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XXX. Account of Gravina's celebrated treatise Della Ragion Poetica

205

XXXI. On Truth of Fact and Truth of Nature.

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213 XXXII. Superiority of the modern flage and drama to thofe of the ancients XXXIII. On the tinsel of Virgil

220

232

XXXIV. Notices on the English tongue. Pro pofal for a reform of it, and of the Greek cha

racters

237

XXXV. Beauties of THE GRAVE, a Poem 276 XXXVI. How far a poet who draws bis fubject from antiquity ought to be an antiquary 285 XXXVII. On modern Latin poetry. Praife of the Bafia.-Extracts from Cafimir.-Tranfla tion of Gray's Alcaic Ode XXXVIII. Conclufion of the remarks on the laft edition of Shakfpere 1778

290

301

XXXIX. The connection of luxury with litera

ture

316 XL. A fuccinct view of the progress of fcience fince the publication of Lord Bacon's work On the Advancement of Learning

XLI. On Imitation

324

356

XLII. Difcuffion of Mr. Gray's character of Hume. Cenfure of popular sceptic writers 365

7

XLIII.

LETTERS

O F

LITERATUR E.

LETTER I

DEAR SIR,

You

17 Oct. 17825

OU afk me by what means it comes to pafs that a rude poetical production of a barbarous age always affects, and pleases, the heart more than the most finished and artificial effort of a refined compofer?

To examine this matter thoroughly might employ much philofophical research. I fhall only beg leave to lay before you a few remarks, which may not perhaps have offered themselves to your enquiries.

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In the first place, what do you call a barbarous age, or country? To what period of fociety may this denomination be properly limited? The Greeks gave this denomination to the Perfians; tho the latter were arrived at more refinement of manners than themselves. We give it to the Chinese: the Chinese with equal propriety to us.

BARBARISM, like every other human accident and quality, must be allowed to be merely comparative. If any one faid that most of the European kingdoms had not yet emerged from barbarity, nay, that the most polished of them are yet but barbarous, every beau of the æra of George I. would ftroke his chin and smile. Yet were an ancient Roman to revifit this globe, and make a tour to Paris, I have no doubt but he would with great juftice affirm that. the French were very little improved fince his own days; that their customs, their dress, their luxuries, were barbarous au dernier point. I fay with juftice, because, from a comparative view of the Roman manners, every one must allow that they were, in the days of their glory, as much fuperior to the French in luxury, which

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