with such success that they were soon dignified by Badius with a
comment, and, as Scaliger complained, received into schools, and
taught as classical; his complaint was vain, and the practice,
however injudicious, spread far and continued long. Mantuan was
read, at least in some of the inferior schools of this kingdom, to
the beginning of the present century. The speakers of Mantuan
carried their disquisitions beyond the country to censure the
corruptions of the Church, and from him Spenser learned to employ
his swains on topics of controversy. The Italians soon transferred
pastoral poetry into their own language. Sannazaro wrote "Arcadia"
in prose and verse; Tasso and Guarini wrote "Favole Boschareccie,"
or Sylvan Dramas; and all nations of Europe filled volumes with
Thyrsis and Damon, and Thestylis and Phyllis.

Philips thinks it "somewhat strange to conceive how, in an age so
addicted to the Muses, pastoral poetry never comes to be so much as
thought upon." His wonder seems very unseasonable; there had never,
from the time of Spenser, wanted writers to talk occasionally of
Arcadia and Strephon, and half the book, in which he first tried his
powers, consists of dialogues on Queen Mary's death, between Tityrus
and Corydon, or Mopsus and Menalcas. A series or book of pastorals,
however, I know not that anyone had then lately published.

Not long afterwards Pope made the first display of his powers in
four pastorals, written in a very different form. Philips had taken
Spenser, and Pope took Virgil for his pattern. Philips endeavoured
to be natural, Pope laboured to be elegant.

Philips was now favoured by Addison and by Addison's companions, who
were very willing to push him into reputation. The Guardian gave an