A CRITICISM on thefe LETTERS.

HIS volume contains Swift's epiftolary correfpondence. It is

writings gives a greater insight into his natural disposition than his letters, efpecially when written with freedom and fincerity. Swift's epiftles, and the answers of his friends, afford materials to form conjectures upon the different characters, not only of the Dean, but of his correfpondents. The reader is probably become acquainted with Dr Swift, from the account of his life in the first volume; but the manners and opinions of thofe perfons with whom he corresponded, are in every respect so blended with his own, as not to be easily separated; and in such a kind of united view, they will mutually reflect light upon each other.

To a young gentleman juft entering into the world, the fubject may prove of particular importance; as it may guide him, not only in the choice of his correfpondents,but in his manner of writing to them. The freedom of the prefs is to be watched and defended with the moft jealous eye. It is one of the chief articles of that great charter of liberty to which the people of England are intitled. But as no human institution can be perfect, even this branch of liberty has its excrefcences that might be pruned. I mean particularly that licence which of late has too much prevailed, of publishing epiftolary correfpondences. Such a fashion, for I know not what elfe to call it, is extremely pernicious. At prefent, it fatisfies the curiofity of the public; but for the future, it will tend to reftrain that unfufpicious openness, which is the principal delight of writing to our friends. I am forry to fay by experience, that the letters which contain the moft fincere, and perhaps hafty observations, upon persons, times, and circumstances, are often referved as treasures, and hoarded up as mifers hoard gold; like which, they lie concealed in cabinets and strong boxes for fome time, till chancing to fall into the hands of an extravagant heir, or an unjudicious executor, they are not only brought into light, but difperfed and exposed, so as to become the property of the whole world. A young man, therefore, when he gives his opinion upon any important fubject, should consider it well, before he commit his thoughts to paper. He should exprefs himself with diffidence, preferve a prudent restraint over the fallies of wit and humour, and be cautious in all declarations of friendship; as the very common offers of civility are too often xplained into undefigned engagements.

Town I find myself under no small difficulty in difcuffing Swift's letters. General criticifms will be attended with obfcurity; and it would be tedious to confider them in their exact order. I fhall endeavour therefore to take a review only of what seems to deserve the reader's attention. The correspondence between Dr Swift and Mr Pope had commenced in a very early part of Mr Pope's life, and was carried on, with fcarce any interruption, from the death of Q. Anne. If we may judge of Mr Pope from his works, his chief VOL. IV. aim

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aim was to be esteemed a man of virtue. His letters are written in that ftyle. His laft volumes are all of the moral kind. He has avoided trifles, and confequently has escaped a rock which has proved very injurious to Swift's reputation. He had given his imagination full fcope, and yet has preferved a perpetual guard upon his conduct. The conflitution of his body and mind might early incline him to habits of caution and referve. The treatment which he met afterwards from an innumerable tribe of adverfaries, confirmed thofe habits, and made him flower than the Dean in pronouncing his judgement upon perfons and things. His profe writings are little lefs harmonious than his verfe: and his voice in common converfation was fo naturally musical, that I remember honeft Tom Southerne ufed always to call him the little nightingale. His manners were delicate, eafy, and engaging, and he treated his friends with a politenefs that charmed, and a generofity that was much to his honour. Every gueft was made happy within his doors. Pleafure dwelt under his roof, and elegance prefided at his table. Dr Swift was of a different difpofition. To his domeftics he was paffionate and churlish; to his equals and fuperiors rather an entertaining than defirable companion. He told a story in admirable manner: his fentences were short and perfpicuous, his obfervations were piercing. He had feen the great world, and had profited much by his experience. He had not the least tincture of vanity in his converfation. He was perhaps, as he said himself, too proud to be vain. When, he was polite, it was in a manner entirely his own. In his friendships he was conftant and undisguised. He was the fame in his enmities. He generally spoke as he thought in all companies, and at all times. I remember to have heard, that he dined once at a Lord Mayor's feaft in Dublin, and was attacked and teafed by an opulent, boisterous, and half intoxicated 'fquire, who happened to fit next him he bore the awkward raillery for fome time, and then on a fudden called out in a loud voice to the Mayor, My Lord, here is one of your bears at my fhoulder; he has been worrying me this half hour; I defire you will order him to be taken off. In thefe laft particulars he differed widely from his friend Pope, who could stifle refentment, and wait with patience till a more diftant, and perhaps a more seasonable hour of revenge. But notwithstanding the diffimilitude of minds and manners, which was apparent between thefe two great men, yet the fame fort of friendship feems to have fubfifted between them as between Virgil and Horace. The mutual affection of the two English poets appears throughout their works. And therefore in this place I cannot avoid taking notice of a report very induftrioufly spread, and not without fome degree of fuccefs, That the friendship between Pope and Swift was not fo firm and perfect at the latter end, as at the beginning of their lives.' On Dr Swift's fide, I am certain, it ever remained unalterable: nor did it appear lefs fervent on the fide of Mr Pope. Their letters are the best evidence to determine the doubt. In one of Swift's latest letters to me, not long before he was loft to all human comforts, he fays, When you fee my

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dear friend Pope, tell him, I will answer his letter foon; I love him above all the rest of mankind.' In my long correspondence with Mr Pope, I fcarce received the least billet from him, without the kindest mention of Dr Swift, and the tenderest anxiety for his ftate of health. Judge by the following paragraphs.-- July 12. 1737. My Lord, the pleasure you gave me in acquainting me of the Dean's better health, is one fo truly great, as might content even your own humanity: and whatever my fincere opinion and refpect of your Lordship prompts me to wifh from your hands for myfelf, your love for him makes me as happy. Would to God my weight added to yours, could turn his inclinations to this fide, that I might live to enjoy him here thro' your means, and flatter myfelf it was partly thro' my own! But this, I fear, will never be the cafe; and I think it more probable, his attraction will. draw me on the other fide, which, I proteft, nothing less than a probability of dying at fea, confidering the weak frame of my breaft, would have hindered me from, two years paft. In fhort, whenever I think of him, it is with the vexation of all impotent 'paffions, that carry us out of ourselves, only to fpoil our quiet, ⚫ and make us return to a refignation, which is the most melancholy of all virtues.'-April 2. 1738. I write by the fame poft that I received your very obliging and humane letter. The confide⚫ration you fhew towards me, in the juft apprehenfion .that any news of the Dean's condition might alarm me, is most kind and generous. The very laft poft I writ to him a long letter, little fufpecting him in that dangerous circumstance. I was fo far from fearing his bealth, that I was propofing fchemes, and hoping poffibilities for our meeting once more in this world. I am weary of it; and shall have one reafon more, and one of the trongest that nature can give me (even when he is shaking my weak frame to pieces), to be willing to leave this world, when our dear friend is on the edge of the other. Yet I hope, I would. fain hope, he may yet hover a while on the brink of it, to preferve to this wretched age a relict and example of the last.'Twitnam, Nov. 7. When you get to Dublin (whither I direct this, fuppofing you will fee our dear friend as foon as poflible), pray put the Dean in mind of me, and tell him I hope he received my last. Tell him how dearly I love, and how greatly I honour him; how greatly I reflect on every teftimony of his friendship; how much I refolve to give the best I can of my efteem for him to pofterity; and affure him, the world has nothing in it I admire fo much, nothing the lofs of which I fhould regret fo much, as his genius and his virtues."

My excufe, for I ftand in need of none, by having inferted thefe feraps of letters, is my real defire of convincing the reader, that the affection of Swift and Pope fubfifted as entire and uninterrupted as their friends could with, or their enemies regret. It must be owned, that we as feldom fee a mutual attachment between poets, as between statesmen. True friendship,' as Tully obferves, pro⚫ceeds from a reciprocal esteem, and a virtuous refemblance of ⚫ manners.' When fuch is the bafis, the variety in certain tenets A 2 and

and opinions is of no ill confequence to the union; and will scarce ever unloofe the focial ties of love, veneration, and esteem. Thus the friendship between Atticus and Hortenfius, altho' they were of different fects, one a Stoic, and the other an Epicurean, fubfifted, like Mr Pope's and Dr Swift's, firm and conftant to the last; when that of Antony, Lepidus, and Auguftus, continued no longer than while it was fubfervient to their views of interests. Catiline fays, Idem velle, ac idem nolle, ea demum amicitia eft. This often attends a vitious confpiracy: and perhaps an agreement fo perfectly mutual, is fcarce to be met with in any other inftance.

As I have often reverted in my mind certain particulars relating to my two poetical friends, I have always thought, that the cir cumftance of their pursuing different roads in poetry, and living in different kingdoms, was probably one of the happiest incidents in their lives. Such a feparation prevented all perfonal diffenfions, and fixed them in a correspondence, that conftantly tended to establish their endearments; when, perhaps, a refidence near each other might have had a very contrary effect. It is much easier to rectify any mistake, or to cool any animofity that may have arifen, in a letter, than to recal a paffionate verbal answer, especially if uttered with all the actions and vehemence of anger. The impreffion of fuch a fcene remains long upon the mind of the perion offended, and the old adage is tranfpofed, Vox audita manet, litera fcripta perit. Few men can fubmit to contradiction. Swift was certainly not of the number; and therefore I am perfuaded, that his distance from his Englith friends proved a strong incitement to their mutual affection. But I must again repeat, that, throughout the long feries of letters which have been published, not the leaft altercations appear to have happened between Swift and Pope.

In all Swift's writings, you will find his own peculiar vein of humour. The fame liberty of expreffion would have been improper and abfurd in any other writer, but it produced the confequences which he defired. His feeming arrogance gained him more favour, than the humility and affected benevolence of others. His raillery and freedom of cenfure, are conveyed in a manner more prevalent, and perhaps often more agreeable, than flattery. He feldom praìfed, but where merit was confpicuous. A fingle ftroke of his pen pleafed more, and gave more honour, than a long flattering dedication from any other author. His ftyle was masterly, correct, and ftrong; never diffufive, yet always clear.

Lord Bacon is the first author who has attempted any style that can be relishable to the prefent age; for I muft own, that I think Swift, and his cotemporaries, have brought our language to the utmoft degree of perfection, without the help of a Longinus, a Quintilian, or even of a dictionary, or a grammar. Lord Bacon has written with an infinite fund of knowledge: every science that he treats upon, is difcufled by him with the greatest learning and dignity; and he fhews himfelf at once a philofopher, an hiftorian, a politician, and a divine: but his dialect (for that demands our prefent

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attention) is quibbling and pedantic; and never more fo than when he condefcends to flatter his royal mafter, and the minions of that court.

Confider the profaical works of Milton, you will find them more nervous than elegant; more diftinguished by the strength of reafon, than by the rules of rhetoric; his diction is harth, his periods tedious; and when he becomes a profe-writer, the majesty that attends his poetry vanithes, and is intirely loft. Yet, with all his faults, and exclufive of his character as a poet, he must ever remain the only learned author of that tasteless age in which he flourished and it is probable, that his great attention to the Latin language might have rendered him lefs correct, than he otherwife would have been, in his native tongue.

Harrington has his admirers; he may poffibly have his merits,but they flow not in his ftyle. A later writer, of the fame republican principles, has far excelled him; I mean Algernon Sydney, whofe difcourfes concerning government are admirably written,. and contain great hiftorical knowledge, and a remarkable propriety of diction; fo that his name, in my opinion, ought to be much higher established in the temple of literature, than I have hitherto found it placed.

Lord Clarendon is an hiftorian whofe dignity of expreffion has justly given him the preference to any of our biographical authors. But his periods are the periods of a mile. His parentheses em-barrass the fenfe of his narration, and certain inaccuracies appearing throughout his works, are delivered with a formality that ren ders them ftill more confpicuous.

Among our English writers, few men have gained a greater cha racter for elegance and correctness, than Sprat, Bishop of Rochefter, and few men have deferved it lefs. When I have read his works, I have always wondered from whence fuch a piece of good fortune might have arifen; and could only attribute it to Mr Cowley, who, in a very delicate copy of verfes, has celebrated his friend Dr Sprat for eloquence, wit, and a certain candid style, which the poet compares to the river Thames gliding with an even current, and difplaying the most beautiful appearances of nature. Poets and painters have their favourites, whom they transmit to pofterity in what colours and attitudes they please. But I am miftaken, if, upon a review of Sprat's works, his language will not fooner give an idea of one of the infignificant tottering boats upon the Thames, than of the fmooth noble current of the river itself. Sir William Temple is an eafy, careless, incorrect writer, elegantly negligent, politely learned, and engagingly familiar:

Thus I have curfority mentioned fome of the brightest fons of fame among our English authors, only to point out the preference due to Dr Swift. But he is not intitled alone to the olive garland: he has his coadjutors in the victory. The triumvirate, to whom we owe an elegance and propriety unknown to our forefa thers, are SWIFT, ADDISON, and BOLINGBROKE. At the fight of fuch names, no difpute can arife in preferring the Englif

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