accordingly I laid by my natural Diffidence and Scepticifm for a while, to take up that Dogmatical way of his, which, as I faid, is fo much his Character, as to make him that individual Poet. As for his Opinions concerning the Mortality of the Soul, they are fo abfurd, that I cannot, if I would, believe them. I think a future State demonftrable even by natural Arguments; at least to take away Rewards and Punishments, is only a pleafing profpect to a Man, who refolves before hand not to live morally. But on the other fide, the thought of being nothing after Death, is a burthen unfupportable to a virtuous Man, even though a Heathen. We naturally aim at Happiness, and cannot bear to have it confin'd to the fhortness of our prefent Being, especially when we confider that Virtue is generally unhappy in this World, and Vice fortunate. So that 'tis hope of Futurity alone, that makes this Life tolerable, in expectation of a better. Who wou'd not commit all the Ex

ceffes to which he is prompted by his natural Inclinations, if he may do them with fecurity while he is alive, and be uncapable of punishment after he is dead? If he be cunning and fecret enough to avoid the Laws, there is no band of Morality -to reftrain him: For Fame and Reputation are weak ties; many men have not the leaft fenfe of them: Powerful men are only aw'd by them, as they conduce to their Intereft, and that not always when a Paflion is predominant; and no Man -will be contain'd within the bounds of duty, when he may fafely transgrefs them. These are my Thoughts abstractedly, and without entring into the Notions of our Chriftian Faith, which is the proper bufinefs of Divines.

But there are other Arguments in this Poem (which I have turn'd instol English,)not belonging to the Mortality of the Soul, which are -Strong enough to a reasonable Man, to make him lefs in love with Life, and consequently, in lefs apprehenfi

ons

ons of Death. Such as are the natural Satiety, proceeding from a perpetual enjoyment of the fame things; the inconveniences of old age, which make him uncapable of corporeal pleasures; the decay of understanding and memory, which render him contemptible and useless to others; these and many other reafons fo pathetically urg'd, fo beautifully exprefs'd, fo adorn'd with examples, and fo admirably rais'd by the Profopopeia of Nature, who is brought in speaking to her Children, with fo much authority and vigour, deferve the pains I have taken with them, which I hope have not been unfuccessful, or unworthy of my Author. At least I must take the liberty to own, that I was pleas'd with my own Endeavours, which but rarely happens to me, and that I am not diflatisfied upon the review of any thing I have done in this Author.

'Tis true, there is something, and that of fome moment, to be objected against my Englishing the * Nature of Love, from the Fourth Book of VOL. I.

In the Second Volume,

a

Lucretius: And I can lefs eafily anfwer why I Tranflated it, than why I thus Tranflated it. The Objection arifes from the Obfcenity of the Subject; which is aggravated by the too lively, and alluring delicacy of the Verfes. In the first place, without the least Formality of an Excufe, I own it pleas'd me: and let my Enemies make the worst they can of this Confeffion; I am not yet fo fecure from that paffion, but that I want my Author's Antidotes against it. He has given the trueft and most Philofophical account both of the Disease and Remedy, which I ever found in any Author: For which Reasons Tranflated him. But it will be ask'd why I turn'd him into this luscious English, (for I will not give it a worfe Word;) instead of an Anfwer, I wou'd ask again of my Supercilious Adverfaries, whether I am not bound, when I Translate an Author, to do him all the right I can, and to Tranflate him to the best advantage? If to mince his meaning, which I am fatisfy'd was honeft and

inftructive, I had either omitted fome part of what he faid, or taken from the ftrength of his Expreffion, I certainly had wrong'd him; and that freenefs of Thought and Words, being thus cashier'd in my Hands, he had no longer been Lucretius. If nothing of this kind be to be read, Physicians must not ftudy Nature, Anatomies must not be feen, and fomewhat I could fay of particular Paffages in Books, which to avoid Prophaneness I do not name: But the Intention qualifies the Act; and both mine and my Author's were to inftruct as well as please. 'Tis most certain that barefac'd Bawdery is the poorest pretence to Wit imaginable. If I should say otherwife, I fhould have two great Authorities against me: The one is the Effay on Poetry, which I publickly valued before I knew the Author of it, and with the Commendation of which my Lord Rofcommon fo happily begins his Effay on Tranflated Verfe: The other is no less than our admir'd Cowley; who fays the fame