Which crimes aforefaid (with her leave) Against the ftatute in that cafe, 15 He talked of friendship, of the delights of reafon, of gratitude, respect, and efteem. He almoft preached upon virtue, and he muttered fome indiftinct phrafes concerning chastity. So unaccountable a conduct in Cadenus may be thought rather to proceed from defects in nature, than from the fcrupulous difficulties of a tender confcience. Such a fuppofition will still appear more strong, if we recollect the distant manner in which Swift cohabited with Stella, colder, if possible, after, than before, fhe was his wife and I now recollect fome of his own lines that féem to confirm the furmife, as they contain an infinuation against Vanessa, not perhaps fo much intended to wound her reputation, as to fave his own. [The paffage here inferted, begins thus, But what fuccefs Vanessa met, 1. 818. and ends thus, Nor fall the conscious muse unfold, 1. 827.] It is impoffible to read this cruel hint without great indignation against the confcious mufe, especially as it is the finishing stroke of a picture which was already drawn in too loose a garment, and too unguarded a posture. In this inftance, I am afraid, the Dean must remain inexcufable. Vaneffa, in fome time after the death of her fifter, retired to Selbridge. Spleen and disappointment were the companions of her folitude. The narrowness of her income, the coldness of her lover, the lofs of her reputation, all contributed to make her miserable, and to increase the frenzical difpofition of her mind. In this melancholy fituation fhe remained several years; during which time Cadenus vifited her frequently. Their particular converfation, as it paffed without witneffes, muft for ever remain unknown: but, in general, it is certain, that he often preffed him to marry her. His anfwers were rather turns of wit than pofitive denials till at last, being unable to fuftain her weight of mifery any longer, The writ a very tender epiftle to Cadenus, infifting peremptorily upon as ferious an anfwer, and an immediate acceptance, or abfolute refufal of her, as his wife. His reply was delivered by his own hand. He brought it with him when he made his final vifit at Selbridge; and throwing down the letter upon her table, with great paffion, haftened back to his horfe, carrying in his own countenance the frown of anger and indignation. Dr Against her dignity and crown: Then pray'd an answer, and fat down. 20 Dr Swift had a natural severity of face, which even his smiles could scarce foften, or his utmost gaiety render placid and ferene: but when that fternnefs of vifage was increafed by rage, it is fcarce poffible to imagine looks or features that carried in them more terror and aufterity. Vaneffa had feen him in all tempers, and from his outward appearance the gueffed at the inward contents of his letter. She read it with as much refolution as the prefent cruelty of her fate, and the raging pride of her heart, would permit. She found herself entirely difcarded from his friendship and converfation. Her offers were treated with infolence and disdain. She met with reproaches instead of love, and with tyranny instead of affection. She had long thrown away the gentle lenitives of virtue; which, upon this occafion, might have proved healing ingredients to fo deep and fo dangerous a wound. She had preferred wit to religion, fhe had utterly deftroyed her character and her confcience; and fhe was now fallen a prey to the horror of her own thoughts. Tum vero infelix fatis exterrita Dido She did not furvive many days the letter delivered to her by Cadenus Thus perifhed at Selbridge, under all the agonies of defpair, Mrs Esther Vanhomrigh; a miserable example of an ill fpent life, fantastic wit, vifionary schemes, and female weaknefs. Orrery. This poem is built on the fineft model; fupported with infinite humour, wit, and galety; imbellifhed with ideas the most lovely and delicate; beautifully adorned with variety of the most attractive images; and conducted throughout the whole with fuch perfect regularity, that, beyond all other pieces, whether of Dr Swift, or any poet that ever writ in English, it appears calculated to abide the fevereft examination of critics. In the apparatus of this poem we find, that Venus the goddess of love and beauty, having caufe to be afraid upon hearing the merits of a trial between the nymphs and the fhepherds, that her fovereignty might be called in question on account of that wretched corrupted tafte which prevails among the youth of both fexes, refolves on a political expedient to maintain the dignity of her throne, and to reduce her rebellious fubjects unto their loyalty, their chains, and their obedience. Now, And, what no lawyer ever lack'd, With impudence own'd all the fact; But, what the gentleft heart would vex, 25 B 2 Now, this debate, which was fpun out for fixteen years between the nymphs and fhepherds, is fuppofed to have commenced only fome few days before the birth of Vaneffa. But the Cyprian Queen having, in order to try an experiment, felected Vaneffa, upon the day of her birth, from all the reft of the little female world, adorns her with every grace and beauty that is fuppofed to attract the admiration of the fhepherds. And, to complete her defign, fhe pre vails on the goddess of learning (altho' by a ftratagem) to pour down all her gifts into the bofom of this delightful girl. [Here fome verfes are inferted, beginning thus, Thus to the world's perpetual shame, 1. 434. and ending thus, Give mortals neither heat nor light, 1. 443.] Here let us ftop, and take an impartial view of this inchanting fair. With regard to the beauty, the elegance, the graces, and the sweetness of her perfon, fhe is, beyond all contradiction, to ufër an expreffion of Parnel, All bright as an angel new dropt from the skies And with regard to the accomplishments of the mind, her foul is endued with knowledge, judgment, wit, decency, modefty, truth, justice, fortitude, honour, politenefs, generofity, wifdom, and every other virtue which can poffibly enter into the compofition of the most illustrious character: She had a foul worthy to be the inha bitant of so beautiful, fo angelic a manfion. However, to fpeak as a critic, it matters not whether Vaneffa be a real or a fictitious character. If indeed the character be drawn from real life, we must infift upon it, that Vaneffa behaved herself, throughout all the habitudes and viciffitudes of life, with unblemished honour; as in truth her character would not otherwise have been even poetically juft; and confequently the poem, inftead of being univerfally admired for its fuperior excellencies, would (to speak in the ftyle of critics) have been damned, on its first appearance, for its inaccu racies and inconfiftencies. On the other hand, if the character be fictitious, the whole is a fable; and confequently there never exifted any fuch person as the charming Vaneffa. It is certain however, that among the poets we frequently meet with characters, especially efpecially when compliments are addressed to some particular fa- vourites in the grand monde, which are partly real; and partly fiftitious. What I mean by real is, when fome perfon really and truly exifting, is generally understood to be the object of the poet's complaifance; and what I mean by fictitious is, when the poet, without any regard to truth, elegantly difplays the fineness and delicacy of his own tafte, in all the careffes of gallantry, politeness, courtship, and addrefs, unto this real, not imaginary lady. For example, were a poet to infert the name of fome little, nut-brown, trifling girl, under the portrait of all that is beautiful, accomplished, and adorable in the fairest of the creation; his compliment would nevertheless be extremely polite; no matter for the refemblance. Pictures, we all know, are defigned for pofterity; and pofterity cares not, whether in fact the picture was drawn from the life, or was only imaginary. They fee; they are pleased; they inquire no further. The most remarkable inftance of this kind that we know of among all the poets, whether antient or modern, is that of Prior's Chloe, who was a chearful, gay, facetious. old woman, that used to laugh with a profufion of good humour, until he was almoft ready to die, at the conceit of her being a poet's flame. And Prior, we may be fure, was equally delighted with the excellence of her understanding. Vanefla was perhaps another remarkable inftance of this kind: for, as the poet has exprefsly declared, that "her name on earth fhall not be told," we are by no means at liberty to form any conjectures about her. It is af firmed, however, that Vaneffa was in love with Cadenus, and declared her paffion to him after a strange manner. Thát Vanc might have liked Cadenus, at leaft the poetical Vaneffa, we cannot make any fort of doubt, because we are expressly told fo. The manner in which the declared her paffion to him, is only to be collected from the poem itself; wherein we find, that, after an a pology founded on maxims truly philofophical, she reveals her fentiments in the following terms. [Here fome verfes are inferted, beginning thus, I knew by what you faid and writ, 1.618. and ending thus, Aim'd at the head, but reach'd the heart, 1. 623.] The Which having found an equal flame, The remainder of the conversation between Cadenus and Vaneffa, for half a dozen pages together, is evidently nothing more than a flight of imagination, wholly defigned for the entertainment of thofe who have a relifh for compofition, and a taste for poetry. But fuppofing it was fome real Vaneffa that liked Cadenus; or, in plain terms, fuppofing that Mifs Vanhomrigh had a paffion for Dr Swift; is there any crime in love? Far from it: the voice of God, and the voice of nature, fpeak the direct contrary. The worst that can be said of it, is, that Vanessa, who had really and truly been educated under the infpection of Cadenus (a man beyond all others upon earth, whose delight was to give instruction to young people, and especially to young women), had not fufficiently confidered, that in love we are all sportsmen, careless of joys that are within our reach, and perpetually driving after the flying game. Nevertheless, to maintain the dignity of her fex, and to apologize for this little failure in point of difcretion (that cool fober quality, not virtue of the mind; which frequently, or rather notoriouly prefides in that breaft where every humane, generous, and fpirited affection of the foul is wanting), fhe availeth herself of the Doctor's own maxims, before the adventures to impart the most tender of her fentiments to an old experienced man, whofe heart, like a rock of adamant, was incapable of impreffions. [Here fome verfes are inferted, beginning thus, She well remember'd, to her coft, 1. 604. and ending thus, Now, faid the nymph, &c. l. 614.] However, in juftice to the honour and reputation of Vaneffa, we are obliged to remark, that Cadenus, from his earliest youth, had been always a courtier of the women, as far as words, and terms, and politenefs, and gallantry, without profeffing any degree of fincerity, conftancy, and love, can recommend a cavalier to their fervice. And this we are told in the following lines. Cadenus, common forms opart, In ev'ry fcene had kept his heart; Had figh'd and languifh'd, vow'd and writ, But |