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city of Corregio-the learning of Pouffin-the airs of Guido-the tafte of the Carrachis-or the grand con-tour of Angelo !

Grant me patience !-Of all the cants which are canté ed in this canting world-though the cant of hypocrify may be the worit-the cant of criticilm is the moft tor menting!I would go fifty miles on foot, to kifs the band of that man whofe generous heart will give up the reins of his imagination into Iris author's hands, be pleas fed, he knows not why and cares not wherefore.

XII. Parallel between Pope and Dryden.

IN acquired knowledge, the fuperiority must be allow ed to Dryden, whofe education was more fcholaftic, and who, before he became an author, had been allowed more time for ftudy, with better means of information. His mind has a larger range, and he collects his images and illuftrations from a more extensive circumference of fcience. Dryden knew more of man in his general nature, and Pope in his local manners. The notions of Dryden were formed by comprehenfive fpeculation; thofe of Pope by minute attention. There is more dig nity in the knowledge of Dryden, and more certainty in that of Pope..

Poetry was not the fole praife of either; for both excelled likewife in profe: but Pope did not borrow his profe from his predeceffor. The ftyle of Dryden is capricious and varied; that of Pope is cautious and uniform: Dryden obeys the motions of his own mind; Pope: constrains his mind to his own rules of composition. Dryden is fometimes vehement and rapid; Pope is always fmooth, uniform, and gentle. Dryden's page is a natural field, rifing into inequalities, and diverfified by the varied exuberance of abundant vegetation; Pope's is a velvet lawn, fhaven by the feythe, and levelled by the roller.

Of genius-that power which conftitutes a poet; that quality without which judgment is cold and knowledge is inert; that energy which collects, combines, amplifies, and animates--the fuperiority muft, with fome hesitation, be allowed to Dryden. It is not to be inferred, that of abis poetical vigour Pope had only a little, becaufe Dry

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den had more'; for every other writer fince Milton must give place to Pope; and even of Dryden it must be said, that if he has brighter paragraphs, he has not better poems. Dryden's performances were always hafty; either excited by fome external occafion, or extorted by domeftic neceffity: he compofed without confideration, and published without correction. What his mind could fupply at call, or gather in one excurfion, was all that he fought, and all that he gave. The dilatory caution of Pope enabled him to condense his fentiments, to multiply his images, and to accumulate all that study might produce, or chance might fupply. If the flights of Dryden therefore are higher, Pope continues longer on the wing. If of Dryden's fire the blaze is brighter, of Pope's the heat is more regular and conftant. Dryden often furpaffes expectation, and Pope never falls below it. Dryden is read with frequent aftonishment, and Pope with perpetual delight.

XIII. Story of Le Fever.

IT was fome time in the fummer of that year in which Dendermond was taken by the Allies; when my uncle Toby was one evening getting his fupper, with Trim fitting behind him at a fmall fideboard,-1 fay fittingfor in confideration of the Corporal's lame knee (which. fometimes gave him exquifite pain)-when my uncle Toby dined or fupped alone he would never fuffer the Corporal to ftand; and the poor fellow's veneration for his mafter was fuch, that, with a proper artillery, my uncle Toby could have taken Dendermond itself, with lefs trouble than he was able to gain this point over him; for many a time when my uncle Toby fuppofed the Corporal's leg was at reft, he would look back, and detect him standing behind him with the moft dutiful refpect this bred more little fquabbles betwixt them, than all other causes for five-and-twenty years together.

He was one evening fitting thus at his fupper, when the landlord of a little inn in the village came into the parlour with an empty phial in his hand, to beg a glafs or two of fack: 'Tis for a poor gentleman,-I think of the army, faid the landlord, who has been taken ill at

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my house four days ago, and has never held up his head fince, or had a defire to tafte any thing, till just now, that he has a fancy for a glass of fack and a thin toast, -"I think," fays he, taking his hand from his forehead, "it would comfort me.

-If I could neither beg, borrow, nor buy fuch a thing,-added the landlord, I would almoft fteal it for the poor gentleman, he is fo ill.-I hope he will still mend, continued he; we are all of us concerned for him. Thou art a good-natured foul, I will answer for thee, cried my uncle Toby; and thou fhalt drink the poor gentleman's health in a glafs of fack thyfelf,-and take a couple of bottles with my fervice, and tell him he is heartily welcome to them, and to a dozen more, if they will do him good.

Though I am perfuaded, faid my uncle Toby, as the landlord fhut the door, he is a very compaffionate fellow, Trim,-yet I cannot help entertaining a high opinion of his guest too; there must be something more than common in him, that in fo fhort a time fhould win fo much upon the affections of his hoft-And of his whole family, added the Corporal, for they are all concerned for him.-Step after him, faid my uncle Toby, -do Trim, and afk if he knows his name.

-I have quite forgot it, truly, faid the landlord, coming back into the parlour with the Corporal,—but I can afk his fon again. Has he a fon with him then? faid my uncle Toby. A boy, replied the landlord, of about eleven or twelve years of age;-but the poor crea ture has tafted almost as little as his father; he does nothing but mourn and lament for him night and day :— He has not ftirred from the bed-fide thefe two days.

My uncle Toby laid down his knife and fork, and thruft his plate from before him, as the landlord gave him the account; and Trim, without being ordered, took away, without faying one word, and, in a few minutes after, brought him his pipe and tobacco.

Trim! faid my uncle Toby, I have a project in my head, as it is a bad night, of wrapping myself up warm in my roquelaure, and paying a vifit to this poor gentleman. -Your honour's roquelaure, replied the Corporal, has not once been had on fince the night before your ho

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nour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St Nicholas;-and befides, it is fo cold and rainy a night, that what with the roquelaure, and what with the weather, it will be enough to give your honour your death. I fear so, replied my uncle Toby: but I am not at reft in my mind, Trim, fince the account the landlord has given me-I wish I had not known fo much of this affair,-added my uncle Toby,—or that I had known more of it :How hall we manage it? Leave it, an't please your honour, to me, quoth the Corporal;-I'll take my hat and stick, and go to the house and reconnoitre, and act accordingly; and I will bring your honour a full account in an hour.-Thou fhalt go, Trim, faid my uncle Toby, and here's a fhilling for thee to drink with his fervant. -I fhall get it all out of him, faid the Corporal, fhutting the door.

It was not till my uncle Toby had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe that Corporal Trim returned from the inn, and gave him the following account.

I defpaired at first, said the Corporal, of being able to bring back your honour any kind of intelligence concerning the poor fick Lieutenant-Is he in the army, then? faid my uncle Toby-He is, faid the Corporal-And in what regiment? faid my uncle Toby-I'll tell your honour, replied the Corporal, every thing ftraight forward, as I learnt it. Then, Trim, I'll fill another pipe, faid my uncle Toby, and not interrupt thee; fo fit down at thy eafe, Trim, in the window feat, and begin thy fto ry again. The corporal made his old bow, which ge-.. nerally spoke as plain as a bow could fpeak. it, "Your honour is good:"And having done that, he fat down, as he was ordered, and began the flory to my uncle Toby over again in pretty near the fame words.

I defpaired at first, faid the Corporal, of being able to bring back any intelligence to your honour about the Lieutenant and his fon; for when I asked where his fervant was, from whom I made myself fure of knowing every thing which was proper to be asked,That's a right diftinction, Trim, faid my uncle Toby---I was an fwered, an't please your honour, that he had no fervant with him that he had come to the inn with hired horfes

horfes; which, upon finding himself unable to proceed (to join, I fuppofe, the regiment), he had difmiffed the morning after he came. If I get better, my dear, faid 'he, as he gave his purfe to his fon to pay the man,—we can hire horfes from hence.-But, alas! the poor gentleman will never get from hence, faid the landlady to me, for I heard the death-watch all night long;-and when he dies, the youth, his fon, will certainly die with him; for he is broken-hearted already.

I was hearing this account, continued the Corporal, when the youth came into the kitchen, to order the thin toaft the landlord fpoke of;-but I will do it for my father myself, faid the youth.-Pray let me fave you the trouble, young gentleman, faid I, taking up a fork for the purpofe, and offering him my chair to fit down upon by the fire, whilft I did it.-I believe, Sir, faid he, very modeftly, I can please him beft myself. I am fure, faid I, his honour will not like the toast the worfe for being toafted by an old foldier.-The youth took hold of my hand, and inftantly burst into tears. Poor youth! faid my uncle Toby, he has been bred up from an infant in the army, and the name of a foldier, Trim, founded in his ears like the name of a friend; I wish I had him here.

-I never in the longeft march, faid the Corporal, had fo great a mind to my dinner, as I had to cry with him for company :-What could be the matter with me, an't please your honour? Nothing in the world, Trim, faid my uncle Toby, blowing his nofe,-but that thou art a good-natured fellow.

When I gave him the toast, continued the Corporal, I thought it was proper to tell him I was Captain Shandy's fervant, and that your honour (though a ftranger) was extremely concerned for his father; and that if there was any thing in your house or cellar-(and thou might'ft have added my purfe too, faid my uncle Toby), -he was heartily welcome to it :-He made a very low bow (which was meant to your honour), but no anfwer for his heart was full-fo he went up ftairs with the toast;-I warrant you, my dear, faid I, as I opened the kitchen door, your father will be well again.—Mr Yorick's curate was fmoking a pipe by the kitchen-fire,

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