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" To my worthy and special Friend, Maistre Wanley, dwelling " at my fingular goode Lord's, my Lord of Oxford, kindly " present.

" Worthy Sir,

" I shall take it as a fingular mark of your friendly disposition " and kindnesse to me, if you will recommend to my palate, " from the experienced taste of yours, a dousaine quartes of

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goode and wholesome wine, such as yee drink at the Genoa "Arms, for the which I will in honorable fort be indebted, " and well and truly pay the owner thereof, your faid merchant " of wines at the said Genoa Arms. As witness this myne hand, " which also witnesseth its master to be, in footh and fincerity of " heart,

"Goode Sir,

"From Twickenham, this fyrste " of Julie, 1725."

"Your's ever bounden,

"A. POPE.

1

VERSES TO DR. BOLTON*,

5

In the Name of Mrs. BUTLER'S Spirit, lately deceased.
STRIPT to the naked foul, efcap'd from clay,
From doubts unfetter'd, and diffolv'd in day';
Unwarm'd by vanity, unreach'd by strife,
And all my hopes and fears thrown off with life;
Why am I charm'd by friendship's fond essays,
And though unbody'd, confcious of thy praise?
Has pride a portion in the parted foul ?
Does passion still the firmless mind controul!
Can gratitude out-pant the filent breath!
Or a friend's forrow pierce the gloom of death!
No-'tis a spirit's nobler task of blifs ;

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That feels the worth it left, in proofs like this;
That not its own applaufe, but thine approves,
Whose practice praises, and whose virtue loves;
Who liv'st to crown departed friends with fame; 15
Then dying, late, shalt all thou gav'st reclaim.

NOTES.

* Addressed to Dr. Bolton, late Dean of Carlifle, who lived some time at Twickenham with old Lady Blount. On the death of her mother, Mrs. Butler of Sussex, Dr. Bolton drew up the mother's character; and from thence Mr. Pope took occafion to write this Epistle to Dr. Bolton, in the name of Mrs. Butler's Spirit, now in the regions of blifs.

RUFFHEAD.

VER. 8. firmless] A new-coined, and not a very happy epithet.

WARTON.

ΕΡΙΤΑPHS.

His faltem accumulem donis, et fungar inani
Munere!

VIRG.

WARBURTON Points out some lines in the Epistle to Jervas, which he thinks would have made the finest Epitaph ever written. They are certainly uncommonly beautiful:

" Call round her tomb each object of defire,
" Each purer frame inform'd by purer fire;
"Bid her be all that cheers or foftens life,
"The tender fister, daughter, friend, and wife;
"Bid her be all that makes mankind adore,

"Then view this marble, and be vain no more."

It is astonishing to think, confidering the great number of funeral inscriptions which are extant, how few we have that unite all that should be required in such compofitions. An Epitaph should be simple, characteristic, and, as Johnson justly remarks, not longer than common beholders may have time and leisure to peruse. We rarely ever meet the genuine Αφέλεια, which distin guished most of the Grecian inscriptions. Contemptible jest, or affected quaintnesses, indifcriminate and cumbersome panegyrics, often fet off with puns, describe the majority of the records of the dead in England from the 14th to the 17th century.

One of the best in Weever is "On Maude, daughter of Malcolm "Camoir, King of Scots, and wife to King Henry the First." " She had an excellent Epigram," says Weever, "made to her " commendation, whereof these four verses only remain :

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Profpera non lætam fecere, nec aspera tristem, Aspera rifus erant, profpera terror erant. Nec decor effecit fragilem, nec fceptra superbam, Sola potens, humilis, sola pudica decens." " Thus," he adds, " paraphrastically translated: "No profperous state did make her glad, "Nor adverse chances make her fad; "If fortune frown'd -she then did smile; "If fortune smil'd-she fear'd the while:

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