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Satyra quidem tota noftra eft: in qua primus infignem laudem adeptus eft Lucilius; qui quofdam ita deditos fibi adhuc habet amatores, ut eum, non ejufdem modo operis autoribus, fed omnibus poetis, præferre non dubitent.

QUINTILIAN.

LONDON,

PRINTED FOR J. DODSLEY, IN PALL-MALL.

MDCCLXXII.

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то

THE REVEREND

DR. YOUNG,

RECTOR

Of WELWYN in HERTFORDSHIRE.

DEAR SIR,

PERMI

MIT me to break into your retirement, the refidence of virtue and literature, and to trouble you with a few reflections on the merits and real character of an admired author, and on other collateral subjects of criticism, that will naturally arise in the course of fuch an enquiry. No love of fingularity, no affectation of paradoxical opinions, gave rife to the following work.

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I revere the memory of Pore, Prefpect and honour his abilities, but I do not think him at the head of his profef fion. In other words, in that fpecies of poetry wherein POPE excelled, he is fuperior to all mankind: and I only fay, that this species of poetry is not the most excellent one of the art,nois

We do not, it should feem fuffici

E

ently attend to the difference there is, betwixt a MAN OF WIT, a MAN OF SENSE, and a TRUE POET. Donne and Swift were undoubtedly men of wit, and men of fense: but what traces have they left of PURE POETRY? It is remarkable, that Dryden fays of Donne; He was the greatest wit, tho' not the greateft of this nation. Fontenelle and La Motte are entitled to the former cha

poet

racter; but what can they urge to gain

the

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