to that of La Fontaine in France; Mr. Pope, the English Boileau, Mr.

Congreve, who may be called their Moliere, and several other eminent

persons whose names I have forgot; all these would have raised the

glory of that body to a great height even in its infancy. But Queen

Anne being snatched suddenly from the world, the Whigs were resolved

to ruin the protectors of the intended academy, a circumstance that

was of the most fatal consequence to polite literature. The members

of this academy would have had a very great advantage over those who