the lot of man, or incline us much to wonder that he should die. What is meant by judge of nature, is not eafy to fay. Nature is not the object of human judgement; for it is vain to judge where we cannot alter. If by nature is meant, what is commonly called nature by the criticks, a juft representation of things really existing, and actions really performed, nature cannot be properly oppofed to art; nature being, in this fenfe, only the best effect of art.

The Scourge of pride

Of this couplet, the second line is not, what is intended, an illuftration of the former. Pride, in the Great, is indeed well enough connected with knaves in ftate, 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 fpecies 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 bestowed on Dorset by Pope. The next verse is extremely beautiful.

Bleft

Bleft fatyrift!

In this diftich is another line of which Pope was not the author. I do not mean to blame these imitations with much harfhnefs; in long performances they are scarcely to be avoided, and in shorter they may be indulged, because the train of the compofition may naturally involve them, or the fcantinefs of the fubject allow little choice. However, what is borrowed is not to be enjoyed as our own, and it is the business of critical justice 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 separate from fo poor a commendation as care of his eafe. I wish our poets would attend a little more accurately to the ufe of the word facred, which furely should never be applied in a ferious compofition,

but

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, becaufe promifes of friendship are very awful ties; but methinks he cannot, but in a burlesque fenfe, be faid to keep his cafe 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.

II.

On Sir WILLIAM TRUMBAL, one of the principal Secretaries of State to King WILLIAM III. who, having refigned his place, died in his retirement at Easthamfted in Berkshire, 1716.

A pleafing form, a firm, yet cautious mind, Sincere, though prudent; conftant, yet resign'd;

Honour

Honour unchang'd, a principle profest,
Fix'd to one fide, but moderate to the reft;
An honeft courtier, yet a patriot too,

Juft to his prince, and to his country true.
Fill'd with the fenfe of age, the fire of youth,
A fcorn of wrangling, yet a zeal for truth;
A generous faith, from fuperftition free;
A love to peace, and hate of tyranny;
Such this man was; who now, from earth remov'd,
At length enjoys that liberty he lov'd.

In this epitaph, as in many others, there appears, at the firft view, a fault which I think fcarcely any beauty can compenfate. The name is omitted. The end of an epitaph is to convey fome account of the dead; and to what purpofe is any thing told of him whose name is concealed? An epitaph, and a history, of a nameless hero, are equally abfurd, fince the virtues and qualities fo recounted in either, are scattered at the mercy of fortune to be appropriated by guess. The name, it is true, may be read upon the ftone; but what obligation has it to the poet, whofe verfes wander over the earth, and leave their fubject behind them, and who is forced, like an unskilful painter,

to

to make his purpose known by adventitious help?

This epitaph is wholly without elevation, and contains nothing ftriking or particular; but the poet is not to be blamed for the defects of his fubject. He faid perhaps the beft that could be faid. There are, however, fome defects which were not made neceffary by the character in which he was employed. There is no oppofition between an honest courtier and a patriot; for an honeft courtier cannot but be a patriot.

It was unfuitable to the nicety required in fhort compofitions, to close his verfe with the word too; every rhyme fhould be a word of emphafis, nor can this rule be safely neglected, except where the length of the poem makes flight inaccuracies excufable, or allows room for beauties fufficient to overpower the effects of petty faults.

At the beginning of the feventh line the word filled is weak and profaic, having no particular adaptation to any of the words that follow it.

The