m'd than
even in their own Time, because they attain'd the height of
Perfection, of which I have spoken. It is not therefore on account
of the antiquated Words and Expressions in _Ronsard_, that _Ronsard_
has lost the Reputation he once had, but because the Beauties which
were thought to be in him, appear'd all at once to be no Beauties at
all.

Thus we see, that in order to bring us to the degree of Perfection with
which the Doctor flatters us by means of his new Academy, they must
teach us first to think justly, to distinguish false Beauty from true,
and glaring from Brightness, to banish those that write by Humour, and
receive only such as aim at Solidity in their Writings. How the
Celebrated _Tale_ of a Tub will come off then with the best Judges,
I can easily guess, that excellent Treatise being much of the same
nature as _Rabelais_, of whom _La Bruyere_ says, _+Rabelais+ is
incomprehensible: His Book is an inexplicable Enigma, a meer Chimera; It
has a Woman's Face, with the Feet and Tail of a Serpent, or some Beast
more deform'd. 'Tis a Monstrous Collection of Political and Ingenious
Morality, with a Mixture of Beastliness; where 'tis bad 'tis abominable,
and fit for the Diversion of the Rabble, and where 'tis good 'tis
exquisite, and may entertain the most delicate._

People very often apply those Faults to the Expression and Words which
are originally in the thought. The Merit of such as write by Humour,
Changes with the Mode, and their Language savouring of their Sentiments,
must of course grow out of Fashion. _Ronsard_ the _French_ Poet was so
far from writing ill _French_, that _Pasquier_ thought the _French_
Tongue in its Perfection in his Writings and yet upon the Appearance of
_Malherb_ and _Bacan_, he was no more read nor talk'd of; Whereas there
were Authors before him, whose Writings are now in general Esteem, as
_Marot_ and St. _Galais_, for the kind of Poetry in which they excell'd,
and their Stile is imitated for its Simplicity, by which _la Fountain_
acquir'd his Fame.

Instances of this kind may be given in our own Tongue, which has
improv'd in Refinement as much as the _French_. Our _Shakespear_ shone
on the Stage, with all the Qualities of a Dramatick Poet, and _Diction_
in particular, when the _French_ Stage was Barbarous. His Style has its
Beauties now, and is newer than many who have since Writ, and for a
while with Reputation.

Among all the various ways in which we of late h