The expense of liquor both of wine and others, was
considerable, as well as of other provisions ; and my
friends seemed well satisfied."

If Rochester was expected to entertain dull



AND OTHER LITERARY RAKES



VI



neighbours, rural clergymen by the dozen at a
time, and tradesmen at dinner, accustomed as he
was to the society of courtiers and wits, he must
indeed have been bored in the country, and have
thought that, as he said, ''living in the country" was
the worst evil he could possibly wish to the dog that
bit him.
^78 ROCHESTER



CHAPTER XVIII.
In studying the character of a poet, or even of a
so-called poet, it is obvious that due attention should
be paid to his poems, or what pass as such. Re-
specting Rochester's it is unsatisfactory that many
of those imputed to him should be of very doubtful
authenticity. His Imitation of Horace's Satire y his
Verses to Lord Mulgrave^ his Satire against Man,
and his Verses upon Nothing, are, according to Dr.
Johnson, unquestionably genuine. A few others
usually published with his works are also probably
his own ; but the rest are looked upon with suspicion
by the best judges.
Johnson says of Rochester's poems : '* They have
no particular character : they tell, like other songs, in
smooth and easy language, of scorn and kindness,
dismission and desertion, absence and inconstancy,
with the commonplaces of artificial courtship. They
are commonly smooth and easy : but have little
nature, and little sentiment."^ Johnson praises
Rochester for his skill in following the fashion, just
begun in his time, of imitating the style of ancient

^ Li7)€S of the Poets, vol. i., p. 193.
