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A CRITICISM on thefe MISCELLANIES.

THE poetical performances of Dr.Swift ought to be confidered as occafional poems, framed either to please, or vex some particular perfons. We must not fuppofe them defigned for pofterity. If he had cultivated his genius in that way, he must certainly have excelled, especially in fatire.

We fee fine fketches in feveral of his pieces: but he feems more defirous to inform and ftrengthen his mind, than to indulge the luxuriancy of his imagination. He chufes to difcover and correct errors in the works of others, rather than to illuftrate and add beauties to his own. Like a fkilful artist he is fond of probing wounds to their depth, and of enlarging them to open view. He prefers cauftics, which erode proud flesh, to fofter balfamics, which give more immediate ease. He aims to be feverely useful, rather than politely engaging: and, as he was either not formed, or would not take pains to excel in poetry, he became in fome meafur fuperior to it; and aflumed more the air and manners of a critic, than of a poet. Had he li ved in the fame age with Horace, he would have approached nearer to him, than any other poet: and if we may make an allowance for the different course of study, and different form of government, to which each of thefe great men were fubject, we may obferve, in feveral inftances, a strong resemblance between them. Both poets are equally diftinguished for wit and humour. displays a peculiar felicity in diction. But, of the two, Horace is the more elegant and delicate: while he condemns, he pleases. Swift takes pleasure in giving pain. The diffimilitude of their tempers might be owing to the different turns in their fortune. Swift early formed large views of ambition, and was disappointed. Horace, from an exiled low ftate, rofe into affluence, and enjoyed the favour and friendship of Auguftus. Each poet was the delight of the principal perfons of his age. Cum magnis vixiffe, was not more applicable to Horace, than to Swift. They both were temperate; both were frugal; and both were of the fame Epicurean taste. Horace had his Lydia, Swift had his Vaneffa. Horace had his Mecenas and his Agrippa; Swift had his Oxford and his Bolingbroke. Horace had his Virgil, Swift had his Pope.

Each

Swift, who had the nicest ear, is remarkably chaste and delicate in his rhymes. A bad rhyme appeared to him one of the capital fins in poetry; and yet it is a fin into which fome of our greatest poets have fallen; Dryden frequently, Pope fometimes. The former was imbarraffed with a wife and family; and was often under fuch neceffitous circumstances, as to be obliged to publifh, or to want subfiftence. The latter was in a lefs confined, and in a much more eafy fituation. He was naturally judicious, and uncommonly atten tive to maintain the dignity of his character. Altho' his body was weak, his mind was equal to the weight of his laurel crown; and VOL. VI.

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he wore it not only with ease, but majefty. Take him as a poet, we shall not fee his like again.

The Dean kept company with many of the fair fex; but they were rather his amufement than his admiration. He trifled away many hours in their converfation, he filled many pages in their praife, and, by the power of his head, he gained the character of a lover, without the leaft affiftance from his heart. To this par ticular kind of pride, fupported by the bent of his genius, and joined by the exceffive coldness of his nature, Vaneffa owed the ruin of her reputation; and from the fame causes, Stella remained an unacknowledged wife. If we consider Swift's behaviour, so far only as it relates to women, we fhall find, that he looked upon them rather as bufts, than as whole figures. In his panegyrical defcriptions, he has feldom defcended lower than the centre of their hearts; or if ever he has designed a compleat statue, it has been generally caft in a dirty, or in a difagreeable mould as if ftatuary had not conceived, or had not experienced that juftness of proportion, that delicacy of limb, and thofe pleafing and graceful attitudes which have conftituted the fex to be the most beautiful part of the creation. If you review his feveral poems to Stella, you will find them fuller of affection than defire, and more * expressive of friendship than of love. For example,

Thu, STELLA, wert no longer young,

When firft for thee my harp I ftrung;
Without one word of Cupid's darts,
Of killing eyes, or bleeding hearts:
With friendship and efteem poffefs'd,
I ne'er admitted love a guest.

Most of the poems which are abfolutely addreffed to Stella, or which defcribe her in a variety of attitudes, turn upon her age: a kind of excufe perhaps for Swift's want of love.

It is impoffible for me to pass a very minute comment upon the various poems wrote by Swift. They are not only mingled improperly, in point of dates and fubjects; but many, very many of them, are temporary, trifling, and I had almost said puerile. Ševeral of them are perfonal, and confequently fcarce amufing; or at leaft they leave a very fmall impreffion upon our minds. Such indeed as are likely to draw your attention, are exquifite, and fo peculiarly his own, that whoever has dared to imitate him in these, or in any of his works, has conftantly failed in the attempt. Upon a general view of his poetry, we fhall find him, as in his other performances, an uncommon, furprising, heteroclite genius; luxurious in his fancy, lively in his ideas, humorous in his descriptions, and bitter, exceeding bitter, in his fatire. The restlefsness of his imagination, and the difappointment of his ambition, have both contributed to hinder him from undertaking any poetical work of length or importance. His wit was fufficient to every labour: no fight could have wearied the ftrength of his pinions: perhaps, if the extensive views of his nature had been fully fatisfied, his airy motions

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