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TIBBALD. Secondly, he ought to sing, and intrepidly, patulo ore: here, I confess the excellency of Mr. CIBBER. Thirdly, he ought to carry a lyre about with him. If a large one be thought too cumbersome, a small one may be contrived to hang about the neck, like an order, and be very much a grace to the person. Fourthly, he ought to have a good stomach, to eat and drink whatever his betters think fit; and therefore it is in this high office as in many others, no puny constitution can discharge it. I do not think CIBBER OF TIBBALD here so happy: but rather a stanch, vigorous, seasoned, and dry old gentleman, whom I have in my eye.

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I could also wish at this juncture, such a person as is truly jealous of the honour and dignity of poetry; no joker, or trifler, but a bard in good earnest; nay, not amiss if a critic, and the better if a little obstinate. For when we consider what great privileges have been lost from this office (as we see from the forecited authentic record of Jovius) namely, those of feeding from the prince's table, drinking out of his own flagon, becoming even his domestic and companion; it requires a man warm and resolute, to be able to claim and obtain the restoring of these high honours. I have cause to fear the most of the candidates would be liable, either through the influence of ministers, or for rewards or favours, to give up the glorious rights of the Laureate. Yet I am not without hopes, there is one, from whom a serious and steady

assertion of these privileges may be expected; and, if there be such a one, I must do him the justice to say, it is Mr. DENNIS, the worthy president of our society.

VIII.

A

PARALLEL

OF THE

CHARACTERS

OF

MR. DRYDEN AND MR. POPE,

AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES.

Mr. DRYDEN,

His POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

MR. Dryden is a mere renegado from monarchy, poetry, and good sense.* A true republican son of monarchical Church. A Republican Atheist. Dryden was from the beginning an αλλοπρόσαλλος, and I doubt not will continue so to the last.§

In the poem called Absalom and Achitophel are notoriously traduced, The KING, the QUEEN, the LORDS, and GENTLEMEN; not only their honour

* Milbourn on Dryden's Virgil, 8vo. 1698, p. 6.

+ Page 38.

+ Page 192. § Page 8.

able

VIII.

A

PARALLEL

OF THE

CHARACTERS

OF

MR. POPE AND MR. DRYDEN,

AS DRAWN BY CERTAIN OF THEIR CONTEMPORARIES.

Mr. POPE,

His POLITICS, RELIGION, MORALS.

MR. Pope is an open and mortal enemy to his country, and the commonwealth of learning.* Some call him a popish whig, which is directly inconsistent. Pope, as a papist, must be a tory and high flyer. He is both a whig and tory.§

He hath made it his custom to cackle to more than one party in their own sentiments.||

* Dennis Rem. on the Rape of the Lock, pref. p. xii.

+ Dunciad dissected.

Dennis, Character of Mr. P.

Pref. to Gulliveriana.

|| Theobald, Letter in Mist's Journal, June 22, 1728.

In

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able persons exposed, but the whole NATION and its REPRESENTATIVES notoriously libelled. It is scandalum magnatum, yea, of MAJESTY itself.*

He looks upon God's gospel as a foolish fable, like the Pope, to whom he is a pitiful purveyor.† His very Christianity may be questioned. He ought to expect more severity than other men, as he is most unmerciful in his reflections on others.§ With as good a right as his Holiness, he sets up for poetical infallibility.||

Mr. DRYDEN only a Versifier.

His whole libel is all bad matter, beautified (which is all that can be said of it) with good metre.¶ Mr. Dryden's genius did not appear in any thing more than his versification, and whether he is to be ennobled for that only, is a question.**

Mr. DRYDEN'S VIRGIL.

Tonson calls it Dryden's Virgil, to shew that this is not that Virgil so admired in the Augustean age; but a Virgil of another stamp, a silly, impertinent,

* Whip and Key, 4to. printed for R. Janeway, 1682, Preface. +Ibid.

| Page 39.

§ Ibid. p. 175.

Milbourn, p. 9.
¶ Whip and Key, Pref.

** Oldmixon, Essay on Criticism, p. 84.

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