words and things are prefented with a new appearance, and novelty is always grateful where it gives no pain. But the merit of fuch performances begins and ends with the first author. He that should again adapt Milton's phrafe to the grofs incidents of common life, and even adapt it with more art, which would not be difficult, must yet expect but a small part of the praise which Philips has obtained; he can only hope to be confidered as the repeater of a jest. "The parody on Milton," fays Gildon, "is the only tolerable production of its author." This is a cenfure too dogmatical and violent. The poem of Blenheim was never denied to be tolerable, even by thofe who do not allow its fupreme excellence. It is indeed the poem of a scholar, all inexpert of war; of a man who writes books from books, and ftudies the world in a college. He feems to have formed his ideas of the field of Blenheim from the battles of the heroic ages, or the tales of chivalry, with very little comprehenfion of the qualities neceflary to the compofition of a modern hero, hero, which Addifon has difplayed with fo much propriety. He makes Marlborough behold at diftance the flaughter made by Tallard, then hafte to encounter and restrain him, and mow his way through ranks made headlefs by his sword. He imitates Milton's numbers indeed, but imitates them very injudiciously. Deformity is eafily copied; and whatever there is in Milton which the reader wishes away, all that is obfolete, peculiar, or licentious, is accumulated with great care by Philips. Milton's verfe was harmonious, in proportion to the general state of our metre in Milton's age; and, if he had written after the improvements made by Dryden, it is reasonable to believe that he would have admitted a more pleasing modulation of numbers into his work; but Philips fits down with a refolution to make no more mufick than he found; to want all that his mafter wanted, though he is very far from having what his mafter had. Those afperities, therefore, that are venerable in the Paradife Loft, are contemptible in the Blenheim. VOL. I. F f There There is à Latin ode written to his patron St. John, in return for a prefent of wine and tobacco, which cannot be paffed without notice. It is gay and elegant, and exhibits feveral artful accommodations of claffick expreffions to new purposes. It seems better turned than the odes of Hannes *. To the poem on Cider, written in ̈ imitation of the Georgicks, may be given this peculiar praife, that it is grounded in truth; that the precepts which it contains are exact and juft; and that it is therefore, at once, a book of entertainment and of fcience. This I was told by Miller, the great gardener and botanist, whofe expreffion was, that there were many books written on the fame fubject in profe, which do not contain fo much truth as that poem. A * This ode I am willing to mention, because there feçms to be an error in all the printed copies, which is, I find, retained in the laft. They all read; Quam Gratiarum cura decentium The author probably wrote, Quăm Gratiarum cura decentium In the difpofition of his matter, fo as to intersperse precepts relating to the culture of trees, with fentiments more generally alluring, and in eafy and graceful transitions from one fubject to another, he has very diligently imitated his master; but he unhappily pleafed himself with blank verfe, and fuppofed that the numbers of Milton, which impress the mind with veneration, combined as they are with fubjects of inconceivable grandeur, could be sustained by images which at most can rife only to elegance. Contending gels may shake the regions of heaven in blank verfe; but the flow of equal measures, and the embellishment of rhyme, must recommend to our attention the art of engrafting, and decide the merit of the redfreak and pear main. What study could confer, Philips had obtained; but natural deficience cannot be fupplied. He feems not born to greatness and elevation. He is never lofty, nor does he often surprise with unexpected excellence; but perhaps to his last poem may be applied what Ffa Tully Tully faid of the work of Lucretius, that it is written with much art, though with few blazes of genius. The following fragment, written by Edmund Smith, upon the works of Philips, has been tranfcribed from the Bodleian manuscripts. "A prefatory Difcourfe to the Poem on Mr. Philips, with a character of his writings. "IT is altogether as equitable fome account fhould be given of those who have diftinguished themselves by their writings, as of those who are renowned for great actions. It is but reasonable they, who contribute fo much to the immortality of others, fhould have fome share in it themselves; and fince their genius only is discovered by their works, it is just that their virtues should be recorded by their friends. For no modest men (as the perfon I write of was in perfec |