Strong were our fires, and as they fought they

writ,

Conquering with force of arms, and dint of wit:
Theirs was the giant race, before the flood: 5
And thus, when Charles return'd, our empire
ftood.

Like Janus he the ftubborn foil manur'd,
With rules of husbandry the ranknefs cur'd;
Tam'd us to manners, when the ftage was rude;
And boiftrous English wit with art indu'd.
Our age was cultivated thus at length;

10

But what we gain'd in fkill we loft in ftrength.
Our builders were with want of genius curft;
The fecond temple was not like the first :
Till you, the best Vitruvius, come at length; 15
Our beauties equal, but excel our ftrength.
Firm Doric pillars found your folid bafe:
The fair Corinthian crowns the higher space:(
Thus all below is ftrength, and all above is

grace.

In eafy dialogue is Fletcher's praise ;

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He mov'd the mind, but had not power to raise,

Congreve's plays cannot but remind one of the multitude produced by the most celebrated ancients. Menander wrote one hundred comedies; Philemon ninety-feven; and Sophocles, according to Suidas, one hundred and twenty three tragedies. There is fomething very affecting in our old poet entreating his young friend at verfe 72, to be kind to his remains. He earneftly complied with his requeft, and with equal affection and eloquence placed his character in a very amiable light. Dr. J. WARTON.

Great Johnson did by ftrength of judgment

please ;

Yet, doubling Fletcher's force, he wants his

ease.

In differing talents both adorn'd their age;
One for the study, t'other for the ftage.

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But both to Congreve justly shall submit, One match'd in judgment, both o'ermatch'd in wit.

In him all beauties of this age we fee, Etherege his courtship, Southern's purity, The fatire, wit, and ftrength of manly Wycherly.

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All this in blooming youth you have atchiev'd:
Nor are your foil'd contemporaries griev❜d.
So much the fweetnefs of your manners move,
We cannot envy you, because we love.
Fabius might joy in Scipio, when he saw
A beardlefs conful made against the law,
And join his fuffrage to the votes of Rome;
Though he with Hannibal was overcome.
Thus old Romano bow'd to Raphael's fame,
And fcholar to the youth he taught became. 40

O that your brows my laurel had fuftain'd!
Well had I been depos'd, if you had reign'd:
The father had defcended for the fon;
For only you are lineal to the throne.
Thus, when the state one Edward did depose,
A greater Edward in his room arose.

46

But now, not I, but poetry is curs'd;

50

For Tom the second reigns like Tom the first.
But let them not miftake my patron's part,
Nor call his charity their own defert.
Yet this I prophefy; thou shalt be seen,
(Though with some short parenthesis between)
High on the throne of wit, and, feated there,
Not mine, that's little, but thy laurel wear.
Thy first attempt an early promise made;
That early promife this has more than paid.
So bold, yet fo judiciously you dare,
That your least praise is to be regular.
Time, place, and action, may with pains be
wrought;

55

But genius must be born, and never can be

taught,

This is your portion; this your native store ; Heaven, that but once was prodigal before, To Shakespear gave as much; fhe could not give him more.

Maintain your poft; That's all the fame

need ;

For 'tis impoffible you should proceed,
Already I am worn with cares and age,
And just abandoning the ungrateful stage:
Unprofitably kept at heaven's expence,
I live a rent-charge on his providence;
But you,
Whom I forefee to better fortune born,

69

you

65

whom every mufe and grace adorn, 70

Be kind to my remains; and O defend,
Against your judgment, your departed friend!
Let not the infulting foe my fame pursue,
But fhade thofe laurels which defcend to you:
And take for tribute what these lines exprefs: 76
You merit more; nor could my love do less.

How could I envy, what I must commend!
But fince 'tis nature's law, in love and wit,
That youth fhould reign, and withering age
fubmit,

With lefs regret thofe laurels I refign,

Which, dying on my brows, revive on thine.

Ver. 1. Aufpicious poet,] Though amiable in his life and manners, Mr. George Granville, afterwards Lord Lansdowne, was a very indifferent poet. A faint copier of Waller. The tragedy fo much here extolled was acted in 1698, and is in all refpects the moft un-Homerical of all compofitions. Dr. J. WARTON.