You are ſomewhat pleaſant, ſaid Mitis interrupting, in your Rehearſal of our Comick Materials, but withal, Julio, you are partial; for there is hardly any New Comedy that appears on the Stage, but has ſome New Part different from what has been before. 'Tis true, Reply'd Julio, there is indeed often added a New Quelque choſe, or (as commonly call'd) a Kikſhaw, or two, to ſet off the Entertainment, but theſe are the ſtanding Diſhes, and ſo often have they been ſerved up, that they are now become Fuſty, and will hardly go down with the Waiters. It puts me in mind, ſaid Liſander, of a Frugal Tobacconiſt, who having a ſmall Twiſt of Excellent Tobacco given him, was Reſolved to manage it to the utmoſt Advantage; the firſt Day therefore, he chaw'd it, and then put it in his Pocket to dry again, the next day he cut it and Smoakt it in his Pipe, and after all ſaved the Aſhes to ſerve him in a Third Capacity, for Snuſh. But this Tedious Repetition of the ſame Notions and Images, continued Liſander, might be endured, if they were directed to the improvement of Virtue, or the diſcountenance of Vice. On the Contrary, we ſeldom or never ſee a Character of True Worth, Integrity, and Honour, in any of theſe Comedies, unleſs it be brought in meerly to be abuſed, and Laugh'd out of Countenance. The Debauchee is always the fine Gentleman: 'Tis he that is ſet up for an Example fit for Imitation and Eſteem. And to ſay the Truth the young Gentry of the Nation have been in this particular Wonderful apt and pregnant Scholars. Whereas in the Comedies of the laſt Age, tho' you have ſometimes People of an ill Character repreſented, yet they had always ſome Mark of Diſgrace ſet upon them before the End of the Play; and the contrary Virtue to that Vice was always Triumphant, and made the more Amiable and deſirous when compar'd and ſet off with the Blemiſhes of the other. With your permiſſion, ſaid Mitis, I doubt you are under a great miſtake in this; for our Wits and Criti • ks have more than once inform'd us, that Inſtruction is not the buſineſs of Comedy, but Diverſion and Laughter. Moral Precepts, ſay they, are only proper to Tragedy and Grave Subjects: While the Right Object of Comedy is the True and Lively Repreſentation of the Manners and Behaviour of Mankind in the times we Live in, ſo as to make a pleaſant Entertainment, and that's all. Our Poets, continued he, repreſent the Modern little Actions of Debauchees, as Ben Johnſon preſented the Humours of his Tankard Bearer, his Pauls Walkers, and his Collegiate Ladies, &c. things then known and familiar to every Bodies Notice; and ſo are theſe now, and conſequently delightful to the times, as Pictures of Faces well known and remarkable. Theſe, Anſwered Julio, were Ben Johnſons Weakneſſes, and have been as ſuch ſufficiently exploded by our New faſhion'd Wits, and therefore methinks they ſhould not be imitated by them of all Men Living. Such Repreſentations are like a Painters taking a Picture after the Life in the Apparel then Worn, which becomes Ungraceful or Ridiculous in the next Age, when the Faſhion is out. Mitis thought me under a miſtake, ſaid Liſander, but I wiſh he be not Guilty of a greater in thinking a pleaſant Entertainment to be the only Deſign of a Comedy. Let your Wits and your Criticks ſay what they pleaſe, they can never convince me, but that the True End of Comedy as well as Tragedy, ought to be the Reformation of Manners, tho they differ in the Operation. The Subject of Tragedy being high, the Precepts, Sententious and Grave, and the Moral carries ſomething of Terrour againſt thoſe who are Great and Wicked, and Raiſes Compaſſion for the Sufferings of Good Men. On the other Hand, Comedy relates to the Inferior ſort of Mankind, but ſhou'd be directed to the ſame End, it ſhould render the Ill Habits of the Vulgar Odious as well as Ridiculous, it ſhould make Folly Bluſh, and Men aſhamed of their Vices; and Encourage Virtue. On the contrary ſome of our Late Comedies have given the greateſt Countenance to Libertiniſm that can be. by ſetting forth the extravagant Debauches of the Age as the True Character of a Gentleman, and only Fools and half Witted Creatures to be Conſiderate and Sober. Tho' they have not dared openly to oppoſe the Precepts of Religion, yet they have continually Rail'd againſt Marriage, as a Curſe and Impoſition upon Nature; and at the ſame time ſet off Whoring with all the Delicacy of Expreſſion, and moſt obliging Character they could invent. They have not been ſo Bold as yet (what it may come to in time, I know not) to Repreſent Obſcene Actions on the Stage, nor to Uſe the Plain downright Expreſſions of Immodeſty, but certainly there is ſuch a continued Thred of Laſcivious Meaning (commonly called Baudry in Clean Linnen) that Runs through a whole Play, and ſuch apparent and obvious Phraſes, that moſt of them muſt of neceſſity be taken in a Lewd Signification, or elſe they are Nonſenſe and Abſurd. On this Account I think it almoſt impoſſible, for the Youth of either Sex to return from one of theſe Comedies with their Fancy as Innocent, as they went. Poetry, the Dramatique eſpecially, has been properly called a ſpeaking Picture, as Painting, Dumb Poeſie. Which Charles Alphonſe du Freſnoy, in the beginning of his Poem De Arte Graphicâ, has thus curiouſly expreſt,

Now do but imagine, if the Ideas which theſe Modern Comedies are full of, were repreſented by the Penſil to the Eye, in as lively manner as ſome of our Poets ſet them forth to the Intellect, would not this be a fitting Object to be expoſed to the Publick, think you? I will paſs over the diſreſpect that has been ſhewn to the Clergy of all Opinions (thereby inſinuating Religion to be but a meer Trade at beſt) tho' ſome Scenes have been ſo groſs, that they have been refuſed to be Acted, and cut out as Undecent for a Publick Repreſentation (and yet the Poet has been ſo fond of them, as to Print 'em with the Reſt, in a different Character) However I cannot but obſerve, that a Statute was made in the Third Year of King James 1. whereby it was Enacted, That if at any time or times, any Perſon or Perſons, do or ſhall in any Stage Play, Jeſtingly or Prophanely ſpeak, or Ʋſe the Holy Name of God, or of Chriſt Jeſus, which are not to be ſpoken but with Fear and Reverence, he ſhall Forfeit for every ſuch Offence Ten Pounds; the one Moity thereof to the King, the other to him or them that ſhall ſue for the ſame. How often this Penalty has been incurr'd, I will not determine. 'Tis well we know you, Liſander, ſaid Mitis Smiling; a Stranger wou'd think you nearly Related to William Prin, and that you are about to Compoſe a Supplement to his H • ſtriomaſtix. So far from that, Anſwer'd Liſander, that I profeſs my ſelf a Lover of the Stage; I Eſteem Plays (if duly Regulated) to be of Excellent Uſe, for Inſtruction by Examples, for the Improvement of Wit, and for Innocent diverſion of that vacant time, which otherwiſe might be worſe imploy'd. What I have ſaid is in Order to their Continuance, by a timely Reformation of thoſe Scandals which are but too viſible and noted. 'Tis well known, that their Suppreſſion has been endeavour'd once or twice; and the Actors are not the firſt ſort of Men here in England, whoſe Inſtitution, tho' it was at firſt Good and Laudable, yet being afterwards abuſed, their Enemies have taken occaſion from the Abuſe, wholly to forbid the Uſe. The Athenians and Romans, when their Comedies became Licentious, thought it not below the Dignity and Care of their Magiſtrates to Regulate their Faults. And of later times, we have a freſher and nearer Inſtance of the Reformation of the Stage. That Great Man, the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu, to whoſe Wiſe Councils France does at this day, perhaps, owe all her preſent Grandeur, among all his other Noble Cares for the Advantage of that Kingdom, made it none of the leaſt to Reform the French Stage, that from a ſcandalous Load of Nautious Farce, which few of Quality wou'd Grace with their Preſence, the Objects of the Theatre are now become ſo Regular and Modeſt, that Ladies of the Niceſt Honour, and the Graveſt Church Men ſee 'em without Offence. Or to Uſe the Words of my French Author—Par les ſoins du Grand Cardinal ae Richelieu, la Comedie a tellement changé de face, qu'il n'y reſte plus rien de ce qui la faiſoit autrefois condamner. Now really I wou'd not have a Nation of the Roman Catholick Communion boaſt of any ſort of Reformation, in which we of the Reform'd Religion are wanting.

Here this Diſcourſe was broke off for ſome time. After which Interruption the Company being again ſettled, Mitis put Julio in mind of his Promiſe to give particular inſtances of the Defects and Blemiſhes of our late Comedies, and of the contrary Beauties of thoſe before the Wars. Whereupon Julio, in a long Diſcourſe, produced out of Ben. Johnſon, Shakſpear, Beaumont and Fletcher, Meſſenger, Shirley, and Sir William Davenant, before the Wars, and ſome Comedies of Mr. Drydens, ſince the Reſtauration, many Characters of Gentlemen, of a quite different Strain from thoſe in the Modern Plays. Whoſe Converſation was truly Witty, but not Lewd, Brave and not Abuſive; Ladies full of Spirit and yet Nicely Virtuous; with abundance of Paſſages diſcovering an admirable Invention, and quickneſs of thought, and yet decently facetious. On the contrary he gave infinite Examples out of Modern Comedies of another Stamp, miſtaken Images of Bravery, Virtue deſpiſed, and the very Genius of Immodeſty, not dropt here and there, but ſo diffuſed, that it ſeems the Soul of the Play. He took occaſion to ſpeak of the Comick Scenes in Tragedies, or Tragick Stories, (much uſed by the Poets of the laſt Age) which they called Tragy-Comedies; he ſhew'd how uſeful they were in many Reſpects, but that they were always ſubſervient to the main Deſign, and were uſed chiefly to Illuſtrate, Highthen, and ſet off, the Moral of the Play. He ſhew'd alſo how thoſe Poets had always in their thoughts that Old Verſe,

And that thoſe who Writ moſt Correct and conſiderately ſquared their Deſigns by that Rule. But now ſaid he, the Ʋtile ſeems wholly loſt and forgotten, and the Dulce is become Pall'd, Corrupted, and Sowr; as Hony it ſelf, and the beſt ſort of Sweet Meats will be with keeping. Julio was going on in this manner, but the Coach was now Arrived at Liſanders Village, and the Noiſe of the Bells that were Ringing to welcome his Coming, would not ſuffer any further Diſcourſe at that time.

LYſander being thus poſſeſt of the Society of thoſe two Perſons whom he Wrote in the firſt Liſt of his Friends, was Reſolved to give them all the Diverſions his Country could afford, which was certainly Inferiour to no Part of England for all ſorts of Game, and good Humour'd Converſation. To Viſit and be Viſited, are the uſual Ways by which thoſe of the better ſort paſs off their vacant time in the Country. Two or three days after Liſander's Arrival, ſeveral of the Neighbouring Gentry came to Welcome his Return. Among whom was Belamy a Gentleman of Handſom Parts, and Wit enough, but he had Learnt at Oxford (where he had ſpent ſome years) among other Arts, the Science of good Drinking. Which, with his Country Practice ſince, had render'd him moſt expert, in that Noble Science. He knew the Nature and Force of all ſorts of Wines, and had made an Engine (of which he was the Inventer) whereby to Eſſay, or Prove 'em, as they do Gunpowder, and know how far they wou'd carry, and at what diſtance of time do Execution. The Learning of Wines being ſomewhat Foreign, required more of Reading and Study, and a kind of Mathematical Head to make his Concluſions; but as for Our Manufacture, all the abſtruſe Queſtions relating to Ale, were ſo eaſie and obvious to his underſtanding, that (as I may ſay) it was his proper Element. He knew how by its own natural ferment (without the leaſt Adultery of Art) to Raiſe, Refine, Highten, and even inebriate the Liquor it ſelf. To this end only he had Study'd the Principles of Aſtronomy, and could tell you the Critical Minute when moſt ſucceſsfully to brew, when to Tun, when to Bottle, and when to Drink; and how many hours Sleep is requiſite after a full Doſe, a half Doſe, and a quarter Doſe. All this Curious Learning and forty times as much more on the ſame Subject, Belamy was a Compleat Maſter of. After Dinner the Bottles began to Muſter according to Modern Diſcipline. Mitis and Julio, foreſaw an Aſſault, and began to caſt up all the Arguments they could, to fortifie their Camp againſt the Enemy: Mitis eſpecially, who was one of thoſe Stanch and Abſtemious Humouriſts that Drink more Tea than Claret; underſtand me, between Meals; for at Dinner he always took his Glaſs in Courſe, and thought it then as abſurd to forbear Wine as to drink Coffee. Belamy who happen'd to fit next him, and having obſerved him at Dinner to drink freely enough, and never balk a Health, he concluded he would do the like at all times; perceiving therefore now, that he trifled with his Glaſs, and (as he Phraſed it) did not Drink fairly, he began to preſs upon him, and urge him to be ſociable, alledging for a main Argument, that after this Rate we ſhall be Drunk before you. Mitis a little moved to find the Conſcience leſs free in Drinking than Religion, Reply'd, Do you Eſteem that an Advantage, or diſadvantage? a Happineſs, or Misfortune? Let me periſh if I can imagine which you think it. For if you think it a misfortune, who conſtrains you to drink a ſtronger Liquor, or in a greater quantity, than I do? But if you think it a Happineſs or Advantage, what Reaſon have you to complain of that? This was a Dilemma which Bellamy was not at that time prepared to Anſwer, he therefore Balkt the Queſtion, as Mitis had done the Glaſs, and in a more Complaiſant manner, entreated him to begin a Health, ſuch as he pleas'd. Will you then pledge me in Tea, ſaid Mitis. Not while there is Wine in the County, Reply'd the other. And what, continued Mitis, ſhould oblige me to Drink your Liquor, more than you mine? Suppoſe a Water Drinker here (you know there are many ſuch) whoſe long continued Cuſtom has made it natural to drink nothing but pure Element. Wou'd you think it Civility to preſs him to pledge you a Bumper in Claret, or on the other hand, wou'd you not think him Mad to urge you to Pledge a Pint Glaſs from the Ciſtern? A Water Drinker, ſays Bellamy, is Company for my Horſe, and unfit for Society. Hereupon M • tis demanded, what do you call Society? The other reply'd readily, Wit, Mirth, and good Humor; which none can be Maſter of without a generous Bottle. And yet, ſaid Mitis, Voiture drunk Water. That very Name has the force of a thouſand Arguments againſt you. Beſides, VVater is the natural Drink of the whole Creation; the only Drink, in probability, before the Flood, when Mankind lived to the extravagancy of Old Age; and certainly could we reduce our ſelves to that which was Adam's Liquor, and leave that of Noah, whoſe firſt appearance in the VVorld was unluckly and ominous, we ſhould avoid a thouſand Diſtractions, & (which is the conſtant effect of Drinking in me) as many painful Surfeits and Feavers. That's only for want of Practice, ſaid Belamy; if you did but uſe it more, you would not be diſturb'd; no more than I, who am as Brisk and well next day after my three Bottles over Night, as if it were Mothers Milk. Are you ſure it agrees ſo well with you, ſaid Mstis ſlily, I ſhould be apt to think it does not. Do you think me, anſwered Belamy ſomewhat haſtily, a Fool or a Mad-Man? VVhy ſure you'l give me leave to underſtand my own Conſtitution better than you; and Judge of my own Temper from Experience truer than you can. You have Reaſon, anſwer'd Mitis; and why muſt I be ſuppoſed ſuch an Ideot that I cannot do the ſame of my Temper from my Experience? You Adviſe me to Drink VVine more frequently, that it may by conſtant practice, be familiar to my Stomach, and that I may have my Health after it. Is not this Ridiculous, when I have my Health already without it? I know there is a ſort of People who think it conducing to their Health (or at leaſt their Pleaſure) once or twice a VVeek to be very Merry, as they call it, that is in Engliſh, down Drunk: and this in their Phraſe is to give Nature a Fillip. How you approve of this I know not, for my part I think ſuch a Courſe of Life as far from pleaſure as it is from Health. An other thing I have obſerved among your Good Fellows, which in my Opinion is extreamly obſurd; if one Man drinks his Glaſs leſs full than his who drank to him, the other cries out in a very Pathetical manner,; Nay Sir, Do me Juſtice—mine was higher. As if the Contents of one Man's Stomack were the Standard for all Men. They call this Juſtice, which in reality is the greateſt Injuſtice that belongs to Society. Suppoſe it were the Cuſtom to Eat Healths and not drink'em (as I ſee no Reaſon for one more than t'other.) There are ſome of ſuch Voracious Appetites, that one Man can Eat a whole Shoulder of Mutton at a Bout, or perhaps a Leg of Pork and Turnips. Wou'd you think it reaſonable for one of theſe Eaters to deſire his Friends to pledge him, and take off a whole Shoulder? Perhaps his next Neighbour at Table is one of thoſe who have an Averſion for Hogs Fleſh, wou'd you think it Civil for one of theſe Devourers aforeſaid to Eat a Health, and preſs the other to do him Juſtice, and Pledge him in five or ſix pound of Pork? Away with your naucious Similes, interrupted Belamy, who ever heard of Eating Healths? The Debate, ſaid Mitis, is not of Eating or Drinking, but meaſuring the Contents of one Man's Appetite by that of an other.—But what is a Health? Belamy readily gave him this Definition; A Health is only a hearty Wiſh between two, for the Good and Proſperity of a third Perſon; and as an Evidence to demonſtrate the Reality of our Intention, we take off a Bumper, tho perhaps againſt ones Stomach: Nay, the bigger the Glaſs is, and the more againſt nature, the ſtronger our Affection. A moſt excellent Demonſtration of well wiſhing! cryed Mitis; ſomething like this, continued he, I have read, of a ſort of Bigotted Turks, who in the hight and tranſport of their Zeal, to ſhew their Love and Devotion to Mahomet, cut and gaſh their own Fleſh, and Stab themſelves in the Hand. But here's the difference, ſome Men among us, when they demonſtrate on ſuch occaſions as you mention, inſtead of Wounding themſelves they Stab others. Come, come, ſaid Belamy, all your Argumentation ſignifies not a ruſh, the Practice of all Europe in this Age, is againſt you; and Cuſtom muſt prevail. In my mind, reply'd Mitis, our Anceſtors the Old Britans had a much better Cuſtom, for which they were propoſed as an Example of Temperance: Witneſs the Poet,

Which with your permiſſion may be Engliſh'd thus,

IT was about a fortnight or three Weeks after, before all thoſe who had undertaken this Exerciſe of the Muſes could meet. At laſt they happen'd together at Liſanders: Who after a Noble Treat at Dinner, led his Friends to his favourite Walk in the Bottom of his Park. It was cut out and contrived on the Bank of a moſt delightſome River, as well ſtored with all ſorts of Fiſh, as the Swans would permit; the Walk was as Broad, and even as the Mall, and above half as long, but not ſo ſtrait, it humouring the Meanders of the Stream. The whole length of the Walk was skirted on the one Hand with a Wood continually full of Nightingales, Throſtles, Stockdoves, and ſuch Silvan Muſick; the outward Branches of which were ſo Luxuriant, that they ſpred themſelves with little or no intermiſſion, as a Natural Canopy from one end of the Walk to the other. On the other ſide, oppoſite to the Wood, ran along a moſt ſweet and clear River, and beyond that lay ſuch a Beautious Proſpect of Meadows, ſo deckt at that time with Primroſes, Daiſies, and other ſuch like wild Gayities of the forward Spring, as if Nature had defied the moſt skilful Jeweller to ſhew a pleaſanter Enamel. Liſander had contrived on the Wood ſide of this Walk ſeveral Seats and Reſting places, but one more eſpecial about the Middle. It was a kind of ſmall Summer Houſe Placed oppoſite to a Viſto that for Eight or Ten Miles forward, cut through all the delightful Objects that fancy can deſire in the moſt pleaſing Landskip. Here it was that Liſander having ſeated the Company, remember'd them of the Tranſlated Eſſays they had all promiſed; and becauſe he was the Promoter of the Undertaking, himſelf firſt began with Repeating theſe Lines out of the Sixth Book of Virgils Aeneads.

Which, ſaid he, I have ventured to render thus, in Engliſh.

Mitis began to Applaud the Tranſlation, when Liſander cut him ſhort, ſaying, that he did not propoſe theſe Eſſays for Applauſe, either to himſelf or others; but on the contrary to occaſion handſom Exceptions, and diſcoveries not of Beauties, but Defects and Blemiſhes (which he knows the Company can make) in Order thereby to teach one how to write Correctly. And I am of Opinion, continued he, that no Man can be ſaid truly to write well, unleſs he can find Fault well. For Faults, like Diſeaſes, when perfectly diſcover'd are half Cured. Hereupon Julio ſaid, I tell you frankly then Liſander, I ſhou'd not like your Expreſſion in the ſecond Line—Make the cold Marble live—as too bold and extravagant, were it not Juſtified in the Original by ſpirantia aera, and Vivos Vultus: But there is a real Fault, or rather Defect in your Tranſlation, for which I can Frame no manner of excuſe. You have omitted Parcere Subjectis, which ſeems to me to be the moſt material Part of the Character which Virgil here gives of an excellent Prince, or Governor; Mercy and Forbearance are Attributes of the Deity, and nothing can be more Great and Godlike in a Ruler. Therefore Debellare Superbos, and not parcere Subjectis at the ſame time, as it is but half the Advice of Anchiſes to Aeneas, (or under that Fiction, of Virgil to Augustus) ſo it is but half the ſenſe of your Author. Liſander acknowledged the Truth of what Julio ſaid, and thank'd him, for expreſſing his free Thought. Belamy happen'd to ſit next to Liſander, and was therefore as next in Order, requeſted to produce ſomething or other that he had fancied ſince the laſt Meeting. I profeſs, replyed he briskly, I have not of late met any thing more agreeable to my Humour, than an Old Chanſon a boire in one of Molier's Comedies.

Which I thus Engliſh,

A Chanſon a Boire, ſaid Mitis, is of ſo ſlight a Nature, that it can hardly afford either matter or words ſubſtantial enough to bear an exception; things of this kind are ſuppoſed to be writ as it were extempore o're a Glaſs of Wine, with little or no Conſideration, and therefore have all the Grains of allowance that can poſſibly be given. And for that reaſon I cannot in this, tho in an other ſort of Poem I ſhould diſapprove the laſt Words, does the Feat, as a low and abject Phraſe. Yet, ſaid Julio, if a Word be uſed improperly, or in a ſenſe that it will not bear, it may be juſtly condemn'd; for example, in the firſt Stanza,—Death will all our Joys Deface. Deface is a word that relates properly to Objects of the Sight, as to Deface a Writing, a Monument, a Picture, &c. Now Joys are Notional and may be ſaid to be Defeated, Deſtroyed, or Determined, but, as I conceive, not properly to be Defaced; no more than to deface ones pleaſure, or deface a Jeſt or fit of Laughter. After all added Liſander, I think his Engliſh to be better than the French Original, as including the Authors ſenſe in leſs Compaſs, and fewer Idle Words. Here Charleſon (for that was the Name of the Old Cavalier former • y mention'd) recited the beginning of that Famous Ode in the 3d Book of Horace, which, ſaid he, we that ſuffer'd in the times of Rebellion and Anarchy, did ſometimes uſe to apply to our ſelves, by way of Incouragement.

I ſhall give ye occaſion enough of Exception, continued he, when I tell you my Engliſh.

This Tranſlation, ſaid Liſander, has fully and handſomly expreſt the Senſe of the Latine; but not after the Poetical Phraſe of the Author. And tho' Nor Winds, nor Waves, nor Thunder—gives us the true ſignification and meaning, of Ne que Auſter Dux turbidus Adriae, nec Jovis Manus—Yet in my Opinion a Tranſlator muſt not neglect thoſe Figurative ways of ſpeaking; for if ſo, we ſhould looſe the Intelligence of the Old received Fictions, without which we can never perfectly underſtand all the Beauties of the Latine Poets. I cannot approve, ſaid Julio, of the word Mob, in theſe Verſes, which tho ſignificant enough, yet it is a word but of Late Uſe, and not ſufficiently Naturalized to appear in a ſerious Poem: Beſides, I eſteem it a kind of Burleſque word, and unſutable to the Dignity of Horace. There is an other word, ſaid Mitis, which I cannot paſs without a Remark; and that is the Particle, Nay, which I know is of Common uſe in Proſe to highten and aggravate the Subject of Diſcourſe, but I cannot think it graceful in Verſe, as a too familiar and ſlight way of ſpeaking. 'Tis without all queſtion, there are ſome words which are allowable in Proſe, but not in a Poem; ſuch as the word Lad, which the Great Cowley tells in the Notes on his Davideis, is not proper to be Read in an Heroick Poem, and therefore uſes the Word Boy inſtead of it; and yet the word Lad is prefer'd in the Engliſh Tranſlation of the Scriptures, from whence he takes the Argument and Foundation of his Work. After this it came in Courſe to a Gentleman whoſe Name I have forgot, to produce his Specimen; he told the Company, that he had lately happen'd upon a French Epigram of a New and ſurpriſing Turn, the manner of the Poets expreſſing his Deſign, in the Cloſe, pleas'd me ſo well, ſaid he, that I cou'd not forbear trying, how the Thought wou'd ſhew in Engliſh. It is an Addreſs to Cardinal Richelieu, form'd in ſuch an Air, that in my mind, it is the neateſt (or if you will) the gentileſt way of begging a great Man's favour, not without ſomething like Reproach for neglect, that ever I met with. The French is this,

And my Engliſh this,

Believe me Sir, ſaid Liſander, you have hanſomly and well expreſt the Authors Turn of Thought in the Concluſion, but I muſt needs ſay, you have ſo little obſerved the Authors Expreſſions in all that goes before, that in my Opinion, this cannot properly be called a Tranſlation, but rather ſome Verſes writ in imitation of the French. You have well Paraphraſed the Author's meaning in the main; but certainly as a good Tranſlation ought not on the one hand, to be Literal or Verbal without a due Liberty to the property of Expreſſion in our Language; ſo on the the other, it muſt not be a meer Paraphraſe on the Author's General Deſign, without any reſpect to his form of expreſſion. Julio added, that he could wiſh the word what had not been twice uſed ſo cloſe together in the two laſt Lines, What you have, and what wou'd you, for beſides that correct Writers forbear to repeat the ſame words near the place where they have been uſed already, (unleſs the Enargy of the ſenſe does abſolutely require it) the word what is harſh and unpleaſant in the Engliſh Tongue, as the word Car in the French; which Monſieur de Gomberville one of thoſe Select Wits who compoſed the French Academy, rejected as offenſive, and fitter for a Diſputation than a Romance or Poem; and brag'd that he had not at all made uſe of that word in compoſing the five Volumes of Polexander. After this Mitis produced Mr. Cowleys Epitaph in Weſtminſter Abby, render'd by him into Engliſh.

Belamy who had been ſilent a long while, this dry Diſcourſe being inſipid to him; cou'd not now forbear obſerving to Mitis (his Old Antagoniſt) that in his Opinion he has taken too great a Liberty in the beginning of his Verſion, the Latine mentioning Cowley in the ſecond Perſon, which he has vary'd in the Engliſh to the third, contrary (as he thinks) to the Rules of a True and Juſt Tranſlation. Julio ſaid, that his addition of the Word weep, tho' i • does really improve the ſenſe, yet being placed unluckily at the end of the Line, looks as if it was taken in, only for the Rhime ſake. Liſander obſerved, that the Concluſion of this Epitaph (eſpecially as Mitis has expreſt it in Engliſh) has much the like thought with that compoſed for Michael Drayton whoſe Monument is very little diſtant from Mr. Cowley's, and that the ſenſe of their Epitaphs in this particular, is almoſt as near as their Graves; for thus the Compoſer of Mr. Drayton's Epitaph is ſuppoſed to ſpeak to the Marble that covers him.

Here Julio was call'd upon to produce his Eſſay of Tranſlation. He ſaid he had lately chopt upon ſome Latine Verſes which he found written before a Burtons Melancholy, the Author of which Book aſſumed the Name of Democritus Junior.

The Latine pleaſed me ſo well, continued Julio, that I tryed to turn 'em into Engliſh; but ſo unſucceſsfully, that I am aſhamed of the Attempt.

As Julio had before play'd the Critick on the ſeveral Tranſlations of all the Company, ſo now every Man thought himſelf obliged to make ſome Remark on his. Mitis ſaid, that he had uſed more figurative Expreſſions in his Engliſh, than the Author had in the Latine, ſuch as let thy Salt Showers fall, inſtead of Fleas. And that in his Opinion, Figures are leſs allowable in our Language than in the Roman. Charleſon ſaid his Addition, yet all wou'd be too few, admits of the ſame exception, which himſelf made but juſt before to Mitis about the word Weep, and one need only repeat his own Words, [tho' it does ſomewhat improve the Authors thought, yet being placed unluckily at the end of the Line, it looks as if it were taken in, only for the Rhime's ſake] ſo common a thing is it for a man to trip in the very place where he obſerved another to ſtumble. A third ſaid, if thoſe words were not added for the Rhime's ſake, yet he fears the word Careers in the Plural was, for I fancy, continued he, had it Rhimed, Career in the ſingular had been better Engliſh: Yet it ſeems to me to be but an untoward and ill choſen Word, at beſt. Others made other Obſervations of leſs Note, which I have forgot. Julio thankt the Company for the Honour they did him in examining his Verſes more cloſely than the others; but, added he, after all you have not diſcover'd half the Faults. In ſuch like Diſcourſes the time ſlipt away inſenſibly; when Liſander having obſerved the Sun near ſetting, riſe up from his Seat, and ended the Friendly Debate with this Verſe of Virgil,

I cannot imagine, ſaid Belamy, how you apply that; for if you deſign it to us, nothing can be more improper; ſince we are ſo far from having drunk enough, that Drink is the only thing that has been wanting. If you love me therefore, let us make all convenient haſt back to your houſe, Liſandey, and redeem the time, for really I have loſt an Afternoon ſtrangely. They all ſmiled, and return'd. As they walkt Julio acknowledged he began to be tired with the Afternoons Work; whick lookt ſo like School-Boys producing their Exerciſe, that he cou'd not chooſe but remember with a kind of Terror, the Rod and Ferula. True, ſaid Mitis, we were all like School-Boys in one reſpect, but we were all Maſters in another, ſince we all judged, Cenſured, and Corrected. Or as Ovid ſays of Baucis and Philemon,

AFter Eugenius had thus finiſht his (or rather Monſieur Freſnoy's) Diſcourſe of the Famous Italian Painters, the Company fell into familiar Chat, ſuch as produced nothing Remarkable; till the approach of Night cauſed the Viſitants to think of home. Mitis made Eugenius a very gentile Complement at parting, and Julio profeſt, that tho' his Entertainment was in all particulars extream Noble and Obliging, yet nothing had more ſurpriſed him with Delight, than the Sight of his Excellent Collection of Pictures. As they return'd, Mitis began a Diſcourſe which laſted all the way, near two hours. He ſaid it may be a Queſtion which is the moſt Delightſom Painting or Poetry? Underſtand me, where both are good and in perfection; for the little common Dawbings are no more to be valued in one, than the Street Ballads and diſpicable Rhimes of the other. Whichſoever occaſions the greateſt Pleaſures (ſaid Julio) I will not determine; for that may ariſe chiefly from the apprehenſion, or different Genius of the Party who views the Picture, or reads the Poem: But I am apt to believe that Poetry is more uſeful to humane Life, by Reaſon of its Moral Precepts and Inſtructions, ſuch as cannot ariſe from a Dumb Painting. As Dumb as the Painting is, ſaid Liſander. Pictures are thought to be of great uſe, even by the way of Direction and Information, beyond Sea; and therefore they are ſo frequently placed in Churches there, to highten the Affections and advance Devotion. 'Tis true, this has been thought Superſtitious here in our Country, and therefore Pictures have been with us Excommunicated or Expell'd the Church, and certain Texts of Scripture Writ up and down on the Walls, inſtead of them; and yet ſome People think this to be of as little uſe, and leſs Ornament than the other; for ſay they, in Country Churches, where it is moſt Practiſed, many (if not moſt) of the Pariſh cannot Read, whereas every Body underſtands the meaning of a Picture, which indeed ſpeaks all Languages: And for that Reaſon they have been, not improperly, called, The Lay-mens Books. But to wave this Compariſon of Painting and Poetry, which has been allow'd in all Ages ſince Old Horace ſaid,

There is one Point of Diſparity between 'em, in the true Cauſe of which I would gladly be ſatisfied. And that is, why Poetry and Poverty are counted inſeperable Companions, and that for a Man to have a Poetical Genius is thought fatal, that he is thereby half Ruined, and in the ready way to Beggary? Whereas for a Painter to have an apt and ready Genius in his Science, is counted a good Omen, and aſſures us that in time he will be a grat Maſter, and raiſe an Eſtate. Julio after a little pauſe, anſwer'd to this purpoſe. 'Tis very true, that thoſe who addict themſelves to Poetry, eſpecially ſuch who make it their whole buſineſs, have been generally obſerved to be little beholding to Fortune, or in plain Engliſh, poor and indigent; one Reaſon may be, that they are Men of Generous Souls, above their Fortunes, and live according to the Ideas and Notions they Read and Write of; which tho' commendable in Poems and Romances, yet are not practicable here, without a plentiful Revenue, and almoſt Inexhauſtible Fund. Beſides, they Love quiet, as moſt agreeable to their Studies, while thoſe who Raiſe Eſtates are your Intreaguers, Men of Buſineſs, and ſuch as live in a continual Hurry. Add to this, that being Men of Witty and Delightſom Converſation, their Company is deſired by almoſt all, and thoſe of Fortunes and Expences greater than they in Prudence can Cope with; which inſenſibly decays that little Eſtate which they have. An other Reaſon may be that they aſpire no higher than a handſom ſubſiſtance for the preſent, and leave the future to Providence that diſpoſes all things; in which particular they are better Chriſtians and Philoſophers, than Husbands and Parents. After all, perhaps this Character of Poverty is not only applyable to Poets, but in ſome (if not equal) Degree, to all other Scholars, who being Maſters of Little or nothing beſides their Learning, they are compell'd (after the Example of all Ages) to apply themſelves to Great Men; ſome of whom, whoſe Eſtates have overgrown their Wit and Humanity, think themſelves importuned with their Addreſſes, and therefore ſpeak more diſgracefully of them than they deſerve. Theſe are the Reverſe of a M • cenas; they have have his Riches, but Souls below a Plebeian. They look upon a Poet, or Poor Scholar, with a Preſent or Dedication, as a kind of Robber, for tho' He does not take their Purſe like your Highwayman, yet he forces their Will, and they part with what Cuſtom obliges them to return, (if they make any) meerly to avoid the Diſhonour, as unwillingly and with as ill a Face, as if they heard Stand and Deliver. For this Reaſon, ſaid Mitis, I wou'd have (if poſſible) no Poets but ſuch only who have Eſtates of Inheritance Large and ſufficient to guard them both from the Inſults of the World, and Cares of ſubſiſting. 'Tis true, there have been ſeveral among the Romans, and in our Age, who have been as Eminent for their Excellent Genius this way, as for their Quality. But for the moſt part, the Great Men and the Poets are not to be United; for they are Born Rich, and theſe are born Poets. But where ſome of thoſe to raiſe their Eſtates (which are already made to their hands) they might, perhaps, live as poor as theſe. There is certainly more requir'd to getting Riches, than Learning and Science: There is much of Luck, and ſomething of Trick (the Citizens call it Myſtery) that are neceſſary Concomitants. What elſe makes the Hypocrite more plauſible than the Good Chriſtian, an Empirick Richer than a Learned Doctor? And I have heard of a Fellow in the Country, who cou'd not Write, nor (hardly) read, and yet got a great Eſtate by pretending to the Law. In theſe Lucky pretences, theſe Tricks and Myſteries, or what ever you call 'em, it ſeems the Poets are Ignorant: There is ſtill one other Reaſon for a Poets Poverty; thoſe who addict themſelves to other Studies, find great incouragement from publick Proviſions. The Divine has his Livings, Promotions, and Dignities. Thoſe of the Law have abundance of Offices of mighty profit; and the Phyſitians, ſettled Salaries from Hoſpitals and other endowments. But the Poet (as ſuch) hath no Office or Place of Preferment belonging to his Profeſſion, that I know of, except one; and that too, conſiſt • chiefly in Reputation, and a Pipe o • Canary. This ſtarts an other occaſion of their impoveriſhment; they have been generally devoted to the Bottle; they fancy inſpiration from Wine; and I never heard of any who raiſed an Eſtate, but thouſands who conſumed it, by Drinking. You have given Reaſons more than enough, ſaid Liſander, to juſtifie the common Notion of Poets. I perceive that Verſes and Poems are pretty Toys to play with, but the worſt Tools for a Trade that ever were invented. 'Tis well ſome of our Poets have other ways of ſubſiſting, elſe I know not how they wou'd do to live in this World, unleſs they could Reſtore the Golden Age (their beloved Theme) in which bountiful Nature ſupply'd all things to every one, and none wanted any thing. And among other Arts, which have interfered with Poeſie, I have obſerved in a more eſpecial manner, that of Painting to be one; as if the two Siſter Sciences delighted to live together in the ſame Perſon. You ſeldom knew a Poet but he was a Lover of Pictures, nor a Painter who had not the like Affection for Poems and Muſick (which is really an inarticulate Poeſie). Some perſons have attain'd to a great perfection in both theſe Arts; ſuch was Leonardo da Vinci; I cou'd Name other Italians, and ſeveral of our own Nation; But 'tis ſufficient to inſtance only in one. A young Lady of Eminent Virtue and Beauty, was when ſhe lived (which was not many years ſince) incomparable for her performances both with the Pen and Penſil. I mean Mrs. Ann Killegrew, whoſe Picture drawn by her ſelf, is Printed before her Book of Poems, publiſht ſoon after her Death. A Gentleman of our Acquaintance, tho' he had never ſeen her when living, fell really in love with her Memory, and on the firſt view of her Picture and Poems, compoſed ſome Verſes which I think I can ſtill remember.

This ſeems, indeed, to be Writ with as great Affection as Encomium, and more Love than Art. But you know Philaſter, he is the Author. I did imagine, ſaid Mitis, it muſt be he; He is himſelf a pretender to both theſe Arts: And that with as much Succeſs as he deſires, ſince he never made either of them his Buſineſs, but Diverſion.

With this and ſuch like Diſcourſe, the Way and the Time paſt off, when they found themſelves arrived at their Journeys End, and that the Day-Light had determined, and the Sun Reſigned his Office to his Siſter almoſt an hour before, which they never minded.