"Hefied is an author fo very crabbed and difficult, that, if you acquit yourself well of that undertaking, I cannot think of any that you are not equal to. I shall rejoice that it do you honour, and I fhall contribute any thing in my power towards your fervice: nor fhall a man of your parts, learning, and accomplishments, ever want any thing that I can fupply you with.”

In the latter part of the letter, the Doctor fays,

"I am much touched with compaffion for Mr. Savage's great misfortunes ;" and, "I with I could find a way of offering Savage a new-year's-gift."

If, forgetful of Cooke's friendship at a time the most trying, Savage after wards did him ill offices with Pope, it will throw an additional imputation on a character in many other refpects re-prehenfible.

In 1725, or 1726, Cooke publifhed "The Knights of the Bath," and "PhiJander and Cydippe," Poetical Tales; and feveral other pieces of poetry. The former was evidently meant to attract public attention, on the revival, about that time, of the Order of the Bath. He wrote, foon after, "The Triumphs of Love and Honour," a Play, which was acted at the Theatre Royal of Drury lane; "The Eunuch," a Farce; and afterwards, "The Mournful Nuptials, or, Love the Cure of all Woes," a Tragedy; both of which were acted at the fame Theatre. The Prologue to the latter was written by Sir Robert Henley, Bart. I have never read the two firft of thefe dramatic productions, nor the latter more than once, and that many years ago. I remember an anecdote refpecting the exhibition of one of his plays, which was often mentioned by

fome Members of the Club at Vauxhall. -Farmer Briar, one of the characters of the drama, made his exit from the ftage after repeating the following words,

"I go, but to return;"

a man in the pit immediately called out, "Be fure you do! be fure you do!" which, producing a laugh from the audience, had a tendency to ridicule the play. Many of your readers, Mr. Urban, will remember to have heard of a circumstance like the above, which happened in the year 1730, on the first reprefentation of Mr. James Thomson's Tragedy of "Sophonifba :" when a performer ufed the following exclamation, "Oh, Sophonisba! Sophonisba, oh!"

and a fimilar laugh was by that means excited, at the expence of the poet.

None of the above dramatic works of Cooke met with any confiderable fuccefs on the ftage; neither did they add much to his poetical reputation.

In 1726 he published an Account of the Life and Writings of Andrew Marvell, Efq. who had been Member in Parliament, in Charles the Second's time, for the town of Kingston upon Hull, and who was probably the laft Member who received wages from his Conftituents. This Life was prefixed to an edition of Marvell's Poetical Works, in two vols. 12mo; and was afterwards re-printed, with improvements, in the General Dic tionary, in folio. This publication of the Life and Works of a character fo virtuous as Marvell's, who had refifted

the corrupt offers of a moft corrupt Court and Adminiftration, met with ge neral approbation; and it is ftill confidered as a work of merit.

In 1734 he published a Latin edition, medies, with critical and explanatory and Englb translation, of Terence's Cotion on the Life and Writings of Tenotes; to which is prefixed, A Differtarence, on the Comic Meafure, and on the different Excellencies of Plautus and volume is dedicated to the Duke of SoTerence, in three vols. 12mo. The first merfet, the fecond to the Duke of MarlChesterfield. borough, and the third to the Earl of

In 1737 he published, A Tranflation of Cicero's Treatife of the Nature of the

Gods, with philofophical, critical, and

explanatory notes; to which is added, an Examination into the Aftronomy of the Antients, 8vo.

In 1741 he published a new edition of the Works of Virgil, with an interpretation in Latin, and notes in English. This publication he inscribed to Lord Petre, by an elegant and well-written addrefs, in which he pays that Lord many compliments; all, it is said, very junly merited.

His tranflations from Latin authors appear to be clofely confined to the fenfe and meaning of the originals, and are thought to be well done. The late Dr. Newcome, Dean of Rochester, and Mafter of St. John's College, Cambridge, thus

Speaks

ennobled by the trampling of his fiery fteed, like the hands of great princes, conferred the kifs of favour and promotion on the fortunate. He beheld a mountain rearing his bold front to the fummit of Heaven, and piercing with his green bead the gilded shield of the fun; or like a reverend fage, to whom might be applied, "the mountains are for nails to fix the earth," fitting in majeftic gravity, with his feet drawn within the fkirts of his mantle; and from his weeping fountains floods of ftreaming tears defcending to his fkirts. The king afcended the mountain, and, folding his gorgeous robe about his waift, walked about on every fide. On a fudden an opening met his view, fpacious as the plain of Hope, its green refembled the helds of Heaven, and, by its pure and limpid ftreams, it looked like the gardens of Paradife. In its smooth lawn violets fprang up about the rofes like the charming ringlets of the fair, and the hyacinth grew amiably in the neigh bourhood of the wild tulip, like down on the cheek of a blooming youth, fhedding perfume. The Hyrcanian willow wore a cloak of rofe-coloured fatin, and the erect cyprefs bore on his fhoulders a vet of green filk. The mufky gale whifpered the fecret of the odours of the flowers in the four quarters of the earth, and the nightingale told the inhabitants of the world the story of the colour and fragrance of the rose.

VERSE S.

The air and streams pure and delightful, a happy fpot, fweet-fcented herbs fpringing upon the banks of its rivulets hathe themfelves in dew, the tall trees, like handfome youths, contend in beauty. Upon the boughs the melodious birds equal with their notes the mufick of organs. The young cyprefs, furpaffing the trees of Paradife, had upon every leaf, "May they flourish !"

And in the midt of this plain flood a bafon, its water, like the water of life, refreshing the fpirits, and in fweetnefs and purity rivaling the fountains of blifs.

VERSES.

expect a fatisfactory anfwer on the cause of it in general, nor of his fufferings in particular, from his mode of ftating the grievance. On his quotation from Shentone I must beg leave to make a few remarks: as the paffage from that author's Essay on Men and Manners appears to me as the prin cipal object in his letter, it will be the readieft way to convey fome answer to his enquiry. First, I pay all the respect which is due to Shentone as a Poet, yet I cannot fay he demands any peculiar marks of our veneration as a Philofopher. "I have been formerly fo filly as to hope that every fervant I had might be made a friend." Here I totally difagree with him: according to the natural course of things, it is not to be fuppofed that a fervant, though ever fo faithful, can come under the denomination of a friend to his employer; there is a line which makes fuch a contract impoffible, though a fervant performs eminent and praife-worthy fervices, and even at extremities faves the life of his employer at the hazard of his own. Yet, after all this, I cannot con ceive he is to be called a friend. Friendfhip confifts in voluntary fervices: the fervant, being paid for his employ, performs no more than a duty which is demanded of thofe on whom he is dependant. Secondly, "It is the nature of fervitude to difcard all generous motives of obedience, and to point out no other than thofe fcoundrel ones, intereft and fear." Now, what we are to conclude from the words intereft and fear, I cannot impartially define, they are fo multifarious, and relate to fuch a vari ous number of objects; and, according to the opinions of perfons, I should fupjects in view. But I have this to repofe them to proceed from different obmark; molt men are led to aim at those things which are likely to promote their intereft; and I cannot but think that it operates with the fame force on the Peer as it does on the Peafant, differing only in the magnitude of the object in their view, which must of course aride from the difference of their fituations. Now, as to the fear of tervants, I cannot lay on that account any charge can poffibly be leveled against them; they have, at times, fufficient caules for their harbouring of fear, being the dependants on people of various difpofitions and With people of this defcriptempers. tion a fervant, though never fo attentive and induftrious, lives in a continual

dread

dread of their displeasure upon every trivial offence, and lives in fear of not only being difcarded from their fervice, but alfo of being deprived of that which is the only recommendation to his future fubfifience, which recommendation confifts in a good character; and, forry I am to fay it, the cafe has been too common of difcarding them upon nuga tory offences, and depriving them of this hope, on which all their confidence is placed; from which we may, in fome measure, account for their being more ingrateful than any other fet of people. By what I have here furmiled, I would not be confidered as the upholder or encourager of ingratitude; but ftill we fhould not be too hafty in condemning the whole for thofe vices, which, perhaps, we have only experienced from a few. Yours, &c. G. H.

P.S. If this fhould fail under the eye of your correfpondent V, I would have him to think I do not difbelieve that he may have fuffered from the ingratitude of fervants; yet I could with him to confider whether, in fome inftances, the ingratitude he has suffered has not arifen from his own treatment.

Mr. URBAN,

G. H.

Hackney, Dec. 14. Correfpondent, R. C. p. 894, in a A very elaborate apologetical letter for the univerfity of Oxford, by attempt ing to prove too much, has, notwith ftanding his falvos, weakened the force of his argument, by quoting with exultation the refufal of the University to grane a degree to Abbé Raynal; and rejoicing that the rector of Whittington had been honoured by the unanimous fuffrages of that learned body. As a plain man, unadorned by academic diftinctions, and gliding unobferved down the ftream of life, rather a fpectator then a partaker of its bufy fcenes, I am occafionally tempted to animadvert upon the conduct of certain perfons who, "o'erftepping the modefty of Nature," obtruding themfelves upon the publick by bold and dogmatic affertions more than by fair argument and just deductions, attempt to direct the public opinion. This mode fometime fucceeds: mankind will not always take the trouble to exa mine, and therefore what is allerted with confidence generally pafles current, and is acmitted as truth.

Your correspondent's glorying that the reverend Rector obtained a degree which was refuled to the Foreigner, naturally leads to a comparison of their respective

merits; by which it may appear that, although the English Divine bore away the prize, yet the Philofophic Hiftorian well deferved it. I do not reft the merits of this cafe upon the narrow feale of private character, although both are refpectable, but upon their reputation as literary men, and citizens of the world. R. C. thould, if I required it, be umpire in a comparison hinifelf has provoked. His words are: "a degree is conferied, among other claims, for fplendid attainments, and eminent fervice in fome important branch of literature, exalted talents, various erudition, and general excellence." Upon his latter reveries, the works of his old age, I urge no pretenfions to particular excellence; but in the Hiftoire Philofophique, Raynal, or rather his friends for him, clain a diftinguished niche in the Temple of Fame: that Hit. tory is not a jejune narrative of uninte. refting events, or of partial Biography; the reafonings are rather thofe of a citi. zen of the world than of a particular country. But, Mr. Urban, my zeal has almoft rendered me a panegyrift. The work requires no fuch adventitious praife, its file and general estimation are folid and permanent eulogiums, and a complete refutation of thofe who attempt to undervalue and depreciate it. It is no difparagement to the British Hiftorian of the Fail of the Roman Empire to name him with the Gallic Hiftorian of India: both claflicks in their refpective laaguage. As an admirer of good writing, and not as a partilan, I rejoice in the opportunity that now prefents itfelt of bearing teftimony to the excellence of an Hif tory whofe author would be an honour to any country.

I

Mr. URBAN,

N.

Mansfield Woodhouse. SEND you (Plate 11. fig. 2.) a Southeaft view of a monument at Brough Marth, about fix miles from Carlile, erected by Henry Howard, Duke of Norfolk, in 1685, in memory of King Edward I. who died there, with thefe infcriptions:

On the Weft fide:

"Memoriæ æternæ EDWARDI 1. Regis Angliæ longè clariffimi; qui, in belli apparatu

contra Scotos occupatus, bic in caftris obiit, 7 juli, A.D. 1307." On the North fide:

"Nobiliffimus Princeps, HENRICUS HOWABD, Dux Nor. folciæ, Comes Marefchall. Angliæ, Comes Arund. &c.

ab

1180

"Dear Sir,

"I am much obliged to you for the very acceptable prefent you was pleafed to fend me: it contains many ingenious original poems, and excellent translations, after a more exact manner than is generally obferved by fome of our most celebrated Poets, who are more prone to imitate than translate.

"Imitation is much more eafy, but a very different thing from tranflation. I love the clofe way beft, as reprefenting more faithfully the fenfe of the authors, and better informing fuch as would write after the manner of the antients."

There is reafon for believing he was concerned, during the greater part of his life, in writing one of other of the different Journals, and other periodical publications, of the times. I learn from his Common-Place Book, that he wrote in "The Weekly Oracle;" becaufe, after remarking, in 1735, on Budgell's account of the Boyle family, he takes notice of the controverly concerning the genuineness of Phalaris's Epifles, betwixt the Earl of Orrery and Dr. Bentley; and he fays,

I have given my opinon of Phalaris's Epiftles, and the controverfy, more largely in the 54th and 56th number of "The Weekly Oracle;" but am convinced of my former error, by reading Dr. Bentley's Difcourtes fince.

Perhaps, Mr. Urban, your readers may not diflike a more particular account of the mode and manner in which Cooke kept his Common-Place Book; and I will therefore tranfcribe what he fays therein of two Poets of confiderable celebrity, Mr. Edward Moore, author of "Fables for the Female Sex," and Mr. David Mallet; which I will do the ra ther, as fuch extracts may afford an infight into the temper and character of

the man.

June, 1743, I read fixteen Fables in ma.nuicript, wrote by Mr. Edward Moore. The ninth, "The Farmer, the Spaniel, and the Cat," is a very pretty Fable, and there are great elegances in the introduction. The fixteenth and lait Fable, called "The Female Seducers," is a charming, elegant piece. Thefe two Fables are far fuperior to the reft, and are unexceptionably good. The diction is fuch as the province of poetry requires, and there are many delicacys in fentiment and expreflion, and the imagery is ftrong and delightful. The other Fables have their me rit, but have many imperfections, which I doubt not but the author will remove before they are printed. The verfification thro' all

[Suppl.

is fweet, with very few exceptions. His images are fome of them lovely, and lovely cloathed. The following four verfes are from the ninth Fable, addreffed to a Lady: "Sweet are the flowers that deck the field, Sweet are the flowers the bloffoms yield, Sweet is the fummer gale that blows, And fweet, tho' fweeter you, the rofe." Here is true fimplicity and fweetness. Speaking, in the laft Fable, of the diffolution of things, he has fome of the beautyfulleft images 1 defire to fee in poetry; as thefe lines; "Gone like traces on the deep, Like a fceptre grafp'd in fleep, Dews exhal'd from morning glades, Melting fhows, and gliding fhades." Mallet, and his writings: The following are his obfervations on

1740, I read a dramatic piece, entitled, "Alfred, a Mafque."-A more stupid piece cannot well be. It might, with as much prodiftinguithing part of Alfred's character in priety, be called King Log; for there is no it, he is inactive quite thro. This was written by Mr., Thomfn and Mr. Mailert, two Scar, who deal much in obfcure, dull Prof poperas; an inftance of which begins the fecond act of this Mafque:

Alfred alone.

"'Tis now the depth of darkness and repofe, Now walks mute Midnight tha lowy o'er the To rule the folitary hour, and fheds [plain, His lumbery influence o'er the peaceful world."

This is enough to give the reader a forfeit of verfe-reading.There is a pretty fong in the fecond (that is, the laft) act, concluding with this ftanza:

"If those who join in thepherds' sport,

Have not the iplendour of a Court,
Gay dancing on the daizy'd ground,

Yet Love adorns the merry round."

1744, March, I read a book, entitled, "Poems on feveral Occafions, by Mr. Mal let."

This fellow is a whiffler in poetry: he takes little conceits, and lines in ineature, to be poetry, not knowing the language proper for that province.

1. The first piece is entitled, " Of Verbal Criticifm, a Poem." It confifts of 230 verfes, and fome few pert and impertinent

notes.

It is a confufed, out-of-the-way thing, and a fervile, adulatory addrefs to Mr. Pope. Before it is a thort preface, called an advertifement to the first edition in 1733, in which are thefe words:

"He (the author) begs leave to add likewife, that this Poem was undertaken and written entirely without the knowledge of the gentleman to whom it is addreifed. Only as it is a public teftimony of his inviolable efteem for Mr. Pope, on that account, particularly, he wishes it

may