one be what he ought, without falling into those parts which others are to fuftain in a poem. This he has faid, not distinguishing rightly between our natural difpofitions and accidental offices. And this he has faid again, not minding, that though it be taken from another book, it is ftill from the fame author. However, vanity loves to gratify itself by the repetion of what it efteems to be written with spirit, and even when we repeat it ourselves, provided another hears us. Hence has he been followed by a magifterial fet of men who quote themselves, and fwell their new performances with what they admire in their former treatifes. This is a most extraordinary knack of arguing, whereby a man can never want a proof, if he be allowed to become an authority for his own opinion.

BOOK I. page 72. ver. 12. And no kind billow.] How impertinent is this cafe of pity, fays ZoILUS, to bemoan, that the prince was not toffed towards land: it is enough he loft his life, and there is an end of his fuffering where there is an end of his feeling. To carry the matter farther is just the fame foolish management as HOMER has fhewn in his Iliad, which he fpins out into forty trifles beyond the death of Hector. But the critic must allow me to put the reader in mind, that death was not the laft diftrefs the ancients believed was to be met upon earth. The last was the remaining unburied, which had this mifery annexed, that while the body was without its funeral-rites in this world, the foul was fuppofed to be without rest

in the next; which was the cafe of the Moufe before us. And accordingly the Ajax of Sophocles continues after the death of its heroe more than an act, upon the conteft concerning his burial. All this ZoILUS knew very well but ZOILUS is not the only one, who disputes for victory rather than truth. These foolish critics write even things they themfelves can answer, to fhew how much they can write against an author. They act unfairly, that they may be fure to be fharp enough; and trifle with the reader, in order to be voluminous. It is needless to wish them the return they deserve their difregard to candour is no fooner difcovered, but they are for ever banished from the eyes of men of fenfe, and condemned to wander from ftall to stall, for a temporary refuge from that oblivion which they cannot escape.

BOOK I. page 73. ver. 5. Our Eldest perish'd.] ZOILUS has here taken the recapitulation of those misfortunes which happened to the royal family, as an impertinence that expatiates from the subject; though indeed there feems nothing more proper to raife that fort of compaffion, which was to inflame his audience to war. But what appears extremely pleasant is, that at the fame time he condemns the paffage, he fhould make use of it as an opportunity, to fall into an ample digreffion on the various kinds of Mousetraps, and display that minute learning which every critic of his fort is fond to fhew himself master of This they imagine is tracing of knowledge through M 2

its

its hidden veins, and bringing discoveries to daylight, which time had covered over. Indefatigable and useless mortals! who value themselves for knowledge of no confequence, and think of gaining applause by what the reader is careful to pass over unread. What did the difquifition fignify formerly, whether Ulyffes's fon, or his dog, was the elder ? or how can the account of a vefture, or a player's mafque, deserve that any fhould write the bulk of a treatise, or others read it when it is written? A: vanity thus poorly supported, which neither affords pleasure nor profit, is the unsubstantial amusement of a dream to ourselves, and a provoking occasion of our derifion to others.

Book II. page 73. ver. 19, 20. Quills aptly bound -Fac'd with the plunder of a Cat they flay'd.] This paffage is fomething difficult in the original, which gave ZoILUS the opportunity of inventing an expreffion, which his followers conceitedly use when any thing appears dark to them. This, fay they, let Phoebus explain; as if what exceeds their capacity muft of neceffity demand oracular interpretations, and an interpofal of the God of wit and learning. The bafis of fuch arrogance is the opinion they have of that knowledge they afcribe to themselves. They take criticism to be beyond every other part of learning, because it gives judgment upon books written in every other part. They think in confequence, that every critic must be a greater geniusthan any author whom he cenfures; and therefore

if they esteem themselves critics, they fet enthroned infancy at the head of literature. Criticifm indeed deserves a noble elogy, when it is enlarged by fuch a comprehenfive learning as Ariftotle and Cicero were mafters of; when it adorns its precepts with the confummate exactness of Quintilian, or is exalted into the sublime sentiments of Longinus. But let not fuch men tell us they participate in the glory of these great men, and place themselves next to Phoebus, who, like ZoILUS, entangle an author in the wrangles of grammarians, or try him with a pofitive air and barren imagination, by the fet of rules they have collected out of others.

Book II. page 74. ver. 13. Ye Frogs, the Mice.] At this speech of the heralds, which recites the cause of the war, ZOILUS is angry with the author, for not finding out a cause entirely just; for, says he, it appears not from his own fable, that Phyfignathus invited the prince with any malicious intention to make him away. To this we answer, 1ft, That it is not necessary in relating facts to make every war have a just beginning. 2dly, This doubtful caufe agrees better with the moral, by fhewing that ill-founded leagues have accidents to deftroy them, even without the intention of parties. 3dly, There was all appearance imaginable against the Frogs; and if we may be allowed to retort on our adversary the practice of his pofterity, there is more humanity in an hoftility proclaimed upon the appearance of injuftice done us, than in their cuftom of attacking the works

of others as foon as they come out, purely because they are esteemed to be good. Their performances, which could derive no merit from their own names, are then fold upon the merit of their antagonist: and if they are fo fenfible of fame, or even of envy, they have the mortification to remember, how much by this means they became indebted to those they injure.

BOOK II. page 75. ver. 13. Where high the Banks.] This project is not put in practice during the following battle, by reason of the fury of the combatants yet the mention of it is not impertinent in this place, forafmuch as the probable face of fuccefs which it carries with it tended to animate the Frogs. ZOILUS however cannot be fo fatisfied; It were better fays he, to cut it entirely out, nor would HOMER be the worse, if half of him were served in the fame manner; fo, continues he, they will find it, whoever in any country shall hereafter undertake fo odd a task as that of tranflating him. Thus envy finds words to put in the mouth of ignorance; and the time will come, when ignorance fhall repeat what envy has pronounced fo rafhly,

Book II. page 76. ver. 13. And tap'ring Seareeds.] If we here take the reed for that of our own growth, it is no fpear to match the long fort of needles, with which the Mice had armed themfelves; but the cane, which is rather intended, has its splinters ftiff and fharp, to anfwer all the uses of a fpear in battle. Nor is it here to be lightly paft