And wifely tells us, that his Song arose
As the good Parfon's quiet Sermon grows;

Who, while his easy thoughts no preffure find

235

From hofts of images that croud the mind,

First calmly fettles on fome moral text,

Then creeps-from one divifion-to the next?
Nor, if poetic minds more flowly drudge
Thro' the cold comments of this Gallic judge,
Will their.indignant spirit lefs deride
That fubtle Pedant's more prefumptive pride,
Whofe bloated page, with arrogance replete,
Imputes to VIRGIL his own dark conceit :
And from the tortur'd Poet dares to draw
That latent fenfe, which HORACE never faw
Which, if on folid proof more ftrongly built,
Muft brand the injur'd Bard with impious guilt.
While fuch Dictators their vain efforts wafte

*

In the dark visions of diftemper'd Taste,
Let us that pleasing, happier light pursue,
Which beams benignant from the milder few

* Ver. 244. See NOTE V.

I

;

;

240

245

250

Who,

Who, juftly conscious of the doubts that start
In all nice questions on each finer Art,

With modeft doubt affign each likely cause,
But dare to dictate no decifive laws!

'Tis faid by one, who, with this candid claim,
Has gain'd no fading wreath of Critic fame,
Who, fondly lift'ning to her various rhyme,
Has mark'd the Muse's ftep thro' many a clime;
That, where the fettled Rules of Writing spread,
Where Learning's code of Critic Law is read,
Tho' other treasures deck th' enlighten'd fhore,
The germs of Fancy ripen there no more..
Are Critics then, that bold, imperious tribe!
The Guards of Genius, who his path prescribe;
Are they like Visirs in an Eastern court,
Who fap the very power they should support?
Whofe fpecious wiles the royal mind unnerve,
And fink the monarch they pretend to serve..
No! of their value higher far I deem
And prize their useful toil with fond esteem.

;

255

260

265

270

* Ver. 257. See NOTE VI.

When

When LowTH's firm fpirit leads him to explore

The hallow'd confines of Hebraic lore,

When his free pages, luminous and bold,

275

The glorious end of Poefy unfold,

Affert her powers, her dignity defend,

And speak her, as fhe is, fair Freedom's friend;

When thus he fhines his mitred Peers above,

I view his warmth with reverential love;

280

Proud, if my verse may catch reflected light

From the rich fplendor of a mind fo bright.
Bleft be the names, to no vain fyftem tied,
Who render Learning's blaze an useful guide,
A friendly beacon, rais'd on high to teach

285

The wand'ring bark to fhun the fhallow beach.

But O! ye noble, and afpiring few,

Whose ardent fouls poetic fame pursue,

Ye, on whom smiling Heaven, perfection's source,

Sleep on her lap, and stretch his lifeless length,

Shorn by her foothing hand of all his ftrength.

295

Thou wilt not, Mason! thou, whose generous heart Muft feel that Freedom is the foul of Art,

Thou wilt not hold me arrogant or vain,

If I advife the young poetic train

300

To deem infallible no Critic's word

Not e'en the dictates of thy Attic HURD:
No! not the Stagyrite's unqueftion'd page,
The Sire of Critics, fanctified by age!

The nobleft minds, with folid reason bleft,
Who feel that faculty above the rest,
Who argue on thofe arts they never try,
Exalt that Reason they so oft apply,
Till in its pride, with tyrannous controul,
It crush the kindred talents of the foul;
And hence, in every Art, will systems rise,

305

310

Which Fancy must survey with angry eyes;

And at the lightning of her fcornful smile,

In frequent ruin finks the labor'd pile.

How oft, my ROMNEY! have I known thy vein

315

Swell with indignant heat and gen'rous pain,

D

Το

To hear, in terms both arrogant and tame,
Some reas'ning Pedant on thy Art declaim :

Its laws and limits when his fovereign tafte
With firm precifion has minutely trac'd,

And in the close of a decifive speech

Pronounc'd fome point beyond the Pencil's reach,
How has thy Genius, by one rapid ftroke,
Refuted all the fapient things he spoke!

320

Thy Canvass placing, in the clearest light,

3251

His own Impoffible before his fight!

O might the Bard who loves thy mental fire,

Who to thy fame attun'd his early lyre,

Learn from thy Genius, when dull Fops decide,
So to refute their fyftematic pride!

330

Let him, at leaft, fucceeding Poets warn

To view the Pedant's lore with doubt, or fcorn,

And e'en to question, with a spirit free,

Establish'd Critics of the firft degree!

Among the names that Judgment loves to praise,

335

The pride of ancient, or of modern days;

What Laws of Poefy can Learning fhew

Above the Critic fong of fage DESPREAUX ?

His