Poetry and Criticism.

When Dr. Johnson, with his usual penetration, declared of poetry," that, after all, the claims of excellence must finally be decided by the common sense of mankind," many poets and many critics were alarmed for their trade. The poet is very willing to involve himself in sublime mysteries, and to cry out with the Roman bard,

Odi profanum vulgus et arceo;

and the critic is unwilling to part with his tones of authority and decision.

Critics, indeed, are valuable men,
But hypercritics are as good again.

Bramston's Epist. on Taste.

Commentators.

M. Bayle, speaking of Joseph Scaliger, says, that he doubted if this eminent scholar had not too much sagacity and science to make a steady and accurate commentator; for his wit and his knowledge (he feared) did often attribute more of both to the author he had in hand, than the author himself could claim. Bishop Warburton, a man superior to Pope both in science and general learning, certainly, in his notes on his friend's

essays, &c. ascribed more ingenuity and more profundity of thought, than Pope could pretend to, who was especially averse to metaphysical studies; and who declared that he could not relish the writings of Locke.

Tutors and their Scholars.

The former too often suppose themselves superior in talents, as well as acquirements, to those they are to instruct. This often proves a fatal error to the scholar; as many circumstances, exclusive of abilities, may have placed the tutor in a situation which he ill supplies. Such a person, instead of teaching

The young idea how to shoot,

acts as a nipping frost on the intellectual bud, and not rarely, by ill culture, destroys the very root, by planting it on a ground not suitable to it, or bestowing an injudicious care on it, when he has chosen the right soil.

Fools.

Among our ancient nobility two sorts of fools. were entertained in their castles and at their tables. The former were really persons of defective intellects, the latter men of wit and vivacity. The real fools were the barbarous amusements of our

ancient nobles; the assumed fools and clowns, such as we see represented in Shakespeare's plays, not only bore the jokes of their superiors, but returned them. Principles remain, though customs may vary; and in modern times, few great tables are without knaves under the guise of fools, who, destitute of real spirit, suffer the jokes of their opulent entertainers to be showered on them at discretion. Dr. Young, who lived much among the great, describes these modern fools with great spirit

Who'd be a crutch to prop a rotten peer,
Or living pendant dangling at his ear?
Who'd be a glass, with flattering grimace,
Still to reflect the temper of his face;
Or cushion, when his heaviness shall please
To loll, or thump it for his better ease;
Or a vile butt for noon or night bespoke,

When the Peer rashly swears he'll club his joke?
With terms like these how mean the tribe that close,
Scarce meaner they who terms like these impose, &c.
Lore of Fame, satire 4.

Rhyme and Rhythm.

The former seems a grand enemy to the latter ornament in modern poetry. The music arising from rhythm and harmony are indeed, by readers in general, not so much attended to as the jingle of rhyme; and the monotony of Pope's versification is preferred by such readers to the more varied, yet

less smooth, versification of Dryden; and the studied modulation of the Miltonic muse boasts little value in the ear of the lover of rhyme; yet rhyme was the invention of rude ages, and continues the favourite of less learned readers. The author of Hudibras, an excellent scholar, justly estimated the value of rhyme, and has with his usual good sense and humour described it

Those that write in rhyme still make
The one verse for the other's sake;
For one for sense, and one for ryhme,
I think's sufficient at one time.

Hudibras, canto 1.

Wit and Wisdom.

"Sir Thomas Wyatt, a favourite of Henry VIII. though a man of much facetious discourse, yet kept it," says the author* of observations on his life, "within these rules:-1st. He never played upon a man's deformity or unhappiness, for that was inhuman. 2d. Not on superiors, for that was saucy and undutiful. 3d. Not on serious or holy matters, for that is irreligious. 4th. He had much salt but no gall, often jesting but no jeering. 5th. He observed times, persons, and circum stances, knowing when to speak and when to hold his peace. 6th. His apt and handsome

* Lloyd's State Worthies.

repartees were rather natural than affected, subtle and acute, prompt and easy, yet not careless, never rendering himself contemptible to please others. 7th. Not an insipid change of words was his gift, but a smart retort of matters, which pleased others more than himself."

*

Ridicule, the Test of Truth.

This is one of many propositions that defy discussion by the ambiguous difficulty of the terms in which it is conveyed. The obvious meaning of this doctrine, so great a favourite of Lord Shaftesbury, seems to be, that his lordship thought a jest more conclusive than argument. Be it so. The noble writer has many superficial readers on his side; but a jest and an argument are not the same things, and truth can only be elicited by argument. It certainly was the interest of the noble writer to prove that ridicule should be considered as the test of truth, as his lordship, though a tolerable joker, was certainly a very inferior

reasoner.

Physiognomy.

Many pretend to laugh at the influence which a particular character of face exerts over our feel

See his Characteristics.