'T

IS hard to fay, if greater want of skill
Appear in writing or in judging ill;
But of the two, lefs dangerous is th' offence
To tire our patience, than mislead our sense.
Some few in that, but numbers err in this,
Ten cenfure wrong for one who writes amifs;
A fool might once himself alone expofe,
Now one in verfe makes many more in profe.
'Tis with our judgments as our watches; none
Go juft alike, yet each believes his own.
In Poets as true genius is but rare,
True tafte as feldom is the Critic's fhare,
Both must alike from Heaven derive their light,
These born to judge, as well as those to write.
Let fuch teach others who themselves excel,
And cenfure freely who have written well.
Authors are partial to their wit, 'tis true,
But are not Critics to their judgment too?
Yet, if we look more closely, we shall find
Most have the feeds of judgment in their mind:

20 Nature

Nature affords at least a glimmering light;

}

26

The lines, though touch'd but faintly, are drawn right.
But as the flightest sketch, if justly trac'd,
Is by ill-colouring but the more difgrac'd,"
So by false learning is good sense defac'd :
Some are bewilder'd in the maze of schools,
And fome made coxcombs Nature meant but fools.
In fearch of wit these lofe their common fenfe,
And then turn Critics in their own defence:
Each burns alike, who can, or cannot write,
Or with a rival's, or an eunuch's spite.
All fools have still an itching to deride,
And fain would be upon the laughing fide.

If Mævius fcribble in Apollo's spight,

There are who judge still worse than he can write.
Some have at first for Wits, then Poets past,
Turn'd Critics next, and prov'd plain fools at last.

39

35

VARIATIONS.

Some

Between ver. 25 and 26 were these lines, fince omit

ted by the Author:

Many are spoil'd by that pedantic throng,

Who with great pains teach youth to reason wrong.
Tutors, like Virtuofos, oft inclin'd

By ftrange transfufion to improve the mind,
Draw off the fenfe we have, to pour in new;
Which yet, with all their skill, they ne'er could do.

Ver. 30, 31. In the first edition thus:

Those hate as rivals all that write; and others

But envy wits, as eunuchs envy lovers.

Ver. 32.

"All fools," in the first edition: "All fuch" in edition 1717; fince restored.

Some neither can for Wits nor Critics pass,
As heavy mules are neither horfe nor ass.
Those half-learn'd witlings, numerous in our ifle,
As half-form'd infects on the banks of Nile;
Unfinish'd things, one knows not what to call,
Their generation's fo equivocal :

To tell them, would a hundred tongues require,
Or one vain wit's, that might a hundred tire.
But you, who feek to give and merit fame,
And justly bear a Critic's noble name,
Be fure yourself and your own reach to know,
How far your genius, taste, and learning, go;
Launch not beyond your depth, but be discreet,
And mark that point where sense and dulness meet.
Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit,
And wifely curb'd proud man's pretending wit,
As on the land while here the ocean gains,
In other parts it leaves wide fandy plains;
Thus in the foul while memory prevails,
The folid power of understanding fails;
Where beams of warm imagination play,
The memory's foft figures melt away.
One science only will one genius fit;
So vaft is art, fo narrow human wit:
Not only bounded to peculiar arts,

40

45

50

55

60

But oft' in those confin'd to fingle parts.

Like Kings, we lose the conquests gain'd before,

By vain ambition still to make them more:

65

Each

VARIATION.

Ver. 63. Ed. 1. But ev'n in thofe, &c.

Each might his feveral province well command,
Would all but stoop to what they understand.

First follow Nature, and your judgment frame
By her just standard, which is still the fame :
Unerring NATURE, ftill divinely bright,
One clear, unchang'd, and universal light,
Life, force, and beauty, must to all impart,
At once the fource, and end, and test of Art.
Art from that fund each juft fupply provides;
Works without show, and without pomp prefides :
In fome fair body thus th' informing foul

With fpirits feeds, with vigour fills the whole,
Each motion guides, and every nerve fuftains;
Itself unfeen, but in th' effects remains.

Some, to whom Heaven in wit has been profufe,
Want as much more, to turn it to its use;
For wit and judgment often are at strife,
Though meant each other's aid, like man and wife.
'Tis more to guide, than spur the Muse's steed;
Restrain his fury, than provoke his speed:
The winged courfer, like a generous horse,

Shows most true mettle when you check his course.
Thofe RULES of old difcover'd, not devis'd,
Are Nature still, but Nature methodis'd:

Ver. 74.

VARIATIONS.

That art is beft, which most resembles her;
Which still prefides, yet never does appear.

70

75

80

85

Nature,

There are whom Heaven has bleft with store of wit, Yet want as much again to manage it,

Nature, like Liberty, is but restrain'd

By the fame laws which first herself ordain'd.

Hear how learn'd Greece her useful rules indites,
When to reprefs, and when indulge our flights;
High on Parnaffus' top her sons she show'd,

And pointed out thofe arduous paths they trod :
Held from afar, aloft, th' immortal prize,
And urg'd the rest by equal steps to rife.

Juft precepts thus from great examples given,
She drew from them what they deriv'd from Heaven.
The generous Critic fann'd the Poet's fire,

90

95

100

And taught the world with reason to admire.
Then Criticism the Muse's handmaid prov'd,
To drefs her charms, and make her more belov'd:
But following wits from that intention stray'd,
Who could not win the mistress, woo'd the maid; 105
Against the poets their own arms they turn'd,
Sure to hate moft the men from whom they learn'd.
So modern 'Pothecaries, taught the art
By Doctors bills to play the Doctor's part,
Bold in the practice of mistaken rules,
Prefcribe, apply, and call their masters fools.
Some on the leaves of ancient authors prey,
Nor time nor moths e'er fpoil'd fo much as they:

VARIATIONS.

Ver. 90. Ed. 1. Nature, like Monarchy, &c.

110

Some

Ver. 92. Firft learned Greece juft precepts did indite,
When to reprefs and when indulge our flight.

Ver. 97. From great examples useful rules were given.
After ver. 104. this line is omitted,

Set up themselves, and drove a separate trade.