the two concluding lines prepare us for one of the most highly finished and striking defcriptions, of any perhaps in our poet's works, Having fhewn, in the inftance of Cotta and his fon, that riches can afford no real happinefs in life, he proceeds to fhew that they can fecure us no comfort at our end. This he exemplifies in the character of Villers, who having been poffeffed of fifty thousand pounds a year, and filled many of the highest posts in the kingdom, at length died wretchedly in a remote inn in Yorkshire; which the poet thus finely describes. "In the worst inn's worst room, with mat half"hung, "With floor of plaifter, and the walls of dung, "On once a flock-bed, but repair'd with straw, "With tape-ty'd curtains, never meant to "draw, "The George and Garter dangling from that "bed "Where tawdry yellow ftrove with dirty red, "Great Villers lies---Alas! how chang'd from ❝ him, "That life of pleasure, and that foul of whim! "Gallant and gay, in Cliveden's proud alcove, "The bow'r of wanton Shrewsbury and love; "Or just as gay, at Council, in a ring "Of mimick ftatefmen, and their merry King. "No Wit to flatter, left of all his ftore! No Fool to laugh at, which he valu'd more. "There, "There, Victor of his health, of fortune, "friends, "And fame; this lord of useless thousands "ends." With what happy skill has the poet heightened the distress of this Lord's miferable end, by the glaring contraft of his former fplendor! How fenfibly we feel the depth of his mifery, when our imagination compares the proud Alcove of Cliveden, the Bower of love; with the poor flock bed repaired with straw, and all the scanty wretched apparatus with which the poet has furnished it. But the beauty of description, is not the only merit of this paffage. The poet, having shewn that wealth, abused, in either extreme of avarice or profusion, can afford no enjoyment to the poffeffor, he goes on farther to fhew that it becomes a curfe, which is the moral of the poem, and is finely illuftrated in the admirable fable of Sir Balaam, which is too publickly known and admired, to require any critical animadverfion. The next epiftle on the ufe of riches, addreffed to Lord Burlington, treats, as has been intimated, of one branch of profufion only, which is the vanity of expence in perfons of fortune and rank. This abounds with beauties, and in an eafy pleasant vein of exquifite ridicule expofes the prepofterous modes of wrong tafte. "For "For what has Virro painted, built, and "planted? แ Only to show, how many Taftes he wanted. What brought Sir Vifto's ill got wealth to "wafte? "Some Demon whifper'd, "Vifto! have a "Tafte." "Heav'n visits with a tafte the wealthy fool, "And needs no Rod but Ripley with a Rule." The poet then, after paying a compliment to Lord Burlington, who was at that time publishing the designs of Inigo Jones, and of the modern ornaments of Italy, proceeds to rally the abfurdities which refult from injudicious and awkward imitation. "Yet fhall (my Lord) your just, your noble "rules "Fill half the land with Imitating-Fools; "Who random drawings from your sheets " shall take, "And of one beauty many blunders make; "Load fome vain Church with old Theatric "state, "Turn Arcs of triumph to a Garden-gate; "C Reverse your Ornaments; and hang them all "On some patch'd dog-hole ek'd with ends of "wall; "Then clap four flices of Pilafter on't, "" That, lac'd with bits of ruftic, makes a Front. "Shall call the winds through long arcades to roar, "Proud to catch cold at a Venetian door; "Con "Confcious they act a true Palladian part, There is a great deal of true wit and pleafantry in these lines. But the poet having thus pleasantly and farcaftically ridiculed falfe tafte, proceeds to fhew wherein true taste confifts: and first, he observes that good fenfe is the foundation of true tafte, whofe office it is to embellish nature with suitable ornaments. "In all, let Nature never be forgot, "But treat the Goddefs like a modeft fair, "Nor over-drefs, nor leave her wholly bare; "Let not each beauty ev'ry where be spy'd, "Where half the skill is decently to hide. "He gains all points, who pleasingly con"founds, Surprizes, varies, and conceals the Bounds." There is great delicacy in this illuftration of the modeft fair*: and the following perfonification of Genius is highly poetical. * It is much to be wifhed that our lovely Belles were convinced of the utility of this precept, not to over-drefs. The juft obfervance of it, would greatly improve their charms; as there are few, who do not, in fome degree, disfigure themselves by a fuperfluity of ill-afforted ornaments. A certain degree of plainnefs and fimplicity, gives us an idea of innocence and modefty; and thefe fofter charms, whatever women may think, are much more inviting than all the decorations of dress, or graces of coquetry. "Con ; "Confult the Genius of the Place in all "Or fcoops in circling theatres the Vale; "Joins willing Woods, and varies Shades from "Now breaks, or now directs, th' intending "Lines; "Paints as you plant, and, as you work, defigns." 66 The poet difplays admirable skill in the management of these bold figures, which are as chafte and correct, as they are fublime and beautiful. What a noble and delightful design has he here depictured! And with what mastery of language is every epithet happily felected gradually to raife, and finally to perfect, the representation of this enchanting scene! How unlike to this, is Timon's idea of magnificence, which displays neither fense nor taste, and which is admirably ridiculed in the following inimitable description. "At Timon's Villa let us pafs a day, "Where all cry out, "thrown away!" "What fums are "So proud, fo grand; of that stupendous air, "Soft and Agreeable come never there. "Great |