There let him work for twelve books: at the end of which you may take him out, ready prepared to conquer or to marry; it being neceffary that the conciuñon of an Epic Poem be fortunate.

TO MAKE AN EPISODE.

Take any remaining adventure of your former collection, in which you could no way involve your Hero; or any unfortunate accident that was too good to be thrown away; and it will be of ufe, applied to any other perfon, who may be loft and vaporate in the courfe of the work, without the leaft damage to the compofition.

FOR THE MORAL AND ALLEGORY.

These you may extract out of the Fable afterwards, at your leifure: Be fure you train them Sufficiently.

FOR THE MANNERS.

For those of the Hero, take all the best qualities you can find in the most celebrated Heroes of antiquity: if they will not be reduced to a Consistency, lay them all on a heap upon him. But be fure they are qualities which your Patron would be thought to have; and to prevent any mistake which the world may be fubject to, felect from the alphabet those capital letters that compofe his name, and fet them at the head of a Dedication or Poem. However, do not observe the exact quantity of thefe Virtues, it not being determined whether or no it be neceffary for the Hero of a Poem to be an honeft Man. the Under-Characters, gather them from Homer and Virgil, and change the names as occafion ferves.

For

FOR

FOR THE MACHINES.

Take of Deities, male and female, as many as you can ufe: Separate them into two equal parts, and keep Jupiter in the middle: Let Juno put him in a ferment, and Venus mollify him. Remember on all occafions to make use of volatile Mercury. If you have need of Devils, draw them out of Milton's Paradife, and extract your Spirits from Taffo. The use of these Machines is evident: fince no Epic Poem can poffibly subsist without them, the wisest way is to referve them for your greatest neceffities: When you cannot extricate your Hero by any human means, or yourself by your own wit, feek relief from Heaven, and the Gods will do your bufinefs very readily. This is according to the direct Prefcription of Horace, in his Art of Poetry:

Nec Deus interfit, nifi dignus vindice Nodus
Inciderit.-

That is to fay, A Poet should never call upon the Gods for their Afiftance, but when he is in great perplexity.

FOR THE DESCRIPTIONS.

For a Tempest. Take Eurus, Zephyr, Aufter, and Boreas, and cast them together in one verse: add to these of Rain, Lightening and Thunder (the loudeft you can) quantum fufficit; mix your Clouds and Billows well together till they foam, and thicken your Description here and there with a Quickfand. Brew your Tempest well in your head, before you fet it a-blowing.

For

For a Battle. Pick a large quantity of Images and Defcriptions from Homer's Iliad, with a fpice or two of Virgil; and if there remain any overplus, you may lay them by for a Skirmish. Seafón it well with Similes, and it will make an excellent Battle.

For a Burning Town. If fuch a description be neceffary (because it is certain there is one in Virgil), old Troy is ready burnt to your hands: But if you fear that would be thought borrowed, a Chapter or two of the Theory of the Conflagration, well circumftanced and done into verfe, will be a good Succedaneum.

As for Similes and Metaphors, they may be found all over the Creation; the most ignorant may gather them but the difficulty is in applying them. For this advife with your Bookfeller.

:

IBID. p. 188.

THE DUTY OF A CLERK.

No fooner was I elected into my office, but I laid afide the powdered gallantries of my youth, and became a new man. I confidered myself as in fome wife of ecclefiaftical dignity; fince by wearing a band, which is no fmall part of the ornament of our Clergy, I might not unworthily be deemed, as it were, a fhred of the linen vestment of Aaron.

Thon

66

Thou may'ft conceive, O Reader, with what concern I perceived the eyes of the congregation fixed upon me, when I first took my place at the feet of the Prieft. When I raised the pfalm, how did my voice quaver for fear! and when I arrayed the fhoulders of the Minifter with the furplice, how did my joints tremble unler me! I faid within myself, Remember, Paul, thou ftandest be"fore men of high worship; the wife Mr. Justice Freeman, the grave Mr. Juftice Tonfon, the good Lady Jones, and the two virtuous gentlewomen her daughters; nay, the great Sir Thomas Truby, Knight and Baronet, and my young "mafter the Efquire, who fhall one day be Lord "of this Manor." Notwithstanding which, it was my good hap to acquit myself to the good liking of the whole congregation; but the Lord forbid I should glory therein.

The next chapter contains an account how he dif charged the feveral duties of his office: in particular he infifts on the following.

I was determined to reform the manifold Corruptions and Abufes which had crept into the Church.

First, I was especially severe in whipping forth dogs from the Temple, all excepting the lap-dog of the good widow Howard, a fober dog which yelped not, nor was there offence in his mouth.

Secondly,

Secondly, I did even proceed to moroseness, though fore against my heart, unto poor babes, in tearing from them the half-eaten apples which they privily munched at Church. But verily it pitied me; for I remember the days of my youth.

Thirdly, With the fweat of my own hands, I did make plain and smooth the dogs-ears through. out our great Bible.

Fourthly, The pews and benches, which were formerly swept but once in three years, I caused every Saturday to be swept with a befom, and trimmed.

Fifthly, and laftly, I caufed the furplice to be neatly darned, washed, and laid in fresh lavender (yea, and fometimes to be fprinkled with rofewater); and I had great laud and praise from all the neighbouring Clergy, forafmuch as no parish kept the Minister in cleaner linen.

Notwithstanding thefe his public cares, in the eleventh chapter he informs us he did not neglect his ufual occupations as a handy-craftsman.

Shoes, faith he, did I make (and, if intreated, mend) with good approbation. Faces alfo did I fhave; and I clipped the hair. Chirurgery alfo I practifed in the worming of dogs; but to bleed adven

tured