together, is willing enough to make the best of it, and to espouse an agreeable Ravisher.

? Fair Truth.] He was a wife Man who faid Women were stronger than either the King, or Wine; but his Wisdom appear'd most in preferring Truth to them all. She has a Beauty out-fhining all the Art and Eloquence in the World; and I fhould not wonder to see a very Deift willing to die a Martyr for her, tho' he believ'd no Refurrection, and expected no Reward. There was one of that Principle lately among the Turks; a Man of Parts, and in nothing fantastical, who, rather than renounce some Doctrines he maintain'd against a future Life, and the foolish Superstition of adoring MAHOMET, chose rather to die as calmly and as confiderately as SOCRATES himself.

In this bafe Age.] 'Tis almost incredible what the Ancients have written, and really perform'd of Friendship. And therefore we fee the famous old Tragedies are often turn'd all upon that; whereas ours are only fill'd with Love; which, tho' as tender a Concern as the other, yet (a Woman being one of the Parties) is uncapable of many fublime Thoughts that arife among the Men, a Sex fo much more knowing and active in the World. And even

for Softness itself, it will be hard to fhew a Scene more moving than that between AMYNTOR and MELANTIUS in the Maid's-Tragedy; which I fhould be forry to fee without great Emotion, fince 'tis a fhrewd fign of being both dull and ill-natur'd. No body has equall'd the Ancients on this Subject, except MONTAGNE, who on all Subjects has hardly been equall'd by the Moderns. The worst of it is, this Friendship is a Virtue which does not depend upon one's felf alone to have; for in such a selfish Age, one Man, tho' never fo capable of it, may look about a great while before he finds out another; and this Contract will never hold, without an exact Counterpart.

* Affift ye Angels.] All Religions agree in believing that fuperiour Beings affift us on fome important Occafions; but above all Poetry, and efpecially this kind of it, has an establish'd Right to depend on Inspiration. To speak Truth, all Poets have endeavour'd to hide their Vanity under this Veil of pretended Modefty; nothing seeming more humble than to diftruft themselves, and implore Affiftance, while at the fame time they prefum'd that fomething like divine Inspiration might shine out in their Poems. On which occafion (thefe Notes being already a rambling fort of Rhapfody) I will

venture to say a little on a Subject, of which`others, for ought I can find, have not faid much : I mean, of that which Poets call a Mufe, by whom they pretend to be infpir'd, and is by all underftood to be a Genius for Poetry; to which Genius a Poet may be allowed in some measure to pretend, because whoever wants it, tho' with never fo good Words and smooth Cadence, is yet little better than a player at Crambo. My imperfe& Notion. of a Genius is this, which I fubmit to better Judgments, I think it a happy Temper of the Brain, fo equally mix'd of Fancy and Judgment, that as great Heat of Imagination is apt to fpring all fort of Game, fo the understanding Faculty is ftill near at hand, to select the good, and to reject the rest.

How plainly.] This is according to the univerfal Opinion of Angels, that they need no Organs of Speech among themselves; and their Thoughts are communicated to one another by what the Which however true Schoolmen call Intuition.

or false, is enough for a Poet's applying it to this Subject of Friendship, which feems even among us Mortals to have fomething of divine in it.

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* A Race as far, &c.] According to the christian Faith, the Angels had a Beginning, tho' they can

have

have no End; and we have as good an Opinion of our own Souls alfo.

"You far and fmil'd.] Since Angels are fuppos'd to be particularly concern'd for mankind, (tho' I confefs I think we are very unworthy of that Honour) they must needs be pleas'd with feeing in us any fort of Virtue, efpecially this fort of Friendship, so much practis'd by themselves.

"Life received.] Befides that BRUTUS received his Life once from CÆSAR on the account of the Civil War, he was very much fufpected to be his Son; and the more, because of his great Fondness

him. 'Tis certain the time of CÆSAR'S Intrigue with SERVILIA is very confiftent with it. But his forgiving him at Pharfalia was not so much as the least Proof of it; for the Mother's paft Favours had been alone fufficient to procure a Pardon for her Son, especially with fo merciful a Nature as Cæsar's.

Obligations.] This to fome Humours is like enough to appear an over-refinement; and I expect they will rather fancy to have the pleasure of receiving good turns, let who will take the other of doing them. But I appeal to many, if they

have not found the doing a Kindness a much greater Satisfaction than receiving one. Yet I admit the latter part to be very agreeable alfo, when 'tis from worthy Perfons; being a new Inftance of their Efteem and Favour.

All] Because a Fact committed in Paffion, or by Inadvertence, is nothing in comparison with one done on Deliberation, and by a long-lay'd Defign: Which so far excus'd ALEXANDER'S killing of CLYTUS, that it has leffen'd his great Fame of being generous and good-natur'd.

The Center.] This was fo great a Defign, that none but such an extraordinary Perfon as BRUTUS could have brought it about by his Influence over all the Confpirators; who being the chief Patriots among the nobleft People that ever the Sun fhin'd on, I cannot but think BRUTUS appears higher at the Head of such an illuftrious Party, than CÆSAR himself commanding the whole Roman Empire.

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Ample Marks.] CÆSAR had in a publick manner given BRUTUS the preference to CASSIUS, and to all Rome befides, by making him chief Prætor a few Days before he killed him.

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