Quam nobis ; quid nunc effet vetus? aut quid haberet, Quod legeret tereretque viritim publicus ufus? > Ut primum pofitis nugari Graecia bellis Coepit, et in vitium fortuna labier aequa; NOTES. VER. 138. By learned Critics of the mighty Dead? A ridicule on the tribe of learned Critics, who think all writers but the ancient unworthy their care and attention. This came properly into a fatire, whofe fubject is the unreasonable fondnefs for antiquity in general. VER. 140. with Charles reftor'd;] He fays reftor'd, because the luxury he brought in, was only the revival of that practifed in the reigns of his Father and Grandfather. VER. 143. In Horfemanship t'excell,-And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Romance.] The Duke of Newcastle's book of Horfemanship: the Romance of Partheniffa, by the Earl of Orrery, and most of the French Romances tranflated by Perfons of Quality. P. VER. 146. And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Romance.] The rife and progress of the feveral branches of literary Science is one of the most curious parts of the hiftory of the human mind, and yet is that which amongst us is least attended to. This of fictitious hiftory is not below our notice. The clofe connexion which every individual has with all that relates to MAN What then was new, what had been ancient now? y In Days of Ease, when now the weary Sword Was sheath'd, and Luxury with Charles restor'd; In ev'ry taste of foreign Courts improv'd, 141 All, by the King's Example, liv'd and lov'd." Then Peers grew proud in Horfemanship t'excell, New-market's Glory rose, as Britain's fell; The Soldier breath'd the Gallantries of France, And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Romance. 146 NOTES. in general ftrongly inclines us to turn our obfervation upon human affairs, in preference to other attentions, and eagerly to wait the progress and issue of them. But as the course of human actions is too flow to gratify our curiofity, obfervant men very early contrived to fatisfy its impatience by the invention of history. Which by recording the principal circumstances of paft Facts, and laying them clofe together, in a continued narration, kept the mind from languifhing, and gave conftant exercise to its reflections. But as it commonly happens, that in all indulgent refinements on our fatisfactions, the Procurers to our pleasures run into excess; fo it happened here. Strict matters of fact, however delicately dreffed up, foon grew too fimple and infipid to a tafte ftimulated by the luxury of art: They wanted fomething of more poignancy to quicken and enforce a jaded appetite. Hence in the politer ages thofe feigned hiftories relating the quick turns of capricious Fortune; and, in the more barbarous, the ROMANCES, abounding with the false provocative of inchantment and miraculous adventures. But fatiety, in things unnatural, brings on difguft. And the reader at length began to fee that too eager a pursuit after adventures had drawn him from, what firft engaged his attention, MAN and his ways, into the Fairy walks of Monsters and Chimera's. And now thofe who had run furtheft after thefe delufions, were the firft that recovered themselves. For the next species of fiction, which took its name from its NoVELTY, was of Spanish invention. These presented us with fomething of humanity; but in a forced unnatural state. For as every thing before was conducted by Necromancy, fo all now was managed by intrigue. And tho' it had indeed a kind of life, it had yet, as in its infancy, nothing of manners. On which account those who could not penetrate into the ill constitution of its plan, yet grew difgufted at the dryness of the Conduct, and want of eafe in the Catastrophe. The avoiding these defects gave rife to the HEROICAL ROMANCES of the French, here ridiculed by our Poet; in which fome celebrated story of antiquity was fo polluted by modern fable and invention, as was juft enough to fhew that the contrivers of them neither knew how to lye nor speak truth. In thefe voluminous extravagances, Love and Honour supplied the place of Life and Manners. But the over-refinement of Pla Then Marble, soften'd into life, grew warm, The fleepy Eye, that fpoke the melting foul. 150 C But Britain, changeful as a Child at play,155 Now calls in Princes, and now turns away. NOTES. tonic fentiments always finks into the dregs of the gentle paffion. Thus in attempting a more natural representation of it in the little AMATORY NOVELS which fucceeded thofe heavier volumes, tho'the writers avoided the drynefs of the Spanish Intrigue, and the extravagance of the French Heroifm, yet, by giving too natural a picture of their fubject, they introduced a worfe evil than a corruption of Tafte, and that was a corruption of Heart. At length this great People (to whom, it must be owned, every branch of Science has been infinitely indebted) hit upon the true fecret, by which alone a deviation from ftrict fact, in the commerce of Man, could be really amufing to an improved mind, or ufeful to promote that improvement. And this was by a faithful and chafte copy of real LIFE AND MANNERS. In this fpecies of writing, Mr. De Marivaux in France, and Mr. FIELDING in England ftand the foremost. And by enriching it with the best part of the Comic art, may be faid to have brought it to its perfection. VER. 142. A Verfe of the Lord Lanfdown. P. VER. 149. Lely on animated Canvas ftole The fleepy Eye, etc.] This was the Characteristic of this excellent Colourift's expreffion; who was an exceffive Manierest. VER. 153. On each enervate firing etc.] The Siege of Rhodes by Sir William Davenant, the firft Opera fung in England. P. Quid placet, aut odio eft, quod non mutabile credas? Hoc paces habuere bonae, ventique fecundi. • Romae dulce diu fuit et folemne, reclufa Mane domo vigilare, clienti promere jura; Crefcere res poffet, minui damnosa libido. Mutavit mentem populus levis, het calet uno Scribendi ftudio: puerique patrefque feveri Fronde comas vincti coenant, et carmina dictant. NOTES. VER. 158. Now all for Pleasure, now for Church and State ;] The first half of Charles the Second's Reign was paffed in an abandoned diffoluteness of manners; the other half, in factious disputes about popish plots and French prerogative. VER. 160. Effects unhappy! from a Noble Caufe.] i. e. The love of Liberty.-Mr. Voltaire, while in England, writes thus to a friend in Paris "I had a mind at first to print our poor "Henry at my own expences in London; but the lofs of my "money is a fad ftop to my defign. I queftion if I fhall try "the way of Subfcriptions by the favour of the Court. I am "weary of Courts. All that is King or belongs to a King, "frights my republican Philofophy. I wont drink the least "draught of Slavery in the Land of Liberty, I have written |
