M4 on Papers wor^s. !Feh. 8^ 



dour, benevolence, integrity, — his filial pietj, and 

 public spirit, are all disjjlayed in the most ostenta- 

 tious terms. His contempt of those who abused 

 him in their lampoons, is repeated so often, that we 

 cannot pofsibly believe it. 



After having loudly boasted of his connections 

 with Somers, Sheffield, and St John, he is weak 

 enough to say, 



" Above-a patron, though I condescend 

 " Sometimes to call a mmitcr my friend.'"' 



Speaking of Gay, and the neglect of his merit bj 

 the Englifh court, he adds : 



" Of all thy blamelefs I'fe the Jo/f return, 



" My verse ! and Qo^eensb'ry weeping o'er thy urr." 



Gay received three thousand pounds for his Beg- 

 gar's opera, and had himself therefore only to blame 

 if he ever he wanted money, which was not the case. 



In his imitatic.is of Horace there are many pafsa- 

 ges full of ridiculous self conceit. Speaking of the 

 importance of his writings, he says, 



♦' Yes ! I am proud, and justly proud, to see 

 " Men not afraid of God, afraid of m^." 



And again, when describing the progrefs of na- 

 tional corruption, he adds : 



" Yet fliall this verire, if such a verse remain, 

 " Show there was ONE who held it in disdai: ." 



A considerable part of his poetry runs in this stile. 



Tlie four following lines cannot advance our opinion 



of his good sense : 



<♦ E'en in a b'iliop I can spy desert ; 

 ". Se,;kcr is <iecent, Ruiidall hai a heart. 



