points out no particular Character. It would be better, if when we light upon fuch a Turn, we join it with fomething that circumfcribes and bounds it to the Qualities of our Subject. He who gives his Praise in grofs, will often appear either to have been a Stranger to thofe he writes upon, or not to have found any Thing in them which is praife-worthy. On Sophocles, by Simonides. Winde, gentle Ever-green, to form a Shade THIS Epigram I have opened more than any of the former: The Thought towards the latter End seemed clofer couched, so as to require an Explication. I fancied the Poet aimed at the Picture which is generally made of Apollo and the Muses, he fitting with his Harp in the Middle, and they around him. This looked beautiful to my Thought, and because the Image arose before me out of the Words of the Original as I was reading it, L ventured to explain them fo. On Menander, the Author unnamed. The very Bees, O fweet Menander, hung THIS Epigram has a respect to the Character of its Subject; for Menander writ remarkably with a Juftness and Purity of Language. It has alfo told the Country he was was born in, without either a fet or a hidden manner, while it twifts together the Glory of the Poet and his Nation, fo as to make the Nation depend upon his for an Encrease of its own. I will offer no more Inftances at prefent, to fhew that they who deferve Praise have it returned them from different Ages. Let these which have been laid down, fhew Men that Envy will not always prevail. And to the end that Writers may more fuccefsfully enliven the Endeavours of one another, let them confider, in fome fuch manner as I have attempted, what may be the jufteft Spirit and Art of Praise. It is indeed very hard to come up to it. Our Praife is trifling when it depends upon Fable; it is falfe when it depends upon wrong Qualifications; it means nothing when it is general; it is extremely difficult to hit when we propofe to raise the Characters high, while we keep to them juftly. I fhall end this with tranfcribing that excellent Epitaph of Mr. Cowley, wherein, with a kind of grave and philofophick Humour, he very beautifully fpeaks of himself ̈ ̈ (withdrawn from the World, and dead to all the Inte-refts of it) as of a Man really deceas'd. At the fame Time it is an Inftruction how to leave the Publick with a good Grace. Epitaphium Vivi. Authoris. Hic, O Viator, fub Lare parvule Poffis ut illum dicere mortuum, Terra fit illa lavis, precare. Vatis adhuc Cinerem calentem. THE THE Publication of these Criticisms having procured me the following Letter from a very ingenious Gentleman, I cannot forbear inferting it in the Volume, though it did not come foon enough to have a Place in any my fingle Papers.. Mr. SPECTATOR, H of AVING read over in your Paper, No. 55r. fome of the Epigrams made by the Gracian Wits, in Commendation of their celebrated Poets, I ⚫ could not forbear fending you another, out of the fame • Collection; which I take to be as great a Compli ment to Homer, as any that has yet been paid him. Τις ποθ ̓ ὁ τὸν Τροΐης πόλεμον, &c. Who firft tranfcrib'd the famous Trojan War, IF you think it worthy of a Place in your Speculations, for ought I know (by that means) it may in Time be printed as often in English, as it has already been in Greek. (I am like the reft of the World). 4th Dec. SIR, Your great Admirer, G. R. THE Reader may obferve that the Beauty of this Epigram is different from that of any in the Foregoing. An Irony is look'd upon as the finest Palliative of Praise: and very often conveys the nobleft Panegyrick under the Appearance of Satire. Homer is here feemingly accused and treated as a Plagiary; but what is drawn up in the Form of an Accufation, is certainly, as my Correfpondent obferves, the greatest Compliment that could have been paid to that divine Poet. Dear ་ Dear Mr. SPECTATOR, I AM a Gentleman of a pretty good Fortune, and of a Temper impatient of any Thing which I think an Injury; however I always quarrelled according to Law, and inftead of attacking my Adverfary by the dangerous Method of Sword and Pistol, I made my Affaluts by that more fecure one of Writ or Warrant. I cannot help telling you, that either by the Juftice of my Caufes, or the Superiority of my Counfel, I have been generally fuccefful; and to my great Satisfaction I can fay it, that by three Actions of Slander and half a dozen Treípaffes, I have for several Years enjoy'd a perfect Tranquility in my Reputation and Eftate. By thefe Means alfo I have been made known to the Judges, the Serjeants of our Circuit are my intimate Friends, and the ornamental Counsel pay a very profound Refpect to one who has made fo great a Figure in the Law. Affairs of Confequence having brought me to Town, I had the Curiofity t'other Day to vifit Westminster-hall; and having placed my felf in one of the Courts, expected to be moft agreeably entertained. After the Court and Counsel were, with due Ceremony feated, up ftands a learned Gentleman, and began, 'When this Matter was last fiirred before your Lordfhip; the next humbly moved to quash an Indictment ; another complain'd that his Adverfary had Snapp'd a Judgment; the next informed the Court that his Cli ent was fripped of his Poffeffion; another begg'd Leave to acquaint his Lordship they had been faddled with Cofts. At laft up got a grave Serjeant, and told us his Client had been hung up a whole Term by a Writ of Error. At this I could bear it no longer, but came hither, and refolved to apply my felf to your Honour to interpofe with these Gentlemen, that they would leave ⚫ off fuch low and unnatural Expreffions: For furely 'tho' the Lawyers fubfcribe to hideous French and falfe Latin, yet they should let their Clients have a little decent and proper English for their Money. What Man that has a Value for a good Name would like to have it faid in a publick Court, that Mr. Such a-one was fripped, faddled or hung up? This being what has • escaped 6 6 efcaped your Spectatorial Obfervation, be pleafed to correct fuch an illiberal Cant among profess'd Speakers, and you'll infinitely oblige Joe's Coffee-house, Nov. 28. Your bumble Servant, Fhilonicus. No. 552. Wednesday, December 3. Que prægravat artes Infra fe pofitas, extinctus amabitur idem. Hor. A It SI was tumbling about the Town the other Day in a Hackney-coach, and delighting my felf with bufy Scenes in the Shops of each Side of me, it came into my Head, with no fmall Remorfe, that I had not been frequent enough in the Mention and Recommendation of the induftrious Part of Mankind. It very naturally, upon this Occafion, touched my Confcience in particular, that I had not acquitted my felf to my Friend Mr. Peter Motteux. That induftrious Man of Trade, and formerly Brother of the Quill, has dedicated to me a Poem upon Tea. would injure him, as a Man of Business, if I did not let the World know that the Author of fo good Verfes writ them before he was concern'd in Traffick. In order to expiate my Negligence towards him, I immediately refolv'd to make him a Vifit. I found his fpacious Warehoufes fill'd and adorn'd with Tea, China and Indian Ware. I could obferve a beautiful Ordonnance of the whole; and fuch different and confiderable Branches of Trade carried on, in the fame House, I exulted in feeing. difpos'd by a poetical Head. In one Place were exposed to view Silks of various Shades and Colours, rich Brocades, and the wealthiest Products of foreign Looms. Here you might fee the fineft Laces held up by the faireft Hands; and there examin'd by the beauteous Eyes of the Buyers, most delicate Cambricks, Muslins and Linnens. I could not |