ESSAY

ON

Mr. Pope's ODYSSEY.

IN

FIVE DIALOGUES.

By Mr. SPENCE,
Fellow of New College, and Professor of POETRY
in the Univerfity of OXFORD.

Each finding, like a friend,

Something to blame, and fomething to commend.

Mr. Pope's Mifcel. Vol. I.

Printed for S. WILMOT, Bookfeller in Oxford:
And fold byS. BIRT, in Ave-Mary Lane, and
T. LONGMAN in Pater-nefter Row.

M. DCC. XXXVII.

THE

PREFACE.

T

HERE is no Perfon more Odious than the Man who makes himself greatly Eminent. It is a fort of tacit Reproach on the reft of the Species: and every one feels his own meannefs the more fenfibly, when he looks toward those exalted Genius's, who have gained a Superiority over the rest of mankind. This may make it obvious to imagine, that the following Dialogues are partly defigned as Invectives; and produced chiefly from that Blindfide in Self-love, which makes Men willing to derogate from every one, who has Merit enough to provoke, and Fame enough to make others think themselves leffen'd by the over-growth of his Character.