Then fhall thy CRAGGS (and let me call him mine) On the caft ore, another Pollio, fhine; With aspect open, fhall erect his head, 65 And round the orb in lasting notes be read, NOTES. "Who VER. 62. A Virgil there,] Copied evidently from Tickell to Addifon on his Rofamond: "Which gain'd a Virgil and an Addison." This elegant copy of Verfes was fo acceptable to Addison, that it was the foundation of a lasting friendship betwixt them. Tickell deferves a higher place among poets than is ufually allotted to him. WARTON. VER. 67. Statefman, yet friend to Truth, &c.] It should be remembered, that this poem was compofed to be printed before Mr. Addison's Difcourfe on Medals, in which there is the following cenfure of long legends upon coins: "The first fault I find with a modern legend is its diffusiveness. You have fometimes the whole fide of a medal over-run with it. One would fancy the Author had a defign of being Ciceronian-but it is not only the tediousness of these infcriptions that I find fault with; fuppofing them of a moderate length, why muft they be in verfe? We fhould be furprised to fee the title of a ferious book in rhyme." Dial. iii. WARBURTON. VER. 67. Statefman,] These nervous and finished lines were afterwards inscribed as an epitaph on this worthy man's monument in Westminster Abbey, with the alteration of two words in the last verse, which there stands thus: “Prais'd, wept, and honour'd by the Muse he lov'd.” It was Craggs, who, having raifed himself by his abilities, in the most friendly manner offered our Author a pension of three hundred pounds per annum. Though Pope enlifted under the banner of Bolingbroke, in what was called the country party, and in violent oppofition to the measures of Walpole, yet his clear and good sense enabled him to see the follies and virulence of all parties; and it was his favourite "Who broke no promise, ferv'd no private end, "Who gain'd no title, and who loft no friend; "Ennobled by himself, by all approv❜d, "And prais❜d unenvy'd, by the Muse he lov'd." NOTES. 70 favourite maxim, that, however factious men thought proper to distinguish themselves by names, yet, when they got into power, they all acted much in the fame manner; saying, "I know how like Whig ministers to Tory." And among his manuscripts were four very fenfible, though not very poetical lines, which contain the most solid apology that can be made for a minister of this country: "Our ministers like gladiators live: "Tis half their business blows to ward, or give: Yet he appears fometimes to have forgotten this candid reflec tion. WARTON. VER. R. 72. And prais'd unenvy'd, by the Mufe he lov'd.] It was not likely that men acting in fo different spheres, as were those of -Mr. Craggs and Mr. Pope, fhould have their friendship disturbed by Envy. We muft fuppofe then that fome circumftances in the friendship of Mr. Pope and Mr. Addison are hinted at in this place. WARBURTON, WHO that reads "this highly finished compofition, but muft lament to find the fame perfon, here celebrated, addreffed in very different tones by the fame Author: "Who would not weep if Atticus were he !" I am myself satisfied, that the breach between Addison and Pope was certainly owing to Pope's jealoufy, and not to any indirect and unhandsome conduct in Addison. Some reasons for this opinion, the reader will fee in Volume IV., where the subject is mentioned. Pope, confidering Addison as the author of the translation of the firft book of Homer, which came out at a time when it could be only confidered as the rival to his own, felt no doubt aggrieved: but there is no evidence that the tranflation was Addison's, farther than Pope's furmife and affertion; and a candid perfon will confider what credit is due, when the teftimony is against a person, in all other points of moft exemplary character, to fuch proof as Pope fums up his accufation with.-" Tickel himself, who is a fair man, has fince, in a manner, as good as, owned it to me!"-Pope's own words to Spence, on which he feems to reft the certainty of the fact. But what was mentioned many years fince the death of the perfon accused, what Tickel, "in a manner," as good as, "own'd," furely is not entitled to much credit. But be this as it may, the beauty of this Poem, both in verfification and imagery, is in its kind unrivalled, dignified, melodious, and poetical. It is to be lamented, that, like the Effay on Criticism, it contains any ftroke of ill-nature. VADIUS here is introduced with the fame effect, as APPIUS in the Effay. Nothing can fo strongly evince Pope's turn to Satire. |