when I hear any thing of "SPENCE'S ANECDOTES!" Neither friend nor foe are fpared. He feems to have opened his mouth and his ears to every thing Pope told him; and it makes the heart almoft fick to think how often Pope has altered his tone, and that the BEST MAN in the world with him one moment, has afterwards "NO HEART!" Poor Rowe is the man, whofe amiable difpofition and warm feelings, Pope fo eloquently described in his Letters. But I am weary, in contemplating this part of Pope's character.

VI.

ON MRS. CORBET*,

WHO DIED OF A CANCER IN HER BREAST.

HERE
ERE rests a Woman, good without pretence,
Bleft with plain Reafon, and with fober Senfe;
No Conqueft fhe, but o'er herfelf, defir'd,
No Arts effay'd, but not to be admir'd.
Paffion and Pride were to her foul unknown,
Convinc'd that Virtue only is our own.
So unaffected, so compos'd a mind;
So firm, yet soft; so strong, yet so refin'd;
Heav'n, as its pureft gold, by Tortures try'd!
The Saint fuftain'd it, but the Woman dy'd.

5

10

NOTES.

I have always confidered this as the most valuable of Pope's Epitaphs; the fubject of it is a character not discriminated by any fhining or eminent peculiarities, yet that which really makes, though not the fplendor, the felicity of life.

Domestic virtue, as it is exerted without great occafions, or confpicuous confequences, in an even unnoted tenor, required the genius of Pope to difplay it in fuch a manner as might attract regard, and enforce reverence. Who can forbear to lament that this amiable woman has no name in the verses? JOHNSON.

VER. 10. the Woman dy'd.] A very pleafing picture of filent domestic virtue ! WARTON.

VII.

On the Monument of the Honourable ROBERT DIGBY, and of his Sifter MARY, erected by their Father the Lord DIGBY, in the Church of Sherborne in Dorfet Shire, 1727.

Go!
o! fair example of untainted youth,
Of modest wisdom, and pacific truth:
Compos'd in fuff'rings, and in joy fedate,
Good without noife, without pretenfion great,
Just of thy word, in ev'ry thought sincere,

5

Who knew no Wish but what the world might hear:
Of softest manners, unaffected mind,

Lover of peace, and friend of human kind:
Go live! for Heav'n's Eternal year is thine,
Go, and exalt thy Moral to Divine.

And thou, bleft Maid! attendant on his doom, Pensive haft follow'd to the filent tomb,

10

Steer'd

NOTES.

VER. 11. And thou, bleft Maid!] Mr. Robert Digby, third fon of Lord Digby, who is yet remembered with refpect at Sherborne, died of a confumption, and was foon after followed by the amiable and affectionate fifter, who hung over his fick bed. The following letter from her fifter to Pope, on the fubject of their brother's illnefs, is in the British Museum, with part of the translation of the Odyffey on the back of it :

"Dear Sir, Sherborne, July 18, 1724. "I am fure this will want no excufe to you, and it carries good news of a friend. My brother has not had any fit of his

ague

Steer'd the fame course to the fame quiet fhore,
Not parted long, and now to part no more!
Go then, where only blifs fincere is known!
Go, where to love and to enjoy are one!

Yet take these Tears, Mortality's relief,
And till we share your joys, forgive our grief:
Thefe little rites, a Stone, a Verse receive;
'Tis all a Father, all a Friend can give!

15

20

NOTES.

ague fince Sunday; he has flept a little every night, but with fome interruptions by the cramp. Laft night he began to drink affes' milk, which had its ufual effect, in giving him a good night's reft, and free from pain. I am, dear Sir, in great haste, but with great truth, your friend and fervant, E. DIGBY.

"All here are your fervants."

MY father, who was an intimate friend and contemporary at Magdalen College, Oxford, with Mr. Robert Digby, was always faying that this excellent character was not over-drawn, and had every virtue in it here enumerated; and that Mr. Digby had more of the initis fapientia, as Horace finely expreffes it, than any man he had ever known. The fame faid the amiable Mr Holdsworth, author of Mufcipula. They were all three pupils of Dr. Sacheverell, who at that time was the friend of Addifon, and was in great vogue as an able tutor, before he entered fo violently into thofe abfurd politics that fo much difgraced him. WARTON.

VIII.

ON SIR GODFREY KNELLER,

IN WESTMINSTER-ABBEY, 1723.

K
NELLER, by Heav'n and not a Master taught,
Whofe Art was Nature, and whofe Pictures
Thought;

Now for two Ages having fnatch'd from fate
Whate'er was beauteous, or whate'er was great,
Lies crown'd with Princes honours, Poets lays,
Due to his Merit, and brave Thirst of Praise.

Living, great Nature fear'd he might outvie Her works; and, dying, fears herself may die.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 7. Imitated from the famous Epitaph on Raphael.
Raphael, timuit, quo fofpite, vinci

Rerum magna parens, et moriente, mori."

NOTES.

5

"Here Raphael lies, by whofe untimely end
Nature both loft a rival and a friend."

POPE.

VER. 7. Living, great Nature] Much better tranflated by Mr. W. Harrifon, of New College, a favourite of Swift, communicated to me by Dr. Lowth:

Notwithstanding the partiality of Pope, this artist little deferved to be confulted by our Poet, as he was, concerning the arrange ments of the subjects reprefented on the fhield of Achilles. Thefe required a genius of a higher order. Mr. Flaxman, lately arrived from Italy, by a diligent ftudy of the antique, and the force of his

genius