64

T

75 War

Elay

which

ot) to

e, and ne depoets. ay was,

ano

still re

t Young

of Pope

or of the

rcely coun

ch an attack

om he invokes

ope's Third

ted in the

under ftill greater obligations, by the living of Shenfield in Effex, if it had become vacant.

The First Night concludes with this paffage

Dark, though not blind, like thee,
Meonides;

Or Milton, thee. Ah! could I reach
your ftrain;

Or his who made Meonides our own!
Man too he fung. Immortal man I fing.
Oh had he preft his theme, purfued the
track

Which

opens out of darkness into day! Oh had he mounted on his wing of fire, Soar'd, where I fink, and fung immor

tal man

---

How had it bleft mankind, and rescued

me!
4

Το

To the author of thefe lines Dr. Warton chofe, in 1756, to dedicate his Essay on the Writings and Genius of Pope, which attempted (whether juftly or not) to pluck from Pope his Wing of Fire, and to reduce him to a rank at least one degree lower than the clafs of English poets. Though the first edition of this Effay was, for particular reafons, fuppreffed; another was printed.. The Dedication ftill remained. To fuppofe therefore that Young approved of Warton's opinion of Pope is not unnatural. Yet the author of the paffage juft quoted would fcarcely countenance, by patronage, fuch an attack.

upon as his Mufe. Part of Pope's Third Book of the Odyffey, depofited in the Museum,

the fame of him whom he invokes.

is written

upon the back of a Letter figned E. Young, which is clearly the hand-writing of our Young. The Letter, dated only May the 2d, feems obfcure; but there can be little doubt that the friendship he requefts was a literary one*, and that he had the highest literary opinion of Pope.

"Dear Sir,

May the 2d..

"Having been often from home, I "know not if you have done me the "favour of calling on me. But, be

that as it will, I much want that in“stance of your friendship I mentioned "in my last; a friendship I am very fen"fible I can receive from no one but CC yourself. I fhould not urge this thing

* I am told that it was a Prologue for one of his Tragedies.

" fo

"fo much but for very particular rea"fons; nor can you be at a lofs to con→

ceive how a trifle of this nature may

"be of ferious moment to me; and "while I am in hopes of the great ad

66

vantage of your advice about it, Į

"fhall not be fo abfurd as to make any "further step without it. I know you "are much engaged, and only hope to "hear of you at your entire leifure.

"I am, Sir,

"Your most faithful

and obedient Servant,

"E. YOUNG."

Nay, even after Pope's death, he fays,

in Night Seven:

Pope, who could'ft make immortals,

art thou dead?

Either