Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/224

214 The plagiariſm of this perſon gave occaſion to the following epigram;

The ſmaller pieces which we have heard attributed to this author, are, An Epigram on the Bridge at Blenheim, by Dr. Evans; Coſmelia, by Mr. Pitt, Mr. Jones, &c. The Saw-Pit, a Simile, by a Friend; and ſome unowned Letters, Advertiſements, and Epigrams againſt Mr. Pope in the Daily Journal. He died in the year 1734, and as be wrote but one comedy unſucceſsfully, and no other pieces of his meeting with any applauſe, the reader will probably look upon him as a man of little genius; he had a power however of rendering his converſation agreeable by a facetious and gentleman-like manner, without any of the ſtiffneſs of the ſcholar, or the uſual petulance of a poet. He always lived in affluent circumſtances, and by mixing with genteel company, his habit of elegance was never loſt, a fate which too frequently happens to thoſe, who, notwithſtanding the brighteſt parts, are excluded the circle of politeneſs by the oppreſſions of poverty. In this light Mr. Pope mull have conſidered him, or he, who was one of the politeſt men of the age, as well as the greateſt poet, would never have introduced him to the earl of Peterborough. It does not appear that Mr. More had parts otherwiſe ſufficient to entitle him to the notice of Pope, and therefore he muſt have conſidered him only as a gentleman. Had he poſſeſſed as much prudence, as politeneſs, he would have avoided by all means