Jacob Yeat POEMS: V I Z. An ODE to LORD BOLINGBROKE. BLEINHEIM. A Poem. CYDER, In Two Books. BY MR. JOHN PHILIPS. EDINBURG H: PRINTED BY CAMPBELL DENOVAN, AT HIS PRINTING 280 n. 256. AF FTER we have read the works of a poet with pleasure, and reflected upon them with improvement, we are naturally apt to inquire into his life, the manner of his education, and other little circumstances, which give a new beauty to his writings, and let us into the genius and character of their author. To fatisfy this general inclination, and do fome juftice to the memory of Mr. PHILIPS, we fhall give the world a short account of him and his few, but excellent, compofitions. Sufficient they were, though few, to his fame, but not to our wishes. He was the fon of Dr STEPHENPHILIPS, archdeacon of Salop, and born at Bampton in Oxfordfhire, December the thirtieth, Anno 1676. After he was well grounded in grammar-learning, he was fent to Winchefter fchool, where he made himself master of the Latin and Greek languages, and was foon distinguished for a happy imitation of the excellencies which he discovered in the best claffical authors. With this foundation of good learning, and very early promises of a farther improvement in all use.ful studies, he was removed to Chrift-Church in Oxford. From his firft entrance into that univerfity, he was very much esteemed for the fimplicity of his manners, the agreeableness of his converfation, and the uncommon delicacy of his genius. All his univerfity exercises were received with applaufe; and in that place, fo famous for good fenfe, and a true fpirit, he, in a fhort time, grew to be fuperior to most of his cotemporaries: where, to have been their equal only, had been a sufficient praise. There it was, that, following the natural bent of his genius, befide other valuable authors, he became acquainted with Milton, whom he studied with application, and traced him in all his fuccefsful tranflations from the antients. There was not an allufion in his PARADISE LOST, drawn from the thoughts or expreffions. of Homer or Virgil, which he could not immediately refer to; and, by that, he perceived what a peculiar life and grace, their fentiments added to English poetry; how much their images raised its spirit; and what weight and beauty their words, when tranflated, gave to its language. Nor was he lefs curious in obferving the force and elegancy of his mother-tongue, but, by the example of his darling Milton, fearched backwards into the works of our old English poets, to furnish himself with proper founding, and fignificant expreffions, and prove the due extent, and compass of the language. For this purpose, he carefully read over Chaucer, and Spenfer; and, afterwards, in his writings, did not fcruple to revive any words, or phrafes, which he thought deserved it, with that modest liberty, which Horace allows of, either in the coining of new, or reftoring of ancient expreffions. Yet though he was a profeffed admirer of these authors, it was not from any view of appearing in public; for fuch was his modefty, that he was the only perfon who did not think himself qualified for it: he read for his own pleasure; and writing was the only thing he declined, wherein he was capable of pleafing others. Nor was he fo in love with poetry, as to neglect any other parts of |