Extrait from the Epislle to a Dodor of Divinity (Dr. Sherwin).

[The passages are printed in Italics, to which Pope replies.]

« Guilt less of thought, each Blockhead may compose
This nothing-meaning Verse, as well as Prose ;
And Pope with justice of such lines may fay,
His Lordship“ spins a thoufand such a day."
Such Pope himself might write, who ne'er could think,
He who at crambo plays with pen and ink,
And is callid Poet, 'cause in rhyme he wrote
What Dacier constru'd, and what Homer thought.
But in reality this jingler's claim-
A judge of writing would no more admit,
Than cach dull Dictionary's claim to wit,
That nothing gives you at its own expence,
But a few modern words for ancient sense.
*Tis thus whate'er Pope writes, he's forc'd to go
To beg a little sense, as school-boys do :
For all cannot invent vho can translate,
No more than those who clothe us can create.
When we fee Celia shining in brocade,
Who thinks 'tis Hinchcliff all the beauty made?
And Pope in his best works we only find,
The gaudy Hinchcliff of a beauteous mind.
To bid his genius work without that aid,
Would be as much miftaking of his trade,
As 'twould to bid your Hatter make a head;
Since this Mechanic's, like the other's pains,

Are all for dressing other people's brains," &c.
This is “ Impar congreffus Achilli!"

I ought to mention, that Mr. Hayley thinks Pope was not the aggreffor in this wretched personal businefs ; and that Lady Mary's Verses ought to be suppressed. From all I have read, I am convinced Pope was the aggressor. Mr. Hayley's chief argument against the fuppofition, is Pope's “ ipfe dixit.” Valeat quantùm valere poteft; but while Pope's scandalous couplet remains, I do not see why the 66 Audi alteram” should be denied to the Lady.

}

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS,

BY

GILBERT WAKEFIELD, B. A.

CHIEFLY ILLUSTRATIVE OF

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

1

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

ESSAY ON MAN.

EPISTLE 1. P. II.

Ver. 41.

Yonder argent fields above.
Milton's phrase, in Par. Loft, iii. 460.

Not in the neighb'ring moon, as some have dream'd;
Those argent fields more likely habitants,

Translated faints or middle fpirits, hold.
Ver. 43. Of systems possible, if 'tis confest,

That Wisdom Infinite must from the best,
Where all must full or not coherent be,
And all that rises, rise in due degree ;
Then, in the scale of reas’ning life, 'tis plain,

There must be, somewhere, such a rank as Man. “ Since infinite wisdom not only established the end, but directed " the means, the system of the universe muft necessarily be the best

of all possible systems.” " It implies no contradiction to say, " that God made a system of creation infinitely wise, and the best of “ all possible Systems."'--" It might be determined in the divine “ ideas, that there should be a gradation of life and intellect “ throughout the universe. In this case it was neceffary, that there should be some creatures at-our pitch of rationality—from the infect

Bolingbroke, Frag. 43 and 44. Compare below ver. 239 to 241.

Again in Fragment 49. “ If a gradation of animal beings “ appeared necessary or fit-to the supreme or divine reason " and intention-; why should not we be the creatures we

up to man."

are?”

Ver. 51. Respecting man, whatever wrong we call,

May, must be right, as relative to all. “ The lowest employments to which legilators and magistrates « subject some of the persons they govern in political societies,

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