y, give them a Figure among unlearned Readers, who are apt to
believe they are very deep, because they are unintelligible. The Ancient
Criticks are full of the Praises of their Contemporaries; they discover
Beauties which escaped the Observation of the Vulgar, and very often
find out Reasons for palliating and excusing such little Slips and
Oversights as were committed in the Writings of eminent Authors. On the
contrary, most of the Smatterers in Criticism who appear among us, make
it their Business to vilifie and depreciate every new Production that
gains Applause, to descry imaginary Blemishes, and to prove by
far-fetch'd Arguments, that what pass for Beauties in any celebrated
Piece are Faults and Errors. In short, the Writings of these Criticks
compared with those of the Ancients, are like the Works of the Sophists
compared with those of the old Philosophers.

Envy and Cavil are the natural Fruits of Laziness and Ignorance; which
was probably the Reason, that in the Heathen Mythology _Momus_ is said
to be the Son of _Nox_ and _Somnus_, of Darkness and Sleep. Idle Men,
who have not been at the Pains to accomplish or distinguish themselves,
are very apt to detract from others; as ignorant Men are very subject to
decry those Beauties in a celebrated Work which they have not Eyes to
discover. Many of our Sons of _Momus_, who dignify themselves by the
Name of Criticks, are the genuine Descendants of these two illustrious
Ancestors. They are often led into those numerous Absurdities, in which
they daily instruct the People, by not considering that, _1st_, There is
sometimes a greater Judgment shewn in deviating from the Rules of Art,
than in adhering to them; and, _2dly_, That there is more Beauty in the
Works of a great Genius who is ignorant of all the Rules of Art, than in
the Works of a little Genius, who not only knows, but scrupulously
observes them.

First, We may often take Notice of Men who are perfectly acquainted with
all the Rules of good Writing, and notwithstanding chuse to depart from
them on extraordinary Occasions. I could give Instances out of all the
Tragick Writers of Antiquity who have shewn their Judgment in this
Particular; and purposely receded from an established Rule of the Drama,
when it has made way for a much higher Beauty than the Observation of
such a Rule would have been. Those who have surveyed the noblest Pieces
of Architecture and Statuary both ancient and modern, know very well
that th