• kind. But let our poet, while he writes epiftles, though never fo familiar, ftill remember that he ' writes in verfe, and must for that reason have a "more than ordinary care not to fall into profe, ' and a vulgar diction, excepting where the nature and humour of the thing does neceffarily require it. In this point Horace hath been thought by fome critics to be fometimes carelefs, as well as too negligent of his verfification; of which he feems to have been fenfible himself.

All I have to add is, that both thefe manners "of writing may be made as entertaining, in their way, as any other fpecies of poetry, if underta*ken by perfons duly qualified; and the latter fort may be managed fo as to become in a peculiar manner inftructive.

• I am, &c.

I fhall add an obfervation or two to the remarks of my ingenious correfpondent, and, in the firft place, take notice, that fubjects of the moft fublime nature are often treated in the epiftolary way with advantage, as in the famous epiftle of Horace to Auguftus. The poet furprifes us with his pomp, and feems rather betrayed into his subject, than to have aimed at it by defign. He appears like the vifit of a king incognito, with a mixture of famil}arity and grandeur. In works of this kind, when the dignity of the fubject hurries the poet into defcriptions and fentiments, fèemingly unpremeditated, by a fort of infpiration; it is usual for him to recollect himself, and fall back gracefully into the natural ftile of a letter.

I might here mention an epiftolary poem, just published by Mr. Eufden on the King's acceffion to the throne; wherein, amongst many other noble and beautiful ftrokes of poetry, his reader may fee this rule very happily obferved.

FRIDAY,

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No 619. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12.

I

Dura

Exerce imperia, et ramos compefce fluentes.

VIRG. Georg. ii. ver. 369.
Exert a rigorous fway,
And lop the too luxuriant boughs away.

HAVE often thought, that if the several letters which are written to me under the character of SPECTATOR, and which I have not made use of, were published in a volume, they would not be an unentertaining collection. The variety of the fubjects, ftiles, fentiments, and informations, which are tranfmitted to me, would lead a very curious, or very idle reader, infenfibly along, through a great many pages. I know fome authors, who would pick up a Secret Hiftory out of fuch materials, and make a bookseller an alderman by the copy. I fhall therefore carefully preferve the original papers in a room fet apart for that purpose, to the end that they may be of fervice to pofterity; but fhall at prefent content myself with owning the receipt of feveral letters, lately come to my hands, the authors whereof are impatient for an answer..

Clariffa, whofe letter is dated from Cornhill, defires to be eafed in fome fcruples relating to the skill of aftrologers. Referred to the dumb man for an anfwer.

7. G. who proposes a love cafe, as he calls it, to the Love-cafuift, is hereby defired to fpeak of itto the minister of the parish; it being a cafe of confcience.

The poor young lady, whofe letter is dated October 26, who complains of a harsh guardian, and an unkind brother, can only have my good wifhes, unless the pleases to be more particular.

The

The petition of a certain gentleman, whofe name I have forgot, famous for renewing the curls of decayed periwigs, is referred to the cenfor offmall

wares.

The remonftrance of T. C. against the profanation of the Sabbath by barbers, fhoe-cleaners, &c. had better be offered to the fociety of reformers.

A learned and laborious treatife upon the art of!... fencing, returned to the author.

To the gentleman of Oxford, who defires me to infert a copy of Latin verfes, which were denied a place in the univerfity-book. Anfwer. Anfwer. Nonume prematur in annum.

To my learned correfpondent who writes against mafters gowns, and poke fleeves, with a word in defence of large fcarves. Anfwer. I refolve not to raise animofities among the clergy.

To the lady who writes with rage against one of her own fex, upon the account of party-warmth. Anfwer. Is not the Lady fhe writes against reckoned handfome?

I defire Tom Truelove, (who fends me a Sonnet upon his mistress, with a defire to print it immediately) to confider, that it is long fince I was in love.

I fhall answer a very profound letter from my old friend the upholsterer, who is fill inquifitivel whether the King of Sweden be living or dead, by whispering him in the ear, That I believe he is alive.

Let Mr. Dapperwit confider, What is that long ftory of the cuckoldom to me?

At the earneft defire of Monimia's lover, who declares himself very penitent, he is recorded in my paper by the name of The faithful Caftalio.

The petition of Charles Cockfure, which the peti tioner ftiles very reasonable Rejected.

The memorial of Philander, which he defires may be dispatched out of hand, postponed.

I defire

I defire S. R. not to repeat the expreffion under the fun, fo often in his next letter.

Not

The letter of P. S. who defires either to have it printed intire, or committed to the flames. to be printed entire.

No 620.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15.

Hic vir, hic eft, tibi quem promitti fæpiùs audis.

VIRG. En. vi. ver. 791.

Behold the promis❜d chief !

HAVING lately prefented my reader with a copy of verfos full of the falfe fublime, Ifhall here communicate to him an excellent fpecimen of the true: Though it hath not been yet published, the judicious reader will readily difcern it to be the work of a master: And if he hath read that noble poem on The prospect of peace, he will not be at a lofs to guefs at the author.

The ROYAL PROGRESS.

WHEN BRUNSWICK first appear'd, each honest ·

heart,

Intent on verfe, difdain'd the rules of art;
For him the fongfters, in unmeafur'd odes,
Debas'd Alcides, and dethron'd the gods,
In golden chains the Kings of India led,
Or rent the turbant from the Sultan's head.
Ore, in old fables, and the Pagan ftrain,

With Nymphs and Tritons, wafts him o'er the main ;
Another draws fierce Lucifer in arms,
And fills th' infernal region with alarms;
A third awake's fome Druid, to foretel·
Each future triumph from his dreary cell.
Exploded fancies! that in vain deceive,
While the mind nauseates what she can't believe.

My

My muse th' expected hero shall pursue

From clime to clime, and keep him still in view :
His fbining march defcribe in faithful lays,
Content to paint him, nor prefume to praife:
Their charms, if charms they have, the truth supplies,
And from the thème unlabour'd beauties rife.

By longing nations for the throne defign'd,
And call'd to guard the rights of human-kind;
With fecret grief his godlike foul repines,

And Britain's crown with joyless luftre fbines, i
While prayers and tears his deftin'd progress stay,
And crouds of mourners choke their fou reign's way.
Not fo he march'd, when hoftile fquadrons flood
In fcenes of death, and fir'd his gen'rous blood;
When his hot courfer paw'd th' Hungarian plain,
And adverfe legions flood the fbock in vain.
His frontiers paft, the Belgian bounds he views,
And cross the level fields his march purfues.
Here, pleas'd the land of freedom to furvey,
He greatly fcorns the thirt of boundless fway.
O'er the thin foil, with filent joy, he fpies
Tranfplanted goods, and borrow'd verdure rife;
Where ev'ry meadow won with toil and blood,
From haughty tyrants, and the raging fload,
With fruits and flow'rs the careful hind fupplies,
And clothes the marfbes in a rich difguife.

Such wealth for frugal hands doth Heav'n decree,
And fuch thy gifts, celeftial liberty!

Through fately towns, and many a fertile plain,
The pomp advances to the neighbouring main.
Whole nations croud around with joyful cries,
And view the hero with infatiate eyes.

In Haga's towers he waits, 'till eastern gales Propitious rife to fwell the Britifh jails. Hither the fame of England's Monarch brings The vows and friendships of the neighb’ring Kings ;

Mature