_Achilles'_ Wrath, to _Greece_ the direful Spring
Of Woes un-number'd, _Heav'nly_ Goddess, sing.

Is not _Heav'nly_ as much an Expletive as _O_, and can either of these
Couplets deserve to be plac'd in the Front of the Iliad? I could wish
Mr. _Pope_ would return these two Lines once more to the Anvil, and
dismiss all Expletives here at least. But enough of Expletives.

I shall now say something of _Monosyllables_, which seem to be
absolutely condemn'd in the second Line of the two Verses just
mention'd from Mr. _Pope's Essay on Criticism_.

And ten low Words oft creep in one dull Line.

Mr. _Dryden_ indeed has said in several Places, that the vast Number
of _Monosyllables_ in our Language makes it barbarous and rough, and
unfit for Poetry. I am apt to think Mr. _Pope_ gave into Mr.
_Dryden_'s Sentiment a little too hastily. I own _ten low Words_ too
frequently _creep on in one dull line_, in a Poet's Works, whom Mr.
_Pope_ has formerly celebrated with no mean Encomiums.

The following Lines afford an Example in this respect.

At the beginning of the third Book of the _Davideis_, this is the
Description of _Goliah_'s Sword.

"A Sword so great, that _it_ was only _fit_
To take off his great Head, who came with _it_.
_Cowley._