's Epitaphs.

To define an Epitaph is ufelefs; every one knows that it is an Infeription on a Tomb. An Epitaph, therefore, implies no particular Character of Writing, but may be compofed in Verfe or Profe. It is indeed commonly Panegyrical; because we are feldom diftinguished with a Stone, but by our Friends; but it has no Rule to reftrain or modify it, except this, that it ought not to be longer than common Beholders may be expected to have Leifure and Patience to perufe.

I.

On CHARLES Earl of DORSET, in the Church of Wythyham in Suflex.

'DORSET, the Grace of Courts, the Mufes Pride, Patron of Arts, and Judge of Nature, dy'd.

• The

The Scourge of Pride, tho' fanctify'd or great, "Of Fops in Learning, and of Knaves in State; Yet foft his Nature, tho' fevere his Lay, His Anger moral, and his Wisdom gay. Bleft Satyrift! who touch'd the Mean so true, As fhow'd, Vice had his Hate and Pity too. • Bleft Courtier! who could King and Country please, 'Yet facred keep his Friendships, and his Eafe. Bleft Peer! his great Forefathers ev'ry Grace Reflecting, and reflected on his Race';

• Where other Buckhursts, other Dorfets fhine, 'And Patriots ftill, or Poets, deck the Line.'

The first Diftich of this Epitaph contains a Kind of Information which few would want, that the Man, for whom the Tomb was erected, died. There are indeed fome Qualities worthy of Praise afcribed to the Dead, but none that were likely to exempt him from the Lot of Man, or incline us much to wonder that he should die. What is meant by Judge of Nature, is not easy to fay. Nature is not the Object of human Judgment, for it is vain to judge where we cannot alter. If by Nature is meant, what is commonly called Nature by the Criticks, a just Representation of Things really exifting and Actions really performed, Nature cannot be properly opposed to Art; Nature being, in this Senfe, only the best Effect of Art.

The Scourge of Pride-

Of this Couplet, the fecond Line is not, what is intended, an Illuftration of the former. Pride, in the Great, is indeed well enough connected with Knaves in State, though Knaves is a Word rather too ludicrous and light; but the mention of fanctified· Pride will not lead the Thoughts to Fops in Learning, but rather to fome Species of Tyranny or Oppreffion, fomething more gloomy and more formidable than Foppery.

Yet foft his Nature

This is a high Compliment, but was not first beftowed on Dorfet by Pope. The next Verse is extremely beautiful.

Bleft Satyrift!

In this Diftich is another Line of which Pope was not the Authour. I do not mean to blame these Imitations with much Harshness; in long Performances they are scarcely to be avoided, and in flender they may be indulged, because the Train of the Compofition may naturally involve them, or the Scantinefs of the Subject allow little Choice. However, what is borrowed is not to be enjoyed as our own, and it is the Bufinefs of critical Juftice to give every Bird of the Mufes his proper Feather.

Bleft Courtier !!

Whether a Courtier can be properly commended for keeping his Eafe facred may perhaps be difputable. To please King and Country, without facrificing Friendship to any Change of Times, was a very uncommon Inftance of Prudence or Felicity, and deserved to be kept feparate from so poor a Commendation as Care of this Eafe. I wish our Poets would attend a little more accurately to the Use of the Word facred, which furely fhould never be applied in a ferious Compofition, but where fome Reference may be made to a higher Being, or where fome Duty is exacted or implied. A man may keep his Friendship facred, because Promises of Friendship are very awful Ties; but methinks he cannot, but in a burlesque Senfe, be faid to keep his Eafe facred. Bleft Peer!

The Bleffing afcribed to the Peer has no Connection with his Peerage; they might happen to any other Man, whofe Ancestors were remembered, or whofe Pofterity were likely to be regarded.

I know not whether this Epitaph be worthy either of the Writer, or of the Man entombed.