been copied by so many signpost daubers, that now it is grown fulsome; rather by their want of skill, than by the commonness. In the last place, I may safely grant, that by reading Homer, Virgil was taught to imitate his invention; that is, to imitate like him: which is no more than if a painter studied Raffaelle, that he might learn to design after his manner. And thus I might imitate Virgil, if I were capable of writing an heroick poem, and yet the invention be my own; but I should endeavour to avoid a servile copying. I would not give the same story under other names, with the same characters, in the same order, and with the same sequel; for every common reader to find me out at the first sight for a plagiary, and cry-" this I read before in Virgil, in a better language, and in better verse." This is like Merry-Andrew on the low rope, copying lubberly the same tricks which his master is so dexterously performing on the high. I will trouble your Lordship but with one objection more, which I know not whether I found in Le Fevre, or Valois; but I am sure I have read it in another French critick, whom I will not name,' because I think it is not much for his reputation. Virgil, in the heat of action, suppose for example, in describing the fury of his hero in a battle, when he is endeavouring to raise our concernments to the highest pitch, turns short on the sudden into some similitude, which diverts, say they, your attention from the main subject, and mispends it on some trivial image. He pours cold water into the caldron, when his business is to make it boil. This accusation is general against all who would be thought heroick poets; but I think it touches Virgil less than any. He is too great a master of his art, to make a blot which may so easily be hit. Similitudes, as I have said, are not for tragedy, which is all violent, and where the passions are in a perpetual ferment; for there they deaden, where they should animate; they are not of the nature of dialogue, unless in comedy. A metaphor is almost all the stage can suffer, which is a kind of similitude comprehended in a word. But this figure has a contrary effect in heroick poetry; there it is employed to raise the admiration, which is its proper business and admiration is not of so violent a nature as fear or hope, compassion or horrour, or any concernment we can have for such or such a person on the stage. Not but I confess that similitudes and descriptions, when drawn into an unreasonable length, must needs nauseate the reader. Once I remember, and but once, Virgil makes a similitude of fourteen lines; and his description of Fame is about the same number. He is blamed for both; and I doubt not but he would have contracted them, had he lived to have reviewed his work: but faults are no precedents. This I have observed of his similitudes in general, that they are not placed, as our unobserving cri- Sic cunctus pelagi cecidit fragor, æquora postquam This is the first similitude which Virgil makes га one of his ora kesore it in the fish, Areid, or Milbrame has remashed. the sudden into some similitude, which diverts, say they, your attention from the main subject, and mispends it on some trivial image. He pours cold water into the caldron, when his business is to make it boil. This accusation is general against all who would be thought heroick poets; but I think it touches Virgil less than any. He is too great a master of his art, to make a blot which may so easily be hit. Similitudes, as I have said, are not for tragedy, which is all violent, and where the passions are in a perpetual ferment; for there they deaden, where they should animate; they are not of the nature of dialogue, unless in comedy. A metaphor is almost all the stage can suffer, which is a kind of similitude comprehended in a word. But this figure has a contrary effect in heroick poetry; there it is employed to raise the admiration, which is its proper business: and admiration is not of so violent a nature as fear or hope, compassion or horrour, or any concernment we can have for such or such a person on the stage. Not but I confess that similitudes and descriptions, when drawn into an unreasonable length, must needs nauseate the reader. Once I remember, and but once, Virgil makes a similitude of fourteen lines; and his description of Fame is about the same number. He is blamed for both; and I doubt not but he would have contracted them, had he lived to have reviewed his work: but faults are no precedents. This I have observed of his similitudes in general, 501 EPICK POETRY. 501 that they are not placed, as our unobserving criticks tell us, in the heat of any action, but commonly in its declining: when he has warmed us in his description, as much as possibly he can, then, lest that warmth should languish, he renews it by some apt similitude, which illustrates his subject, and yet palls not his audience. I need give your Lordship but one example of this kind, and leave the rest to your observation, when next you review the whole ÆNEIS in the original, unblemished by my rude translation. It is in the first book, where the poet, describes Neptune composing the ocean, on which Æolus had raised a tempest, without his permission. He had already chidden the rebellious winds for obeying the commands of their usurping master; he had warned them from the seas; he had beaten down the billows with his mace; dispelled the clouds, restored the sun shine, while Triton and Cymothoe were heaving the ships from off the quicksands, before the poet would offer at a similitude for illustration: Sic cunctus pelagi cecidit fragor, æquora postquam This is the first similitude which Virgil makes 2x Boy din how cour heed introden one of his own before it in the fint, Areid, has remached as Milbourne has rem |