New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
POPE AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES.


THE AGE OF POPE BY John Dennis PIP viii
25S Macmillan Il Co.
John Dennis Is an ominous name for writer
who undertakes to deal with the literary dictator
OF the so-called Augustan Age. Probably no
man among his contemporaries was more dreaded
by Pope than the hard-htting critic Of that
name II was not that Dennis had g clever
style He lacked the dexterity OF other writers
in his time But he could saw what he meant
with g. sort Of knockdoWn intensity. ana MS
threatening stare to which the satirist aluded
may have given new and harsher meaning 10
his words One Of the strangest things about
the literary people OF Queen Anne's time was
their senstveness TO written censure 1t was
not time wher people as rule were gl1teu
with acute sensibilities. When the Mohocks de-
scrbed in The Spectator could travel about
the streets at night Sitting mems noses and
subjecting women 10 the gravest insult without
being lynched by an Infatuated populace. there
must have been widespread indifference to some
kinds Of suffering. ADJUSTMENTS and Judicia
punishments-which were themselves popular
amusements-were brutal 10 degree. Vicuh
In the pory was likely to be killed by the ms.
sles OF the populace before he was released
Party spirit was deadly. Duels were frequent
Men gained and held office by the most queS-
tionable methods Even an honest pIacehiah
knew that he depended upon those VINO were uii-
scrupulcus. his only consolation peihg tha' d"
parties were alike corrupt. The notion or hohor
which men cherished was necessarily arunciai
They cultivated constituencies on points TO whlch
people Of another age would be INDIFFERENT. Ihus
n venomous couplet as artfclal as their man
ners had a power of w0unding the hardened
man OF the world which it now has only Tor the
most delicate Of mortals And the vituperation
Of
might be revolted rather than injured by it,
Such is n brief. the picture which John
Denniss namesake gives of the brilliant but
superfcial age when Pope ruled. He is not at all
partial to the memory of the eighteenth century
John Dennis 1t was the relations of the latter
with Pope which gave him prominence in the
world of letters that he would otherwise not de-
serve. He is If anything too Indifferent to Den
Miss critical insight which was far from being
Inaccurate. The worst trouble with MIN was one
which has been the bane of many another writer.
He could judge the work Of other men, put not
his own. His essay on the criticism or poe'r! Is
still worth reading while his poems and plays
can now attract only the curious. III was HIS
skill in controversy which made him DREADED by
Pope. He could turn an enemys posltoh no
matter how well it was defended Ahudihs u HIS
disnute with William Law over the drama, the
author clted MS neat reply u 'he "S9N4 '-N'' >
n;avs are contrary TO Scripture He simply men
toned the fact that out Of two or three quo'a-
tons from Greek literature, made by st. Pau.
one was from an Athenian dramatic poet. Inls
was. perhaps the best stroke in a pamphlet
which has always been deemed complete
answer to Laws essay. But only students o,
literature read Law or Dennis now. Not every
bodv reads Pope One can be sure of only two
names in the who.e list that must be faniiiar 10
every man. woman and child everywhere VINO
reads English--those Of Swift and Defoe' vi
these two the most famous works were least IN
harmony with the artificial quality OF the time
One ~ them distorted Nature. the other photo
grained II: but both studied life at hrst mana.
After these for general fame. one would be
likely to mention Addison and Steele. Then
Pope would come. though II the question were
one OF mere repute. there are two men VINO Tor
widely different reasons might be his rivals
who ever tried to learn manners without learn
ng something about Lord Chesterfield. and VINO
ever got a smattering Of moral philosophy with
mt a glimpse Of Bishop Butler? Twist the
names about as you like. you can never bring
some OF the best of them into prominence. One
may know that Bishop Berkeley lived for awhile
IN America and that he had great confidence in
tar water and yet not be a witness to the fact
that he was one Of the very greatest writers OF
English prose.
Mr.. Dennis's estimate OF the different authors
does not vary much from that when may De
called orthodox. one novelty OF his Work con-
sists In a too brief paragraph on scottish song
writer's Lyric power was practcaly ios' 10
England in those days Everything verse or
nrose was an essay. But In Scotland the truest
Gift Of poetry was cherished. because II sweet
ened the life Of humble and noble alike Mr.
Dorr,ss introduction is an excellent summary
=, .ba characteristics Of the age. and the book
ss whole ia a happy presage Of the series
which il announces as to be edited by Professor
Hale5