In his 28th year, Lieut. Seeds, R.N. son of T. S. esq. of Portsea. He met his death while in pursuit of some smugglers on the north coast of Ireland, at the sound of Rathlin, a dangerous navigation from the confluence of many tides, and the vessel was never seen again. The father has lost three other sous in the public service. WILTSHIRE. Married.] The Rev. H. W. Beauchamp, vicar of Latton, &c. to the only daughter of the Rev. R. Vernon, rector of Heythorp, Oxon.-The Rev. J. E. Good, of Salisbury, to Mary, 2d daughter of J. March, esq. of Honiton, Devon. Died. At Salisbury, in his 65th year Mr. Alderman Emby. Mr. S. Chapple, farmer, of Little Drew. -In London, Mr. Marsh, second son of the late Dr. M. of Highworth.-J. Crowdie. esq. solicitor, of Highworth. His integrity and zeal in the line of his profession, commanded the esteem of his clients and cotemporaries. SOMERSETSHIRE. A fire broke out on the 22d of November, in flchester gaol, by which the whole of the woollen factory and workshops were consumed, and the lives of Mr. Hunt, and several other prisoners endangered. damage is estimated at 20001. The Married.] At Gretna green, F. Drake, esq. to Miss C. Bacon.-In London, the Rev. C. Crook, rector of Bath, to the heiress of the late C. Worthington, esq. of Lincoln's Inn. Mr. Woodward, surgeon, of Knights bridge, to Sophia, eldest daughter of Mr. Cuff, chemist of Bath. James, son of T. Woodford, esq. of Taunton, to Elizabeth, daughter of S. Peile, esq. of Tottenham. Died.] At Bath, Lady Tydd, relict of the late Sir J. T. bart, of Lamberton, Queen's County, Ireland.-The Lady of the Right Hon. Viscount Mount Earl.-J. W. Barton, esq. captain in the 2d Somerset militia and provincial grand treasurer to the masonic fraternity for Somerset.—Mr. T. Brewer, surgeon, soon after the death of his only son, in Jamaica, by the yellow fever. Mr. Franklin, late chemist and druggist. Mr. Laycock, attorney, of Devizes.-Elizabeth, relict of the late R. Goodwin, esq.-In her 72d year, Ann, wife of T. Whitacre, esq.-Marianne, wife of Rear Admiral Ballard. At Frenchay, S. Worral, esq. late townclerk of Bristol.-At Plaistree-house, near Taunton, 72, the Rev. Dr. Ambrose, of Mount Ambrose, county of Dublin. DORSETSHIRE. Married.] At Dorchester, Mr. Barge, aged 52, to Miss Hunt, aged 53. Died.] At Dorchester, Mr. M. Baker, auctioneer, 68. At Kingston, near Dorchester, in her 97th year, Mrs. Bowring. She retained all her faculties unimpaired. Ann, relict of the late J. Joyce, esq. of Bristol. DEVONSHIRE. The labourers on the new line of road between Exeter and Plymouth, are proceeding rapidly. Married.] M. Elkin, esq. of Bridge Town, Barbadoes, to Esther, daughter of the late A. Joseph, esq. of Plymouth. Died.] At Exeter, Mrs. Truman, widow of the late proprietor of the Exeter Flying Post. In his 34th year, J. Jones, esq. an eminent solicitor. At Sidmouth, in his 20th, year, Lieut. H. R. Bernard, R.N. CORNWALL. Married.] At Penrhyn, Capt. Huxtable, of Ilfracombe, to Miss C. Brewer-At. Stowford, Mr. Dodge, aged 71, to Miss Laves, aged 20. Died.] At Marazion, 70, J. Turner, esq. surgeon. At Jersey, returning from the continent, J. Trelawney, esq. eldest son of the Rev. Sir H. Trelawney, bart. of Trelawney. At Penzance, 22, the son of Mr. J. Tho mas. At West Looe, 70, Mrs. M. Morrish.. WALES. Married.] At Tenby, G. Anderson, esq., to Amelia, daughter of the late N. Garner, esq. of the Babama Islands.-Lately, P. B. Entwistle, esq. of Southerdown, South Wales, to the only daughter of J. Bassett, esq. of Borvilstone-house, Glamorganshire. Died.] At Pembroke, 83, Mr. G. Williams, post-master. A situation which he filled honourably upwards of 21 years. Suddenly, while sitting in her carriage, Mrs. Williams, wife of C. W. esq. of Craigyden, Anglesea, and M.P. for Marlow. SCOTLAND. Died.] At Aberdeen, 80, J. Ewen, esq. He has bequeathed £1000 to the magistrates and clergy of Montrose, for the erection of an hospital for the maintenance and education of boys. The Booksellers in general are informed, that as many of them may happen to have on hand sundry back Numbers of this Miscellany, we uniformly exchange ore back Number for another, to enable persons to complete sets and volumes; but we make no such exchange in favour of Numbers published within three months of the time. Of course also we expect the numbers exchanged to be uncut and perfect. We propose also in future to sell the half-yearly volumes at 15s. thereby charging but Is. for the half-binding instead of 28. We think it necessary to repeat that country Correspondents who affix their names on the corner of the address, are not required to pay the postage. For the Monthly Magazine. What are the Comparative Pretensions of POPE and BOILEAU ? ITH T may not be wholly unprofitable, or uninteresting at this time-if only in reference to the great BoWLES AND POPE QUESTION -to attempt some elucidation of the poetical qualities of the great bard of Twickenham, by considering the rank they ought to hold in comparison with those of his contemporaries. Among these, none offer themselves with such striking features of resemblance, as Dryden and Boileau, though both may be rather said, in point of time, to have preceded him. With the former he has been so frequently and fully compared that it would be useless to review the subject. Not so with the latter as with the exception of some incidental remarks of Aire and Warton, the consideration is new to us. Though we are decidedly hostile to that false criticism still in vogue with our old Reviews, which institutes mean comparisons between authors of similar or opposite powers, for the invidious purpose of elevating the character of the one, on the ruins of the other, instead of gratifying and improving their readers by pointing out their varied or assimilating qualities, to shew how the rich chorus of our poetry is made complete; we cannot resist the pleasure of touching on the respective excellencies and singular coincidences we discover in the characters of Pope and Boileau. Indeed, there are, perhaps, no two authors, either of ancient or modern date, who in their genius and pursuits, afford us so complete and happy a parallel. And this surprising similarity applies no less to their peculiar genius and writings, than to the times in which they lived, to the state of literature in their respective countries, and to the high station they both attained, and the reputation they enjoyed while living, in the eyes of nobility and princes, and in the promise of fame opened to their view. Thus, they both lived in times equally fortunate for their reputation, and their honourable reception in the world. It was truly the Augustan age of England and of France that seemed to have restored other Horaces and Virgils, and other Ovids and Ciceros to the courts of Lewis and Queen Anne. Equally rich in the poetry of love and MONTHLY MAG. NO. 362. passion, as in the comedy of manners and of polished life, a chivalric spirit seemed still to linger among us, and the influence of poetry was visible in the feelings and expressions, if not in the actions of men. If the lyric and dramatic genius of older times seemed to slumber, they still possessed sublimity of sentiment and description, and with high pathetic powers united a keen and humourous relish of satire and burlesque. In all of these, Pope and Boileau must be allowed to have been at the head of their art, among contemporaries of no common qualifications. Their names will be found as highly distinguished above the great writers of their age, as above all those who have followed them. In the invention and developement of their subjects, in felicity and completeness of execution, uniformity of character and purpose, with an uncommon richness and harmony of language and versification, their poems will stand as models and tests of excellence, terrible indeed to future candidates for fame, and almost affecting the past with an appearance of barbarism. And for this superiority also, they are both indebted, like Horace and Virgil, to an early and assiduous study of the best models of their predecessors, united to a fine taste and genius of their own, in adapting their poetical powers to the wants, character, and humours of their respective countrymen. In their literary controversies with the critics and dunces of the age, we find them equally enthusiastic admirers and champions of the old writers, against the innovations of the moderns; and especially in that learned attack made by the French academicians on the ancients' want of decency, and Homer's unpoliteness, which was afterwards transferred, by way of sympathy, to the dunces of England. But Perrault appears to have met, from Boileau, with much the same reception as Bentley and his friends, not long after, did from the satire of Dean Swift and Pope. And surely another Dunciad will soon be a desideratum, to commemorate the new labours of the choice spirits, and small gentleman wits of the present day. In their choice of subjects, as well as in the more important features of their poetic character, and the studies they pursued, the French and English poets will also be found to agree. would appear that they aimed at the 3Q It same same objects, for the most part, in their undertakings. In the didactic, the mock heroic, and the satiric, where they are unrivalled masters, and discover a more particular resemblance, we perceive the same study of correct language and expression-the same forcible yet harmonious lines-judicious and very melodious pauses; and a watchful jealousy of admitting any unequal or trivial word or expression which might derogate from the beauty and correctness of the whole. Though it may at first view bear the appearance of contradiction or a paradox, it is nevertheless true, that this nice care and exact attention to the nuga canora, has not in the least impaired their strength, or interfered with the higher objects of their art. We find the same, and indeed often more fire and impetuosity in their writings than in those of more careless and irregular poets, like the founders of the Lake School, who give full swing to their imaginations, and present their loose and disjointed productions a sort of ricketty offspring-naked to the world. When we consider that Pope and Boileau invariably sat down to compose in the full reach and vigour of their intellect, and with little art or study gave full play to their imaginations; bestowing afterwards a "world of poet's pains," on what they had written, we shall more easily account for that fire and polish which they so happily united in their works. In this respect they are perhaps equally excellent, though Pope has certainly had the advantage of his predecessor's example, and made that use of him, which both of them made of Horace, in improving on, and infusing the beauties of older writers, with singular refinement, into their own works. Thus, however highly they were indebted to nature for their genius and uncommon parts, they were still more admirable for the talent and fine judgment with which they employed their poetic powers to the greatest advantage and on the happiest subjects. Of all points of resemblance between these unrivalled geniuses of the age and nations in which they flourished, this is the most remarkable. They invaded the property of other writers more like conquerors than robbers, and with a Midas-like faculty, converted at a touch, the dross and ore of other mens' thoughts into solid gold. They were indebted for their early fame and good fortune, to the very same qualities of mind, sound sense, emulous and unremitting study, and a rooted love of their art. The same dispositions that attracted the regard and friendship of Augustus and Mecænas to Virgil and Horace, gave celebrity to the names of Pope and Boileau at the French and English courts. Their superiors in rank became their equals in conversation and good fellowship, and their company was rather sought by, than obtruded upon, the princes and nobles of the land. The reputation of both stood as high in foreign countries as in their own. Most of their productions were translated during their lifetime into other tongues: though in point of good version our author has greatly the advantage, in his translators, over Boileau. The same triumphs that crowned them with laurels and acclamation, brought down upon their heads a shower of hisses and orange peel from the great gallery of dunces and of critics. They seem indeed to have been equally reviled and hated by the minor wits and poets of their respective periods; and a species of della crusca, or academical war, neither giving or taking quarter, was eagerly declared, and fiercely maintained against them in both countries. But the only advantage obtained over our authors consisted in their enemies succeeding in having their names transmitted to posterity, and in place of becoming annihilate, being damned to everlasting fame. It is singular that both lived to befriend, and to be reconciled to, the very critics and poetasters who had thus unwittingly served to extend our authors' fame, as the bones of the savage are carefully preserved for a testimonial of the prowess of his victors. We have now to remark, in honour of our English bard, that of the two, he was always the least attendant upon the great, and not nearly so good a writer of flattering odes and panegyrics on princes and on men in power. He enjoyed no pension and received no bounty from the charity of patrons or of friends. His commendatory verses never appeared until his great friends were known to be unfortunate or out of power; as his satire was only directed at those whom he supposed to be the successful enemies of truth and virtue while in office. The French poet we are afraid was not always so conscientious conscientious or jealous of his selfrespect. Of Pope it may also be said that he had more true sensibility and native poetic mind in him than Boileau: though it must be confessed that neither possessed that tenderness and depth of feeling, and those imaginative powers calculated to succeed in lyric and dramatic composition. Nor is this the least disparagement of their high and unques tionable excellence; for where is the poet who has mastered every species of writing? Or who has so eminently succeeded in so many various kinds as Pope? Though he has been accused by his enemies, like M. Despréaux, of servile imitation, and even palpable plagiarism both from the ancients and moderns, such accusations are now become worse than frivolous, inasmuch as they are absurd and disgusting. They are indeed "stale, flat and unprofitable" to such as advance them. It is now so well understood by our best critics that invention itself is only a happy combination of incidents, thoughts and feelings, and imagination the form and colouring in which these are expressed, that we cannot countenance even such an ingenious and learned commentator as Dr. Warton, in his attempts to lower the character of Pope, by quoting parallel passages from Dryden and Boileau to shew the imitations of the former. What shall we say of such as this? "Pride, malice, folly, against Dryden rose In various shapes of critics, parsons, beaus." After this discovery of similitude, with so very little likeness of a plagiarism, he observes in his " Essay on the Genius of Pope" "It is but justice to add that the fourteen succeeding verses in the poem before us, (Art of Criticism) containing the character of a true critic, are superior to any thing in Boileau's · Art of Poetry,' from which, however, Pope has borrowed many observations." In deference to the judgment and feelings of our readers, we shall not multiply instances of this nature. It is quite unaccountable how so learned and enlightened a character as Dr. Warton should have fallen into the weakness and prejudices indulged by some of Pope's worst enemies, and in discharging the duties of a biographer and critic, have laid the foundation fora renewal of those low and ridiculous charges, disgraceful even to Cibber, and doubly despicable in the writers of the present age. To us the greater part of the Doctor's observations seem written in a spirit, "Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike; Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike," but which carried with them suficient weight and authority to give rise to a new and bitter controversy on Pope's moral and poetical merits, equally ridiculous and disgraceful; and one which we seriously intend to denounce and expose. But to return to our more immediate question, and in conclusion, we must observe, in justice to Pope, that in regard to variety and extent of genius, embracing almost every species of composition, in more elevated and sustained powers of thought, and a wider play of imagination, his muse mounted on a stronger pinion than that of Boileau. Of this, whoever attentively peruses and reflects on the full extent and nature of their several writings, cannot long remain in doubt; and he will easily perceive how much more plau sibly a deficiency of pathos and sublimity may be charged upon the genius of the French, than on that of the English poet. Thus to assert that Pope did not possess, in a very eminent degree, those descriptive, pathetic, and elevated powers, to which his greatest predecessors were indebted for their fame, proves to us how easily envy and folly are led to advance unfounded accusations, with a face of canin the least substantiate. But of this dour and of truth, which they cannot his commentators have been guilty towards Pope, while the very proofs in refutation of their opinions must have stared them in the face. With what degree of correct taste, or conscientious feeling could Dr. Warton and Mr. Bowles presume to under-value our such lines as the following were to be author's powers of description, when found among the works they were editing: "But o'er the twilight groves and dusky Black melancholy sits, and round her Nor hallow'd dirge be muttered o'er thy throws A death-like silence, and a dread repose; Her gloomy presence saddens all the scene, Shades every flower, and darkens every green, Deepens the murmurs of the falling floods, And breathes a browner horror on the woods." Eloisa. We might here challenge all such unbelieving critics and commentators to point out two lines from their favourite descriptive poets, even from Cowper and Thomson, at all approaching the beauty and grandeur of the last. In Mr. Bowles, and the best of those whom he admires, we have nothing more picturesque than such lines as these: “The darksome pines, that o'er yon rocks reclin'd, Wave high, and murmnr to the hollow wind, The grots that echo to the tinkling rills, The dying gales that pant upon the trees, The lakes that quiver to the curling breeze, No more these scenes my meditation aid, Or lull to rest the visionary maid." Finely descriptive as this is, the lover of nature and magnificent drawing will be better pleased with the following beautiful winter-piece :— “Lo, Zembla's rocks, the beauteous work of frost, Rise white in air, and glitter o'er the coast; Pale suns, unfelt, at distance roll away, And on the impassive ice the lightnings play; Eternal snows the growing mass supply, Till the bright mountains prop th' incumbent sky; As Atlas fixed each hoary pile appears The gathered winter of a thousand years." If we look for pathetic beauty, what can surpass the tenderness and delicate sorrow breathed in the elegy on an unfortunate lady. "No friend's complaint, no kind domestic tear, Pleas'd thy pale ghost, or graced thy mournful bier; By foreign hands thy dying eyes were closed, By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed, By foreign hands thy humble grave adorned, By strangers honoured, and by strangers mourned! What! tho' no sacred earth allow thee room, tomb, Yet shall thy grave with rising flowers be drest, And the green turf lie lightly on thy breast; There shall the morn her earliest tears bestow, There the first roses of the year shall blow." But there is no reason to insist further on a subject which so clearly elucidates itself, by a reference to the poet's works: and we shall merely add that on more serious and elevated subjects, as well as on the most trifling, he was equally happy and successful. If Pope produced the best mock-heroic in our language, he is still more fairly entitled to the character of the first English satirist, who combined the playful ease and elegance of Horace, with the fire and vehemence of Juvenal, and the abrupt boldness of Persius. In his moral epistles, and his philosophical poem on Man, he discovers a quick insight into the motives and feelings of our species, which he explains and elucidates in the clearest and happiest manner. It is amusing to perceive how his various editors differ and contra dict each other in their opinions of his defects and merits, insomuch that there is scarcely any quality, however high, for which he has not full credit from one or the other, and no fault of which he is not acquitted by inference or recantation in the end. We conclude with an instance of this from Warton, who asserted that our author wanted dignity and elevation of poetic character, and afterwards quoted the following lines from the " Essay on Man," in order to prove the contrary, and to admit that he had been mistaken. "All are but parts of one stupendous whole, 66 Whose body nature is, and God the soul; That chang'd thro' all, and yet in all the same, Great in the earth, as in the ætherial frame, Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees, Lives thro' all life, extends thro' all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent ; Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part, As full, as perfect in a hair, as heart; He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals |