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Like are their merits, like rewards they share, 180 That shines a Conful, this Commiffioner,

"But who is he, in closet close y-pent,
"Of fober face, with learned duft befprent?

REMARK S.

"tural defire of women." DENNIS, Stage defended against Mr. Law" p. 26. Our author has folemnly declared to me, he never heard any creature but the Dedicator mention that Vice and this Gentlema together.

VERSE 184. Wormius hight.] Let not this name, purely fictiti ous, be conceited to mean the learned Olaus Wormius, much lefs (as it was unwarrantably foifted into the furreptitious editions) our own Antiquary Mr. Thomas Herne, who had no way aggrieved our Poet, but on the contrary published many curious tracts which he hath to his great contentment perufed.

Moft rightly are antient words here employed in fpeaking of fuch who fo greatly delight in the fame: We may fay not only rightly, but wifely, yea excellently, inafmuch as for the like practice the like praife is given to Hopkins and Sternhold by Mr. Herne himself. [Gloffar to Rob. of Glocefter] Artic. BEHETT; others fay BEHIGHT, "promif ed, and fo it is ufed excellently well by Tho, Norton in his translation into metre of the 116th Pfalm, verfé 14.

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I to the Lerd will pay my vows

That I to him BEHIGHT.

Where the modern innovators, not understanding the propriety of the Word (which is Truly English, from the Saxon) have most unwar rantably alter'd it thus,

I to the Lord will pay my vows,

With joy and great delight.

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VERSE ibid. HIGHT.) In Cumberland they fay to hight, for to promife or vow, but HIGHT ufually fignifies was call'd: and fo "it does in the North even to this day, notwithstanding what is ‚' done in Cumberland.

HERNE, ibid.

VERSE 183. AREDE.] Read or perufe; tho' fometimes ufed for counsel, "READE THY READ, take thy counfaile. Thomas Sternhold in his tranflation of the first Pfalm into English metre, hath wifely made ufe of this word,

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The man is bleft that hath not bents.

To wicked READ his ear.

But in the laft fpurious editions of the Singing Palms the word READ is changed into men. I fay fpurious editions, because not only here, but quite through out the whole book of Pfalms, are ftrange alterations, all for the worfe! And yet the title-page stands as it us'd to do! and all (which is abominable in any book, much more in a facred work) is afcribed to Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others! I am confident, were Sternhold and Hopkins now living, they would proceed against the innovators as cheats

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A liberty which

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Right well mine eyes arede the myfter wight, On parchment scraps y-fed, and Wormius hight. 185 To future ages may thy dulness last,

As thou preferv'ft the dulnefs of the past!
There, dim in clouds, the poreing Scholiafts mark,
Wits, who like Owls fee only in the dark,
A Lumberhouse of Books in ev'ry head,
390 For ever reading, never to be read..

But, where each Science lifts its modern Type,
Hift'ry her Pot, Divinity his Pipe,

While proud Philosophy repines to show
Dishoneft fight! his breeches rent below;

IMITATIONS:

which, to fay no more of their intolerable alterations, ought by no means to be permitted or approved of, by fuch as are for Uni formity, and have any regard for the old English Saxon tongue. HERNE, Gloff on Rob. of Gloc. Art, rede..

I do herein agree with Mr. H. Little is it of avail to object that fuch words are become unintelligible. Since they are Truly English, Men ught to underftand them; and fuch as are for Uniformity fhould think all alterations in a language, frange, abominable, and unwarrantable. Rightly therefore, I fay again, hath our Poet ufed ancient words, and poured them forth, as a precious ointment, upon good old Wermins in this place. SCRIBLERUS.

VERSE ibid. Myfter wight.] Uncouth mortal.

VERSE 188, Wits, who like Owls, &c.] Thefe few lines exactly defcribe the right verbal Critick: He is to his Author as a Quack to his Patients, the more they fuffer and complain, the better he is pleaf ed, like the famous Doctor of that fort, who put up in his bills, He delighted in matters of difficulty. Some-body said well of these men, that their heads were Libraries out of order.

IMITATIONS

VERSE 145. Behold yon pair, in flrict embraces join'd.] Virg. Æn.6, Ella autem paribus quas fulgere cernis in armis,

Concordes anima

'And in the fifth,

Euryalus, forma infignis viridique juventa,

Nifus amore pio pueri.

VERSE 181. But who is he, &c.] Virg. Æn. 6. queftions and ane wers in this manner, of Numa,

Quis procul ille autem ramis infignis oliva

Sacra ferens 2-nosco crines, incanaq; menta, &c

195 Imbrown'd with native Bronze, lo Henley ftands,
Tuning his voice, and balancing his hands.
How fluent nonsense trickles from his tongue!
How sweet the periods, neither faid nor fung!
Still break the benches, Henley! with thy ftrain,
200 While K **, B**, W **, preach in vain.
Oh great Reftorer of the good old Stage,
Preacher at once, and Zany of thy Age!
Oh worthy thou of Egypt's wife abodes,
A decent Prieft, where monkeys were the Gods!
205 But Fate with Butchers plac'd thy priestly Stall,
Meak modern faith to murder, hack, and mawl;

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REMARK S.

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VERSE 195. - Lo! Henley fands, &c.] J. Henley, the Orator; he preach'd on the Sundays Theological matters, and on the Wednes days upon all other fciences. Each Auditor paid one fhilling. He declaim'd fome years unpunish'd against the greatest perfons, and occafionally did our author that honour. WELSTED, in Oratory Tranfactions, No. 1. publish'd by Henley himself, gives the following account of him." He was born at Melton Mowbry in Leicester hire. From his own parish fchool he went to St. John's College in Cambridge. He began there to be unealy; for it fock'd him to find he was commanded to believe against his judgment in points of Religion, Philofophy, e. for his genius leading, him freely to dispute all propofitions, and call all points to account, he was impatient under thefe fetters of the free-born mind. Being admitted to Priefts orders, he found the examination very fhort and fuperficial, and that it was not necessary to conform to the Chrifti an Religion, in order either to Deaconfhip or Priesthood." He came to Town, and after having for fome years been a writer for Book fellers, he had an ambition to be fo for Minifters of State. The only reafon he did not rife in the Church we are told was the envy of o thers, and a difrelish entertain'd of him, becaufe he was not qualify'd "to be a compleat Spanial." However he offer'd the fervice of his pen, in one morning, to two Great men of opinions and interefts directly oppofite by both of whom being rejected, he fet up a new project, and ftiled himself the Reftorer of ancient Eloquence. He thought "lawful to take a licence from the King and Parliament at one place, as another; at Hick's Hall, as at Doctors Commons 3 fo fet up his Oratory in Newport-Market, Butcher-Row. There (fays his friend) he had the afurance to form a Plan which no mortal ever thought of, he had fuccefs against all oppofition; challenged his adverfa ries to fair difputations, and none would dispute with him, writ, read and ftudied twelve hours a day; compos'd three differtations a week on all fubjects; undertook to teach in one year what Schools "and Univerfities teach in five; was not terrify'd by menaces, infults or fatyrs, but kill proceeded, matured his bold scheme, and

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And bade thee live, to crown Britannia's praise,
In Toland's, Tindal's, and in Woolfton's days.

Thou too, great Woolfton! here exalt thy throne, 210 And prove, no Miracles can match thy own. Yet oh my fons! a father's words attend: (So may the fates preferve the ears you lend); "Tis yours, a Bacon, or a Locke to blame, A Newton's Genius, or a Seraph's flame : 215 But O! with one, immortal One difpenfe,

The fource of Newton's Light, of Bacon's Senfe!!
Content, each Emanation of his fires

That beams on earth, each Virtue he infpires,
Each Art he prompts, each Charm he can create,
240 What-e'er he gives, are giv'n for You to hate.
Perfift, by all divine in Man un-aw'd,
But learn, ye Dunces! not to scorn your
Thus he, for then a ray of Reason støle
Half thro' the folid darkness of his foul;

REMARK S.

God....

put the Church and all that, in danger." WEDSED, Narrative, in Orat Tranfact. No. 1.

After having food fome Profecutions, he turned his Rhetorick_to Buffoonry upon all publick and private occurrences. All this paffed in the fame room, where fometimes he broke Jefts, and fometimes that Bread which he call'd the Primitive Eucharist. This wonderful perfon ftruk Medals, which he difperfed as Tickets to his fubfcribers: The device, a Star rifing to the Meridian, with this Motto, An SUMMA, and below, INVENIAM VAM AUT FACIAM.

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VERSE 208, Of Toland and Tindal, fee book 2. Tho, Woolfton, an impious madman, who wrote in a most infolent ftyle against the Mi racles of the Gospel, in the year 1726-27, &c.

VERSE 222, But learn, ye Dunces! not to Scorn your God.] Virg Am. 6. puts this precept into the mouth of a wicked man, as here of ftupid one,

Difcite juftitiam moniti, & non temnere divos !

VERSE 229. - A fable Sorc'rer.] Dr. Fauftus, the fubject of a fet of Forces which lafted in vogue two or three feafons, in which both Play-houfes ftrove to outdo each other in the year 1726, 27. All the extravagancies in the fixteen lines following were introduced on the Stage, and frequented by perfons of the firft quality in England to the . gwentieth and thirtieth time,

225 But foon the Cloud return'd-and thus the Sire:

See now, what Dulness and her fons admire; See! what the charms, that fmite the fimple heart Not touch'd by Nature, and not reach'd by Art.. He look'd, and faw a fable Sorc'rer rife, 230 Swift to whofe hand a winged volume flies: All fudden, Gorgons hifs, and Dragons glare, And ten-horn'd fiends and Giants rufh to war. Hell rifes, Heav'n defcends, and dance on Earth, Gods, imps, and monfters, mufic, rage, and mirth, 235 A fire, a jig, a battle, and a ball,

Till one wide Conflagration fwallows all.

Thence a new world, to Nature's laws unknown Breaks out refulgent, with a heav'n its own: Another Cynthia: her new journey runs,,

240 And other planets circle other funs:

245

The forests dance, the rivers upward rife,
Whales fport in woods, and dolphins in the skies,
And last, to give the whole creation grace,
Lo! one vaft Egg produces human race.

Joy fills his foul, joy innocent of thought:
What pow'r, he cries, what pow'r thefe wonders
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REMARKS

VERSE 233. Hell rifes, Heav'n defcends, and dance on earth.] This monftrous abfurdity was actually represented in Tibbald's Rape of Pro ferpine.

VERSE 244. Lo! one vast Egg ] In another of these Farces Haple-e quin is hatch'd upon the Stage, out of a large Egg......

IMITATIONS

VERSE 240. And other planets.] Virg. Æn. 6** .

· folemque fuum, fua fydera norunt.

VERSE 242. Whales sport in woods, and dolphins in the skies,] Kors Delphinum fylvis appingit, finitibus aprum...

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