fcribed to the Right Honourable the Earl of PEMBROKE. By WILLIAM NICOLS, A. M. London 1711. in 8vo. pagg. 385. HE Defign of this Work is to fet forth the Wonders of the Art of painting the Voice, and Speaking to the Eyes. Mr. Nicols has pitched upon a Noble Subject, to exercise his Skill in Poetry; and tho' he is the Firft, who composed a Poem of this Nature, he has been very fuccessful in his Attempt. He difcovers a Copious Imaginati on; and his Work wants none of the Ornaments that the Matter is capable of. In order to give a juff Notion of his Performance, I fhould enlarge upon all the Parts of it; but to avoid too great Prolixity, I fhall confine myself to the most confiderable. I. Mr. Nicols begins his Poem with feveral Ob 1. fervations upon the Ufefulness of Letters; and having mentioned the Opinions of the Ancients concern ing the First Author of that Noble Invention, he be lieves it ought to be afcribed to our Firft Parent. He wonders that while other Inventions have been celebrated by fome Poets, this fhould have been neglected, and wholly laid afide; and at the fame time expreffes himself with great Modefty. Pieriis intacta modis cano munera, donec Afterwards the Author fhews how Letters were tran Imitted from one Nation to another; and then proceeds to treat of the Ancient Way of Writing, and of the feveral Matters and Inftruments uled for that Purpofe. II. The Advantages arifing from the Invention of Letters make a confiderable Part of the IId Book. Mr. Nicols is very particular upon that Head, and what he fays on that Subject is illuftrated with many Hiftorical Paffages. III. In the Third Book he treats of far greater Advantages, that accrue Thews how by that me to Men from Letters. He คร Kingdoms, and Commonwea'ths fubfift; how Laws, Covenants, Publick Treaties, and Eftatés are preferved; how Arts and Sciences flourish, and the Hiftory of paft Ages is tranfmitted to Pofterity. He gives an Account of the most admirable Inventions both Ancient and Modern, and compares them together. He is ve ry particular in defcribing the Ufefulness of HiItory, and his Defcription is written with great Eloquence and Judgment. He further fhews, how by the Help of Letters the Memory of Great Men, Famous for their Learning or their Military Exploits, is preferved to all Ages: Sola hæc figna vetant ne nos oblivio carpat: Cætera cum pereunt, hæc monumenta manent. IV. Our Author fhews, in the Fourth Book, that the Invention of Letters is more valuable than any other Invention, becaufe 'tis by that means that God fpeaks to Men, and that his Laws are preserved entire and uncorrupt. Confuluit fignis Deus his mortalibus ægris, Ad cuncta his placuit fecla futura loqui, &e. Mr. Nicols takes occafion from thence to prove the Neceffity of a written Rule, the Sufficiency of the Holy Scripture, and the Uncertainty of Oral Traditions. This Book contains a great deal of Excellent Theology, V. In the Fifth Book, the Author celebrates the Invention of Printing, and fhews the many Advantages which the Common-wealth of Learning reaps from it. He wishes it had been invented much fooner, becaufe it would have prevented the Lofs of many Excellent Authors, whom he enumerates. Mr. Nicols proceeds to give a fhort Hiftory of the State of Learning in all Ages: He mentions its Rife, Progress, Decay, and Restoration, which is owing in a great Measure to the Art of Printing. He mentions and commends thofe Worthies, who with indefatigable Induftry became the Reftorers of Learning in thefe Western Parts of the World. Laftly, He fhews how the Reformation was happily carried on by the Help of Printing, which could hardly have been effected without it. The remaining Part of this Book runs upon the Advantages of Learning, and fhews how Human Nature is ennobled and improved by Letters. His fine qui vivit, non multum diftat ab illis Quæ ratione carent, totaq; morte cadunt, &c. He answers the Objections against Learning, and very much complains of thofe, who murder the Anci ent Authors by their ill Tranflations. He ends with an eloquent Addrefs to the Nobility and Gentry, wherein he wishes they would more and more apply themfelves to the Study of the Greek and Latin Tongues, that they may be able to read the Ancients in their own Languages. VI. In the Sixth and Laft Book, the Author hav ing commended the Two Universities of England, (thofe Eminent Fountains of Learning) gives a juft Idea' of a Learned Man. This Character is very fine, and fhews Mr. Nicols to be no Stranger to any Part of Learning. The Famous Bifhop Fell is the great Model, which he always had before his Eyes. The Author concludes his Poem with the Juft Praises of his Illuftrious Mecenas, the Earl of Pembroke; a Lord, no lefs eminent for his great Probity and Learning, than for his Noble and Ancient Extraction. This Poem is attended with Learned Notes inferted at the Bottom of each Page, and at the End of the Book. They contain a great many Particulars rela ting to the Hiftory of Learned Men, both Ancient and Modern; and will be of great Ufe to thofe, who are not provided with large Libraries. Befides, the Author has taken care to clear feveral Paffages of his Poem in his Annotations, moft of which are Philological, and adorned with many Curious Obfervations of Greek and Latin Writers. What has been faid is fufficient to give a general Notion of this Work. I proceed to take notice of fome Paffages of the Author's Poem, that the Readers may have a further Specimen of his Performance. Mr. Nicols having obferved, That our Modern Languages are liable to great Alterations, is afraid the Works of the beft English Poets will not be very lafting, and that their Fate in Future Ages will be the fame with that of Chaucer in our Days. Nulla diu vivent quæ vulgi condita lingua, Mr. Waller expreffes himself to the fame Purpofe in the following Verses. But who can hope his Lines fhould long When When Architects have done their Part, Our Author obferves, That among the Greeks and the Romans, Learning was never more flourishing than when they were most famous for their military Exploits. Literulis nihil effe bonis conjunctius armis It will not be improper to obferve, how Mr. Nicols expreffes his Veneration for St. Ignatius in the following Lines : A teneris placuit nobis Ignatius annis, Cujus fcripta manent martyre digna Dei: Sic femper fpirant Pietatem, femper amorem, Ingens Præfulibus fcripta futura decus. Semper erit vindex Ignatius ordinis ejus, Supremum in facris quem dedit effe Deus. Here follow fome of the Author's Verfes concern. ing the Usefulness of the Art of Printing. Mufa Typographiæ dic cætera commoda, & Au Literulis quantùm profuit ille bonis. (ctor |