THE LIFE OF ZOILUS.
THE LIFE OF ZOILUS.

THEY who have diſcours'd concerning the Nature and Extent of Criticiſm, take Notice, That Editions of Authors, the Interpreta⯑tions of them, and the Judgment which is paſs'd upon each, are the three Branches into which the Art divides itſelf, But the laſt of theſe, that di⯑rects in the Choice of Books, and takes Care to [] [...] [] prepare us for reading them, is by the learned Bacon call'd the Chair of the Criticks. In this Chair (to carry on the Figure) have ſate Ariſtotle, Demetrius Phalereus, Dionyſius Halicarnaſſenſis, Cicero, Horace, Quintillian, and Longinus; all great Names of Antiquity, the Cenſors of thoſe Ages which went before, and the Directors of thoſe that come after them, with Reſpect to the natu⯑ral and perſpicuous Manners of Thought and Ex⯑preſſion, by which a correct and judicious Genius may be able to write for the Pleaſure and Profit of Mankind.

But whatever has been advanc'd by Men really great in themſelves, has been alſo attempted by others of Capacities either unequal to the Under⯑taking, or which have been corrupted by their Paſſions, and drawn away into partial Violences: So that we have ſometimes ſeen the Province of Criticiſm uſurp'd, by ſuch who judge with an ob⯑ſcure Diligence, and a certain Dryneſs of Under⯑ſtanding, incapable of comprehending a figurative Stile, or being mov'd by the Beauties of Imagi⯑nation; and at other Times by ſuch, whoſe na⯑tural Moroſeneſs in general, or particular Deſigns of Envy, has render'd them indefatigable againſt the Reputation of others.

In this laſt Manner is ZOILUS repreſented to us by Antiquity, and with a Character ſo aban⯑don'd, that his Name has been ſince made Uſe of to brand all ſucceeding Criticks of his Complexion. He has a Load of Infamy thrown upon him, great, in Proportion to the Fame of HOMER, againſt whom he oppos'd himſelf: If the [] one was eſteem'd as the very Reſidence of Wit, the other is deſcrib'd as a Profligate, who wou'd deſtroy the Temple of Apollo and the Muſes, in Order to have his Memory preſerv'd by the en⯑vious Action. I imagine it may be no ungrate⯑ful Undertaking to write ſome Account of this celebrated Perſon, from whom ſo many derive their Character; and I think the Life of a Critick is not unſeaſonably put before the Works of his Poet, eſpecially when his Cenſures accompany him. If what he advances be juſt, he ſtands here as a Cenſor; if otherwiſe, he appears as an Addition to the Poet's Fame, and is placed before him with the Juſtice of Antiquity in its Sacrifices, when, becauſe ſuch a Beaſt had offended ſuch a Deity, he was brought annually to l is Altar to be ſlain upon it.

ZOILUS was born at Amphipolis a City of Thrace, during the Time in which the Macedonian Empire flouriſh'd. Who his Parents were is not certainly known, but if the Appellation of Thra⯑cian Slave, which the World apply'd to him, be not meerly an Expreſſion of Contempt, it proves him of mean Extraction. He was a Diſ⯑ciple of one Polycrates a Sophiſt, who had diſtin⯑guiſh'd himſelf by writing againſt the great Names of the Ages before him; and who, when he is men⯑tion'd as his Maſter, is ſaid to be particularly fa⯑mous for a bitter Accuſation or Invective againſt the Memory of Socrates. In this Manner is ZOI⯑LUS ſet out to Poſterity, like a Plant naturally [] baneful, and having its Poiſon render'd more acute and ſubtile by a Preparation.

In his Perſon he was tall and meagre, his Com⯑plexion was pale, and all the Motions of his Face were ſharp. He is repreſented by Aelian, with a Beard nouriſh'd to a prodigious Length, and his Head kept cloſe ſhav'd, to give him a Magi⯑ſterial Appearance: His Coat hung over his Knees in a ſlovenly Faſhion; his Manners were form'd upon an Averſion to the Cuſtoms of the World. He was fond of ſpeaking ill, diligent to ſow Diſſention, and from the conſtant Bent of his Thought, had obtain'd that Sort of Readi⯑neſs for Slander or Reproach, which is eſteem'd Wit by the light Opinion of ſome, who take the Remarks of ill Nature for an Underſtanding of Mankind, and the abrupt Laſhes of Rudeneſs for the Spirit of Expreſſion. This, at laſt, grew to ſuch a Heighth in him, that he became careleſs of concealing it; he threw off all Reſerves and Managements in Reſpect of others, and the Paſ⯑ſion ſo far took the Turn of a Frenzy, that being one Day ask'd, why he ſpoke ill of every one? ‘It is (ſays he) becauſe I am not able to do them Ill, tho' I have ſo great a Mind to it.’ Such ex⯑travagant Declarations of his general Enmity made Men deal with him as with the Creature he affected to be; they no more ſpoke of him as belonging to the Species he hated; and from henceforth his lear⯑ned Speeches or fine Remarks cou'd obtain no other Title for him, but that of The Rhetorical Dog.

[] While he was in Macedon he employ'd his Time in writing, and reciting what he had writ⯑ten in the Schools of Sophiſts. His Oratory (ſays Dioniſius Halicarnaſſenſis) was always of the demonſtrative Kind, which concerns itſelf about Praiſe or Diſpraiſe. His Subjects were the moſt approv'd Authors, whom he choſe to abuſe upon the Account of their Reputation; and to whom, without going round the Matter in faint Praiſes or artificial Inſinuations, he us'd to deny their own Characteriſticks. With this Gallantry of Oppoſition did he cenſure Zenophon for Affecta⯑tion, Plato for vulgar Notions, and Iſocrates for Incorrectneſs. Demoſthenes, in his Opinion, wanted Fire, Ariſtotle Subtilty, and Ariſtophanes Humour. But, as to have Reputation was with him a ſuffi⯑cient Cauſe of Enmity, ſo to have that Reputa⯑tion univerſal, was what wrought his Frenzy to its wildeſt Degree; for which Reaſon it was HO⯑MER with whom he was moſt implacably angry. And certainly, if Envy chooſe its Object for the Power to give Torment, it ſhou'd here (if ever) have the Glory of fully anſwering its Intentions; for the Poet was ſo worſhip'd by the whole Age, that his Critick had not the common Alleviation of the Opinion of one other Man, to concur in his Condemnation.

ZOILUS however went on with indefatigable Induſtry in a voluminous Work which he entitled, The [...], or Cenſure of HOMER: 'Till having at laſt finiſh'd it, he prepares to ſend it into the [] World with a pompous Title at the Head, in⯑vented for himſelf by Way of Excellency, and thus inſerted after the Manner of the Ancients.

Thus did he value himſelf upon a Work, which the World has not thought worth tranſmitting to us, and but juſt left a Specimen in five or ſix Quo⯑tations, which happen to be preſerv'd by the Com⯑mentators of that Poet againſt whom he writ it. If any One be fond to form a Judgment upon him from theſe Inſtances, they are as follows:

Il. 1. He ſays, HOMER is very ridiculous (a Word he was noted to apply to him) when he makes ſuch a God as Apollo employ himſelf in killing Dogs and Mules.

Il. 5. HOMER is very ridiculous in deſcribing Diomedes's Helmet and Armour, as ſparkling, and in a Blaze of Fire about him, for then why was he not burn'd by it?

Il. 5. When Idaeus quitted his fine Chariot, which was entangl'd in the Fight, and for which he might have been ſlain, the Poet was a Fool for making him leave his Chariot, he had better have run away in it.

Il. 24. When Achilles makes Priam lie out of his Tent, left the Greeks ſhou'd hear of his being there, the Poet had no Breeding, to turn a King out in that Manner.

Od. 9. The Poet ſays, Ulyſſes loſt an equal Number out of each Ship. The Critick ſays, that's impoſſible.

[] Od. 10. He derides the Men who were turn'd into Swine, and calls them HOMER'S poor little blubbering Pigs. The firſt five of theſe Remarks are found in Didymus, the laſt in Longinus.

Such as theſe are the cold Jeſts and trifling Quarrels, which have been regiſtred from a Compoſition that (according to the Repreſenta⯑tion handed down to us) was born in Envy, liv'd a ſhort Life in Contempt, and lies for ever bury'd with Infamy.

But, as his Deſign was judg'd by himſelf won⯑derfully well accompliſh'd, Macedon began to be eſteem'd a Stage too narrow for his Glory; and Aegypt, which had then taken Learning in⯑to its Patronage, the proper Place where it ought to diffuſe its Beams, to the Surprize of all whom he wou'd perſwade to reckon them⯑ſelves hitherto in the Dark, and under the Pre⯑judices of a falſe Admiration. However as he had prepar'd himſelf for the Journey, he was ſuddenly diverted for a while by the Rumour of the Olympick Games, which were at that Time to be celebrated. Thither he ſteer'd his Courſe full of the Memory of Herodotus, and others who had ſucceſsfully recited in that large Aſ⯑ſembly; and pleas'd to imagine he ſhou'd alter all Greece in their Notions of Wit before he left it.

Upon his Arrival, he found the Field in its Pre⯑paration for Diverſion. The Chariots ſtood for the Race, carv'd and gilded, the Horſes were led in coſtly Trappings, ſome practis'd to wreſtle, [] ſome to dart the Spear, (or whatever they de⯑ſign'd to engage at) in a Kind of Flouriſh before⯑hand: Others were looking on to amuſe them⯑ſelves; and all gaily dreſs'd according to the Cuſtom of thoſe Places. Through theſe did ZOILUS move forward, bald-headed, bearded to the Middle, in a long ſad-colour'd Veſtment, and inflexibly ſtretching forth his Hands fill'd with Volumns roll'd up to a vaſt Thickneſs: a Figure moſt venerably ſlovenly! able to demand Atten⯑tion upon Account of its Oddneſs. And indeed, he had no ſooner fix'd himſelf upon an Eminence, but a Crowd flock'd about him to know what he intended. Then the Critick caſting his Eyes on the Ring, open'd his Volume ſlowly, as con⯑ſidering with what Part he might moſt properly entertain his Audience. It happen'd, that the Games at Patroclus's Obſequies came firſt into his Thought; whether it was that he judg'd it ſui⯑table to the Place, or knew that he had fall'n as well upon the Games themſelves, as upon HO⯑MER for celebrating them, and cou'd not reſiſt his natural Diſpoſition to give Mankind Offence. Every One was now intently faſten'd upon him, while he undertook to prove, that thoſe Games ſignify'd nothing to the Taking of Troy, and there⯑fore only furniſh'd an impertinent Epiſode: that the Fall of the Leſſer Ajax in Cow-dung, the Squabble of the Chariot-Race, and other Acci⯑dents which attend ſuch Sports, are mean or trifling: and a World of other Remarks, for [] which he ſtill affirm'd HOMER to be a Fool, and which they that heard him took for ſtudy'd Invectives againſt thoſe Exerciſes they were then employ'd in. Men who frequent Sports, as they are of a chearful Diſpoſition, ſo are they Lovers of Poetry: This, together with the Opinion they were affronted, wrought them up to Impatience and further Licenſes: There was particularly a young Athenian Gentleman who was to run three Chariots in thoſe Games, who being an Admirer of HO⯑MER, cou'd no longer contain himſelf, but cry'd out, ‘What in the Name of Caſtor have we here, ZOILUS from Thrace?’ and as he ſaid it, ſtruck him with a Chariot-Whip. Immediately then a Hundred Whips were ſeen curling round his Head; ſo that his Face, naturally deform'd, and heighten'd by Pain to its utmoſt Caricatura, ap⯑pear'd in the Midſt of them, as we may fancy the Viſage of Envy, if at any Time her Snakes riſe in Rebellion to laſh their Miſtreſs. Nor was this all the Puniſhment they decreed him, when once they imagin'd he was ZOILUS: The Scyronian Rocks were near 'em, and thither they hurried him with a general Cry, to that ſpeedy Juſtice which is practis'd at Places of Diverſion.

It is here, that, according to Suidas, the Cri⯑tick expir'd. But we following the more nu⯑merous Teſtimonies of other Authors, conclude he eſcap'd either by the Lowneſs of thoſe Rocks whence he was thruſt, or by Buſhes which might break his Fall; and ſoon after following [] the Courſes of his firſt Intention, he ſet Sail for Aegypt.

Aegypt was at this Time govern'd by Pto⯑lomy Philadelphus, a Prince paſſionately fond of Learning, and learned Men; particularly an Admirer of HOMER to Adoration. He had built the fineſt Library in the World, and made the choiceſt, as well as moſt numerous Collection of Books. No Encouragements were wanting from him to allure Men of the brighteſt Ge⯑nius to his Court, and no Time thought too much which he ſpent in their Company. From hence it is that we hear of Eratoſthenes and Ariſtophanes, thoſe univerſal Scholars, and candid Judges of other Mens Performances: Callimachus, a Poet of the moſt eaſy, courteous Delicacy, famous for a Poem on the Cutting of Berenice's Hair; and whom Ovid ſo much admired as to ſay, ‘It was Reaſon enough for him to love a Woman, if ſhe wou'd but tell him he exceeded Callimachus;’ Theocritus, the moſt famous in the Paſtoral Way of Writing; And among the young Men, Ariſtarchus and Apollonius Rhodius, the one of whom prov'd a moſt judicious Critick, the other a Poet of no mean Character.

Theſe and many more fill'd the Court of that munificent Prince, whoſe liberal Diſpenſations of Wealth and Favour became Encouragements to every One to exert their Parts to the utmoſt; like Streams which flow through different Sorts of Soils, and improve each in that for which it was adapted by Nature.

[] Such was the Court when ZOILUS arriv'd; but before he enter'd Alexandria, he ſpent a Night in the Temple of Iſis, to enquire of the Succeſs of his Undertaking; not that he doubted the Worth of his Works, but his late Misfortune had inſtructed him, that others might be ignorant of it. Having therefore perform'd the accuſtom'd Sacrifice, and compos'd himſelf to reſt upon the Hide, he had a Viſion which foretold of his fu⯑ture Fame.

He found himſelf ſitting under the Shade of a dark Yew, which was cover'd with Hellebore and Hemlock, and near the Mouth of a Cave, where fate a Monſter, pale, waſted, ſurrounded with Snakes, foſt'ring a Cockatrice in her Boſom; and curſing the Sun, for making the Work of the Deities appear in its Beauty. The Sight of this bred Fear in him; when ſhe ſuddenly turning her ſunk Eyes, put on a hideous Kind of a loving Grin, in which he diſcover'd a Reſemblance to ſome of his own Features. Then turning up her Snakes, and interlacing them in the Form of a Turbant to give him leſs Diſguſt, ſhe thus ad⯑dreſs'd herſelf: ‘Go on, my Son, in whom I am renew'd, and proſper in thy brave Undertakings on Mankind: Aſſert their Wit to be Dulneſs; prove their Senſe to be Folly; know Truth only when it is on thy own Side; and acknowledge Learning at no other Time to be uſeful. Spare not an Author of any Rank or Size; let not thy Tongue or Pen know Pity; make the living feel [] thy Accuſations; make the Ghoſts of the dead groan in their Tombs for their violated Fame. But why do I ſpend Time in needleſs Advice, which may be better us'd in Encouragement? Let thy Eyes delight themſelves with the future Recompence which I have reſerv'd for thy Merit.’ Thus ſpoke the Monſter, and ſhriek'd the Name of ZOILUS: The Shades who were to bear the ſame Name after him became obedient, and the Mouth of the Cave was fill'd with ſtrange ſupercilious Countenances, which all crowded to make their Appearance. Theſe began to march before him with an Imitation of his Mien and Manners: Some crown'd with wild Sorrel, others having Leaves of dead Bays mingl'd amongſt it; while the Monſter ſtill deſcrib'd them as he paſs'd, and touch'd each with a livid Track of malignant Light that ſhot from her Eye, to point where ſhe meant the Deſcrip⯑tion. ‘They (ſays ſhe) in the Chaplets of wild Sorrel, are my Writers of Proſe, who erect Scan⯑dal into Criticiſm: They who wear the wither'd Bay with it, are ſuch who write Po⯑ems, which are profeſſedly to anſwer all Rules, and be left for Patterns to Men of Genius. Theſe that follow ſhall attack others, becauſe they are excell'd by them. The next Rank ſhall make an Author's being read a ſufficient Ground of Oppo⯑ſition. Here march my Grammarians skill'd to torture Words; there my Sons of Sophiſtry, ever ready to wreſt a Meaning. Obſerve how faint the foremoſt of the Proceſſion appear; and [] how they are now loſt in yonder Miſts which roll about the Cave of Oblivion! This ſhews, it is not for themſelves that they are to be known; the World will conſider them only as managing a Part of thy Endowments, and ſo know them by thy Name while they live, that their own ſhall be loſt for ever. But ſee how my Cave ſtill ſwarms! how every Age produces Men, upon whom the Preſervation of thy Me⯑mory devolves. My Darling, the Fates have de⯑creed it! Thou art ZOILUS, and ZOILUS ſhall be eternal: Come, my Serpents, applaud him with your Hiſſes, that is all which now can be done; in modern Times my Sons ſhall invent louder Inſtruments, and artificial Imitations, Noiſes which drown the Voice of Merit, ſhall furniſh a Conſort to delight them.’ Here ſhe aroſe to claſp him in her Arms, a ſtrange Noiſe was heard, the Critick ſtarted at it, and his Vi⯑ſion forſook him.

It was with ſome Confuſion, that he lay muſing a while upon what he had ſeen; but re⯑flecting, that the Goddeſs had giv'n him no An⯑ſwer concerning his Succeſs in Aegypt, he ſtrength⯑en'd his Heart in his ancient Self-Love and En⯑mity to others, and took all for an idle Dream born of the Fumes of Indigeſtion, or produc'd by the dizzy Motion of his Voyage. In this Opi⯑nion, he told it at his Departure to the Prieſt, who admiring the extraordinary Relation, regi⯑ſtred it in Hieroglyphicks at Canopus.

[] The Day when he came to Alexandria was one on which the King had appointed Games to Apollo and the Muſes, and Honours and Rewards for ſuch Writers as ſhou'd appear in them. This he took for a happy Omen at his Entrance, and, not to loſe an Opportunity of ſhewing himſelf, repair'd im⯑mediately to the publick Theatre, where, as if every Thing was to favour him, the very firſt Accident gave his Spleen a Diverſion, which we find at large in the Proem of the ſeventh Book of Vitruvius. It happen'd that when the Poets had recited, ſix of the Judges decreed the Prizes with a full Approbation of all the Audience. From this Ariſtophanes alone diſſented, and de⯑manded the firſt Prize for a Perſon whoſe baſh⯑ful and interrupted Manner of ſpeaking made him appear the moſt diſguſtful: For he (ſays the Judge) is alone a Poet, and all the reſt Reciters; and they who are Judges ſhou'd not approve Thefts, but Writings. To maintain his Aſſertion, thoſe Volumns were produc'd from whence they had been ſtoll'n: Upon which the King order'd them to be formally try'd for Theft, and diſmiſs'd with Infamy; but plac'd Ariſtophanes over his Library, as One, who had given a Proof of his Knowledge in Books. This Paſſage ZOILUS often afterwards repeated with Pleaſure, for the Number of Diſgraces which happen'd in it to the Pretenders in Poetry; tho' his Envy made him ſtill careful not to name Ariſtophanes, but a Judge in general.

[] However, Criticiſm had only a ſhort Triumph over Poetry, when he made the next Turn his own, by ſtepping forward into the Place of re⯑citing. Here he immediately rais'd the Curioſity, and drew the Attention of both King and People: But, as it happen'd, neither the one nor the other laſted; for the firſt Sentence where he had regiſtred his own Name, ſatisfied their Curioſity; and the next, where he offer'd to prove to a Court ſo devoted to Homer, that he was ridicu⯑lous in every thing, went near to finiſh his Audi⯑ence. He was nevertheleſs heard quietly for ſome Time, till the King ſeeing no End of his Abuſing the Prince of Philological Learning, (as Vitruvius words it) departed in Diſdain. The Judges follow'd, deriding his Attempt as an Ex⯑travagance which cou'd not demand their Gra⯑vity; and the People taking a Licenſe from the Pre⯑cedent, hooted him away with Obloquy and In⯑dignation. Thus Zoilus fail'd at his firſt Ap⯑pearance, and was forc'd to retire, ſtung with a moſt impatient Senſe of publick Contempt.

Yet notwithſtanding all this, he did not omit his Attendance at Court on the Day following, with a Petition that he might be put upon the Eſtabliſhment of Learning, and allow'd a Pen⯑ſion. This the King read, but return'd no An⯑ſwer: So great was the Scorn he conceiv'd againſt him. But ZOILUS ſtill undauntedly renew'd his Petitions, 'till Ptolomy, being weary of his Per⯑ſecution, gave him a flat Denial. HOMER, (ſays [] the Prince) who has been dead theſe Thouſand Years, has maintain'd Thouſands of People; and ZOILUS, who boaſts he has more Wit than he, ought not only to maintain himſelf, but many others alſo.

His Petitions being thrown careleſly about, were fall'n into the Hands of Men of Wit, whom, according to his Cuſtom, he had provok'd, and whom it is unſafe to provoke if you wou'd live unexpos'd. I can compare them to nothing more properly, than to the Bee, a Creature wing'd and lively, fond to rove through the choiceſt Flowers of Nature, and bleſt at home among the Sweets of its own Compoſition: Not ill-na⯑tur'd, yet quick to revenge an Injury; not wear⯑ing its Sting out of the Sheath, yet able to wound more ſorely than its Appearance wou'd threaten. Now theſe being made perſonal Enemies by his malicious Expreſſions, the Court rung with Pe⯑titions of ZOILUS tranſvers'd; new Petitions drawn up for him; Catalogues of his Merits, ſuppos'd to be collected by himſelf; his Com⯑plaints of Man's Injuſtice ſet to a Harp out of Tune, and a Hundred other Sports of Fancy, with which their Epigrams play'd upon him. Theſe were the Ways of Writing which ZOILUS hated, becauſe they were not only read, but re⯑tain'd eaſily, by Reaſon of their Spirit, Humour, and Brevity; and becauſe they not only make the Man a Jeſt upon whom they are written, but a further Jeſt, if he attempt to anſwer them gravely. [] However, he did what he cou'd in Revenge; he endeavour'd to ſet thoſe whom he envy'd at Variance among themſelves, and invented Lies to promote his Deſign. He told Eratoſthenes, that Callimachus ſaid, his Extent of Learning conſiſted but in a ſuperficial Knowledge of the Sciences; and whiſper'd Callimachus, that Eratoſthenes only al⯑low'd him to have an artful habitual Knack of Ver⯑ſifying. He would have made Ariſtophanes believe, that Theocritus rally'd his Knowledge in Editions as a curious Kind of Triffling; and Theocritus, that Ariſtophanes derided the ruſtical Simplicity of his Shepherds. Tho' of all his Stories, that which he moſt valu'd himſelf for, was his conſtant Report, that every one whom he hated was a Friend to Antiochus King of Syria, the Enemy of Ptolomy.

But Malice is unſucceſsful when the Character of its Agent is known: They grew more Friends to one another, by imagining, that even what had been ſaid, as well as what had not, was all of ZOILUS'S Invention; and as he grew more and more the common Jeſt, their Deriſion of him became a Kind of Life and Cement to their Converſation.

Contempt, Poverty, and other Misfortunes had now ſo aſſaulted him, that even they who abhorr'd his Temper, contributed ſomething to his Support, in common Humanity. Yet ſtill his Envy, like a vitiated Stomach, converted every Kindneſs to the Nouriſhment of his Diſeaſe; and 'twas the whole Buſineſs of his Life to revile HOMER, [] and thoſe by whom he himſelf ſubſiſted. In this Humour he had Days, which were ſo given up to impatient Ill-nature, that he cou'd neither write any Thing, nor converſe with any One. Theſe he ſometimes employ'd in throwing Stones at Chil⯑dren; which was once ſo unhappily return'd up⯑on him, that he was taken up for dead: And this occaſion'd the Report in ſome Authors, of his being ſton'd to Death in Aegypt. Or, ſometimes he convey'd himſelf into the Library, where he blotted the Name of HOMER wherever he could meet it, and tore the beſt Editions of ſeveral Volumns; for which the Librarians debarr'd him the Privilege of that Place. Theſe and other Miſchiefs made him univerſally ſhunn'd; nay, to ſuch an Extravagance was his Character of Envy carry'd, that the more ſuperſtitious Aegyptians imagin'd they were faſcinated by him, if the Day were darker, or themſelves a little heavier than ordinary; ſome wore Sprigs of Rue, by Way of Prevention; and others, Rings made of the Hoof of a wild Aſs for Amulets, leſt they ſhou'd ſuffer, by his fixing an Eye upon them.

It was now near the Time, when that ſplen⯑did Temple which Ptolomy built in Honour of HOMER, was to be open'd with a ſolemn Mag⯑nificence: For this the Men of Genius were employ'd in finding a proper Pageant. At laſt, they agreed by one Conſent, to have ZOILUS, the utter Enemy of HOMER, hang'd in Effigie; [] and the Day being come, it was on this Manner they form'd the Proceſſion. Twelve beautiful Boys, lightly habited in white, with purple Wings repreſenting the Hours, went on the foremoſt: After theſe came a Chariot exceeding high and ſtately, where ſate one repreſenting Apollo, with another at his Feet, who in this Pomp ſuſtain'd the Perſon of HOMER: Apollo's Lawrel had little gilded Points, like the Appearance of Rays between its Leaves; HOMER'S was bound with a blue Fillet, like that which is worn by the Prieſts of the Deity: Apollo was diſtinguiſh'd by the golden Harp he bore; HOMER, by a Vo⯑lumn, richly beautify'd with Horns of inlaid Ivory, and Taſſels of Silver depending from them. Behind theſe came three Chariots, in which rode nine Damſels, each of them with that Inſtrument which is proper to each of the Muſes; among whom, Calliope, to give her the Honour of the Day, ſate in the Middle of the ſecond Chariot, known by her richer Veſtments. After theſe march'd a ſolemn Train aptly habited, like thoſe Sciences which acknowledge their Riſe or Improvement from this Poet. Then the Men of Learning who attended the Court, with Wreaths, and Rods or Scepters of Lawrel, as taking upon themſelves the Repreſentation of Rhapſodiſts, to do Honour, for the Time, to HOMER. In the Rear of all was ſlowly drawn along an odd Carriage, rather than a Chariot, [] which had its Sides artfully turn'd, and carv'd ſo as to bear a Reſemblance to the Heads of ſnarling Maſtiffs. In this was born, as led in Triumph, a tall Image of Deformity, whoſe Head was bald, and wound about with Nettles for a Chaplet. The Tongue lay lolling out, to ſhew a Contempt of Mankind, and was fork'd at the End, to con⯑feſs its Love to Detraction. The Hands were manacled behind, and the Fingers arm'd with long Nails, to cut deep through the Margins of Authors. Its Veſture was of the Paper of Nilus, bearing inſcrib'd upon its Breaſt in Capital Let⯑ters, ZOILUS the HOMERO-MASTIX; and all the reſt of it was ſcrawl'd with various Monſters of that River, as Emblems of thoſe Pro⯑ductions with which that Critick us'd to fill his Papers. When they had reach'd the Temple, where the King and his Court were already plac'd to behold them from its Galleries, the Image of ZOILUS was hung upon a Gibbet, there erected for it, with ſuch loud Acclama⯑tions as witneſs'd the Peoples Satisfaction. This being finiſh'd, the Hours knock'd at the Gates, which flew open, and diſcover'd the Statue of HOMER magnificently ſeated, with the Pictures of thoſe Cities which contended for his Birth, rang'd in Order around him. Then they who repreſented the Deities in the Proceſſion, laying aſide their Enſigns of Divinity, uſher'd in the Men of Learning with a Sound of Voices, and their [] various Inſtruments, to aſſiſt at a Sacrifice in Honour of Apollo and his Favourite HOMER.

It may be eaſily believ'd, that ZOILUS concluded his Affairs were at the utmoſt Point of Deſperation in Aegypt; wherefore, fill'd with Pride, Scorn, Anger, Vexation, Envy, (and what⯑ever cou'd torment him, except the Knowledge of his Unworthineſs) he flung himſelf aboard the firſt Ship which left that Country. As it hap⯑pen'd, the Veſſel he ſail'd in was bound for Aſia Minor, and this landing him at a Port the neareſt to Smyrna, he was a little pleas'd amidſt his Mi⯑ſery to think of decrying HOMER in another Place where he was ador'd, and which chiefly pretended to his Birth. So incorrigible was his Diſpoſition, that no Experience taught him any Thing which might contribute to his Eaſe and Safety.

And as his Experience wrought nothing on him, ſo neither did the Accidents, which the Opinion of thoſe Times took for ominous Warnings: For, he is reported to have ſeen the Night he came to Smyrna, a venerable Perſon, ſuch as HOMER is deſcrib'd by Antiquity, threatning him in a Dream; and in the Morning he found a Part of his Works gnaw'd by Mice, which, ſays Aelian, are of all Beaſts the moſt prophetick; inſomuch that they know when to leave a Houſe, even before its Fall is ſuſpected. Envy, which has no Relaxation, ſtill hurry'd him forward, for it is certainly true [] that a Man has not firmer Reſolution from Rea⯑ſon, to ſtand by a good Principle, than Obſtinacy from perverted Nature, to adhere to a bad one.

In the Morning as he walk'd the Street, he obſerv'd in ſome Places Inſcriptions concerning HOMER, which inform'd him where he liv'd, where he had taught School, and ſeveral other Par⯑ticularitieswhich the Smyrneans glory to have recor⯑ded of him; all which awaken'd and irritated the Paſſions of ZOILUS. But his Temper was quite overthrown, by the venerable Appearance which he ſaw, upon entring the Homereum; which is a Building compos'd of a Library, Porch, and Temple erected to HOMER. Here a Phrenzy ſeiz'd him which knew no Bounds; he rav'd vi⯑olently againſt the Poet, and all his Admirers; he trampled on his Works, he ſpurn'd about his Commentators, he tore down his Buſts from the Niches, threw the Medals that were caſt of him out of the Windows, and paſſing from one Place to another, beat the aged Prieſts, and broke down the Altar. The Cries which were occa⯑ſioned by this Means brought in many upon him; who obſerv'd with Horror how the moſt ſacred Honours of their City were prophan'd by the frantick Impiety of a Stranger; and immediately dragg'd him to Puniſhment before their Magi⯑ſtrates, who were then ſitting. He was no ſooner there, but known for ZOILUS by ſome [] in Court, a Name a long Time moſt hateful to Smyrna; which, as it valu'd itſelf upon the Birth of HOMER, ſo bore more impatiently than other Places, the Abuſes offer'd him. This made them eager to propitiate his Shade, and claim to themſelves a ſecond Merit by the Death of ZOILUS; wherefore they ſentenc'd him to ſuffer by Fire, as the due Reward of his Deſecra⯑tions; and order'd, that their City ſhou'd be pu⯑rify'd by a Luſtration, for having entertain'd ſo impious a Gueſt. In Purſuance to this Sentence, he was led away, with his Compoſitions born before him by the publick Executioner: Then was he faſten'd to the Stake, propheſying all the while how many ſhou'd ariſe to revenge his Quarrel: particularly, that when Greek ſhou'd be no more a Language, there ſhall be a Nation which will both tranſlate HOMER into Proſe, and contract him in Verſe. At laſt, his Compo⯑ſitions were lighted to ſet the Pile on Fire, and he expir'd ſighing for the Loſs of them, more than for the Pain he ſuffer'd: And perhaps too, becauſe he might foreſee in his prophetick Rapture, that there ſhou'd ariſe a Poet in another Nation, able to do HOMER Juſtice, and make him known amongſt his People to future Ages.

Thus dy'd this noted Critick, of whom we may obſerve from the Courſe of the Hiſtory, that as ſeveral Cities contended for the [] Honour of the Birth of HOMER, ſo ſeveral have contended for the Honour of the Death of ZOILUS. With him likewiſe periſh'd his great Work on the Iliad, and the Odyſſes; concerning which we obſerve alſo, that as the known Worth of HOMER'S Poetry makes him ſurvive himſelf with Glory; ſo the bare Memory of ZOILUS'S Criticiſm makes him ſurvive himſelf with Infamy. Theſe are deſervedly the Conſe⯑quences of that ill Nature which made him fond of Detraction, that Envy, which made him chooſe ſo excellent a Character for its Object, and thoſe partial Methods of Injuſtice with which he treated the Object he had choſen.

Yet how many commence Criticks after him, upon the ſame unhappy Principles? How many labour to deſtroy the Monuments of the dead, and ſummon up the Great from their Graves to anſwer for Trifles before them? How many, by Miſrepreſentations, both hinder the World from favouring Men of Genius, and diſcourage them in themſelves; like Boughs of a baneful and bar⯑ren Nature, that ſhoot a-croſs a Fruit-Tree; at once to ſcreen the Sun from it, and hinder it by their Droppings from producing any Thing of Value? But if theſe who thus follow ZOILUS, meet not the ſame Severities of Fate, becauſe they come ſhort of his Indefatigableneſs, or their Object is not ſo uni⯑verſally the Concern of Mankind; they ſhall nevertheleſs [] meet a Proportion of it in the inward Trouble they give themſelves, and the outward Contempt others fling upon them: A Puniſh⯑ment which every one has hitherto felt, who has really deſerv'd to be call'd a ZOILUS; and which will always be the natural Reward of ſuch Mens Actions, as long as ZOILUS is the proper Name of Envy.