whom he has destroy'd; that of the Critic in viewing
———Disjecti membra Poetæ.Hor.
If ever he accidentally deviates into praise, he does it that his ensuing blame may fall with the greater weight; he adorns an Author with a few flowers, as the Antients those Victims which they were ready to sacrifice: he studies Criticism as if it extended only to dispraise; a Practice, which when most successful, is least desirable. A Painter might justly be thought to have a perverse Imagination, who should delight only to draw the Deformities and Distortions of Human Nature, which when executed by the most masterly hand, strike the Beholder with most Horror. It is usual with envious Critics to attack the Writings of others, because they are good; they constantly prey upon the fariest Fruits, and hope to spread their own Works by uniting them to those of their Adversary. But this is like [1]Me-zentius
- ↑ Mortua quinetiam jungebat Corpora vivis,
Componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora
Tormenti genus!———Virg. Æn. viii. 485.
