text:  But when ancient excellence is contemplated with a generous eye even when the mind that sees is but slenderly gifted who will say that nothing new will occur? When it meets kindred genius when it is elevated by a congenial spirit what a noble art does criticism become? What has it proved in the hands of Dryden and Pope of Wilson and Macaulay? It is in the contemplation of ancient greatness and its comparison with the parallel efforts of modern genius that the highest flights of these gifted spirits have been attained and the native generosity of real intellectual power most strikingly evinced