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worth of a Virgil; and in future ages, a Dryden will never be compared to a Milton. In all times and in all places of the world, the moral poets have been ever the greatest, and as much fuperior to others in wit, as in virtue. Nor does this feem difficult to be accounted for, fince the dignity of their fubjects naturally raised their ideas, and gave a grandeur to their fentiments.

S. SAY.

LETTER VI.

Mr. HUGHES to JONATHAN SMITH, Efq;

DEAR SIR,

London, June 19, 1702.

I AM extremely concerned to hear of the

unfortunate accident that has befallen you+;

* Of Ince Grice, (now called Ingrefs) near Greenhithe, Kent.

† Mr. Smith had just broken his leg by a fall from his horfe. Some verfes on his marriage, in 1708, are added in the "appendix."

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for I can truly fay, and hope to be believed, that, next to your relations, I do not think you have any friend who is more fincerely interested for your welfare than myself. Misfortunes of this nature will fometimes happen in spite of the greatest care in the world; and when they do, it is the greatest happiness to be well armed with patience, and to be able (as all wife men are) fome way or other to make our advantage of them and though it is experience purchased at a very dear rate, yet when a man' has paid the price for it, it would be very hard if he fhould not gain fomething at leaft. Knowledge and wisdom are properly enough faid to be often born of affliction, an offspring painful in the birth, but of the most valuable poffeffion. Indeed the reafonings of philofophers and divines are very idle to one who is in the extremity of pain: but when he is come to himfelf, and at leifure for reflection, fuch severe admonitions as yours was, do of themselves preach to him, and offer him rules of prudence: they require him to use caution against all fuch VOL. I. E

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ills as may be avoided, and to be prepared against such as cannot. They teach him to value himself aright; and since he finds his body fubject to a thousand accidents, to turn his care rather to the noble entertainment and improvement of his mind; to purfue the pleasures of a rational being, which confift in wisdom, virtue, and good fenfe, and to stand up with bravery and refolution, and anfwer the great end of his creation. All this may be done without a man's turning hermit, or forfwearing his innocent pleasures or diverfions, without forfaking company, or, when he is in it, appearing morofe or precife. It will not make him awkward, unfashionable, or stiff: on the contrary, it will accomplish him, and make him polite; and I will venture to say, that it will not only make him a better man, but a finer gentleman too. I find, Sir, that I am betrayed into a long letter before I was aware: perhaps I have been too officious and talkative; but you will pardon me, fince I have been only reprefenting to you what I fuppofe may have been your own

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thoughts on this occafion. I am very glad to understand that you are in a good way of recovery: I hoped to have been with you before this time, but I have chains that hold me here still, and will not be broken. As foon as I can poffibly get free, I will haften down to you, with eagerness and affection, to pay the acknowledgments of, Sir,

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I HAVE inclofed what I mentioned to

you when I faw you laft. That incomparable ode which Horace has addreffed to his friend Grofphus, I have chosen to present to one of the best of my friends, in as good an English drefs as I am capable of E 2 giving

giving it *. The original is one of those pieces, in which Horace has fhewn himself

fo great a master of human life, and given us at once a view of his good sense and good humour. And this addrefs is ufual to him; for in the graveft of his odes he does not seem to make his remarks on life like a pedant, to give you a distaste to it, or to fright you from pleasure, but to invite you to the true enjoyment of it; and thus far he was certainly right, though in the choice of his pleasures he was often irregular. In this, as well as in all other respects, his moral odes are greatly fuperior to the choruffes in Seneca's tragedies; for, in the first, you have the free and unaffected morality of a gentleman, but in the latter the fplenetic air of a fevere Stoic. This ode has been tranflated before, more than once; but whether well or ill, let others judge; I fhall only fay, that I have seen very few tranflations of Horace that please me; for most have copied only his thoughts, with

* See it in Mr. Hughes's "poems," vol. i, p. 116.

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