commonly: but they as often despise and laugh without reason. Thus before any thing can be determined in either case, reason, and reason only, must examine circumstances, separate ideas, decide upon, restrain, and correct the passion. Hence it follows, that the way of ridicule, of late so much celebrated, is in fact no more than a species of eloquence; and that too the lowest of all others: so Tully justly calls it, tenuissimus ingenii fructus. It applies to a passion, and therefore can go no farther in the investigation of truth, than any of those arts which tend to raise love, pity, terror, rage, or hatred in the heart of man. Consequently, his Lordship might have transplanted the whole system of rhetoric into his new scheme, with the same propriety as he hath introduced the way of ridicule itself. A hopeful project this, for the propagation of truth! As this seems to be the real nature of ridicule, it hath been generally discouraged by philosophers and divines, together with every other mode of eloquence, when applied to controverted opinions. This discouragement, from what is said above, appears to have been rational and just therefore the charge laid against divines with regard to this affair by a zealous Admirer of Lord Shaftsbury (see a note on the Pleasures of Imagination, Book III.) seems entirely groundless. The distinction which the same Author hath attempted with respect to the influence of ridicule, between speculative and moral truths, seems no better founded. It is certain that opinions are not less liable to ridicule than actions. And it is no less certain, that the way of ridicule cannot determine the propriety or impropriety of the one, more than the truth or falsehood of the other; because the same passion of contempt is equally engaged in both cases, and therefore, as above, reason only can examine the circumstances of the action or opinion, and thus fix the passion on its proper objects. Upon the whole, this new design of discovering truth by the vague and unsteady light of ridicule, puts one in mind of the honest Irishman, who applied his candle to the sun-dial in order to see how the night went. 10. And coxcombs vanquish Berkley by a grin.] Bishop Berkley. CONTENTS OF PART III. Page 14. The history of Satire. Roman Satirists, Causes of the Lucilius, Horace, Persius, Juvenal, &c. decay of literature, particularly of Satire. Revival of Satire. Erasmus one of its principal restorers. Donne. The abuses of Satire in England, during the licentious reign of Charles II. Dryden. The true ends of Satire pursued by Boileau in France; and by Mr. Pope in England. ibid. Sparta felt the fierce Iambic dart.] Archilochum proprio rabies armavit Iambo. HOR. 15. The flaming faulchion rough Lucilius drew;] Ense velut stricto, quoties Lucilius ardens Juv. ibid. Then sportive Horace caught the generous fire,] Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Tangit, et admissus circum praecordia, ludit, EPISTLE II. PERS. Page 22. DOCTOR JOHNSON acquired uncommon reputation by his writings in general, but to none of his many productions is praise more due, than to this imitation of the tenth Satire of Juvenal. ibid. Let observation with extensive view, Survey mankind, from China to Peru, &c.] See the original from Verse 1-11. 28. But, scarce observ'd, the knowing and the bold, Fall in the gen'ral massacre of gold, &c.] Ver. 12-22. 24. Yet still one general cry the skies assails, And gain and grandeur load the tainted gales, &c.] Ver. 23-27. ibid. Once more Democritus, arise on earth, &c.] Ver. 28-55. 25. Unnumber'd suppliants crowd Preferment's gate, Athirst for wealth, and burning to be great ;] Ver. 56-107. 27. What gave great Villiers to th' assassin's knife, And fix'd disease on Harley's closing life? What murder'd Wentworth, and what exil'd Hyde,] Ver. 108.-113. George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, stabbed by Felton. Edward Harley, the first earl of Oxford. -Thomas Wentworth, earl of Stafford, beheaded 10th May, 1641.- -Edward Hyde, lord Clarendon, lord chancellor of England. ibid. When first the college rolls receive his name, The young enthusiast quits his ease for fame;] Ver. 114-132. ibid. And Bacon's mansion trembles o'er his head.] "There is a tradition, that the study of friar Bacon, built on an arch over the bridge, will fall, when a man greater than Bacon shall pass under it." 28. Hear Lydiat's life, and Galileo's end.]" A very learned divine and mathematian, fellow of New Col. lege, Oxford, and rector of Okerton, near Banbury. He wrote, among many others, a Latin treatise, De Natura Coeli, in which he attacked the sentiments of Scaliger and Aristotle; not bearing to hear it urged that some things are true in philosophy and false in divinity. He made above six hundred sermons on the harmony of the evangelists. Being unsuccessful in publishing his works, he lay in the prison of Bocardo at Oxford, and the King's Bench, until Bishop Usher, Dr. Laud, Sir William Boswell, and Dr. Pink, released him, by paying his debts. He petitioned king Charles I. to be sent into Ethiopia, to procure Manuscripts. Having spoken in favor of monarchy and bishops, he was plundered by the parliament forces, and twice carried away prisoner from his rectory, and afterwards had not a shirt to shift him in three months unless he borrowed it. He died very poor in 1646.”- "Galileo, the inventor of the telescope, born Feb. 19, 1564, and died Jan. 8, 1642, N. S. For asserting the truth of the Copernican system he was persecuted by the Jesuits, and confined some years in the Inquisition. By unremitted attention to astronomical pursuits, he impaired his eyesight, and passed the three concluding years of his life in a state of total blindness." 28. The festal blazes, &c.] Ver. 133-146. 29. On what foundation stands the warrior's pride, How just his hopes let Swedish Charles decide;] Ver. 147-167.- -Charles the XIIth of Sweden. ibid. Hide, blushing Glory, hide Pultowa's day:]" The battle of Pultowa, so fatal to the ambition of Charles the XIIth, was fought 29th June, 1709. From that time to November 1714 the Swedish hero remained in the Turkish dominions an exile from his country; while his enemies, taking advantage of his absence, possessed themselves of so much of his kingdom as they had any pretensions to claim.". 30. His fall was destin'd to a barren strand, A petty fortress, and a dubious hand;] He was shot at the siege of Frederickshall, Dec. 1st, 1718. |