SECT. XI. Of the EPISTLE to DR. ARBUTHNot, I. HUT, fhut the door, good John! fatigu'd, I said, SHUT Tie up the knocker, fay I'm fick, I'm dead! Fire in each eye, and papers in each hand, THIS abrupt exordium is animated and dramatic. Our poet, wearied with the impertinence and flander of a multitude of mean fcribblers that attacked him, fuddenly breaks out with this fpirited complaint of the ill ufage he had fuftained. This piece was published in the year 1734, in the form of an epiftle to Dr. Arbuthnot; it is now given as a Dialogue, Ver. I. With this motto, fince omitted: Neque fermonibus Vulgi dederis te, nec in premiis humanis fpem pofueris rerum tuarum: fuis te oportet illecebris ipfa Virtus trahat ad verum decus. Quid de te alii loquantur, ipfi videant, fed loquentur tamen. TULLY. in in which a very small share indeed is allotted to his friend. Arbuthnot was a man of confummate probity *, integrity, and sweetnefs of temper: he had infinitely more learning than POPE or SWIFT, and as much wit and humour as either of them. He was an excellent mathematician and phyfician, of which his letter on the usefulness of mathematical learning, and his treatife on air and aliment, are fufficient proofs. His tables of ancient coins, weights, and measures +, are the work of a man intimately acquainted with ancient history and literature, and are enlivened with many curious and interefting particulars of the manners and ways of living of the ancients. The Hiftory of John Bull, the best parts of the Memoirs of Scriblerus, the Art of Political Lying, the Freeholders *Swift faid," he was a man that could do every thing but walk." His chearful nefs was remarkable: "As for your humble fervant, with a great ftone in his kidneys, and a family of men and women to provide for, he is as chearful as ever in public affairs." Letters, vol. xx. p. 2c6. Oh, fays Swift, if the world had but a dozen of Arbuthnots in it, I would burn my Travels! Letters, vol. ix. p. 56. P4 Catechism, Catechism, It cannot rain but it pours, &c. abound in ftrokes of the most exquifite humour. It is known that he gave numberlefs hints to Swift, and Pope, and Gay, of fome of the moft ftriking parts of their works. He was fo neglectful of his writings, that his children tore his manuscripts and made paper-kites of them. Few letters in the English language are fo interesting, and contain fuch marks of Chriftian refignation * and calmnefs of mind, as one that he wrote to Swift a little before his death, and is inferted in the 3d vol. of Letters, page 157. He frequently, and ably, and warmly, in many converfations, defended the caufe of revelation against the *" I make it my last request (fays Arbuthnot in his last Jetter to POPE) that you will continue that noble difdain. and abhorrence of vice, which you feem naturally endued with; but ftill with a due regard to your own fafety; and study more to reform than chastise, though the one cannot be effected without the other." Letters, vol. viii. p. 290. The words are remarkable, and cannot fail of raifing many reflections in the mind of the reader. Pore, in his answer, fays, To reform, and not to chaftife, is impoffible; and the best precepts, as well as the best laws, would prove of fmall ufe, if there were no examples to enforce them." This is not a fufficient and folid defence of perfonal fatire. attacks attacks of BOLINGBROKE and CHESTER FIELD. THE ftrokes of fatire, in many parts of this epistle, have fuch an extraordinary energy and poignancy, that our author's want of temper has been much cenfured; and I know not whether it will be a fufficient justification to say, that these malevolent fcribblers, however impotent and infignificant, attacked his perfon, morals, and family. If Boileau ridicules and rallies vile writers, with more feeming pleafantry and good-humour, yet we ought to recollect, that Boileau was the aggreffor, and had received no previous abufe, when he fell upon Cotin, de Pure, Quinault, St. Amand, Colletet, Chapelain, and Theophyle. It was on this account that the Duke de Montaufier, a man of rigid virtue, fo much condemned Boileau, that it was with great difficulty he was brought to read his works, and be reconciled to him. The authors that POPE profcribed were in, truth fo mean and contemptible, that Swift faid, "Give me me a fhilling, and I will infure you that posterity shall never know you had a fingle enemy, excepting those whose memory you have preferved." Laiffez mourir un fat dans fon obfcurité. Un auteur ne peut-il pourir en feureté ? Dont les noms en cent lieux, placez comme en leurs niches, Vont de vos vers malins remplir les hemiftiches. BOILEAU, Satire ix. v. 89, This is exquifitely pleafant; and expreffed with that purity and force, both of thought and diction, that happy Horatian mixture of jeft and earnest, that contribute to place Defpreaux at the head of modern claffics +. Quinaut did not deferve to be fo feverely fatirized. See his Atys, Armide, & Alcefte. + His generofity was equal to his genius. PATRU was reduced to great extremities, and compelled to fell his very valuable library. He not only gave PATRU a larger fum for his books than he could get of any body elfe, but added to the conditions of the fale, that he should continue to use his library as long as he lived. I think. |