rity. Once, when the controversy was running high,
Edwards taking down a Greek author, explained a passage in a
manner quite contrary to Warburton. He did unluckily something
more--he showed that Warburton's mistake had arisen from
having used a French translation!--and all this before Ralph
Allen and his niece! The doughty critic was at once silenced,
in sullen indignation and mortal hatred. To this circumstance
is attributed Edwards's "Canons of Criticism," which were
followed up by Warburton with incessant attacks; in every new
edition of Pope, in the "Essay on Criticism," and the Dunciad.
Warburton asserts that Edwards is a very dull writer (witness
the pleasantry that carries one through a volume of no small
size), that he is a libeller (because he ruined the critical
character of Warburton)--and "a libeller (says Warburton, with
poignancy), is nothing but a Grub-street critic run to
seed."--He compares Edwards's wit and learning to his ancestor
Tom Thimble's, in the _Rehearsal_ (because Edwards read Greek
authors in their original), and his air of good-nature and
politeness, to Caliban's in the _Tempest_ (because he had so
keenly written the "Canons of Criticism").--I once saw a great
literary curiosity: some _proof-sheets_ of the Dunciad of
Warburton's edition. I observed that some of the bitterest
notes were _after-thoughts_, written on those proof-sheets
after he had prepared the book for the press--one of these
additions was his note on Edwards. Thus Pope's book afforded
renewed opportunities for all the personal hostilities of this
singular genius!

[179] In the "Richardsoniana," p. 264, the younger Richardson, who was
admitted to the intimacy of Pope, and collated the press for
him, gives some curious information about Warburton's
Commentary, both upon the "Essay on Man" and the "Essay on
Criticism." "Warburton's discovery of the 'regularity' of
Pope's 'Essay on Criticism,' and 'the whole scheme' of his
'Essay on Man,' I happen to _know_ to be mere absurd
refinement in creating conformities; and this from Pope
himself, though he thought fit to adopt them afterwards." The
genius of Warburton might not have found an invincible