I have already said enough to involve my self in the now unavoidable Comparison between _Homer_, and _Virgil_; which has so much employ'd the Speculations of the Learned. Because it will be justly expected that I should endeavour at least to give some Reasons for my Assertions; or rather for my _Opinion_: For I desire that my _Assertions_ may all along be understood to imply no more. As to _Homer_, nothing can be farther from my Thoughts than to defraud that prodigious Man of his due Praise. I have before said a little of it; and (would the Limits of this Discourse permit) could with Pleasure enlarge upon that Subject. Many of his Faults, as they are called, are indeed no Faults; but only charged upon him by ignorant Pretenders to Criticism: Others, if they are really so, are not His, but are entirely to be imputed to the Manners and Customs of the Age in which he writ: And even those which are least justifiable are to be excused upon this single Consideration, that he was the first of his Species. No Science starts into Perfection at it's Birth: And it is amazing that the Works of this great Poet come so near it as they do. Thus as to himself: Then as to others; his Glory in Point of Precedency is uncontestable; he is the Father of Poets, and of Poetry; and _Virgil_ particularly has copy'd from him in a multitude of Instances. But after all, the Question is; Whether upon the whole, _Homer_'s or _Virgil_'s be the best Poems_, as we have them now; setting aside all _external Considerations_, relating to Times, and Customs; Inventing, and Borrowing; Precedency, and Succession; Master, and Scholar; and regarding only the _internal Advantages_, and _Disadvantages_, Beauties, and Faults of both; upon the Foundations of Nature, and Art, of Truth, and Reason. _Homer_'s Faults are to be excused: I am very glad of it; for I have an exceeding Honour, and Love for him. But still _They are Faults_: Has _Virgil_ so many? I mean too in Proportion, and allowing for the unequal Length of their Writings. _Virgil_ imitated _Homer_, and borrowed from him: But did he not _improve_, as well as _imitate_; and by borrowing, and adding to his own vast Fund what the other never parted with, grow richer than him from whom he so borrowed? In a word, did he not out of two very good Poems make a better than either of them, or than both of them put together? I am sensible it may be said on the other hand, that _Homer_ had the _Disadvantage_, as well as _Glory_ of being the First: He had no body to rely upon, but himself; whereas _Virgil_ had _Homer_'s Materials, besides his own. All this I acknowledge; nay at present, and for Argument's sake, let _Homer_'s be the _greater Glory_: Still is not _Virgil_'s the _best Poem_? For I agree that in these Comparisons we ought to make a Distinction between the _Man_, and the _Work_. Or if we must make the Comparison in the former respect; _Homer_ was _Virgil_'s Master, Father, what you please: But nothing is more common, than for