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

"Worthy Sir,

"I shall take it as a fingular mark of your friendly difpofition "and kindneffe to me, if you will recommend to my palate, "from the experienced tafte of yours, a doufaine quartes of goode and wholesome wine, fuch 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 faid Genoa Arms. As witnefs this myne hand, "which also witneffeth its mafter to be, in footh and fincerity of

heart,

"Goode Sir,

"Your's ever bounden,

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

"A. POPE.

VERSES TO DR. BOLTON*,

In the Name of Mrs. BUTLER'S Spirit, lately deceased.

STRIPT
TRIPT to the naked foul, escap'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 effays,
And though unbody'd, conscious of thy praise?
Has pride a portion in the parted foul?

Does paffion still the firmless mind controul !
Can gratitude out-pant the filent breath!

5

Or a friend's forrow pierce the gloom of death! 10
No-'tis a fpirit's nobler task of bliss;

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

NOTES.

* Addreffed to Dr. Bolton, late Dean of Carlisle, who lived fome time at Twickenham with old Lady Blount. On the death of her mother, Mrs. Butler of Suffex, Dr. Bolton drew up the mother's character; and from thence Mr. Pope took occafion to write this Epiftle 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.

EPITAPH S.

His faltem accumulem donis, et fungar inani
Munere !

VIRG.

WARBURTON points out fome lines in the Epiftle 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 softens life,
"The tender fifter, daughter, friend, and wife;
"Bid her be all that makes mankind adore,

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

It is aftonishing to think, confidering the great number of fu neral infcriptions which are extant, how few we have that unite all that should be required in fuch compofitions, An Epitaph fhould be fimple, characteristic, and, as Johnfon juftly remarks, not longer than common beholders may have time and leisure to perufe. We rarely ever meet the genuine Aqua, which diftinguished most of the Grecian infcriptions. Contemptible jest, or affected quaintneffes, 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," fays Weever, "made to her "commendation, whereof these four verses only remain :

"Profpera non lætam fecere, nec afpera triftem,

Afpera rifus erant, profpera terror erant. Nec decor effecit fragilem, nec fceptra fuperbam, Sola potens, humilis, fola pudica decens." "Thus," he adds, " paraphraftically translated: "No profperous ftate did make her glad, "Nor adverse chances make her fad "If fortune frown'd -fhe then did fmile "If fortune fmil'd-she fear'd thẹ while :

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