The following lines taken from the Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope ask critics to abide by nature.

First follow NATURE, and your Judgment frame
By her just Standard, which is still the same:

This incomplete definition of ‘nature’ was called upon by John Dennis, who was the contemporary of Pope and an English critic. Identify the essay in which he attacks Pope’s ambiguous idea of ‘nature’.

Correct option is A

Explanation:
The correct answer is Reflections Critical and Satyrical, upon a late Rhapsody, call’d, An Essay upon Criticism.

John Dennis, a notable 18th-century literary critic, was well known for his hostile critiques of contemporary writers, including Alexander Pope. In response to Pope’s An Essay on Criticism (1711), Dennis wrote Reflections Critical and Satyrical, upon a late Rhapsody, call’d, An Essay upon Criticism, in which he attacked Pope’s definition of ‘nature’ as being too vague and lacking intellectual rigor.

Dennis criticized Pope for:

Oversimplifying the concept of ‘nature’ – Pope suggested that nature is a perfect and unchanging standard for judging literature. Dennis argued that this was an abstract and ambiguous idea with no concrete application in literary criticism.
Lacking deep knowledge of classical theory – While Pope advocated for following nature and ancient literary rules, Dennis believed that Pope had misinterpreted classical ideals and failed to provide a clear standard for poetry.
Writing in an unstructured manner – Dennis dismissed An Essay on Criticism as a "late rhapsody", implying that it was poorly organized and lacked coherence.
Being a young, inexperienced critic – At the time of writing An Essay on Criticism, Pope was only 23 years old. Dennis, being older and more experienced, dismissed Pope’s authority in the field of literary criticism.
Dennis’s essay was not only a critique of Pope’s literary ideas, but also a personal attack on Pope himself. This literary feud led Pope to mock Dennis in later works, including The Dunciad and Peri Bathous, where he portrayed Dennis as an ignorant and bitter critic.

Information Booster:

Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" seeks to lay down rules of good taste in poetry criticism, and in poetry itself. Structured as an essay in rhyming verse, it offers advice to the aspiring critic while satirizing amateurish criticism and poetry. The famous passage beginning "A little learning is a dangerous thing" advises would-be critics to learn their field in depth, warning that the arts demand much longer and more arduous study than beginners expect. The passage can also be read as a warning against shallow learning in general. Published in 1711, when Alexander Pope was just 23, the "Essay" brought its author fame and notoriety while he was still a young poet himself.

John Dennis’s Role in Literary Criticism:

• A strong advocate of classical literary principles, Dennis often critiqued contemporary works for failing to follow strict classical rules.
  
• He was known for his aggressive style of criticism, which earned him many enemies among writers of his time.
  

Pope’s Concept of ‘Nature’:

• Pope argued that nature is the ultimate guide in art and literature, meaning that great literature should follow universal and eternal principles.
  
• Dennis countered this by stating that Pope’s ‘nature’ was too loosely defined and could not serve as an objective standard for criticism.
  

The Pope-Dennis Feud:

• Pope frequently ridiculed Dennis in response to his criticisms, portraying him as a failed critic consumed by envy.
  
• In The Dunciad, Pope satirized Dennis’s harsh critiques, depicting him as a second-rate thinker.
  

Impact of the Controversy:

• Despite Dennis’s harsh attacks, An Essay on Criticism became one of the most influential texts in literary criticism, widely studied even today.
  
• Dennis’s critique, while dismissed at the time, raised important questions about objectivity in literary judgment.