[1] The scene of this Pastoral by the river side, suitable to the heat of the season: the time noon.—Pope.
[2] Dr. Samuel Garth, author of the Dispensary, was one of the first friends of the author, whose acquaintance with him began at fourteen or fifteen. Their friendship continued from the year 1703 to 1718, which was that of his death.—Pope.
He was a man of the sweetest disposition, amiable manners, and universal benevolence. All parties, at a time when party violence was at a great height, joined in praising and loving him. One of the most exquisite pieces of wit ever written by Addison, is a defence of Garth against the Examiner, 1710. It is unfortunate that this second Pastoral, the worst of the four, should be inscribed to the best judge of all Pope's four friends to whom they were addressed.—Warton.
[3] This was one of the passages submitted to Walsh. "Objection," remarks Pope, "against the parenthesis, he seeks no better name. Quære. Would it be anything better to say,
A shepherd's boy, who sung for love, not fame, etc.
Or,
A shepherd's boy, who fed an amorous flame.
Quære, which of all these is the best, or are none of them good." Walsh preferred the parenthesis in the text. "It is Spenser's way," he said, "and I think better than the others."
[4] Spenser's Shepherd's Calendar:
A shepherd boy (no better do him call)
Led forth his flock.—Bowles.