New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-30
Mr.. Thackersy's Fonrih Lecture.

,o.,ricd ma wild philosopher, Of no small genius
- oood nature and decided love for eating and
,,intpc The lyrics Of Prior are among the happiest
,oh.o, and the most charming Of English verse com
,oshiops Their good sense, their easy turn of melo
Sv teir love and their philosophy, were learnt from
,be delightful owner Of the Sabine farm But Prior
,,sd Horace. did not Thomas Moore study Piori
yove ard Measure the rose that now is blowing, and
nov shall fade find singers in every age. Perhaps
sornuel Johnson, who spoke shghtingly Of Prior's
verses enjoyed them more than he liked 10 own he
eer,siply defended them once when their morality
questioned BY that noted Puritan James Boswell ESQ.,
OF Auchineck The next person noticed was the kind,
ren.c and ocular John Gay Afterspeakng Of his life
his friends and how everybody loved him. Mr. Th.ckeray
ssd that after getting into troubles from his too careless
and easy habits duke and duchess took him home TO
their freide wherehe was lappedin warm cotton had
his plate Of chicken and his Of cream put for him
h.ked and barked playfully, whcezed and grew fat,
and 20 died-a sleek solt.handed. and sofhearted
creature who became lazy, plethoric and melancholy.
in his Litter days but Cor whom even the ray ring old
Dean Of ST. Patrick felt so much affection that the
gloomy and lonely tyrant afraid to open Pop.'s
letter announcing the death of John Gay The fables
written for the edfcaon Of the boy Duke of Cumber-
land he (Mr Thackeroy) had never been able TO read
since he waf himself boy but any man, fond oflazy
literature. would find the six pastorals entitled the
"Shepberds Week." and the burlesque of "TnYa,"
delightful reading pretty, graceful and fantastic. What
had been said of Rubin al Grdh dss larmes dams la
gor might also be said ofGay and Of Goldsmith there
was, in what they poured out pathetic simple melody
which charms and mclts us. The lecturer read that
touching story Of the rustic lovers, killed in their hay
field by lghnn told by Gay in ofhs letters This
must hive been piece of genuine pathos for the
great Mr. Pope thought it worth taking as his own.
He was rather sloyeny in his habits but nc was con
tnually eating and saying good thins7. Ills p%'oI"'
were TO poetry what charming httie Dresden cnin"
fqures were to stauaIy and about many oil ms "orA'
there WINS an Kdefnable pathetic sweetness Of melody
which charmed and melted one, and winch was tie
nroperty of John Gays and Oliver Goldsmths best
.eseo ;ust as fragrance was of the violet perfume
of the rose The of Pope was the highest among
ENGLISH wits and hunorists He was the greatest III
srv artist that England has seem refining his thoughts
toa perfect polish and also thoughts and codences
bo,roSed from other poets. He was a sklful lmi'
tttor from his infancy. In hs youth, he initiated
,be passion of love addressing sham mistress IN
merit couceted strains and when Lady Mary rebuifed
bis imperinence he mated her BIT the letters oil
Pope except that unucky first part OF the correspond
nnce were very delightful, full of the best company
though little stately and artificial 1t was ennoblng
10 Oh cIve the frank and generous friendships OF
The great men Of that age. If the lecturer might
rive ony council to young man, 1t would be 20 ire
ouent the company Of his betters. Learn TO admire
rSby for il Is great pleasure OF lie to admire what
the 1eat men admire, great things the mario" spr'
admire basely, and worship mean things The irends
ofvoure Pope were the best men OF his time lie ala
not bod a court around him, like Addison; but rever
enced his EQUALS great and famous IKE hiIhseh'
The chief wits however, Of his time were mems
men, living in clubs, sitting together for seven or
.ight hours every day. with their punchbowls ana TO-
bmoo'Fpcs IheT coarse and boisterous life az such
apdee would not agree with the sensitive and sicy
frame Of Pope; and he retired to the Twickenham
VILE duteOusly bringing his old parents to live and die
there entertaining his friends there whom he carried
from town in his little chariot. His taste for art, his
polished manners, and his attraction towards every
thing splendid and beautiful belonged to tho refine
nen,s of a highly cultivated mind. All his friends
who visited him spoke kindly of that good, simple
hearted old mother, whom Pope tended 80 affection
atey Ii his early letters to women were affected ana
insincere he ever spoke of this one with cmdhke
iendo rnoss and almost a sacred simplicity. In our
estimate of Popes character let us always take into
The account this constant tenderness and fidelity of
affection which pervaded and sanctided his life He
seems also to have deserved and received the attach
sister said Of him, 81 think no was ever little
fond of money :" and again. e" think my brother when
ne WIS Young read more books than any man in the
world and again IL do not think my brother knew
what fear was" The accounts of Popc's friends bore
out this character for courage When he had exaspe.
rated 20 many furious DULLES by the DuuciRd and was
en,reaied by his friends to seek protection against their
violence the gallant little cripple never would take any
guard in his daily walks. His DEATH too was beau
iilul and eathaaasia perfect benevocnce, at
lection and serenity, hallowed the departure of that
high soul Even in the very weakness of his last deli
rum there was something almost sacred Hes descrb.
ed in his last days looking up with rapt gaze, as
II something had suddenly passed before him He
said what is that Z" pointing to the air, and then
looked down, and said with colt smile 1T was
vision lie scarcely ever laughed, but his companions
describe his countcnance as often Illuminated with
peculiar sweet smile. Whenever he recovered his
mind, lie was always saying something, so that Lord
Bolingbroke said TO him, 81 never knew man who
Gad go tender heart for his personal friends, or
more general friendship for mankind | have known
him for these thirty years and value myself more for
his friendship than for -. Here, -. John sunk
his head and sob eloquent than words ended the
ronlesion The nature of Pope too delicate and his
too fastdou for the rough and boisterous crew
ofnerary men in his day. The difference made him IN
just to Grub ST. holding up in the Dunciad their rags
and their wretchednes public ridcue The lecturer
thought Pope must have been stung by the extent to
which he was larpooucd about his personal deiormiy
Lis tastes and sensibies led him 10 shrink from the
shabby and bosterous crew which formed the rank AMI
Gle of literature in his time but he was perhaps as
unjust to them they were 10 him. FOR he sickened
at habits which were quite enjoyable % others. Pope
IVES more savage 10 Grubstreet than Gru5streei was
io Pope and in reading the "Danciad,' and one felt
dspo cd to decide against the mercicss tyrant or AZ
lcssi to pity those whom he was attacking. Pope, by
his "Dunciad" contributed more than any other nan
todepreciate the li,crsy calling h made men believe
that author and rage author and rags author and dirt
drinking gin poverty, bsifs, squelag children and
elsmorous landlsdies always went together; and he
Che ecturer) believed in his heart that much OF the