A noted contemporary of his own calls the
English the finest writers on moral topics, and Pope the noblest moral
writer of all the English. Mr. Pope has somewhere named himself the last
English Muse; and, indeed, since his time, we have seen scarce any
production that can justly lay claim to immortality; he carried the
language to its highest perfection; and those who have attempted still
farther to improve it, instead of ornament, have only caught finery.'
APPENDIX F
CRITICISMS FROM GOLDSMITH'S 'BEAUTIES
OF ENGLISH POESY.'
To 'The Beauties of English Poesy', 2 vols., 1767, Goldsmith
prefixed, in each case, 'short introductory criticisms.' They
are, as he says, 'rather designed for boys than men'; and aim
only at being 'obvious and sincere'; but they carry his views on
the subject somewhat farther than the foregoing account from the
'History of England'.
THE RAPE OF THE LOCK.
This seems to be Mr. Pope's most finished production, and is,
perhaps, the most perfect in our language.
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