Alexander Pope

“ For who so fond as youthful Bards of Fame?
But few, alas! the casual Blessing boast,
So hard to gain, so easy to be lost:
How vain that second Life in others Breath,
Th' Estate which Wits inherit after Death! ”

“ Tho' a short Verisimilitude be not requir'd in the Descriptions of this visionary and allegorical kind of Poetry, which admits of every wild Object that Fancy may present in a Dream, and where it is sufficient if the moral Meaning atone for the Improbability: Yet Men are naturally so desirous of Truth, that a Reader is generally pleas'd, in such a Case, with some Excuse or Allusion that seems to reconcile the Description to Probability and Nature. ”

“ And beg to make th' immortal Treasons known.
The Trumpet roars, long flaky Flames expire,
With Sparks, that seem'd to set the World on fire.
At the dread Sound, pale Mortals stood aghast,
And startled Nature trembled with the Blast. ”

“ With Heads advanc'd, and Pinions stretch'd for Flight:
Here, like some furious Prophet, Pindar rode,
And seem'd to labour with th' inspiring God.
A-cross the Harp a careless Hand he flings,
And boldly sinks into the sounding Strings.
The figur'd Games of Greece the Column grace,
Neptune and Jove survey the rapid Race:
The Youth's hang o'er their Chariots as they run
The fiery Steeds seem starting from the Stone ”

“ OME modern Criticks, from a pretended Refinement of Taste, have declar'd themselves unable to relish allegorical Poems. 'Tis not easy to penetrate into the meaning of this Criticism; for if Fable be allow'd one of the chief Beauties, or as Aristotle calls it, the very Soul of Poetry, 'tis hard to comprehend how that Fable should be the less valuable for having a Moral. ”

“ And the touch'd Needle trembles to the Pole:
Hither, as to their proper Place, arise
All various Sounds from Earth, and Seas, and Skies. ”

“ To farthest Shores th' Ambrosial Spirit flies,
Sweet to the World, and grateful to the Skies.
Next these a youthful Train their Vows exprest,
With Feathers crown'd, with gay Embroid'ry drest:
Hither, they cry'd, direct your Eyes, and see
The Men of Pleasure, Dress, and Gallantry:
Ours is the Place at Banquets, Balls and Plays;
Sprightly our Nights, polite are all our Days;
Courts we frequent, where 'tis our pleasing Care
To pay due Visits, and address the Fair:
In fact, 'tis true, no Nymph we cou'd persuade,
But still in Fancy vanquish'd ev'ry Maid ”

“ The Incidents indeed, by which the Allegory is convey'd, must be vary'd, according to the different Genius or Manners of different Times: and they should never be spun too long, or too much clogg'd with trivial Circumstances, or little Particularities. We find an uncommon Charm in Truth, when it is convey'd by this Side-way to our Ʋnderstanding ”

“ The Posture of his Statue, in these Verses, is correspondent to the Description which Herodotus gives of one of this Prince's Statues remaining in his own time.
Pag. 15. ver. 11. Of Gothick Structure was the Northern Side.
The Architecture is agreeable to that part of the World. The Learning of the Northern Nations lay more obscure than that of the rest. Zamolxis was the Disciple of Pythagoras, who taught the Immortality of the Soul to the Scythians. Odin, or Woden, was the great Legislator and Hero of the Goths. ”

“ Pag. 17. ver. ult. The Youth that all things but himself subdu'd.
Alexander the Great: The Tiara was the Crown peculiar to the Asian Princes: His Desire to be thought the Son of Jupiter Ammon caus'd him to wear the Horns of that God, and to represent the same upon his Coins, which was continu'd by several of his Successors. ”

“ The She Gallants, a Comedy: Heroick Love, a Tragedy, and The Jew of Venice, a Comedy.
A Treatise upon the Modes, or a Farewel to French Kicks. Est Modus in Rebus. The Modes depend upon the Sense. Of which the chief Heads are as follows. I. The Influence of Valour and Beauty upon the Modes. II. The Genius of the French as to Epick Poetry, Eloquence, and Medals. III. Taste of the French for Musick, Painting, and their Pleas for dictating their Modes to the British Nation, and their Civility. IV. Maxims for such as Travel in France, and a Speech proper for Travellers. ”

“ Being an Improvement of whatever has been hitherto written by the Greek, Latin, French and English Authors upon that Subject. By Dr. King. For the Use of Westminster and all other Schools. Illustrated with Variety of Copper Plates. Price 2s.
Quintus Curtius's History of the Wars of Alexander, with a large Map of the Countries he conquer'd, and an Index. Printed in 12o on a fine Paper and new Elzevir Letter, in 2 Vol. Price 6s.
The Tragedies of Ajax, Electra and OEdipus, translated from the Greek of Sophocles into Blank Verse. In 12o. Price 12d. each. ”

“ Sylphs, Salamanders, Gnomes, and Dæmons; shewing their various influence upon human Bodies. II. The Nature and Advantages of Studying the Occult Sciences. III. The Carnal Knowledge of Women to be renounc'd. ”

“ IX. Skill in Opticks necessary for a Head-dresser. X. An account of the Dutch Gentry, and of Military Exercises. XI. Parallel between Dress and Musick. XII. Apology to the French Refugees, Pr. 1s.
The Works of Mr. George Farquhar, containing all his Letters, Poems, Essays and Comedies publish'd in his Life Time, viz. Love and a Bottle, The Constant Couple, or a Trip to the Jubilee. Sir Harry Wild Air. Inconstant, or The Way to Win him. The Twin Rivals, The Recruiting Officer, and The Beaux Stratagem, with Cuts prefix'd to each Comedy. Pr. ”