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pear to have become so purblind,by poring over old Authors, in which they discover meanings they never had, that they are unable to difcover any meaning at all in modern Authors; not to say, that fuch Criticks who flourifh most at prefent, have ever been more expert at finding out faults or negligencies than beauties, and at the fame time have more pleasure in pointing them out. In short, the operation of these two performances is what the French call battering a ricochet, where the artillery of a befieging army is directed agoinft one part of the fortifications, in fuch a manner as to strike it obliquely, rebound from thence, and take effect upon another which is intended to be destroyed.

1 fhall now Say Something about the nature of thefe compofitions. Mr. Hurd, I know, will not allow them the title of Dialogues, which, in imitation of Lucian, I have given them; and even Lucian himself, the inventor of this fort of writing, seems to yield it up, in his little tract, entitled, Prometheus. A

man

man is certainly very excufable, when he prefers a fort of writing which he has himself much studied, and fuccefsfully cultivated, as Mr. Hurd appears to have done with the grave philofophick dialogue; but, with all fubmiffion to that learned and ingenious Gentleman, methinks he departs from his wonted candor and good fense, when, speaking of Lucian, he uses the expreffion of the Syrian's frontless buffoonery, and that he treats too barfbly and cavalierly the great Father of Wit and Humour, who, bating his licentiousness in one fingle article, is a very moral and most inftructive writer. But this is merely a difpute about words, and it matters not what name any work goes by, provided it be good in its kind. My Lexiphanes is a downright imitation of Lucian's, tho' fomewhat enlarged; whereas in this, I have taken the hint from him only, and the compofition and conduct, fuch as they are, I must answer for. This work is entirely dramatical; and tho' I never intended, or dreamt of any fuch thing, I now find, on comparison, that it is almost

almost a perfect model of the old Greek Comedy, both in its compofition and plot, and in the characters introduced. For example, in the Clouds of Ariftophanes, the plot of Strep fiades is, by learning Sophiftry from Socrates, to evade the payment of his debts. And here Apollo and Mercury, having run in debt thro' their extravagance, fall upon this fcheme of catching the Autbors and felling them, in order to fatisfy their creditors, and replenish their purfes. There is alfo the fame fimplicity, and pretty nearly the fame conduct and preparation of incidents as in the old Comedy. Nay, if what I have called the Epilogue be allowed to be an act, I know not but this Sale of Authors may pretend to rank with the modern Comedy. For in the Epilogue, there is an amorous quarrel, an intrigue, and disappointment, and it concludes with a marriage and plenty of killing, the great hinges on which the Modern Comedy turns. The dramatis perfonæ are, likewife, precisely the fame as in the old Comedy: Real Perfons, Animals, and Pagan Deities, or imaginary Beings. In Arifto

Ariftophanes, the Animals frequently act a principal part; here the dogs make a very Short appearance, tho' perhaps no impertinent one, feeing they interrupt the recital of one of Mr. G---s Prologues. Mercury has ever been a favourite character with all writers in the Dramatick way, and perhaps there never was one better calculated for Comedy: a Superior Being who cheats, fteals, and lies, without Shame or fcruple, but is at the fame time jo good-humoured, focial, withal, that we could not

and friendly*

but like him for

though a wife

an occafional companion; man would take care how he played at Cards,

* The following is the amiable character given of Mercury by Jupiter, in his fpeech to him, in the 24th Iliad, as tranflated by Mr. Pope.

Then thus to Hermes. Thou whose constant cares
Still fuccour Mortals, and attend their pray'rs.
Behold an object, to thy charge confign'd,
If ever pity touch'd thee for Mankind.

But this is at beft a beautiful paraphrafe, for Homer's literal meaning is, "that it is Mercury's "greatest delight to affift mankind in the quality of "their friend and companion,"

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or bad any pecuniary connections with him. Apollo, tho' as extravagant and neceffitous as Mercury, nay equally willing to profit by the foibles of his customers, is yet represented as baving a great deal of fincerity, and much more honour than his partner; such are the lights and colours wherein I have endeavoured to paint my two Deities: and certainly pecple in the first ages of Greece and Rome must have been extremely happy in the belief of their religion, there is something so very pleasant and good-humoured in its conftruction, efpecially as it peoples all nature with fuperior Beings ever difpofed to be the friends and fometimes the companions of mankind.

As for the real characters, which, in conformity to the Old Comedy are introduced, they are most of them fo well known, that the Reader will at once perceive whether they are treated with justice, or properly reprefented. I have, however, carefully avoided the licentioufness of Ariftopbanes; and, Iperfuade myfelf, that in the following performance, there

is

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