The Whole Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Esq.

The Whole Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Esq. Synopsis

Excerpt from The Whole Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Esq.: Including His Translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey

Ohier is univerfally allowed to have had the greate? Invention of any writer whatever. The praife of judgment Virgil hasjufily contelled W'ill him, and Others tav have their pretenfions as to particular excellencies; but his Invention remains yet un ivaled. Nor is it a wonder if he has ever been acknowledged the greatefl of poets, who nofi excelled in that which is the very foundation of poetry. It is the Invention that in liti'erent degrees difiinguilhes all great Geniufes the utmol't firetch of human fittdy, learn ing, and indullry, which mallers every thing bolides, can never attain to this. It furnilhes An with all her materials, and without it, Judgment rtfelf can at hell but ?ea! Wifely For Art is only like a prudent Reward that lives on managing the riches of Nature. What ever praifes may be given to works of judgment, there is not even a lingle beauty in them to which the Invention muff not contribute as in the mall regular gardens, Art can only reduce the beauties of Nature to more regularity, and fach a figure, which the common eye may better take in, and is therefore more entertained with. And perhaps the reafon why common critics are inclined to prefer a judicious and methodical genius to a great and fruitful one, is, becaufc they find it calier for themfelves to purfue their obfervations through an uniform and bounded walk of Art, than to comprehend the vai'e and various extent of Name.

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