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ing the animals which the writer intended. Thus, the behemoth is by some supposed to be the elephant, by others the hippopotamus. The reem, absurdly in our version rendered the unicorn, is variously interpreted the rhinoceros, urus, oryx, and bison. What is more extraordinary, the leviathan, to which a whole chapter is appropriated, has, with almost equal plausibility, been maintained to be the whale and the crocodile—a fish, and an amphibious quadruped. It may, indeed, be alledged, that the design of the poet in this place, which was to inculcate sublime ideas of the Divine Power and Majesty from considerations of the grandeur of his works, and sentiments of humiliation from the comparison of human strength and courage to those of other creatures, did not require, or even admit of, minuteness in zoological description. Still, however, such want of precision in the great outlines of his figures, must be imputed to the prevalence of a characteristic manner, rather than to the decision of the judgment *."

13. AMBROSE PHILIPS, descended from a family of some antiquity in Leicestershire, was, after the usual grammatical education, sent to

* Aikin's Essay on the Application of Natural History to Poetry, 8vo. 1777, p. 11, et seq.

St. John's College in Cambridge. He early became a student and a writer of English poetry, and, previous to the year 1708, had published one of his most celebrated works, his six pastorals. These, notwithstanding the irony of Pope, of which we have related the consequences in a preceding part of this volume, are much beyond mediocrity. They are inferior, it is true, in point of versification, to the pastorals of his rival; but it will not now, I think, be denied, that, in the delineation of rural scenery and manners, he is beyond comparison more original and faithful than the jealous bard of Twickenham.

Philips, soon after the composition of his pastorals, left the University for London; and, frequenting Button's Coffee-house, which was then resorted to by the most eminent literary characters, he became acquainted with Steele and Addison, and having embraced with ardour their political principles, a close intimacy was the result.

In 1709, he published, in N° 12 of the Tatler, a "Poetical Letter from Copenhagen,” addressed to the Duke of Dorset. It is a winter-piece, finished in a style of great accuracy and beauty, and is, perhaps, the best of all our author's performances; even Pope, who was accustomed to

ridicule without mercy the poetry of Philips, condescends to praise this production.

The pecuniary circumstances of Philips were probably at this period very limited; as he refused not to translate for Tonson the "Persian Tales" from the French, at a price so low, that he was afterwards unwilling to be reminded of the transaction. He attempted, likewise, to attract the attention of the public to his political opinions, by publishing the "Life of Archbishop Williams;" a plan which, I believe, nearly, if not altogether, failed. He neglected no means, indeed, to improve his situation; and we find him about this time soliciting Swift to procure him a place under government. "This evening," says the Dean, in his Journal to Stella, dated June the 30th, 1711, "I have had a letter from Mr. Philips, the pastoral poet, to get him a certain employment from lord treasurer. I have now had almost all the whig-poets my solicitors; and I have been useful to Congreve, Steele, and Harrison but I will do nothing for Philips; I find he is more a puppy than ever; so do not solicit for him * "

The production which principally contributed towards making Philips known and popular, *Swift's Works, vol. xv. p. 80.

was his tragedy of The Distrest Mother, in a great measure a mere translation from the "Andromaque" of Racine, but which was well received upon the stage, where it still continues to be occasionally acted. Great pains, indeed, were taken to render it a favourite with the town; Steele read and lavishly praised it, before it was acted, in No 290 of the Spectator; Addison relates the pleasure which Sir Roger de Coverley received from its representation in N° 335 of the same work; and its publication is announced, with remarks on the epilogue, the supposed composition of Budgell, in N° 338, to which Budgell replied in No 341. By these means the attention of the public was still further fixed upon the piece, and Philips was enrolled among the wits and literati of the day. The success which had accompanied his first dramatic essay, though it led our author to cultivate this species of poetry, did not stimulate him into any hasty effort to reiterate the popular applause; nine years elapsed before he again ventured on the stage; he then, however, produced two tragedies, entitled The Briton, and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester; which, though possessing much more originality than his first drama, were barely endured at the time when they were brought forward, and are now neglected or forgotten.

The zeal which Philips had ever shewn in supporting the whig interest, induced him to consider the accession of the House of Hanover as an event which might probably establish his fortune. In this calculation, he had soon reason to find that he had been too sanguine; for, though not entirely overlooked, his portion of court favour was certainly not ample. He was made a justice of the peace, and, in 1717, a commissioner of the lottery, situations of no great dignity or profit.

The disappointment of his hopes, however, occasioned no relaxation in his literary industry; for in the year 1718 he commenced a periodical paper, under the title of The Freethinker, a work which not only acquired him considerable reputation, but was the mean of procuring him a permanent independence. One of his coadjutors was Dr. Boulter, then the humble minister of a parish in Southwark, but afterwards bishop of Bristol, and archbishop of Armagh. This learned and amiable prelate forgot not, when elevated to the highest station in the church, bis former associate; on his departure for Ireland he took Philips with him; on his arrival appointed him his secretary, and afterwards procured him a seat in the Irish House of Commons. These steps led to still greater honours and emo

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