But where's the man, who counsel can bestow, Still pleased to teach, and yet not proud to know? Unbiass'd, or by favour, or by spite; Not dully prepossess'd, nor blindly right; Though learn'd, well-bred; and though well-bred, sincere; Modestly bold, and humanly severe: Who to a friend his faults can freely show, And gladly praise the merit of a foe? Bless'd with a taste exact, yet unconfined; 640 A knowledge both of books and human kind; Generous converse; a soul exempt from pride; And love to praise, with reason on his side? Such once were critics; such the happy few, Athens and Rome in better ages knew. The mighty Stagyrite first left the shore, Spread all his sails, and durst the deeps explore; He steer'd securely, and discover'd far, Led by the light of the Maeonian star.[24] Poets, a race long unconfined, and free, 650 Still fond and proud of savage liberty, Received his laws; and stood convinced 'twas fit, Who conquer'd Nature, should preside o'er Wit. Horace still charms with graceful negligence, And without method talks us into sense, Will, like a friend, familiarly convey The truest notions in the easiest way. He who, supreme in judgment, as in wit, Might boldly censure, as he boldly writ, Yet judged with coolness, though he sung with fire; His precepts teach but what his works inspire. 660 Our critics take a contrary extreme, They judge with fury, but they write with phlegm: Nor suffers Horace more in wrong translations By wits, than critics in as wrong quotations. See Dionysius[25] Homer's thoughts refine, And call new beauties forth from every line! Fancy and art in gay Petronius please, The scholar's learning, with the courtier's ease. In grave Quintilian's copious work we find 670 The justest rules and clearest method join'd: Thus useful arms in magazines we place, All ranged in order, and disposed with grace, But less to please the eye, than arm the hand, Still fit for use, and ready at command. Thee, bold Longinus! all the Nine inspire, And bless their critic with a poet's fire. An ardent judge, who, zealous in his trust, With warmth gives sentence, yet is always just; Whose own example strengthens all his laws; 680 And is himself that Great Sublime he draws. Thus long succeeding critics justly reign'd, Licence repress'd, and useful laws ordain'd. Learning and Rome alike in empire grew; And arts still follow'd where her eagles flew; From the same foes, at last, both felt their doom, And the same age saw Learning fall, and Rome. With Tyranny then Superstition join'd, As that the body, this enslaved the mind; Much was believed, but little understood, 690 And to be dull was construed to be good; A second deluge Learning thus o'errun, And the Monks finish'd what the Goths begun.