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Mr. Ozell was a man of application, but of no taste or genius, yet acquired some reputation for his numerous translations, and would have deserved more had he confined his labours to serious works, where a reader may be content with a literal meaning; but it was his misfortune to undertake works of humour and fancy, which were qualities he seemed not to possess himself, and therefore could not do justice to in others. Moliere, particularly, is an author of that superior genius, that it would require abilities almost equal to his own to translate him in such a manner as to give him, in the clothing of our own language, the air and manner of a native.

Mr. Ozell, however, had a more exalted idea of his own abilities than the world was willing to allow them, for, on his being introduced by Mr. Pope into the "Dunciad" (for what cause*, however, does not appear), he published a very extraordinary advertisement, sigued with his name, in a paper called "The Weekly Medley," Sept. 1729, in which he expresses his resentment, and at the same time draws a comparison, in his own favour, between Mr. Pope and himself, both with respect to learning and poetical genius. The advertisement at length may be seen in the notes to the "Dunciad." But, says the author of his life, "though we cannot readily subscribe to this self-assumed preference, yet, as Mr. Coxeter informs us that his conversation was agreeable, and his knowledge of men and things considerable, and as it is probable that, with an understanding somewhat above the common rank, he possessed a considerable share of good-nature, we readily allow, that a person of this character might be much more amiable than one of a greater brilliancy of parts, if deficient in these good qualities."'

He was much the butt of the wits of that period.-Swift, in the introduc tion to his "Polite Conversation," says, "I cannot conceal without ingratitude, the great assistance I have received from those two illustrious writers, Mr. Ozell and capt. Stevens. These, and some others of distinguished eminence, in whose company I have

passed so many agreeable hours, as they have been the great refiuers of our language, so it has been my chief ambition to imitate them. Let the Popes, the Gays, the Arbuthnots, the Youngs, and the rest of that snarling brood, burst with envy at the praises we receive from the court and kingdom."

1 Biog. Dram.-Cibber's Lives.-Pope's Works, Bowles's edition.

INDEX

TO THE

TWENTY-THIRD VOLUME.

Those marked thus * are new.
Those marked † are re-written, with additions.

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