ers. For in the first Line of his great Work the _Aeneis_, every
Word is a _Monosyllable_; and tho' he makes a seeming kind of Apology,
yet he cannot forbear owning a secret Pleasure in what he had done.
"My first Line in the _Aeneis_, says he, is not harsh.

"Arms and the Man I sing, who forc'd by Fate.

"But a much better Instance may be given from the last Line of
_Manilius_, made _English_ by our learned and judicious Mr. _Creech_;

"Nor could the World have born so fierce a Flame.

"Where the many liquid Consonants are placed so artfully, that they give
a pleasing Sound to the Words, tho' they are all of one Syllable."

It is plain from these last Words, that the Subject-matter,
_Monosyllables_, is not so much to be complain'd of; what is chiefly to
be requir'd, is of the Poet, that he be a good Workman, in forming them
aright, and that he _place them artfully_: and, however Mr. _Dryden_
may desire to disguise himself, yet, as he some where says, Nature will
prevail. For see with how much Passion he has exprest himself towards
these two Verses, in which the Poet has not been sparing of
_Monosyllables_: "I am sure, says he, there are few who make Verses,
have observ'd the Sweetness of these two Lines in _Coopers Hill;

"Tho deep, yet clear; tho gentle, yet not dull;
Strong without Rage, without o'erflowing full.

"And there are yet fewer that can find the reason of that Sweetness,
I have given it to some of my Friends in Conversation, and they have
allow'd the Criticism to be just."

You see, Sir, this great Master had his Reserves, and this was one of
the _Arcana_, to which every Novice was not admitted to aspire; this
was an Entertainment only for his best Friends, such as he thought
worthy of his Conversation; and I do not wonder at it, for he was
acquainted not only with the _Greek_ and_ Latin Poets_, but with the
best of his own Countrey, as well of ancient as of latter times, and
knew their Beauties and Defects: and tho' he did not think himself
obliged to be lavish, in dispersing the Fruits of so much Pains and
Labour at random, yet was he not wanting in his Generosity to such as
deserved his Friendship, and in whom he discern'd a Spirit capable of
improving the Hints of so great a Master. To give greater Probability
to what I have said concerning _Monosyllables_, I will give some
Instances, as well from such Poets as have gone before him, as those
which have succeeded him. It will not be