melting part of his tragedies, he fometimes falls into too great a familiarity of phrafe in thofe parts, which, by Aristotle's rule, ought to have been raised and fupported by the dignity of expreffion.

There is something familiar and domestic in the fable of his tragedy, more than in those of any other poet. As the ante cedent to those is tragedy, the fentence is ungrammatical. Errors of this kind do not. unfrequently occur in our best au

thors.

Of the four fentences laft quoted, three conclude with the fubftantive expression either in its fingular or its plural form.

"It has been obferved by others, that this poet has founded his tragedy of Venice Preserved on fo wrong a plot, that the greatest characters in it are thofe of rebels and traitors."

The word character, when applied in this manner, denotes fome perfen together with the affemblage of his qualities. It is improper to fay "The greatest perfons are the perfons of rebels and traitors ;" an expreffion to which that contained in the conclufion of the above paffage is equivalent. The words those of fhould have been omitted.

"Had the hero of his play difcovered the fame good qualities in the defence of his country that he fhewed for its ruin and fubverfion, the audience could not enough pity and admire him but as he is now reprefented, we can only fay of him, what the Roman hiftorian fays of Catiline, that his fall would have been glorious (si pro patria sic concidisset) had he fo fallen in the fervice of his country."

This, though an agreeable fentence, is not free from faults. The author fpeaks of the good qualities which the hero of Venice Preserved fhews for the ruin of his country. This is certainly an attempt in which good qualities were never exhibited.

In this paffage the words ruin and subversion are both ufed, though they do not ferve to mark any different fhades in the idea.

Spectator, No. 39.

CHAP. XXVI.

CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF A PASSAGE IN THE WRITINGS OF SWIFT.

"THE

HE players having now almoft done with the comedy called the Beggar's Opera, for the feafon; it may be no unpleasant fpeculation, to reflect a little upon this drama tic piece, fo fingular in the fubject and matter, fo much an original, and which hath frequently given fo very agreeable an entertainment.”

This introductory fentence is not entitled to much commen dation. The players having now almost done with the come. dy, is a phrafe not altogether free from vulgarity.

"Although an evil tafte be very apt to prevail, both here and in London yet there is a point which whoever can rightly touch, will never fail of pleasing a very great majority; fo great, that the diflikers out of dullness or affec tation, will be filent, and forced to fall in with the herd: the point I mean, is what we call humour; which, in its perfection, is allowed to be much preferable to wit, if it be not rather the most useful, and agreeable species of it." This fentence, though fufficiently perfpicuous, is certainly devoid of elegance. There is a point which whoever can rightly touch, is uncouth phafeology.

I agree with Sir William Temple, that the word is peculiar to our English tongue; but I differ from him in opinion, that the thing itself is peculiar to the English nation, because the contrary may be found in many Spanish, Italian, and French productions and particularly, whoever hath a tafte for true humour, will find an hundred inftances of it, in thofe volumes printed in France, under the name of Le Theatre Italien: to fay nothing of Rabelais, Gervantes, and many others."

The word to which the author refers in the beginning of this fentence, is humour: though, as he had mentioned wit at the clofe of the laft, a flight degree of ambiguity is occa

R

fioned. It would be more perfpicuous to fay "The word humour is peculiar to our English tongue." In this claufe, the feems more proper than our.

This fentence is but unfkilfully conftructed. The member by which it is clofed, follows with a very halting pace. I fhall venture to fuggeft a few alterations; "I agree with Sir William Temple, that the word humour is peculiar to the Englifh tongue; but I differ from him in the opinion, that the qua lity which it denotes, is peculiar to the English nation. We find abundant proofs of the contrary in many Spanish, Italian, and French productions. Whoever hath a taste for true hu mour, will find an hundred inftances of it, in thofe volumes printed in France under the title of Le Theatre Italien”,

"Now I take the comedy or farce (or whatever name the critics will allow it) called the Beggar's Opera, to excel in this article of humour; and upon that merit to have met with fuch predigious fuccefs, both here and in England." This fentence is very deficient in elegance.

"As to poetry, eloquence, and mufic, which are faid to have most power over the minds of men; it is certain, that very few have a taste or judgment of the excellencies of the two former; and if a man fucceed in either, it is upon the authority of thofe few judges, that lend their tafte to the bulk of readers, who have none of their own. I am told, there are as few good judges in mufic; and that among thofe who crowd the Operas, nine in ten go thither merely out of curiofity, fashion, or affectation."

This paragraph gives occafion to no material observation.

"But a taile for humour is in fome meafure affixed to the very nature of man, and generally obvious to the vulgar, except upon fubjects too refined, and fuperior to their understanding."

A taste for humour is obvious to the vulgar, is a very inaccurate expreffion. It is humour itfelf that is obvious to the vulgar, not a tafte for humour.

"And as this tafte for humour is purely natural, fo is humour itfelf; neither is it a talent confined to men of wit or learning; for we obferve it fometimes among common fervants, and the meaneft of the people, while the very owners are often ignorant of the gift they poffefs."

By humour itself, the author muft mean the exertions of the natural talent of humour: but in the next claufe he confounds the talent with its exertions. The owners of a talent,

is an expreffion by no means elegant.

"I know very well, that this happy talent is contemptibly treated by critics, under the name of low humour, or low comedy; but I know likewife, that the Spaniards and Italians, who are allowed to have the moft wit of any nation in Europe, do most excel in it, and do most esteem it."

Still the author difcovers a want of precifion in his ideas. A talent for humour can never with any propriety be termed low comedy.

"By what difpofition of the mind, what influence of the ftars, or what fituation of the climate, this endowment is bestowed upon mankind, may be a queftion fit for philofophers to difcufs. It is certainly the best ingredient towards that kind of fatyr, which is most useful, and gives the least offence; which, instead of lafhing, laughs men out of their follies, and vices; and is the character that gives Horace the preference to Juvenal."

The first of these fentences is unexceptionable, but the laft cannot be commended.-It is certainly the best ingredient towards that kind of satyr. Here the prepofition towards, is ufed with little propriety. Either in or of would be preferable. The period ought to have clofed with the word vices: the next claufe forms a complete fentence. "It is the poffeffion of this talent that gives Horace the preference to Juvenal."

"And although fomethings are too ferious, folemn, or facred to be turned into ridicule, yet the abufes of them are certainly not; fince it is allowed that conceptions in religion, politics, and law, may be proper topics for this kind of fatyr."

On this period I have nothing particular to obferve.

"There are two ends that men propofe in writing fatyr; one of them lefs noble than the other, as regarding nothing farther than the private fatisfaction, and pleasure of the writer; but without any view towards perfonal malice the other is a public fpirit, prompting men of genius and virtue, to mend the world as far as they are able."

Public fpirit is not an end which men propofe in writing fa tire it is one of the motives which impel them to have recourse to this weapon.

"And as both thefe ends are innocent, fo the latter is highly commendable. With regard to the former, Idemand, whether I have not as good a title to laugh, as men have to be ridiculous; and to expofe vice, as another has to be vici ous. If I ridicule the follies and corruptions of a court, a miniftry, or a fenate, are they not amply paid by penfions, titles, and power; while I expect, and defire no other re wad, than that of laughing with a few friends in a corner? Yet, if thofe who take offence, think we in the wrong, I am ready to change the fcene with them, whenever they pleafe."

Thefe fentences are entitled to praise. pointed, and the arrangement accurate.

The expreffion is

"But, if my defign be to make mankind better, then I think it is my duty; at least I am fure it is the intereft of thofe very courts and minifters, whofe follies or vices I ridicule, to reward my good intentions for if it be reckoned a high point of wisdom to get the laughers on our fide, it is much more eafy, as well as wife, to get thofe on our fide, who can make millions laugh when they pleafe.

"My reafon for mentioning courts, and minifters (whom I never think on, but with the most profound veneration) is because an opinion obtains, that in the Beggar's Opera, there appears to be fome reflection upon courtiers and statesmen, whereof I am by no means a judge.”

:

One would fuppofe that, in the laft of thefe periods, the author intends to fay, that he was no judge of courtiers and ftatesmen whereas his real meaning muft be that he cannot judge concerning the circumftance of this Opera's containing reflections upon thefe perfonages. The period might be improved thus: "An opinion obtains, that in the Beggar's Opera, there appears to be fome reflection upon courtiers and ftatefmen; a circumftance of which I am by no means a judge.

"It is true, indeed, that Mr. Gay, the author of this piece, hath been fomewhat fingular in the courfe of his for