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The chief of ancient Criticks, we know, extols Homerabove all Things, for understanding how to Lye in Per-feBion. (de Poet. cap. 24.) His Lyes according to thatMaster’s Opinion and the Judgment of many of the gra-vest and most venerable Writers, were, in themselves,the justest moral Truths , and exhibitive of the best Doc-trine and Instruction in Life and Manners. It may beask’d, perhaps, " How comes the Poet, then, to draw" no single Pattern of the Kind, no perfeB CharaBer in“ either of his heroick Pieces.” I answer, that should heattempt to do it, he would as atoet be preposterousand false. ’Tis not the possible, but the probable andlikely which must be the Poet’s Guide in Manners. Bythis he wins Attention and moves the conscious Readeror Spectator, who judges best from within, by what henaturally feels and experiences in his own Heart. ThePerfection of Virtue is from long Art and ManagementSelfcontroul, and, as it were, force on Nature. But thecommon Auditor or Spectator who seeks Pleasure only,and loves to engage his Passion, by view of other Passionand Emotion, comprehends little of the Restraints, Al-lays, and Corrections which form this new and artifi-cial Creature. For such indeed is the truly virtuousMan ; whose Art, tho’ ever so natural in it self, or justlyfounded in Reason and Nature, is an Improvement farbeyond the common Stamp or known Character of Hu-man Kind. And thus the compleatly virtuous and per-fect Character is unpoetical and false. Effects must notappear, where Causes must necessarily remain un-known and incomprehensible. A Hero without Passionis in Poetry, as absurd as a Hero without Life or Action,

Now