ing part of the character had been already shown in Love for Love.
His Art of Pleasing is founded on a vulgar, but, perhaps, impracticable
principle, and the staleness of the sense is not concealed by any
novelty of illustration or elegance of diction.

This tissue of poetry, from which he seems to have hoped a lasting name,
is totally neglected, and known only as it is appended to his plays.

While comedy, or while tragedy, is regarded, his plays are likely to be
read; but, except what relates to the stage[18], I know not that he has
ever written a stanza that is sung, or a couplet that is quoted. The
general character of his Miscellanies is, that they show little wit, and
little virtue.

Yet to him it must be confessed, that we are indebted for the correction
of a national errour, and for the cure of our Pindarick madness. He
first taught the English writers that Pindar's odes were regular; and
though certainly he had not the fire requisite for the higher species of
lyrick poetry, he has shown us, that enthusiasm has its rules, and that,
in mere confusion, there is neither grace nor greatness.

-----

[Footnote 15: Mr. Malone has ascertained both the place and time of his
birth by the register of Bardsey, which is as follows: "William, the
sonne of Mr. William Congreve of Bardsey Grange, was baptised Febru.
10th, 1669." See Malone's Dryden, vol. i. p. 225. J.B.]

[Footnote 16: Dec. 17, 1714, and May 3, 1718, he received a patent for
the same place for life.]

[Footnote 17: The Historical Register says Jan. 19. aet. 57.]

[Footnote 18: "Except!" Dr. Warton exclaims, "Is not this a high sort of
poetry?" He mentions, likewise, that Congreve's opera, or oratorio, of
Semele, was set to musick by Handel; I believe, in 1743.]

BLACKMORE.

Sir Richard Blackmore is one of those men whose writings have attracted
much notice, but of whose life and manners very little has been
communicated, and whose lot it has been to be much oftener mentioned by
enemies than by friends.

He was the son of Robert Blackmore, of Corsham, in Wiltshire, styled, by
Wood, gentleman, and supposed to have been an attorney. Having been, for
some time, educated in a country school, he was sent, at thirteen, to
Westminster; and, in 1668, was entered at Edmund hall, in Oxford, where
he took the degree of M.A. June 3, 1676, and resided thirteen years; a
much longer time than it is usual to spend at the university; and which
he seems to h