_Shakespear_ found the Stage, and all the People of his Days, infected with these Puerillities, and he very well knew how (though perhaps he never read it in _Epictetus_) [Greek: ] to attune, or harmonize his Mind to the Things which happen. I now remember one of these shining Strokes, which I have seen quoted in several Works of Taste, and even in the Treatise of Studies by the late Mr. _Rollin_. This _Morceau_ is taken from the beautiful Funeral Oration of the great _Turenne_: The whole Piece is very fine, but it seems to me that the Stroke I am speaking of should not have been made Use of by a Bishop.--This is it: "O Sovereigns! Enemies of _France_, ye live, and the Spirit of Christian Charity forbids me to wish your Deaths, &c.--But ye live, and I mourn in this Pulpit the Death of a virtuous Captain, whose Intentions were pure, &c.--" An Apostrophe in this Taste would have been very proper at _Rome_ in the Civil Wars, after the Assassination of _Pompey_; or at _London_ after the Death of _Charles_ the First. But is it decent, in a Pulpit, to wish for the Death of the Emperor, the King of _Spain_, and the Electors; to put them in Balance with the General of a King's Army, who is their Enemy? Or ought the Intentions of a Captain, which can be no other than to serve his Prince, to be compared with the Politick Interests of the crown'd Heads against which he serves? What would be said of a _Frenchman_, who had wished for the Death of the King of _England_, because of the Loss of the Chevalier _Belleisle_, whose Intentions were pure? For what Reason has this Passage been always praised by the Criticks? 'Tis because the Figure is in itself beautiful and pathetick, but they did not examine into the Congruity and Bottom of the Thought. I return to my Paradox--That all these shining Strokes, to which they give the Name of Wit, never ought to be introduced into great Works made to instruct or to move; I'll even say they ought not to be found in Odes for Musick. Musick expresses Passions, Sentiments and Images: but what are the Concords that can be giv'n an Epigram? _Dryden_ was sometimes negligent, but he was always natural. In a Sermon of Doctor _South_, where he speaks of Man's Rectitude and Freedom from Sin before the Fall, are seen these Words: "We were not born crooked, we learnt these Windings and Turnings of the Serpent." I remember to have heard this Passage admired by several People: but who does not see that the Motions, _viz._ the Windings and Turnings of the Serpent's Body are here confounded with those of its Heart: and that at best, 'tis but a mere Point and Pleasantry. Certainly there's a great Impropriety in putting any kind of Smartness into Pieces of such a Nature as Dr. _South_'s; but what is still worse, we generally find these Smartnesses to be quite vague and superficial; they don't enter, but only play upon the Surface of the Soul.