Nothing being more absurd than for those two Counter-parts to be like a Pair of Scales, one mounting as the other sinks; Mr. _Dryden_ frequently acts contrary to this Precept, at least to the latter Part of it: Where his _Author_ soars, and towers in the Air, _He_ often grovels, and flutters upon the Ground. Instances of all these Kinds are numerous. If I produce a few, it is not to detract from his Translation, in order to recommend my own: I detest That base Principle of little, and envious Spirits: And besides, I am sensible that it would be as foolish, as ungenerous: For of Mine, the World _will_, and _ought to be_ judge, whatever I say, or think; and it's Judgment in these Matters is never erroneous. It is not therefore that I am acted by the Spirit of _malevolent_ Criticism, or Criticism _commonly so called_; which is nothing but the Art of finding Fault: But I do it, partly to _justify_ my _Undertaking_ (tho' of a different Kind from His, which is what I _chiefly_ insist upon) not to _recommend_ my _Performance_; partly for the Instruction, and Improvement of my self, and others; for the sake of Truth, and _true Criticism_; that is, right, and impartial Judgment, joined with good Nature, and good Manners; prone to _excuse_, but not to _falsify_; and _delighting_ to dwell upon _Beauties_, tho' _daring_ to remark upon _Faults_. Were we to make a few scattered Strictures upon the First Book only; we should observe that he leaves out a very material Word in the very _first_ Line: And That too happens to be the Word _First_: As if That stood for Nothing, in _Virgil_'s Verse; and as if _First_ would not have stood as well as _Forc'd_ in his own. Especially, since there are two Adjectives more of the same Signification [_Expell'd_, and _Exil'd_ in the next Verse but one] agreeing with the same Substantive, all three to express the single Epithet _Profugus_: Which, by the way, is Tautology, and utterly unlike _Virgil_'s Manner; who never says any thing in vain, and whose chief Beauty is Brevity. In the very next two Lines, _Italiam_, _Lavinaque Littora_ are left out; tho' necessary to the Design of the Poem: Not to mention his strange Transposing of _sævæ memorem Junonis ob iram_. V. 28. _Long cited by the People of the Sky_, is entirely added. As is, V. 41. _Electra's Glories, and her injur'd Bed_; and the two following Lines. The Addition of three Verses together is too much in all Reason. V. 66. _Then as an Eagle grasps the trembling Game_, is wholly his own. And so is V. 107, 108. _The charming Daughters of the Main Around my Person wait, and bear my Train._ V. 144, 145.----_Whose dismember'd Hands yet bear The Dart aloft, and clench the pointed Spear_. As there is no Hint of This in _Virgil_; so I doubt it is not Sense in it self. For how the Hand of a Body, which has been dead seven Years, can hold a Spear aloft, I cannot imagine. V. 220. _And quenches their innate Desire of Blood_. This is not only added; but too