contrafted than exemplified; why the verfe fhould be lengthened to exprefs fpeed, will not easily be dif covered. In the dactyls used for that purpose by the ancients, two fhort fyllables were pronounced with fuch rapidity, as to be equal only to one long; they, therefore, naturally exhibit the act of paffing through a long space in a fhort time. But the Alexandrine, by its pause in the midft, is a tardy and stately meafure; and the word unbending, one of the most fluggifh and flow which our language affords, cannot

much accelerate its motion.

These rules and thefe examples have taught our prefent criticks to enquire very ftudiously and minutely into founds and cadences. It is, therefore, useful to examine with what fkill they have proceeded; what discoveries they have made; and whether any rules can be established which may guide us hereafter in fuch researches.

NUMB. 93. TUESDAY, February 5, 1751.

Experiar quid concedatur in illes

Quorum fiaminia tegitur cinis atque Latiná.

More fafely truth to urge her claim prefumes,

On names now found alone on books and tombs.

HERE are few books on which more time

Tis fpent b

is fpent by young ftudents, than on treatifes which deliver the characters of authors; nor any which oftener deceive the expectation of the reader, or fill his mind with more opinions which the progress of his ftudies and the encrease of his knowledge oblige him to refign.

Baillet has introduced his collection of the decifions of the learned, by an enumeration of the prejudices which mislead the critick, and raise the paffions in rebellion against the judgment. His catalogue, though large, is imperfect; and who can hope to complete it? The beauties of writing have been obferved to be often fuch as cannot in the prefent ftate of human knowledge be evinced by evidence, or drawn out into demonftrations; they are therefore wholly fubject to the imagination, and do not force their effects upon a mind preoccupied by unfavourable sentiments, nor overcome the counter-action of a falfe principle or of ftubborn partiality.

To convince any man against his will is hard, but to pleafe him against his will is justly pronounced by Dryden to be above the reach of human

abilities.

abilities.

Intereft and paffion will hold out long against the clofeft fiege of diagrams and fyllogifms, but they are abfolutely impregnable to imagery and fentiment; and will for ever bid defiance to the most powerful ftrains of Virgil or Homer, though they may give way in time to the batteries of Euclid or Archimedes.

In trusting therefore to the fentence of a critick, we are in danger not only from that vanity which exalts writers too often to the dignity of teaching what they are yet to learn, from that negligence which fometimes fteals upon the moft vigilant caution, and that fallibility to which the condition of nature has fubjected every human understanding; but from a thousand extrinsick and accidental causes, from every thing which can excite kindness or malevolence, veneration or contempt.

Many of those who have determined with great boldness, upon the various degrees of literary merit, may be justly fufpected of having paffed fentence, as Seneca remarks of Claudius,

Una tantum parte audita,

Sæpe et nulla,

without much knowledge of the caufe before them: for it will not easily be imagined of Langbane, Borrichitus, or Rapin, that they had very accurately perufed all the books which they praife or cenfure; or that, even if nature and learning had qualified them for judges, they could read for ever with the attention neceffary to juft criticifin. Such performances, however, are not wholly without their ufe; for they are commonly juft echoes to the voice of fame, and tranfmit

tranfmit the general fuffrage of mankind when they have no particular motives to fupprefs it.

Criticks, like the reft of mankind, are very frequently misled by intereft. The bigotry with which editors regard the authors whom they illuftrate or correct, has been generally remarked. Dryden was known to have written moft of his critical differtations only to recommend the work upon which he then happened to be employed; and Addifen is fufpected to have denied the expediency of poetical juftice, because his own Cato was condemned to perith in a good caufe.

There are prejudices which authors, not otherwife weak or corrupt, have indulged without fcruple; and perhaps fome of them are fo complicated with our natural affections, that they cannot eafily be difintangled from the heart. Scarce any can hear with impartiality a comparifon between the writers of his own and another country; and though it cannot, I think, be charged equally on all nations, that they are blinded with this literary patriotifim, yet there are none that do not look upon their authors with the fondnefs of affinity, and efteem them as well for the place of their birth, as for their knowledge or their wit. There is, therefore, feldom much refpect due to comparative criticifm, when the competitors are of different countries, unlefs the judge is of a nation equally indifferent to both. The Italians could not for a long time believe, that there was any learning beyond the mountains; and the French feem generally perfuaded, that there are no wits or reafoners equal to their own. I can fcarcely conceive that if Sanger had not confidered himself as allied to Vir

gil, by being born in the fame country, he would have found his works fo much fuperior to those of Homer, or have thought the controverfy worthy of fo much zeal, vehemence, and acrimony.

There is, indeed, one prejudice, and only one, by which it may be doubted whether it is any difhonour to be fometimes mifguided. Criticifm has fo often given occafion to the envious and ill-natured of gratifying their malignity, that fome have thought it neceffary to recommend the virtue of candour without restriction, and to preclude all future liberty of cenfure. Writers poffeffed with this opinion are continually enforcing civility and decency, recommending to criticks the proper diffidence of themfelves, and inculcating the veneration due to celebrated names.

I am not of opinion that these profeffed enemies of arrogance and feverity have much more benevolence or modesty than the reft of mankind; or that they feel in their own hearts, any other intention than to distinguish themselves by their foftness and delicacy. Some are modest because they are timorous, and fome are lavish of praise because they hope to be repaid.

There is indeed some tenderness due to living writers, when they attack none of thofe truths which are of importance to the happiness of mankind, and have committed no other offence than that of betraying their own ignorance or dulnefs. I fhould think it cruelty to crush an infect who had provoked me only by buzzing in my ear; and would not willingly interrupt the dream of harmless stupidity, or destroy the jeft which makes its author laugh. Yet