be owned that he hath got a notable knack of rhyming and writing smooth verfe'. Mr. POPE'S HOMER. The Homer which Lintot prints, does not talk like Homer, but like Pope; and he who tranflated him, one would fwear, had a Hill in Tipperary for his Parnaffus, and a puddle in fome Bog for his Hippocrene". He has no Admirers among those that can diftinguish, difcern, and judge ". He hath a knack at smooth verfe, but without either Genius or good fenfe, or any tolerable knowledge of English. The qualities which distinguish Homer are the beauties of his Diction and the Harmony of his Verfification-But this little Author, who is so much in vogue, has neither sense in his Thoughts nor English in his Expressions °. Mr. POPE understood no Greek. He hath undertaken to translate Homer from the Greek, of which he knows not one word, into English, of which he understands as little P. I wonder how this Gentleman would look, fhould it be difcovered, that he has not tranflated ten verses to 1 Character of Mr. P. and Dennis on Fom. Ib. p. 14. • Character of Mr. P. p. 17. and ReDennis's Remarks on He would not underftand his Author. This fhews how fit Mr. D. may be to tranflate Homer! A miftake in a fingle letter might fall on the Printer well enough, but we for ixup must be the error of the Author: Nor had he art enough to correct it at the Prefs. Mr. Dryden writes for the Court Ladies He writes for the Ladies, and not for ufe ".. The Tranflator puts in a little Burlesque now and then into Virgil, for a Ragout to his cheated, Subfcribers ". Mr. DRYDEN trick'd his Subfcribers. I wonder that any man, who could not but be confcious of his own unfitness for it, fhould go to anufe the learned world with fuch an undertaking t A man ought to value his Reputation more than Money; and not to hope that thofe who can read for themselves, will be impofed upon, merely by a partially and unfeasonably celebrated Name *. Poetis quidlibet audendi shall be Mr. Dryden's Motto, though it should extend to picking of pockets ". Names beftowed on Mr. DRYDEN. An APE] A crafty Ape dreft up in a gawdy gown --Whips put into an Ape's paw, to play pranks Pag. 206. # Pag. 67. • Pag. 19. * Pag. 192. u Pag. 144. 190. Pag. 125. gether in any book of Homer with justice to the Poet, and yet he dares reproach his fellow writers with not understanding Greek. He has ftuck fo little to his Original as to have his knowledge in Greek call'd in queftion". I fhould be glad to know which it is of all Homer's Excellencies which has fo delighted the Ladies, and the Gentlemen who judge like Ladies". But he has a notable talent at Burlesque; his genius flides fo naturally into it, that he hath burlefqued Homer without defigning it *. Mr. POPE trick'd his Subscribers. 'Tis indeed fomewhat bold, and almost prodigi ous, for a fingle man to undertake fuch a work: But 'tis too late to diffuade by demonstrating the madnefs of the Project. The Subscribers expectations have been rais'd in proportion to what their Pockets have been drained of". Pope has been concerned in Jobs, and hired out his Name to Bookfellers W Names beftowed on Mr, POPE. An APE.] Let us take the initial letter of his Christian name, and the initial and final letters of his Daily Jour. April 23, 1728. fund, Pref. Suppl. to the Pro • Oldmixon, Effay on Criticism, p. 66. t Dennis's Remarks, p. 28. British Journ. Nov, 25, 1737. with-None but Apish and Papish brats will heed him". An Ass.] A Camel will take upon him no more burden than is fufficient for his ftrength, but there is another beast that crouches under alla. A FROG.] Poet Squab endued with Poet Maro's Spirit! an ugly, croaking kind of Vermin, which would fwell to the bulk of an Ox". A COWARD] A Clinias or a Damætas, or a man of Mr. Dryden's own Courage". A KNAVE.] Mr. Dryden has heard of Paul, the Knave of Jefus Chrift: And if I mistake not, I've read fomewhere of John Dryden, Servant to his Majeftyd. A FOOL.] Had he not been such a self-conceited Fool. Some great Poets are pofitive Blockheads. A THING.] So little a Thing as Mr. Dryden3. z Whip and Key, Pref. • Pag. 176. Milb. p. 34. 57. a Milb. p. 105. P. b Pag. 11. Whip and Key, Pr. furname, viz. APE, and they give you the fame Idea of an Ape as his Face*, &c. An Ass.] It is my duty to pull off the Lion's skin from this little Afs". A FROG.] A fquab fhort Gentleman-a little creature that, like the Frog in the Fable, fwells, angry that it is not allowed to be as big as an and is Ox2. A COWARD.] A lurking way-laying coward". A KNAVE. He is one whom God and nature have marked for want of common honefty". A FooL.] Great Fools will be christened by the names of great Poets, and Pope will be called Homer. A THING.] A little abject Thing". * Dennis, Daily Journal, May 11. 1728. Rem. on Hom. Pref. Lock, Pref. p. 9. y Dennis's 2 Dennis's Rem. on the Rape of the a Char. of Mr. P. pag. 3. Dennis Rem, on Homer p. 37. d Ibid. p. 8. Ibid. |