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as to affect the general caft of language, or what we call a Style, no great fagacity is perhaps required to detect it. Thus the Ciceroniani, if they were not ambitious of proclaiming themselves, are difcoverable at the first glance. And the later Roman poets, as well as the modern Latin verfifiers, are to the best of their power Virgi lian. The thing is perhaps ftill eafier in a living language; especially if that language be our own. Milton and Pope, if they have made but few poets, have made many imitators; so many, that we are ready to complain there is hardly an original poet left.

Another point feems of no importance in the prefent inquiry. I know it is afked, How far a writer cafually or defignedly imitates that is, whether he copies another from memory only, without recollecting at the time the paffage from which his expreffion is drawn; or purposely, and with full knowledge of his original. And this confideration is of much weight, as I have shewn at large, where the question is concerning the credit of the fuppofed imitator. For this is affected by nothing but direct and in

tended

tended imitation. But as we are looking at present only for those marks in the expreffion which fhew it not to be original, it is enough that the resemblance is fuch as cannot well be accounted for but on the suppofition of fome fort of commerce; whether immediately perceived by the writer himself, is not material. It is true, this observation is applicable to fentiments as well as expreffion; and I have not pretended to give the preceding articles as proofs, or even prefumptions, in all cafes, that the later writer copied intentionally from a former. But there is this difference in the two cafes. Sentiments may be ftrikingly similar, or even identical, without the leaft thought, or even effect, of a preceding original. But the identity of expreffion, except in fome few cafes of no importance, is, in the fame language, where the writer fpeaks entirely from himself, an almoft impoffible thing. And you will be of this mind, if you reflect on the infinitely varied lights in which the fame image or fentiment prefents itself to different writers; the infinitely-varied purpofe they have to ferve by it; or where it

happens

happens to strike precisely in the fame man. ner, and is directed precifely to the fame end, the infinite combinations of words in which it may be expreffed. To all which you may add, that the leaft imaginable variation, either in the terms or the ftructure of them, not only deftroys the identity, but often disfigures the refemblance to that degree that we hardly know it to be a refemblance.

So that, you fee, the marks of imitated or, if you will, derived expreffion are much lefs equivocal, than of fentiment. We may pronounce of the former without hesitation, that it is taken, when correfponding marks in the latter would only authorize us to conclude that it was the fame, or perhaps fimilar.

I need not use more words to convince you, that the diftinction of cafual and defigned imitation is ftill of lefs fignificancy in this clafs of imitations, than the other.

And with this preamble, more particular perhaps and circumftantial than was necef fary, I now proceed to lay before you fome of thofe figns of derived expreffion, which I conceive

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I conceive to be unequivocal. If they are fo, they will generally appear at first fight; fo that I fhall have little occasion to trouble you, as I did before, with my comments. It will be fufficient to deliver the rule, and to exemplify it.

I. An identity of expreffion, especially if carried on through an intire sentence, is the moft certain proof of imitation.

Mr. Waller of Sachariffa,

So little care of what is done below

Hath the bright dame, whom heav'n affecteth so; Paints her, 'tis true, with the fame hand which spreads

Like glorious colours thro' the flow'ry meads; When lavish nature with her beft attire

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Cloaths the gay fpring, the feafon of defire.

Mr. Fenton takes notice that the poet is copying from the Muiopotmos of Spenser,

To the gay gardens his unftaid defire

Him wholly carried, to refresh his fprights:
There lavish Nature, in her beft attire,
Pours forth fweet odours and alluring fights.

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We shall see presently that, befides the iden tity of expreflion, there is alfo another mark of imitation in this paffage.

II. But less than this will do, where the fimilarity of thought, and application of it, is ftriking.

Mr. Pope fays divinely well,

Shall burning Etna, if a fage requires,
Forget to thunder, and recall its fires?
On air or fea new motions be imprefs'd,
Oh, blameless Bethel! to relieve thy breaft?
When the loose mountain trembles from on high,
Shall gravitation ceafe, if you go by?

Or fome old temple, nodding to its fall,
For Chartres' head referve the hanging wall?
Effay Iv. ver. 123.

Now turn to Mr. Wollafton, an easy natural writer (where his natural manner is not stiffened by a mathematical pedantry), and abounding in fine fallies of the imagination; and fee if the poet did not catch his expreffion, as well as the fire of his conception in this place, from the philofopher:

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