against the bishop, in order to which he begged some hints. The minister was deceived, and went through the whole cause with him, pointing out where the strength of the argument lay, and where its weakness. The Duke was very thankful, returned to town, passed the night in drinking, and, without going to bed, went to the House of Lords, where he spoke FOR the bishop, recapitulating, in the most masterly manner, and answering all that had been urged against him.* 10. When Catiline by rapine swell'd his store; In this the lust, in that the avarice, Were means, not ends; ambition was the vice.t The same passion excited Richlieu to throw up the dyke at Rochelle, and to dispute the prize of poetry with Corneille; whom to traduce was the surest method of gaining the affection of this ambitious minister, who aspired equally to excel * Catalogue of the Royal and Noble Authors of England, vol. ii. p. 133. † Ver. 211. in all things; nay, who formed a design to be canonized as a saint. A perfect contrast to the character of Cardinal Fleury, who shewed that it was possible to govern a great state with moderate abilities, and a mild temper. His ministry is impartially represented by Voltaire in the age of Louis XIV. 11. Lucullus, when frugality could charm, Had roasted turnips in the Sabine farm.* Few writers of his country have displayed a greater energy of sentiment than Crebillon ;† in his Catiline we have a noble one that may illustrate this doctrine of POPE: "If (says this fierce and inflexible conspirator) I had only Lentuluses of my party, and if it was filled only with men of virtue, I should easily assume that cha racter * Ver. 217. See Considerations on Lucullus, in the second vol. of L'Abbé de St. Real, p. 1. + The creditors of Crebillon would have stopped the profits of this tragedy; but the spirited old bard appealed to the king in council, and procured an honourable decree in his favour, setting forth, that works of genius should not be deemed effects that were capable of being seized. This writer's works were lately printed in a magnificent manner at the Louvre, in two volumes quarto, at the expence of Madame Pompadour, racter also, and be more virtuous than any of Et s'il n'étoit rempli que d' hommes vertueux, Je n'aurois pas de peine à l'être encore plus qu' eux. 12. In this one passion man can strength enjoy, The strength and continuance of what our author calls the ruling passion, is strongly exemplified in EIGHT characters; namely, the POLITICIAN, the DEBAUCHEE, the GLUTTON, the OECONOMIST, the COQUET, the COURTIER, the MISER, and the PATRIOT. Of these characters, the most lively, because the most dramatic, are the fifth and seventh. There is true humour also in the circumstance of the frugal crone who blows out one of the consecrated tapers in order to prevent its wasting. Shall I venture to insert another example or two? An old usurer, lying in his last agonies, was presented by the priest with the crucifix. He opened his eyes a moment before he expired, attentively gazed on it, and K 4 cried * Ver. 221. cried out, "These jewels are counterfeit, I cannot lend more than ten pistoles upon so wretched a pledge." To reform the language of his country was the ruling passion of Malherbe. The priest who attended him in his last moments, asked him if he was not affected with the description he gave him of the joys of heaven? By no means, (answered the incorrigible bard;) I desire to hear no more of them, if you cannot describe them in a purer style." Both these stories would have shone under the hands of POPE. This doctrine of our author may be farther illustrated by the following passage of Bacon: "It is no less worthy to observe, how little alteration, in good spirits, the approaches of death make; for they appear to be the same men till the last instant. Augustus Cæsar died in a compliment; Livia, conjugii nostri memor, vive et vale. Tiberius in dissimulation; as Tacitus saith of him: Jam Tiberium vires et corpus, non dissimulatio deserebant, Vespasian, in a jest; Ut puto Deus fio. Galba with a sentence; Feri, si ex re sit populi Romani; holding forth his neck. Septimius Septimius Severus, in dispatch; Adeste, si quid mihi restat agendum." This epistle concludes with a stroke of art worthy admiration. The poet suddenly stops the vein of ridicule with which he was flowing, and addresses his friend in a most delicate compliment, concealed under the appearance of satire. And you! brave Cobham, to the latest breath, 13. Narcissa's nature, tolerably mild, To make a wash, would hardly stew a child; And made a widow happy for a whim.† The epistle on the characters of women, from whence this truly witty character is taken, is highly finished, and full of the most delicate satire. * Bacon's Essays. Essay ii. which were much read by POPE. Epist. ii. v. 53. |