courage to think for themselves, to trust to their own powers, to rely on their own stock; and, therefore, the generality creep tamely and cautiously in the track of their predecessors. The quintessence of the largest libraries might be reduced to the compass of a few volumes, if all useless repetitions and acknowledged truths were to be omitted in this process of critical chemistry. A learned Frenchman informs us, that he intended to compile a treatise, περι των απαξ ειρημένων, ' concerning things that had been said but once,' which certainly would have been contained in a very small pamphlet. It happens unfortunately in poetry, which principally claims the merit of novelty and invention, that this want of originality arises frequently, not from a barrenness and timidity of genius, but from invincible necessity and the nature of things. The works of those who profess an art whose essence is imitation, must needs be stamped with a close resemblance to each other; since the objects material or animate, extraneous or internal, which they all imitate, lie equally open to the observation of all, and are perfectly similar. Descriptions, therefore, that are faithful and just, must be uniform and alike: the first copier may be, perhaps, entitled to the praise of priority; but a succeeding one ought not certainly to be condemned for plagiarism. I am inclined to think, that notwithstanding the manifold alterations diffused in modern times over the face of nature, by the invention of arts and manufactures, by the extent of commerce, by the improvements in philosophy and mathematics, by the manner of fortifying and fighting, by the important discovery of both the Indies, and above all by the total change of religion; yet an epic or dramatic writer, though surrounded with such a multitude of novelties, would find it difficult or impossible to be totally original, and essentially different from Homer and Sophocles. The causes that excite and the operations that exemplify the greater passions, will always have an exact coincidence, though perhaps a little diversified by climate or custom: every exasperated hero must rage like Achilles, and every afflicted widow mourn like Andromache: an abandoned Armida will make use of Dido's execrations; and a Jew will nearly resemble a Grecian, when placed almost in the same situation; that is, the Iöas of Racine in his incomparable Athalia, will be very like the Iön of Euripides. Boileau observes, that a new and extraordinary thought is by no means a thought which no person ever conceived before, or could possibly conceive; on the contrary, it is such a thought as must have occurred to every man in the like case, and have been one of the first in any person's mind upon the same occasion: and it is a maxim of Pope that whatever is very good sense must have been common sense at all times. But if from the foregoing reflections it may appear difficult to distinguish imitation and plagiarism from necessary resemblance and unavoidable analogy, yet the following passages of Pope, which, because they have never been taken notice of, may possibly entertain curious and critical readers, seem evidently to be borrowed, though they are improved. . The dying Christian addresses his soul with a fine spirit of poetical enthusiasm. Vital spark of heavenly flame! -Angels say, I was surprised to find this animated passage closely copied from one of the vile Pindaric writers in the time of Charles the second: When on my sick bed I languish, FLATMAN. Palingenius and Charron furnished him with the two following thoughts in the Essay on Man: Superior beings, when of late they saw Utque movet nobis imitatrix simia risum, And again. POPE Simia calicolûm, risusque jocusque deorum est PALINGENIUS. While man exclaims see all things for my use!' POPE. 'Man scruples not to say, that he enjoyeth the heavens and the elements; as if all had been made, and still move only for him. In this sense a gosling may say as much, and perhaps with more truth and justness.' CHARRON. That he hath borrowed not only sentiments but even expressions from Wollaston and Pascal cannot be doubted, if we consider two more passages: When the loose mountain trembles from on high, Or some old temple nodding to its fall, N POPE. If a good man be passing by an infirm building, just in the article of falling; can it be expected that God should suspend the force of gravitation till he is gone by, in order to his deliverance?' Chaos of thought and passion all confus'd, WOLLASTON. Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd, POPE. • What a chimera then is man! what a confused chaos! what a subject of contradiction! a professed judge of all things, yet a feeble worm of the earth! the great depositary and guardian of truth, and yet a mere huddle of uncertainty! the glory and the scandal of the universe!" PASCAL. The witty allusion to the punishment of avarice, in the Epistle on Riches. Damn'd to the mines, an equal fate betides The slave that digs it, and the slave that hides; is plainly taken from, The causes of the decay of Christian piety,' where that excellent and neglected writer says, 'It has always been held the 'severest treatment of slaves and malefactors,' damnare ad metalla, to force them to dig in the mines: now this is the covetous man's lot, from which he is never to expect a release.' Cowley has also used the same allusion. The celebrated reflection with which Chartres's epitaph, in the same epistle, concludes, is the property of Bruyere. To rock the cradle of reposing age, is a tender and elegant image of filial piety, for which Pope is indebted to Montagne, who wishes, in one of his essays, to find a son-in-law that may 'kindly cherish his old age, and rock it asleep.' And the character of Helluo the glutton, introduced to exemplify the force and continuance of the ruling passion, who in the agonies of death exclaimed, Then bring the Jowl! is taken from that tale in Fontaine, which ends, -Puis qu'il faut que je meure Sans faire tant de façon, Qu'on m' apporte tout à l'heure Le reste de mon poisson. The conclusion of the epitaph on Gay, where he observes that his honour consists not in being entombed among kings and heroes, But that the worthy and the good may say, Striking their pensive bosoms-Here lies Gay. is adopted from an old Latin elegy on the death of prince Henry. In several parts of his writings, Pope seems to have formed himself on the model of Boileau; as might appear from a large deduction of particular passages, almost literally translated from that nervous and sensible satirist. -Happily to steer From grave to gay, from lively to severe. -D'une voix legere POPE. Passer du grave au doux, du plaisant au severe! BOILEAU. Pride, madness, folly, against Dryden rose, L'ignorance, l'erruer a ses naissantes pieces, POPE. BOILEAU. |