I79I' ON ALLAN RAMSAY. $^ 



public a volume of dull and tirefome verles, it is cha- 

 ritable to believe he is unacquainted with Swift and 

 Dryden. In knowledge of books, the clafs of poets I 

 mention are fometimes deficient ; and thus between ar- 

 tificial groilhefs and aftual ignorance, there is no won- 

 der that they often fall fliort of perfcftion. It is in- 

 deed a principal argument with their admirers, that a 

 poet of true genius docs not require the help of learn- 

 ing. The author of a quaint effay on original compo- 

 fition feems inclined to fan£lify this chimera. But Ho- 

 race more properly lays, " I neither fee what learning 

 " can accomplifli without genius, or genius without 

 " learning." 



Their advocates have adduced Shak&fjpeare as an ex- 

 ample of uncultivated excellence ; but tnofe critics talk 

 at random who affert him to have been illiterate. He 

 underftood both French and Latin, though perhaps 

 mperfecElly. His extenfive acquaintance with ancient 

 and modern hiftory, and the compietenefs of his ideas 

 on every fubje£l, atteil, with a force far beyond the 

 parade of citations, that he muft have been a very dili- 

 gent reader. When he reprefents Bohemia as a mari- 

 ime country *, and an Illyrian as referring to " tlie 



bells of St Bennetf," we can only fuppofe that he 

 vas fporting with his audience. His ftyle alfo, where- 

 ver he chufes to exert himfelf, is more various, more 

 icrvous, and more elegant, tlian that of any Engliih 

 vrltcr of the fixteenth century. 



Of poets in the Scottifh dialecH:, the bed and greatcfl:, 

 leyond all comparifon, is Allan Ramfay. He appear^ 

 have fludied Dryden's llyle with much attention, 

 nee his verfes flow with the molt pleafing volubility. 

 iu provincial phrafes are (cw, when compared with 

 lote of fome of his imitators ; and he has felecled 

 icin with fuch happy dexterity that they are almoft 

 .pni'Iy familiar in every part of the kingdom. But 



• Winter's Tale, f Twcl-di r^\gh-. 



