However, as long as the Credit lasts, these temporary Authors bear the Port of the greatest Genius, are clapt and star'd at, as those Merchants who are driving in their Coaches to Bankrupcy, have generally the best Equipage. What are become of the _Marots_, the _Ronsards_, the _Scuderies_ of our neighbour Nation, yet these Writers were infinitely superiour to what most of our taking Authors have been. Could any Body have thought that Sir _Richard Baker_'s Chronicle would ever have past from the Justice's Hall Window to the Butler's Cellar, or that _Cowley_'s _Mistress_ would have lost all her Charms in thirty Years Time, and become a Cast-Off for City Prentices and Lawyers Clerks, to say nothing of _Orinda_, _Flatman_, &c. Yet these Writers were Originals which raises their Merit much above all Sorts of Translators, and it ought to be a Lesson to all Poets and Historians, whether first Hand or second Hand, to pay the World for their Applause with Modesty, which is the surest Way to keep it in a good Humour; _Since 'tis Posterity only_, says _Boileau_, _which sets a Value upon all Writings, you must not, as admirable as you take a modern Author to be, presently put him upon a Level with those Writers who have been admired for so many Ages, because one cannot be sure his Works will pass with Glory to the next. Indeed without going far for Examples, How many Authors have we seen admired in our Age, whose Glory is vanished in a very few Years. How were_ Balzac_'s Works admired thirty Tears ago?_ So much that Cardinal _Richelieu_ at the same Time that he was meditating the universal Monarchy for the Crown of _France_, wrote in Vindication of them. The Bishop of _Rochester_ did the same for _Cowley_; but neither the Cardinal nor the Bishop could defend them from the Fate of all Temporary Authors. Neither _Cowley_ nor _Balzac_ are now any more mentioned in _France_ or _England_. And the main Reason why they lost their Credit was for want of duly considering what their particular Talents were adapted to; for that they had both very great Talents is universally acknowledged, _Mons. de_ Balzac _a passe toute sa vie a ecrire des lettres, dont il n'a jamais pu attraper le veritable Charectere._ Balzac _spent all his Time in writing Letters, but could never hit the true Character._ _Cowley_ applied himself to Poetry, and never enough knew the Power and Harmony of Numbers. He had a great deal too much Wit to charm his Mistress with his Passion. Very few of us are let into this Secret. We cannot believe that a Poet can have too much Wit, and indeed the Offence given that Way is not very common. The last Duke of _Bucks_ rightly instructs us: _Another Fault which often does befall,_ } _Is when the Wit of some great Poet shall_ } _So overflow, as to be none at all._ } Again, _That silly Thing we call sheer Wit avoid_.