There is fomething feeble and queint in all their Attempts, as if Company repreffed Thought, and Genius wanted Solitude for its boldeft and happiest Exertions. Of thofe Productions in which Parnell had a principal Share, that of the Origin of the Sciences from the Monkies in Ethiopia, is particularly mentioned by Pope himself in fome Manufcript Anecdotes which he left behind him. The Life of Homer alfo, prefixed to the Tranflation of the Iliad, is written by Parnell and corrected by Pope; and, as that great Poet aflures us in the fanie Place, this Correction was not effected without great Labour. Find It is still stiff,' fays he, and was written, still ftiffer as it is, I verily think it coft me more Pains in the Correcting, than the Writing it would have done. All this may be eafily credited; for every Thing of Parnell's, that has appeared in Profe, is written in a very aukward, inelegant Manner. It is true, his Productions teem with Imagination, and fhew great Learning, but they want that Eafe and Sweetness for which his Poetry is fo much admired, and the Language is alfo moft fhamefully incorrect. Yet, though all this must be allowed, Pope should have taken Care not to leave his Errors upon Record against him, or put it in the Power of Envy to tax his Friend with Faults that do not appear in what he has left to the World. A Poet has a Right to expect the fame Secrecy in his Friend as in his Confeflor; the Sins he difcovers are not divulged for Punishment, but Pardon. Indeed Pope is almost inexcufable in this Inftance, as what he feems to condemn in one Place, he very much applauds in another. In one of the Letters from him to Parnell, above mentioned, he treats the Life of Homer with much greater Refpect, and feems to fay, that the Profe is excellent in its Kind. It must be confefied however, that he is by no Means inconfiftent; what he fays in both Places may very easily be reconciled

311

to

to Truth; but who can defend his Candour and his Sincerity?

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It would be hard, however, to fuppofe that there was no real Friendship between thefe great Men. The Benevolence of Parnell's Difpofition remains unimpeached; and Pope, though fubject to Starts of Paffion and Envy, yet never miffed an Opportunity of being truly ferviceable to him. The Commerce between them was carried on to the common Intereft of both. When Pope had a Mifcellany to! publish, he applied to Parnell for poetical Affiftance, and the latter as implicitly fubmitted to him for Correction. Thus they mutually advanced each other's Intereft or Fame, and grew ftronger by Con junction. Nor was Pope the only Perfon to whom Parnell had Recourfe for Affiftance. We learn from Swift's Letters to Stella, that he fubmitted his Pieces: to all his Friends, and readily adopted their Alter ations. Swift, among the Number, was very used ful to him in that Particular; and Care has been: taken that the World fhould not remain ignorant of the Obligation.

But in the Connexion of Wits, Intereft has generally very little Share; they have only Pleasure in View, and can feldom find it but among each other. The Scribblerus Club, when the Members were in Town, were feldom afunder, and they often! made Excurfions together into the Countr and generally on Foot. Swift was ufually the Butt of the Company, and if a Trick was played, he was always the Sufferer. The whole Party once agreed to walk down to the Houfe of Lord B, who is ftill living, and whose Seat is about twelve Miles from Town. As every one agreed to make the best of his Way, Swift, who was remarkable for walk+|· ing, foon left all the reft behind him, fully refolved n upon his Arrival, to chufe the very beft Bedford himself, for that was his Custom. In the mean,

Time,

Time, Parnell was determined to prevent his In tentions, and taking Horse, arrived at Lord B's,{ by another Way, long before him. Having apprized his Lordship of Swift's Defign, it was rewr folved at any Rate to keep him out of the Houfe, but show to effect this was the Question. Swift never had the Small-pox, and was very much afraid of catching it: As foon therefore as he appeared ftriding along at fome Distance from the Houfe, one of his Lordship's Servants was dilpatched, to inform him, that the Small-pox was then making great Ravages in the Family, but that there was a Summer-house with a Field-bed at his Service, at the End of the Garden. There the disappointed Dean was obliged to retire, and take a cold Supper that was fent out to him, while the reft were feasting within. However, at laft, they took Compaffion on him; and upon his promifing never to chufe the beft Bed again, they permitted him to make one of the Company.

1

There is fomething fatisfactory in thefe Accounts of the Follies of the Wife; they give a natural Air to the Picture, and reconcile us to our own. There have been few poetical Societies more talked of, or productive of a greater Variety of whimfical Conceits, than this of the Scribblerus Club, but how long it lafted, I cannot exactly determine. The whole of Parnell's poetical Exiftence was not of more than eight or ten Years Continuance; his firft Excurfions to England began about the Year 1706, and he died in the Year 1718; fo that it is probable the Club began with him, and his Death ended the Connexion. Indeed the Feftivity of his Conversation, the Benevolence of his Heart, and the Generofity of his Temper, were Qualities that might ferve to cement any Society, and that could hardly be replaced when he was taken away. During the two or three laft Years of his Life, he

was

avás more fond of Company than ever, and could fcarce bear to be alone. The Death of his Wife, it isb faid, wasta Lofs to him that he was unable to fupport or recover. From that Time he could ne ver venture to court the Mufe in Solitude, where he wass fure to find the Image of her who firft infpired his Attempts. He began therefore to throw himself into every Company, and to feek from Wine, if not Relief, at leaft Infenfibility. Thofe

Helps that Sorrow firft called in for Affiftance, Habit foon rendered neceffary, and he died before his fortieth Year, in fome Measure a Martyr to conjugal Fidelity.

Thus, in the Space of a very few Years, Parnell attained a Share of Fame equal to what most of his Cotemporaries were a long Life in acquiring. He is only to be confidered as a Poet; and the univerfal Efteem in which his Poems are held, and the reiterated Pleasure they give in the Perufal, are a fufficient Teft of their Merit. He appears to me to be the laft of that great School that had modelled itfelf upon the Ancients, and taught English Poetry to resemble what the Generality of Mankind have allowed to excel. A ftudious and correct Obferver of Antiquity, he fet himself to confider Nature with the Lights it lent him, and he found that the more Aid he borrowed from the one, the more delightfully he resembled the other. To copy Nature is a Take the most bungling Workman is able to execute; to felect fuch Parts as contribute to Delight, is referved only for those whom Accident has bleft with uncommon Talents, or fuch as have read the Ancients with indefatigable Induftry. Parnell is ever happys in the Selection of his Images, and fcrupu-, loufly careful in the Choice of his Subjects, His Productions bear no Refemblance to thofe tawdry Things, which it has for fome Time been the Fafhion to admire; in writing which the Poet fits

喇

down

down without any Plan, and heaps up fplendid Images, without any Selection; where the Reader grows dizzy with Praise and Admiration, and yet foon grows weary, he can fcarce tell why.Our Poet, on the contrary, gives out his Beauties with a more fparing Hand; he is ftill carrying his Reader forward, and juft gives him Refreshment fufficient to fupport him to his Journey's End. At the End of his Courfe the Reader regrets that his Way has been fo fhort, he wonders that it gave him fa little Trouble, and fo refolves to go the Journey over again.

His poetical Language is not lefs correct than his Subjects are pleafing. He found it at that Period, in which it was brought to its highest Pitch of Refinement; and ever fince his Time it has been gradually debafing. It is indeed amazing, after what has been done by Dryden, Addison, and Pope, to improve and harmonize our native Tongue, that their Succeffors fhould have taken fo much Pains to involve it in priftine Barbarity. Thefe mifguided Innovators have not been content with reftoring antiquated Words and Phrases, but have indulged themselves in the moft licentious Tranfpow fitions, and the harsheft Constructions, vainly ima gining, that the more their Writings are unlike Profe, the more they refemble Poetry. They have adopted a Language of their own, and call upon Mankind for Admiration. All thofe who do not understand them are filent, and those who make out their Meaning, are willing to praife, to fhew they understand. From thefe Follies and Affectations the Poems of Parnell are entirely free; he has confidered the Language of Poetry as the Language of Life, and conveys the warmest Thoughts in the fimpleft Expreffion, red no.fubca

Parnell has written feveral Poems befides thofe published by Pope, and fome of them have been

made