
Port Folio.....Gray’s Imitations. 
If the TRacTs written by Socinus be read 
over with all the attention fo important a 
fubjeét requires, in order to ynderftand him, 
and plead properly for his doétrines; and if 
the only intentien in writing the account be, 
to purfue truth calmly and impartially, with- 
out being felicitous where we find it, fo we’ 
do but find it, an excellent and ufeful book 
may be made by a man of genius and learning, 
againit the incarnation of God, anda Trinity 
365 
of Almighty perfons; the moft aftonifhing, 
fenfelefs and impious imaginations, that ever 
got into the heads of great divines and fathers. 
This is all I have to fay in relation to So- 
cinus, and am beholding to the occafion for 
procuring me the fayour of a letter from you. 
I am obliged to you for your expreffions of 
civility, and am, with refpeét, Sir, your af» 
fured hymble fervant, THomMas AMORY¥. 
Yorkpbire, Fuly 31, 1774. 
EXTRACTS FROM THE PORT FOLIO OF A MAN OF 
Lieb TERS. 
PoETICAL or PRosE IMITATIONS and 
SIMILARITIES, 
NE of the moit elegant of literary 
recreations is that of tracing poeti- 
cal or profe imitations, and fimilarities 5 
for affuredly, fimilarity is not always imi- 
tation. The plealing effay on “ The 
Marks of Imitation,” will aft the 
critic in deciding on what may only be 
an accidental wimilarity, rather than 
an imitation; but the moit prudent 
caution is hardly fufficient for this pur- 
pole; we often think, .and frequently 
write, like our predeceffors, without evén 
a fufpicion of imitation. Thofe eritics, 
have, therefore, indulged.a very intemper- 
ate abule of theie amufing reiearches, 
who, even from @ single word, derive the 
imitation of an entire pafage. Mr. 
WAKEFIELD, in his edition of ¢ Gray's 
Poems,’ is very liable to this cenfure, 
I had once formed a large collection of 
fuch paflages, not witha view of tracing 
what appeared to be imitation, but merely 
to form my -tafte, and to view the fame 
image; or fentiment, either borrowed 
with art, or improved with new embel- 
lifhments, or differently appropriated. Of 
thefe, a tew only have efcaped perdition, 
and thefe I fhall now arrange. The in- 
genious writer of * 4 Criticifm on Gray's 
Elegy, in continuation of Dr. Fobnfin’s,” 
thas given {ome obfervations on this 
fabject, which will pleafe the reader. 
He fays, ‘¢ It is often entertaining to trace 
imitation ; to deteét the adopted image, 
the copied defign, the transterred fenti- 
ment, the appropriated phrafe, and even 
the acquired manner and frame, under all 
the difguifes that imitation, combination, 
and accommodation may have thrown 
around them, mult require both parts and 
diligence; but if will bring with it no 
ordinary gratification.” A book pro- 
fefledly on the ‘* Hiftory and progre(s of 
imitation in poetry,”” written by a man of 
perfpicuity, and an adept in the art of 
difcerning likeneffes, even when miiuie ; 
with examples, properly feleted, and gra- 
dations daly marked; would make an. 
important acceflion to the ftore of human 
literature, and furnifh rational curiofity 
with a high regale.”’ 
I muft premife, that thefe notices are 
not given with the malignant delight of 
deteéting the unacknowledged imitations 
of feveral of our belt writers; fuch, fome 
undoubtedly are, and others are height- 
ened, while they are borrowed; but the 
greater part are merely defigned to exhi- 
bit that beautiful variety which the tame 
image is capaBle of, when touched by the 
art of genius. 
Gray, in his ** Ode to Sprinz,”* has 
¢¢ The attick warbler PouRS HER THROAT.” 
Mr. WAKEFIELD, in his ** Commen- 
tary,’ has a whole page on this truly, 
poetical diction. He conceives it to be 
«¢ an admirable improvement of the ori- 
ginal form in the Greek and Roman claf- 
fics : 

: ogets eevdyy: Hef. Scut. Her. 396. 
~——‘* fuaves ex ore loguelas 
Funce.” Lucret. 1. 40. 
We all know that Mr. WAKEFIELD 
can remember a greater number et quo- 
tations in Greek and Latin, than in his 
‘vulgar idiom. ‘The expreflion is evidently 
and purely borrowed zof irom Hetiod, zor 
from Lucretius, but fimply from Pope. 
«6 Is it for thee, the linnet PouRS HER 
THROAT.” 
Effay on Man, Ep. iii. v. 33. 
Gray, in the ‘* Cde to Adverfity,” ad- 
drefles that power thus: 
‘© Thou tamer of the human breaft, 
Whole rrRon scourGE and TORT’RINE€ 
HOUR 
The bad aitright, affliét the beft !” 
Here Mr. WaKEFIELD is pleafed to 
cenfure the exprefiion ‘¢ tort’ring hour,” 
by difcevering an impropriety and incon- 
gruity. He lays, ‘* conjiftency of figure 
rat er required fome material image, like 
iron jcourge and adaviaztine chain.” What 
would Gray have iaid to /uch criticiims? 
Probably he would have been filent; or, 
he might perhaps have pointed out to this 
; : minuteé 
