I I t I '.11 HhlUUiJi THE W O R K S O F A NACRE ON and SAPPHO, WITH PIECES from ancient Authors ; AND OCCASIONAL ESSAYS; ILLUSTRATED BY OBSERVATIONS on their LIVES and WRITINGS, ExPL AN ATOR Y No T E 3 ffom cftabliflied Commentators, And additional Remarks by the Editor ; With the CLASSIC, an introduaory Poem. //)." fua I'ibrat Amor^ 'u'-.brat fua tela Lyam, Dum lep'idoi rejonat Te't'a Mufa Choros ; Sufcitat j^olios cmnis Cytkerea Calores, Sihejirefj; vocat lenlor Aura modos ; Comly FIa€ce, graves recitas tefrudirte cantus. Excolit et plae'idus dulc'ia ruraMaro. Felix , Ji prijcum f^olians Alveare Poet a Tranliulerit chart is mellea donafuis. LONDON: Printed for J. Ridley, in St, James's Street, M.DCCLXVIII. THE ^g C L A S S I C. POEM. AddreiTed to • • , Efq; TroSf Rutulufvefoat, nulla difcnniinebaheho, ViRG. I N thatfoft age, when, guiltlefs of offence. Each thought is worth, each a£lion inno- cence, When dawning reafon, but as inflin£l, glows. And Paffion, ruFd by Nature, ebbs, and flows ; When ftranger to difguife, and worldly art. Each circling objedl ftrikes into the heart; a 2 A 76-^504 vi I'he CIsmc, ^c. ^c A heart, which freely points, unknown to fin. The keen fenfation, vibrating within : That age, when mirth the laughing hour em- ploys, y^nd folly fpreads her momentary toys, A feaft of trifles, which, demurely wife, Prefumptuous manhood fondly dares defpife ; (Though boafted manhood if experience view. She finds the greateft trifler of the two) That age, when ^/>^wV fouls familiar meet In frolic intercourle, communion fweet; Theirs the pure fun-fliine of contented eafe, ,By others' pleafure taught — themfelvestopleafe ; Another's pang by fympathy their own, Unconfcious ('foon to change \) of {di alone: When fhould fome Nothing urge the giddy (Irife, Refentment fprings not into hate — for life ; The flame, this moment rous*d, the next de- fcends. And anger makes the fault, which goodnefs mends : Yes ! in thofe chequer'd days, from flow'r to flow'r We fip'd the fweets of education's bow'r ; Together trod, my friend, the letter d round. And emulative toil'd o'er clafTic ground j Soon The Claffic, crV. l^c. v Soon from the cradle's fleep to pedants grown. We learn, for otl^r tongues, to loath our own. Grave f/^/72^;7/£7/{lrugIes whil'd away, (The ftripling's ardor amply to repay) 'Reft o^ whcfe folid bafis, on the brain The literary dome is rear'd in vain, We faw the mother quit, profufe of charms. Her imrtal hufband for immortal arms ; Unlike the fair, whom modern whimfy (hows JFo/ling her toilette-fmiles ony^^/^r-beaus. From wild romance v/e trac'd the royal pair, By mandeferted, fuckled by a bear ; Chieftains we faw, whofe falchions drench'd in blood Proclaim'd th' heroic monfter's gcnrous mood ; Saw prince?, panting to be lords of all, Bullies, who never flept without a brawl; For imitation mete to crown their toils Some upftart Perftan boafts a Nabob's fpoils. See ! on the verge of Fate the legions ftand. When Eloquence harangues th'embattled band. Still prone to liften, where the (trains perfuade A kind fufpenfion of the defp'rate trade ; — Fix'd o'er the geftures never form d^ they look. And hang on periods, which were neuer fpcke, a 3 For-- vi lie Claflic, t^c. &c. Forgive, ye facred dead, th* irrev*rent line, . — Fond tribute pour'd on truth's much-honor'd (hrine ; •• 'Tis thine, fair maid, to rule ih' htjioric lore — Unblefs'd with thee a legendary (lore. But — hark the mufe ! her youth-inchanting play In Lovers epijile fiieds a fillcen fway ; Warm from the heroine's eye, defpondent flow, Roll the big tears of* chronologic woe,* Or whining notes, a fickle boy the theme, Mark'd with the vital, not they^^/^ ftream, Mark'd by the pointed Sword, (ill-omen*d art I) To the dear traitor fpeak — a bleeding heart. Yet — ONE, for blifs while vagrant fancies roam, And leave negleded wives to pine at home, Stems the wild Hellefpont with amorous fpeed, Carelefs, as modern kidnaps — crofs the Tweed. If wonders charm you, where (creative force !) Luxuriant Genius wars with nature's courfe ; *■ A defence of Virgil for his chronological error in the Epifode of Di^o and ^mai has been happily attempted b}' Zegrah, from the Plan of the i^neid 3 a defence which can- not extend to Onjid^ Epiftle from the former to the latter. Some The Claflic, l^u &c. vii Some god-like B more in a£l to feize, Lo ! tranf migrating virgins fprout in trees ; Curs, once fo faithful, at the nod of pow'r Spring forth, like C crafiSy and their Lord devour ; From dragons' teeth a {landing army grovv^s. Soldier with foldier fights for want of foes ; Feafts, but in vain, their richeft fweets difplay, Th' infatiate harpy flouncing on the prey. Though confcious want inflame the rav*ning breaft. Some puny * Jenym turns it to a jeft ; t Of plenty's loaded granary (huts the gate, And vouches with a thread- bare tale of Jlate, Men fink to hogs, and women change to ftones, And the torn Mirtle fpeaks with human groans ; * Caufes, and ccnfequences of the high price of pra- vifions. X Heui f et'iam Menfa: confumimus, hiqu'it lulus ! Vlrg- In- deed this witticifm was explanatori' of that ancient prime Minifter, the Oracle. a 4 Yet, vili I'he Claffic, Iffc, &c. Yet, yet, mifleriQus plant, thy murmurs end 5 Unpity'd thoufands bleed — beneath a friend§. Free'd ^ The bleeding mirtle, Virg. JEn. B. III. has been ranked by fonie Critics with Italian conceits, and by others moft folemnly defended. Owd has adopted in the novels of his Metamorphofes the moft i^laring extravagancies, but has omitted to copy this, though it may feem to have ahogeiher fallen in his way : He may be fuppofed for once in the right. Mr. Addifon cenfures the phcenomenon, as conveying ^ the marvelous without the probable, and as proceeding from ' natural caufes, without the interpofition of any fuperna- ' tural power, capable of producing it.' The objeftion has been confidered wich that labored refinement, fo peculiar to its * Accufer, from the prodigy's being conliftent with the * Religionof the times.' ^neas evidently intended a facri- fiCQy ' D'li'ii aujpicibm,'' and z. peculiar application to Jupiter , who might be prefumed by the hero rather averfe to the Ircjan interefls, from the known hatred of Juno j Superoqi n'ltentem Coelicolum Regi maBabam litore Taurum. And he acquaints us with the motive for his defiring the niirtle, (jacra Dioneae Matri) namely, 'Rarnii tegerem ut frondentibui Araz. Though no deity perfonally interpofes, a deity is neceflarlly implj'd. Friefts (in the mere Pagan world) frequently played Div. Leg. B. II. Seft. 4. The Claffic, i^c. ^c. ix Free'd from the trance of wit matur'd we fought The feaft of judgment, and the calm of thought ; Saw — watchful Solons plan their focial laws. Saw — patriots falling in their country's caufe; Saw — fhield of Virtue — Declamation franil. Awe in her voice, and vengeance in her hand ; pla)*ed b(?hind the curtain, and indeed their whole religious fyftem was devoted to ' pious frauds ' — Why may not the fame pri- vilege be allowed to their gods ? This ' Nodus' was * deo 'vin- dice dignijfmus.' j^neas wis ^ incertus, q-ubfataferaKt^ and it was c nfonant with the Epic, that fome law of Nature fhould be violated to extricate him from his prefent fituation. The ex- hibition of deities feemstoo hackneyed for the purpofe, and the interpof ng Exhortation of a kinfman, who had fuffered by the barbarity of wretches inhabiting the fhore, on which the Trojan was but newly landed, was well adapted as a piece of machinery in the poem, and as an elegant facrifice in the poet to the focial virtue of affection, the charafteriftic qua- lity of his hero. Bayh, who has on the whole moft clofely and fatisfadorily reafoned on the fubjeft, might however have omitted the following obfervation. ' Would the paflage have (hocked me, had I been born a Roman in the time of Augujlus, and had read it, foon after the Mne'id was publifh- ed ?' If Bayle difapproved of it at his dijiant period, he could fcarcely have relilhed it at an earlier. The religious ceremonies fubfifting at Rome during the defpotifm of Augus- tus have been faithfully recorded, and Se/mius, a critic, the leaft liable to err in ancient cuftoms, has condemned the paffage at an JEn little remote from the days of Virgil, Saw X The Cla/Tic, &c, ^c. Saw — by their crimes, appallM corruption's tribe Blufti for a while at guilt, and drop the bribe ; Drop, folemn leflbn to ourfelves, the tear, Now furely dry'd each/ev'nib revolving year. Nor lefs we woo'd the philofophic train, Where truth meandering Jlreak'd the moral vein ; Too partial truth, who grudg'd thy full control From wifdom's choicer mine to blefs the foul ; Yet — reafon's charms a manly grace difpenky And the recorded adage breathes with fenfe. j Oh ! had Religion, with unfully'd ray, ] Show'rd on the Pagan zeal a flood of day I 1 From fuperftition purgM the mental fight. Nor left to grovel in the Ihades of night! Had (he, the frenzy of Chimaeras chain'd. The pride o^ arbitrary rules difdain'd. The folemn lie no auguries to tell. No fhadowy pantomimes to frifk in hell. To prieftly wiles no oracle confign'd. No heavn of Mahomet to feaft the mind. Nor fits of fpleen to prompt celeftial will. And crufh the fubjed world with deeds of ill, Her fteps on confecrated ground had trod. Each breaft adoring — One eternal God 5 The The Claflic, ^c. &c. xi The bard, exalted with Lucretian fire, Had tun'd the notes, for angels to admire. Devotion's theme had won the claflic crown. And grac'd the folid majefty of * Browne, The comet's regular diJlraSflon hurl'd Around th' affrighted, planetary world, Whofe realms enamor'd of the central beam Revolving catch the light's benignant ftream ; The dark profound of gravitation's courfe. And matter teeming with attracSlive force ; The pow'rs mechanic weigh'd with fubtle grace^ And all th' expanded labyrinth of fpace 5 Colors that float before the vifual ray. And fondly vibrate with reJleSfed ^\?>y ; Thee too, fair harmony, whofe chords unbound Difplay the magic excellence of found. Not theirs, alas! to fpeak unop'd the cell. Nature's abyfs, where treafur'd wonders dwell Elufive of the fearch, at length refign'd They burft from night, and own'd a NewiorCi mind. ■* JJ. Ilaivkim BrownCf * de Anhm mmortalltate,* Nor xVi The Claffic, ^c. ^c. Nor theirs — experimenfs feverer care, To fift th' elaftic properties of air, Ev'n to its dying breath ; from vital flams To raife the phoenix chemiftry to fame ; To fearch \,\itpres of gold neglecting wealth. And facriliceour own — for others' health, Thefe, thefe were laurels doom'd (or modern toUy By knowlege pluclc'd to crov/n the head of Boyle^ Nor theirs calm reafon's mathematic art. To folye the nicer problem of the heart ; To tend the paflions from their infant (hoot. And trace the mental chaos to its root ; Arm'd with the (hield of truth 'twas Locked to fcan Th' unbounded theme, and pi£lure man to man. Freely, ye moderns, ho2i{{ iF indulgent vnys^ Yet— -fpare the glimmering worth of ancient days 5 Coy fcience loves, with fond attention woo'd,v/ Loves, like the virgin, flill to be purfued ; Reluctant to the laft, (be yields her charms. And fills with folid blifs the votary's arms. Wide The Claffic, ^c. ^c. xiii Wide o'er the founding main, from pole to pole, Our happier lot to pufll th' inquiring foul ; Unweary'd fail creation's ample round, And pant to leap o'er earth's contra£ted bound. To climes that flame beneath the burning zone, Th'extended world of continent our ov/n In ignorance bury'd long— a tow'ring flight J Quick let us foar — and charm th' afloniHri'd fight ; > Yes ! goddefs, knowlege and Colutnbus cal! ; Impatient rufhto Niagaras fall, I Where the wild cataradl with headlong fv/eep Dafhes a-down the promontory's fteep Full many a channel'd fathom; ftern below Ontario frowns — and mourns his troubled flow : — The failor trembling at the roar • from far Points the rude fcene, and flies the gufliing war. Be ours to ihr id Canaries' gzmdX (bores, Where nature fpreads her variegated ftores, A gay profufion — in this Eden plac'd Feaftsforthe eye, and treafures for the tafte ; Health from its wing the tempVate zephir blows, No ague (bivers, and no fever glows. Slave to revenge the fullen negro roves O'er laughing vales, and aromatic groves ; Hears xiv The Claffic, ^c, ^c. Hears the foft mufic of the warbling hofi-, The little firens of a faithlefe coaft * ; Sweet harmonifts ! to lure the Chriftian eye Who fnatch'd to rougher climates pine, and die: And muft poor innocence be doom'd a prey The guilt o( favage murderers to repay ? Enormous Teneriffe^ heav'd into the fpheres, His head in majefty of horror rears, King of th' incircling Ifles — ■ fell ruin's found Volcanos roar, and earthquakes rock the ground. i Yet, all-dire6ling heav'n, whofe gracious hand • Sheds wealth and glory on my native land. Sheds ev'ry bleffing (could we but enjoy !) Thou fourceof Pity, will not to deftroy ; Oh ! teach us to confefs, in hallow'd flrains. The foil, a paradife, wh^re freedom reigns. Hail Freedom ! ■ rous'd by that infpiring Name My kindled fpirits fwell the trump of fame: Ye wings of vanity, the fopling bear To lifp th' applaufes of Italia s air, « SalmotCi Mod. Hift. Vol. III. P. 93. Where The ClafTic, i^c. &c, xv Where the wild brain's uncultivated field Scarce the fmall gleanings of a fchool can yield i But, nourifh'd by the tutor's pliant art, Vice opes an eafy pafTage to the heart ; Be his iov millinery goods to roam, With novelty of curl returning home. Immediate jewel of the head — d i fp 1 a y M To vi^in the fimpers of the dimpled maid. ^1^0 fentimenial truths for tbefe can fhine, ■ Tho' pity drops a tear at Torick's line ; [And calls, while Humor flies her favorite's urn, \ Humanity, to feal — the grave of Sterne, ■ For thefe the glafs, uprear'd by Mode's decree, [ To point the glitt'ring finger — not to fee. Their country's letter d triumphs ne'er can {how, ' Too proud of foreign worth, their own to know. Here learn'd biographers, with labor'd page, Rake the long records of each diftant age; By birth difhonor'd, and with want opprefs'd. They fix the radiant ftar on virtue's breaft ; I On guilt, on titled guilt indignant fpring, — To them alike — an Irus, or a King. I Full in th' hiftoric van, fee ! Campbell plac'd. High o'er the train of judgment, and of tafte ; In- xvi The ClaiTic, tf^c. ^c. Intrench'd with heroes Plutarch quits his feat. And Zemphon laments his own retreat : Fac^s amply prov'd the Critic doubts defy, Churls cannot rail, or * JFalpole give the lie. Let Sophocles^ in fober, bufitnd (^atc^ Drag they^^ chorus to the dull debate, ' To moderate fome madman's ^wwy zeal ; — The foul from nature's drama learns to feel Shakefpeares impaffion'd lore — his magic art Opes all the fluices of the thrilling heart. Farewell, Euripides ^ Compajfions Briefly When Otway fpreads the melancholy feait ; Each figh of fweet diftrefs his accents fpeak. And tears, unbidden tears, bedew the cheek. Hark ! Alilton fings ! — his warhlings ivildrc- hearfe The weight of wifdom, and the charms of verfe, Here (proud defiance f) Satan flies to arms, All heav'n refounding to the mad alarms -, * Jf'al/!ih's Hif.oric Eoubts. The ^he Claffic, i^c. i^c, xvii The great Creator nods in chains of fire The fiend blafpheming howls his baffled ire : There fmiles humility with mercy join'd. Smiles, and proclaims the Savior of mankind ; There angels, wrap'd in halleluiahs, raife Triumphant incenfe to Almighty praife j Hail, — Epic raptures ! hail Devotion's ftream ! • Hail, voice im mortal of th'immortal theme ! Faft by the fountain, in the plaintive grove. Fond Hammond tunes his difappointed love; In happy union o*er the comic land See ! Colman walk with Terence hand in hand ; Lloyd joints the lively tale with Priors eafe. And Fielding^ friend of nature, learns to pleafe. Defpondent Sappho^ with the Sighs of care, To Cyiherea's (brine may lift her pray'r ; The Te'ian rev'ling o'er the feftal bowl With two irifplring Gods may lure the foul ; Imperial praife \.\iAuguftan Swan may pour. Or dart refiedtion's beam on pleafure's bow*r; Let Pindar, burning for iWOIympic war. Involve with clouds of duft his rapid car; b Whsn xviii The Claflic, ^c. ^c. When pcIijVd Akenfide commands the ftring, Enthufiaft fanc}' foars on judgment's wing; Bids us (if merit be rever'd at home) Deplore the rival'd toils o^ Greece^ and Rome', Bids us, from Jddifons inchanting profe, Whofe firain with Plato's fofter mufic flows, The 7nanly feelings of the heart regard. And boldly claim the Philofophk Bard, E. B. G. OBSER. OBSERVATIONS ON THE Life, and Writings of.// iV.'iCi^EOiV. ^|P^ HOUGH it has been frequently H obferved, that a life, devoted to the jA^ fervice of literature, is chequered viith few intereding events, yet (fuch is the caprice of readers!) no edition of an author has been eileemed complete, unlefs all the fjiinutla of his hiftory are prefixed. They, who are difpofed to require a regular, and exa£l zccount o^ Jnacreon from the pub- lisher of the prefent undertaking, mud be abfolutely difappointed : fuch clouds of uncer- tainty obfcure the credit of many anecdotes, nnd fo firong a mixture of infignincancy dif- b 2 'i^races ix Ohfervaiions on the Life, mid Writings graces others. Indeed a fcarcity of materials to furnifh the lives of ancient writers has ufually occafioned their hiflories to be enlarged to a hiftory of their times. As if the tranfla- tor, poflefTed with a blind veneration, feared to fay too little of his original, and would therefore compliment his Memory by faying too much. It mud be confefled, that our poet is not to be placed among the more reclufe ftudents, who owe no portion of their abilities to focial intercourfe, who, with the moft unbounded experience in books, have not a common knowlege of mankind. That the latter was the province of Anacreon^ will be readily collecSled from his Hiftory, on the more ftriking articles of which, occa- fional refledions will be offered, that a life and a preface may be weav*d together. * Adieli to Care' feems the mofl: expreflive, and beft adapted motto to the Teian Mufe ; it was the language of our author's genius. The national calamities, which he experienced m his cf J NJ C R E N. XXI his youth, might have familiarized his mind to levity, and indulgence in his later years. There are fome few tempers, which it is almoft impoflible to four, yet a happy facility of cifpofition is found to be overfet by misfor- tunes, in a quarter not to be expe£led with the run of mankind. Thus Anacreon^ having met with adverfity at a feafon, the leaft prepared for its reception, might have a full relifti for enjoyment, when it was the leafl confiftent. Compelled to banilbment from Teos by the obftinate, but generous refufal of his country- men to be * enfiaved, he was for feveral years handed from one tyrant to another; under a neceility in the end to relinqui(h all : Their governments being repeatedly difturbed, and themfelves aflafnnated. For fuch was the fate of his more diftinguifhed patrons, Polycratcs the Samian. and Hipparchus the Athenian, * The retreat of the TeTam to Abdera\sz% io famous in an- cient times, that it gave occafion to a proverb ^Ahdera,fukkrct Te'iorum CoJon'ia* intimating that a nation of honor will prefer freedom in a firange country to flavery in its own. b 3 From xxli Gbferuations on the Life, and Writings From whatever parents defcended || (but to appearance not of a very exalted birth) his pof« feflion of literary abilities entitled him to marks of efteem. Even kings, at //;/5Jun6lure, were U'ell-difpofed to the converfation of genius, which they rationally judged to be an orna- ment to their courts. The imaginary fplendor, beaming through riches and nobility, retired at the fight of intrinfic merit. Though at firftfolicited to the dcmejiic fami- liarity of princes, it is not unrealonable to conclude, that the fuperiority of his converfa- tion introduced him by degrees to the coun- cils of government. When a fubjedl beconies the favorite of his fovereign, he glides injen- fibJy into political confidence. The difficulty is to gain the ear, which is a direcSl paffport II I am aware, that Mad. Dackr\ quotation from Vlato in her life oi Aracreon w^ll be objefted to the above aflertion. The palTage, in herconftrudtion, proves the poet to have been related to Sohn, who was nobly defcended. But, as Mr. ^obn Addifcnohiervts, from a reference to the original, " no fuch opinion feems fairly deducible from the text" of P/ato. On the whole the genealogical compliment may be placed upon the fame footing with this poetical dialogift's title of * wife,' fo whimfxally indulged to the Tfiizn trifles. to of ANACREON, xxiii to the heart ; particularly where the flufluat- ing condition of a ftate (as thofe of Poljcrates^ and Hipparchus) requires the aflillance of abi- lities, wherever to be found. That fuch was Anacreoris fituation, mav be n^ore immediately concluded, from his quitting haliily thofe kingdoms, where he bafked in the fun^fnine of court favor, when rebellion laved her hands upon the rulers. Civil comnjotions (fuch was once the faftiion- able veneration for learning!) involved not perfonally the fons of genius, if they had not too glaringly interfered, in difordered times, with offices of national concern, jl AMarcellus was affiduous to fave the life of Archimedes^ and the Syracujam^ and Athenians would have been II It may be furmifed, that the knowlege of Archimedes, whofe plans, and counfels retarded the f.ege of Syracuje, in which Marcel/us was engaged, was more likely to have irritated that general to iHue orders for the ruin, than for the prefer- vation of the philofopher. But Arcb'mndcs afted as a profefTed enemy, and, though fuch^ was protecledby his abilities. Ana~ creon feems to have been differently coniidered, from having afted as a falfe friend to the countries, which afforded him proteftion, having facrificed their interefts to tyranny and oppreffion. b 4 equally XXIV Obfervations on the Life, and Writings equally forward to preferve, and retain the Teian^ had they not been differently guided by notions of a public completion. After having received his furfeit of diffrac- ted circumffanccs, a poet muff have indulged himfelf in the proiped: of a comfortable recefs on his native foil, but even this unambitious happinefs vi^as denied him for a continuance ; confunon being again kindled, he was reduced to lodge himfelf in his former afylum olAbdera^ where it is ufually imagined, that he died*. Though the Mx^ox^j oi Anacreon includes but few particulars, yet feveral of thofe few are fa- bulous. The ancients (and it has indeed been ^the cuftom of later periods) were very fond of ♦ Anacnon lived to the age of eighty five. This long period of exiftence, rarely alloted to the moft fober and re- gular difpofitions, is feme reafon in fupport cf the fubfequenc opinion concerning his lult of enjoyment. Some conftitu- tions (but not many) appear to be little injured by excefles, but the days of man are more generally fhortened thereby, and ihortened fo wretchedly, that nature too frequently brings on the winter of old age, before time has clofed the fpring of youth, adapting cfANACREON. xxv adapting the chara61:erofthe man to thecompo- fitions of the writer. T\\tTe'ian mufe flows alto- gether in the (lileof frolic gayety,and yields too iair an occafion for the forgery of llories, which facrifice our writer's mercenary, or rather pru- dential confiderations to fenfual indulgence. To this principle we feemingly owe the tale of his extreme anxiety on the receit of a fum, by no means exorbitant for a favorite, and his return of it to the donor, with a very flimfy fentiment, for how could he confiftently com- plain of the leall trouble in keeping, what he had fo {hortly known % - Poets of the prefent aera will reIu(Slantly fubfcribe to an opinion, that any one can be unhappy, merely becaufe he goes to reft with a comfortable fum at command. They judge of the convenience of cafh, from a perpetual experience of its want. X Our author Is reported to have received this prefent in the evening, which he next morning returned. Its value was nine hundred pounds fterling, a gratuity to a poet, un- ufually handfome, but not a load to incumber the pofleflbr. The reflefticn was, that ' the fum however great, was not anfwerable to the trouble of keeping it.' But xxvi Obfervatlons on the Life, and Writings But of all opinions the mod erroneous is that, which prefumes to mark the genuine principles of an author from the particular tenor of his compofitions. I mean not to afiert, that Anacreon was of a philofophic caft, though, (as it has been already remarked; he is honored with the appellation of Sage by one of the fineft pens of antiquity. I cannot, on the other hand, aflent to his being declared an inveterate libertine, made up of imprudence and voluptuoufaefs, x4s a col- lateral confirmation of the inconclufivenefs of thus chara6krizing a writer, an inftance may be produced from fatirical productions, for v.'hich the temper of the man has been abrupt- ly ftigmatized with cenforioufnefs, and ill- nature, though often more honett, liberal, and ingenuous than his accufers. A very difcerning critic, and profound fchclar has defined the fatirical bent in the ioilowing exprefiive * manner \ *' warm paf- * Cr. Joriin^s life of Erajmus. It Is true, that the fen- timent is immediately fucceeded by thefe words, *' but n'l- m'lutn nee laudare, vec ladere, that is, neither to deify, nor duncify, feems to be no bad rule for thofe, who would wiJli to aft confiftently, and live quietly." fions, of ANACREON, xxvii fions, and a lively imagination difpofe men to fatire, and panegyric." A candid, and fagacious refledtion, which deiiving fatire, and panegyric, from the fame fource, amply vindicates the former from the calumnies of morofer judgment. The whimfical record of our poet's death is another more obvious deviation from fa6t. If he was in reality an infatiable lover of the bowl, his death is ingenioufy attributed to the grape ftone, in whofe fruits he had perpetually reveled. The moral, which it conveys, may at leaft plead in its favor ; for plcafures, too Ihongly indulged, naturally bring on deftruc- tion in the end. To this lefTon the anecdote,not improbably, owed its rife ; but it has fo univerlally taken place in the hiilory of Anacreon^ that its vera- city is as familiarly truiled to by modern cre- dulity, as the mod reconcilable circumftance of his life. It muft be acknowleged to have an excellent xxviii Ohfervat'ions on theh'ife, and Writings excellent elFed in the poetic elegy of XCowky^ where fancy is confiftently admitted, but in a life of the author, deliberately pen'd. Truth is not to be made a facrifice to imagination. As a clofe to the hiftory o^ Anacreon^ a deline- ation of his writings may poflibly be required ; this tafk would be entered upon with pleafure, if original refle6lions could be offered. The ftandards of his gay, and carelefs levities have been repeatedly pronounced to be elegance, and fweetnefs, which will always recommend them to the regard of politer tafts. — Too un- afpiring to aim at the command of the paflions, he ffands in the lift of poets, whofe province is the allurement of fancy. But 1 recol- le(5l, that I am wandering into a defcription X This once celebrated genius, who pofTeflTed a very un- common fhare of talents, truely poetical, wanted the conve- nience of a language entirely refined, and an ear for the harmony of verf;. His fentiments, and expreflions afford a profpeft of genuine poetry, which is loft in his verfification, a point, he too little ftudied. However, that invidious far- cafm oiPcpe * Who now reads CGivkyf can never be fub- mitted to by thofe, who admire Originality : but every au- thor has his day, Thefe Soles ocddere, baud redlre fojfunt, Catull. of of A N A C R E K. xxlx of thofe merits, which the reader will find in- fufficiently difFufcd in thetranfl.ition. Perhaps however, inequality is the almofi: necefTary confequence of tranfplanting the flowers of genius ; every language containing peculiarities rarely to be traced in others; a truth, which may extenuate the deficiencies of a verfion from whatever original it is formed ; deficiencies only to be obviated by an intimate acquaintance with the letter^ and a critical reli(h of its fpirit. The fubjec^ of felf, which has too general- ly corrupted the pure ftream of erudition, is yet fo flattering, that fcarcely a preface exifts without it; I will onlyobferre, that intereflcd refledtions upon the faults of predeceiTors will not be intruded into the following {beets ; they (hall not be varnifbed with the formal accufation of ' erroneous* for one> and of ' harfli,' for another, Non tali auxilio^ nee defenforibus ijlis — Every tranflator has his merits, and every critic poflefles his abilities : but the former in whofe verfion the fineil vein of exprelTion, and the XXX Ohfervaikns on the Life, ^w^ Writings the eaficft flow of numbers, are remarked, has proved himfelfbeft qualified for the talk*. To conform the Englijh language to the genius of the Gretk^ the ule of compound epi- thets may be admited ; but a certain ftifFnefs which they produce requires a very cautious indulgence. There are, who have been ap- prehenfive, that the T^c'ian fire would evaporate by a paraphrafe of words, yet have not ade- quately examined, how far fuch paraphrafe is unavoidable. A word in the original may receive, with a characSleriftic foftnefs, an ad- ditional degree of ftrength, from its two-fold * I had fome thought, that a tranflation of the Greek Schol-a might be well received as a pompous appendage to Anacreon, at leaft valuable for its novelty. On examination, fo many remarks have been found altogether unnecefiary, fo many, little illuftrative of paflages, which they are brought in to explain, and fuch a tedious redundancy in general, that it appeared far more honeft to exhibit fome more material an- notations, than to make a fliow of reading, and fwell a pub- lication, whofe merit is it fmallnels, with a literary excre- fcence. The original text is on this account omitted; a charge un- reafonably accumulated upon the reader, who may examine Lt info many other editions of the writers felefled. ety- of ANACREON, xxxi etymology; while a correfpondent word in t\\ft EngUjh tongue muft frequently fail of one, or the other : in fuch a cafe, a whole line of the latter will be more judicioufly applied to explain a fingle word in the former, will be equally pertinent, and lefs inelegant. Several of our own poets ('particularly of a more recent date) have adopted this verbal con- cifenefs ; a concifenefs, which affords found fufficient to their Z^r/V compofitions; but it muft be confefled a wretched clog to a language naturally rough. A minute comparifon of fentiment, and expreflion with thofe of Grecian or Roman fucceflbrs, has been defignedly omited. It is more ufeful for a reader to be lefttohim- felf, without having analogical xt9iQ€t'\ons {orctA upon his genius; if he boafts a competency of learning, his ideas are anticipated ; and if more moderately knowing, (for abfolute ignorance is not to be confidered) quotations v/iil be fuper- fluous, till he can make them for himfeif. Indeed a profufion of remarks in general, tending neither to the illuftration of the language, or the expanfion of the thought, is X X X i i Obfervatlons on the L i fe and Writings, ^c. is to be regarded in the fame romantic light, with thofe officious obfervations upon hifto- rical fa6ls, whereby the author gratifies his own talents, but cramps the reflecting facul- ties of his reader. All hiftorians have more or lefs indulged this parade of fentiment, and the examiner of lefs penetrating refolution has been confe- qiientially deprived of the piincipal ufe of hiftory, whofe fuper{l:ru£lure (hould be built on the bafis of truth, and its comment fub- mited to the opinion of mankind. THE WORKS O F ANACREON. *^\.'' -.iW^,- '.f^.' -V^.- -./W^.-* ^r^J\.• './«>..* •^/^*\.•*•^/W^,■•••^/'J^ ADVERTISEMENT. CJ^H E Odes mere generally attributed to, and more fatisfa^iorily proved to have been the com-^ poJJtions of AnzcTQony are the firjl fifty five : to my verfion of the above I have added another y as ufually afcribed to him* In the firfl I have Jolloived the example of Mr. De I/a FolTe, who in his poetical tranjlation^ fuhjoined to Madam Dacier'j edition^ has omitted the hfl^ upzn ivhat foundation it is not very eafy to af certain, The Epigrams of lS.T\2.crQ:or\y and of Sappho, here exhibited to the reader^ are the rnoft frik- ir.g on^'s, handed dozvn as the genuine perfor- tnance ofihofe elegant writers. If curiofity prompt the more learned lovers of antiquity to a knowledge cfallthe inferior reliqueSy particularly (^/'Anacreon, the-^ may be perufcd in any ccmpleat edition of his woiks, ivhere thefe levities feefn infer ted as afacri^ fite io the public Tajle^ which ufually thirfts after all that can be pronounced of ancient prochi5iion^ th'-jugh mo'-y pieces little redound to the reputation of their author^ A 2 THE ■^V^MHMMIMMMi THE O D O F ANACREON. O D E T. " QOUND, O mufe, the Theban jzrsy *' ^ Sound the rage of Trojan wars ; *' Heroes, battles, tumults fing.". Softly flept the tender firing; Nought my rebel-lyre could move. But the gentle notes of love. Straight! tun*d the chords anew *' Now the fcene of arms purfue; '* Now Alcides'* triumphs fing." Softly flept the tender firing- A 3 Nought The Odes of Anacreon, * Nought my rebel-lyre could move But the gentle notes of love. Heroes, vainly ye infpire, Love alone my foul can fire — Conquefts I to you refign — Cupid's X joys be ever mine. * Some trouble has been thrown away by commentators to explain properly the word ** uvritbunC* by which Mad. Da- ci«-, andher critical copyifts underl^and, " ^'Anacrecn cbati- te^ et accompagr.e de fon Lut." But this feems refined ; the Greek word is fufliciently evident, and in my opinion means only, that the lyre founded thofe ftrains, which were contrary to its mafter's inclination. The meafure made ufe of in thefe little poems has been elegantly difcuffed by the more learned commentators, by none more fully than by Dr. Trappy and Daniel De Pamv. X Tills ode has been ufually efteemed a preface to the whole work ; I think it very properly placed at the head of the frolic colleftion, but if Anacreon intended it in the above light, it may appear extraordinary, that Bacchus, who preHdes over many pieces, ihould not be once mentioned. 1 was fo defirous of introducing the deity, that had the text given the Icaft authority, I lliould have turned the laft verfe, *' Ever flave to love and wine." ODE ^e Odes of Anacreon. O D E II. With guardian-care indulgent heav'n Herns to the fturdy bull has given ; * With folid hoof prote£ls the deed. The coward hare with boundlefs fpeed; X The lion's jaw diftended ftiews Voracious fangs in hideous rows ; The warblers foar with rapid wing. With fins the fcaly nation fpring ; * The word oTrAa? in the original is very injudlcioufly ren- dered by Mad. Dacier^ " ks p'teds infat'igabhs ^'^ which was not intended hy Anacreon, as indeed llie tacitly acknowledges in her note on the paflTage. Our tranflators confiftently inter- pret oTrAaj hoofs, the natural defence of the horfe. t %a!?'P''o^o>'Twi' is a phrafe of exprejTive brevity, which includes the diftention of the lion's jaws, and the terrifying appearance of his teeth. I have been obliged to paraphrafe it, as it cannot be defcribed clofely in the EngUjh language, or indeed in the French. Mad. Dacier makes a diilant apology for running out of fight of the Greek, and giving corage to the lion, which is not defenlible, and altogether contrary to the meaning of our poet. A 4 t^an 8 The Odes of Anacreon* II Man nobly boafts, fecur'd from art, V/ildom of mind, and ftrength of heart. t And is there nought for woman left ? Is SHE of every boon bereft 1 Weak tho' her frame, not hers to yield To fteel, to fire, to dart, or {hield ; Vain are th' embattled warrior's arms — — No proof 'gainft beauty's heav'nly charms ; jl ^po»*!/Aa in the text conveys, in my judgment, the more extended meaning, given to it in the verfion. Several commencators, with the laborious Stephens at their head, have interpreted it, ** prudence, " on which Mr. John jiddifon makes fome lively re*leftions in vindication of that quality in the female fex, though he has rather weakly translated it " courage." I hope I (hall not be accuf- ed of having invaded the rights of the ladies by enlarging the author's compliment to the men ; as it muft be allowed, that although many women have a fhare of abilities equal to feveral of the other fex, it is in general the reverfe j and in- deed where the underfianding predominates in the former, it is ufually obferved to confift in quicknefs and vivacity of parts, rather than in a philofophical folidity of reflexion. On this principle the fuperiority of the ladies in the article of letter- writing feems to have been founded, a fuperiority which muft readily be admitted. •f' Tvvui^kf ovK et' I»%£v ; I read with an interrogation, which at leaft gives a more lively turn to the thought. Beauty ! l^he Odes of Anacreon. Beauty ! whofe fmiles, with foft control. At once — can pierce him to the foul. D E IIL 'Twas at the folemn dead of night The moon witliheld her filver light ; * Bootes i with attendant car, Urg'd in its courfe the northern ftar ; And fpent with toil, each human bread Sanic in the downy arms of reft. When fudden Love's r-enighted pow'r Came rudely tapping at my door ; Who dares (I cry'd) this tumult make ? i Who boldly dares my {lumber break? Ah ! friend (a fobbing voice rejoin'd) Ah ! banilh terrors from thy mind ; ' An harmlefs boy — (let, let me in I) With rain juft wetted to the (kin ! * I had a defign of giving a general defcriptionof the night, inftead of particularizing it by the conftellations taken from the text, but I was apprehenfive, that the liberty would have offended the foberer critics, who allow nothing of the original to be neglefted in a verfion. M. De la Fojfe^ not- withftanding; has without ceremony omitted it. Tvc 10 The Odes of Anacreon. IVe roam'd the live-long, ftormy night, AfHi£led, cold, without a light Mov'd at the gentle tale of grief. Pitying I rofe to his relief 5 I ftruck a light, the door unbarr'd — When ftraight a weeping boy appear'd ; A bow he held, and at his fide Hung the full quiver's carelefs pride ; Soft wings the little mourner wears, Wings dropping with celeftial tears. jPlac'd by the fire, with fondling care, I fqueeze the water from his hair ; And with a foft'ring ardor join His trembling, freezing hands in mine. The cold withdraws — his fpirits rife — — Now let us fee, (the urchin cries. X The word y.cc^Uu(;f the penultima of which is fliort, has been objefted to by Barnes, who fubftitutes xaGi??^? } as the J-'at'ican M. S. on the other hand, has ^icSliaq. There feems however little occafion for an alteration, if we confider the carelefihefs of Anacreon' % metre in many of his odes. And The Odes of Anacreon. ii And with malicious ar chnefs fmird) II I fear the rain my bow has fpoiKd, Or fadly hurt — the ftring he dre^v ; The arrow thro' my iiver flew ; * At once 1 felt th' envenom'd fting — — Loud-laugh'd the boy with v.'anton fpring: " All- hail ! — no harm thy gtiefl befell ** My quiver, bow, and all.is well; " But thcu, alas ! with tortur'd heart, *' Poor Anacreon^ thou {halt fmart." II M.Dacier and Stctk:nt read the original very judicioufly thus: ToOg TO^OV, El Ti {Ml VVV Where rl is ufed adverbially. Baxter reads U t* v/hich is ele- gant Greek, but the other reading is preferable. If the curi- ous reader iliouldbe willing to fee the alterations that give rife to the two laft notes, fully conlidered, he may perufe Dan De Painv on the palfages, who has, however, arpjued them with more pedantry than judgment, the charafteriftic of his criticifms. * OiVpo?, Is a fort of gad-bee, that gives extreme pain to cattle by its venomous (Iroke ; I have been contented to ren- der it by the general term of a fting, which is fuitably oppofed to the Stlrgoflove, ODE la 71}£ Odes of Anacreon. O D E IV. Where the rich lotus breathes perfume, And beds of fragrant myrtle bloom. In all the indolence of foul, I will, will quafF the fparkling bowl ; X Cupid^ my ever-lovely boy, Shall ferve me with the foaming joy. Too foon the chariot of our breath Wheels us to the plains of death I Thefe words I have omitted in the tranflation, as they are of no confequence with regard to the fenfe of the palTage. De Pauvf, however, has been Angularly aiFiduous to account for Cupid's appearance inthedrefs reprefented in the text, and enters into a whimfical enlargement thereon. The papyrus feems in- troduced as a binding to ornament the veft in which Cupid is defcribed. The words fwep a,vyivo<; refer to the garment. The lotus in the original moft probably means a flower, or plant of that name, and not the tree. It anfwers to, and has been rendered by Dr. Mar^jw, georgic 3, 394 of y'lrgily *' Water lillies." Concerning the feveral forts of the ancient lotus, fee that botanical critic on georgic a, v, 84. Top The Odes of Anacreon. Ij Too foon the beings of a day Defcend into their native clay. * But why this wine, this ointment ihed On the dull tomb-ftone of the dead ; For me, when pris'ner of the grave. No ointments, and no wines i crave; While yet I live quick, quick produce The fragrant (how'r, the ne6tar'd juice j The rofe's bkifhing wreath impart. And bring the miflrefs of my heart. To thee my moments I rcflgn, lliuu God of Love, I all am thine ; * The wafte of fpices and ointments maJe l»y the Greeks at their funerals, is here cenfured in a manner truly y/«fl<;r«c«^'f; more philofophic minds might extraft a mora!, which would do honor to their refledtion To compare (if it be in- dulged) profane hillory with facred writ, we may certainly alk the ancients, *' Why were thefe fupeiiluities not rather fold, and the price given to the poor?" but vanity and often- lation are conftitutional in every eftabli)?t,carpets of a purnle color, like the fea, on which, according to Mad. Dacier, perfons of diltinftion were accuftomed in ancient times to repofe them- felves. With all our falhionable vices we are not as yec guilty of fuch extravagant refinement in luxury, and it is on that account left unnoticed in the verfion. jl axpoi;* rotp(;oTq is conftrucd by Mad, Dacier, '' le hout des p'teds" it is here rendered more literally, than the gene- lalityoftranflations; though to enliven it I have riik'd » ngrd- ty of phrafe. The Odes of Anacreon. z.t Their fcofFs, their jefts infpir'd my bllfs, Enflam'd I fought th* avenging kils, II Rufliing to clafp the buxom fair— — My dream, and all diflblv'd in air. Oh ! ever, when I fmk to reft, May I with fcenes like thefe be blefsM ! ODE IX. * Whither, tell me, gentle Doveg Whither fly^ft thou from above ? Say, thy pinion's painted bloom X Dropping ointment's rich perfume. Thro' li The original conftruftion is varied In this pafTagc, and a lefa exceptionable turn given to many other parts of the ode, * Mad. Dacier has entered into a fuccinft detail of an- cient cuftom in fending letters by Pigeons, which muft have been very uncertain carriers, at kaft in the eye of lovers, But without this confideration, the beauty of the ode, well de- ferving Le Fevr/s elegant flattery, isfufficiently illuftrated. X There is a richnefs in '^ey.d^a?, which cannot be ex- prefled advantageoufly in our language ; the Latin word '*Jiii- lans" has fomething approaching to its elegance. De Pauio has aukwardly turned it ** dtpluii^* which wants that foftnefs particularly required in the prefent pafTage, ui7\riiAct in the cnfuing verfe is judicioufly fubftitut«d hy Buphent fot 6 3 at^sj :i2i The Odes of Anacreon; Thro' the cloudlefs fields of air. Where doit wander, tell me, where ^ From Anacreon^ friend, I rove. Bearing mandates to his love, * Phillis^ who with luring art, , Reigns the queen of ev'ry heart. '^Fo the Te'ian 1 belong, Venus fold • my price a fong ; Little byrnn of Love and Joy Sacred to her urchin-boy. 4: See f a willing flave, 1 bear Letters to the heavenly fair. pe^Ei J'e. The latter marks an unreafotiable anxiety in a i^ranger, to whom the queftion is more properly attributed than to Anacreon himfelf. * The original is Ba$yX>cr, which I fhall make no apology for altevirg in the verfion, as the fame liberty is propofed in many other odes. The BathyUus, j^lexU, &c. of ancient writers, have fiillied feveral compofitions which a TbVtls would have happily adorned. % I have followed the reading of opa?, not that sta^ ((^ualefcutiqtte) is improper. The meaning being in either cafe equally clear, it is fomewhat diverting to fee commen- tators enter into formidable altercations on the fuperfiuoiis chance of a word. De Pauzv treats the trifle with a zeal more pedantic than ufual. Mad. Dac':er feems rather to approve the latter, though both in her tranflaticn, and her note on the place, (he has manifeltly favored the other. Phillls The Odes of Anacreon. ^3 Phillis kind, he gives his word. Straight to free his favorite bird ! o Promife vain ! my grateful breaft Loves his happy bondage beft ; What avails in idle play Round to flit from fpray, to fpray ! On the mountain's defert brew. Or the flow'ry viile belov^r ; Or along the lonely wood Hungry feek th* uncertain food ? Better with Anacreon live. From his hand my bread receive ; And the goblet's treafure fip Fragrant from my mailer's lip ; Bv the foaming bowl infpir'd Dance, and play with tranfport fir'd ; And my balmy pinions fpread, Softeft umbrage, o'er his head j When my eyes in fleep I clofe. Safely on his lyre repofe Hence — 'tis all — .1 foon (hall grow More loquacious than the crow. B 4 ODE ^.| 'The Odes of Anacreon* OPE X. By chance a ruftic I cfpy'd, A waxen Cupid by hi » fide ; The welj-knovvn charms my bofom fir*d, —The godhead's value I enquir'd. Name (he * rejoin'd in Doric tone) Name hut your price — the thing's your own, • Thecrtmmentatorsfeem too refined in aflTerting, ihAxAnam creon reprefented this youth in the character of an ignorant ruftic, by way of ridicule to his infenfibility of the charms of love, which induced him to part with his image. The Doric dialed is feledted to throw a ftronger Ihade of Simplicity on the fpeaker, but it may rather be presumed, that the poet merely in- tended thereby a more ftriking diftinftion between himfelf and the youth, Accordingly wemay obferve, that the former parted with the image for the very reafon, that Anacreon de- fired it. The one was mortified with that unbounded craving of the God, (which it feems neceflary to underfiand was communicated to himfelf, for otherwife the fenfe is none of the beft) while Ar.acreoit, to delineate his own compleaion, admired the purchafe for that very fault. Our modern Antiqua- rians would, it is true, give their ears to have made Anacreon^ purchafe, and for a reafon as li'^tls fQlid. — — — — . Not The Odes ^ Anacreon. 25 Not mine, % I will confefs, the 'trade. Nor 1 this waxen image made. —I cannot bear him,--in his Ibul Such ftrong defires infatiatc roll. Give, gire me, — I exclaim'd with joy, *^nd take this || trifle for the boy ; The urchin mine — we foon fhall fee. If better Love and I agree. — § Now — to iJ.y flames my heart confign. Or thou, by heav'n, (halt burn by 7nine* X The original is o^Jiu<;, &Ct *' Eut if you would be in- formed of every particular together," which is fenfe, and therefore Le Fevre*s oirw^ unnecelTary. II The Greek is '^ a drachm," a coarfe word for a poeti • cal tranflation ; its value airiounted to about feven-pence half- penny Engllf} money. § The original contains a turn on the word, *' Fire," '* bum me, or I will burn you." Mad. Dacier makes a pleafant reSeftion on the cavalier behavior of the ancient heathens in threatning to punifh their Deities, if they did not think fit to be propitious. A behavior, carried to more extravagant lengths by the modern Papifts, who make a pub- lic flagellation of the image of the virgin Mary, if it has not rained, or the fun has not Oione, juft as their prayers requir- ed Mijtrij ^a Vos DcKieniia cepitf^^-^ ODE 26 The Odes of Anacreon. O D E XI. Oft the wanton women cry. Poor old man, you Toon muft die; Grey with age thy head appears ; Poor old man, how fall thy hairs f Take this glafs, oh ! take, and view ; Soon, too foon, 'twill prove it true ; What then ? — Anacreon not a jot Cares, if he grows old, or not ; Hair I've none (and 'tis confefs'd) —Yet Anacreon will be blefs'd 1 Yet by all the Gods above, While I live, I'll live and love ; Ere thy journey, death, I take. Thou, 2ind Anacreon^ hands will (hake 5 Below I will enjoy my fall. And be themerriell there of alL The commentators have very indulgently offered but few remarks on this ode, and thofe not neceffary to be confideredi I muft beg leave to mention my own enlargement of the thought at the clofe of the original, to make it more com- pletely Anacreontic^ ODE The Odes of Anacreon. 27 ODE XII. Tell me, * wanton twittrer, why Dofl thou round my chamber fly ? Still the har{h untimely {Irain Shall I hear, and ftili contain ? Or in vengeance fhall I, fay. Cut thy fluttering wings away ? J Or a Tereus tear thy tongue. And deftroy the morning fong? * ^aX1), fiys Dr. Trapp, v'lx rcper'iatur. As the verfe Tuns more eafily with xwriAvj and that epithet was appropriated by the Greeki to the fwalJow, I would infert it " T^xwT^^y/." X Pbilomela, not Progne, received this pimifhment from the favage mentioned in the text; but various accounts are obferv- able amonp; the ancients concerning the fubfequent transform- ation of the two ladies. I fcarcely think, with Mad. Dac'ier^ who has drawled out a note of neediefs leamIn;.T on the paf- fage, that Anacreon meant to particularize the metamorphous; neither can I conceive that force in "exEivos" which Ihe ob- ferves. Her remark concludes with a proof from fabulou% authority, that fwallows always hated and fliunned the palace KiiTereuz. This muT: have been very extraordinary, for fwal- Icrvvs have always hovered about houfes in general, and theit far;;acity could fcarcely have pointed out the particular abode of that prince. Anacreon mentions the change of fhe lady into afwallow^Ode XX. but which of them, it is un- certain. Cruel i 28 The Odes of Aiiacreon:^ Cruel bird, thy warbling ceafe— Why difturb my heav'nly peace ; V/ith the dream of raptures blefb^d Raptures on my Chlo/s breaft ? ODE XIII. * Madnefs vengeful Rhea prov'd. When the faithlefs youth fhe lov'd; With the fav'rite name flie fills, Jitis' name, the woods and hills. * Mad. Dacier rightly interprets Ka^riv as an epithet for th^ mother of the Gods, forfince fhe cannot befuppofed to haTeha4 an excefs of charms, {he may very well befatisfied with being conftrued a good fort of woman, which that critic calls her, and fuch in our own times, however matured, are frequently known to be in love- I have altered the ufual interpretation of the palTage, which implies, that ^tth was violently fond of Cyhele, This is contrary to ancient records, for ^ttis vrat punifiied with madnefs by this old amorata, becaufe he pre- ferred another female to her. The pagans argued a po/feriori, in their opinions of Gods, and GoddeflTes, throwing anger, hatred, and revenge into the fcale of their difpoiitions, mere* ly becaufe the human race abounded with thofe enormities, I read with Bent/ey Bouqocv, What guided the critics to the common miAakenconftruition was the puniihmem {adbomlnem) inflifted tipcn Attis, Bards The Odes of Anacreori. 29 Bards to madncfs are infpir*d, X By the rtreams of Clams fir'd ; Round the rapt'rous numbers roll, Fhcebus rufhing in their foul. CrownM with ointments rich perfume, Cheer'd by beauty's rofeate bloom ; Nobler madnefs (hall be mine, * Boundlefs joys of Love and Wine. ODE XIV. Gentle Cupula I will yield. And no more dilpute the tield 5 Yes ! thy fofter counfels move. All my heart I yield to Love, Once indeed with ftubborn pride 1 the little God defy 'di X AaXcy i«s properly fat'tdica. From this ftream the Vatet of old were fuppofed to receive a magic enchuiiafm. To re- concile the thought to our own days, I have diredtly anplird it to poets, who are frequently poirefled of no fmall poition of frenzy. * De Pauzu has more elegantly turned the verfe in the text, FJra 30 Tk Odes of Anacteofl* Fir'd with rage, the urchin foe Sciz'd the arrow — bent the bow 5 1 a new Achilles rear Mighty helmet, fliield and fpear. Fondly deeming to deftroy, (Conqueft furc) the tyrant-bcy. At my breaft he bent the yew. From the ftroke of Death I flew ; Darts on darts the warrior ply'd— All in vain— they pufsM afide. He — in vengeance through my heart Rulh'd himfelf— a winged dart i Deep within 1 feel the fore ^— Cupid f refift no more. Vainly now to war I bear Mighty helmet, fbield, or fpear; * Vainly arm'd 'gain ft Cupid move. When nay heart is pierc'd— with Love. O DE * The word '©a^ft;/Ae&' in the orislnal has puzzled the com ' memators, and the misfortune is, that they have little recon- ciled the palTage by their propofed emendations. The firft impropriety occurring is the plural number in the verb, which is fo immediately fucceededby the fmgular /ae in the next verfe. An unufual way of Ipeaking with Grea»n elegance. As this ode is The Odes of Anacreon, O D E XV. * Let proud Gyges^ what care I All in wealth, and pow'r outvie; .—-Gold with hateful look I fee — Grandeur has no charms for me j isoneof the moft delicate and charadteriftic o? j^r-acreon, t would willingly obviate the inconfiftency, which, 1 hope, wili be fufficiently done by reading Tt yap Qci7\u fiiv tiu ; In this reading I underftand the €*aAw (Jaciam) as an alluficn to a fpear, the fhield having been mentioned in the preceding line. • Tvyoto. Mad. Dacier is of opinion, that our poet al« ludes loCrtefui, a defcendent oiCyges^ and not to Cyges him- felf. Butherreafonisnot fufficient. If we read Gj?^«, ihe paiTage appears to her tofignify that Anaaeon aftually exi^'ed in the reign of that prince, though (lie affirms in a note to a fucceeding ode, that he lived durin:^ the time oiCrafus, For my part I fl-iould efteem it as leafonable, to conclude that yoh muft neceflarily be living at this lime, becaufe we hear connnually a proverbial fay'ng, *' As poor as Job.'''' I Cra- ftts had been predecelTor to Cyges, the critic's ari^ument would have been more fatisfactory. The ftory oiGyges, who afcend- ed the thxot\Q of Candau/ei after murd'iing tha' monarch, was current in the days of our poet, zud his name is mentioned in confequence thereof. tLet 32 The Odes of Anacreon. + Let the ointment's rich perfume Flufh my cheek with youthful bloom ; Crown luxuriant, o'er my head Let the rofy wreath be fpread ; Live to day, the now is ours, Who can trlift the future hours ? Now the rapt'rous moments roll ; This the fun-fhine cf the foul ! Shake the dye — to Bacchus pour Ne^ari confecrated ihow'r ; Boundlefs mirth o'erfiow the heart; D^tf/A awaits with iron dart; — Hark ! he cries — begone ! — no morC; Mortals, quatF the foaming ftore ! \ KOiToapix^Di liTYivriV madefacere Barbam cannot be clofelj tranflated. The cuftom of anuinting Is of very ancient date; every one remembers the mention of the ointment which rsndown from Aaron's beard to the ikirts of his clothing, as j it is exprefled in the PJalms. Which paflage may like wife evince that the ancients did not confine this cuftom to /eftivals and debauches, at leaft in earlier days, but extended it to the moft facred and religious ceremonies. Or rather it was firfty a folemn inftitution ; and became in more degenerate times a preparatory to entertainments ; for luxury borrows refine- irent from every quarter. ODE The Odes of Anacreon. 33 ODE XVI. You the Thcban war refound, He the bloody deeds of Troy ; I i my heart's unhappy wound. Triumph of the wanton boy. Not the horfeman's rapid courfe, Not the thunder of the fea, Not the foot's embattled force, — Softer foes have conquer'd me. By the fmile of Beauty's charms, Pierc'd with pleafing pangs I die; Arrows are refiftlefs arms, Arrows {hot trom Phillis' eye. ODE 34 ^he Ocks of AnacreoiY.' ODE XVII- * Artift of unrival'd fkill, II Not the fwelHng filver fill Chiefs embattled, holts in arms — War for others may have charms ; * Vulcan, the God of fire,was efteemed the God of metals, from the power and ufe of that element in fhaping them-to part icu- lar forms. An excellent workman was from thence calledbv the name of the deity himfelt This cuftom is fimilar to many others in Grecian Mir\Ur\g% ; the name of the gods has been familiarly applied from thofe things over which they were fabled to prefide. II ropiviocq has been wantonly changed Into rofviv^ocg by the famous Stephens^ but the former is retained by moft other commentators ; the latter cannot be admitted, becaufe the palTage is confufed, from an application of the trade of emboffing or engraving upon plate to a turner of wood. It is obfervable, that the firfl fyllable of rofVBvqetq is long, and the verfe 11 ri ft ly requires it tobefliort. The infertionofTop£i;?ai in the text calls to mind the following verfe of Horace, where the critics have altered the original reading of *' tarnatoC^ into '^ formatos" Et male tornatos Incudi redder e verfus. This little variation obviates the impropriety of a double metaphor. Bentley offers ter natos, which changing only » letter may be reafonably admitted. Would T^je Odes of Anacreon. 35 Wculd you feaft AnacreorC% foul. Make an huge, capacious bowl. Make it deeper than the main Neclar'd oceans to contain. Carve me not the fliow'ry ftar. Carve me not the northern car ; Can Bootes' waggon pleafe ? Or the gloomy Hyades F Bending from the loaded vine Let the laughing clufters (bine; Bacchus, and the God of Love Jn the bluQiing wine-prefs rove. Happy art ! to crown the whole, Chhe fmile upon the bowK ODE XVIIL * Happy art ! enlarge my foul. Make a fpacious mafiy bowl ; Give the jovial fpringto (bine, Op'ning all tier fragrant mine; * jiaXXtTep^vrj? the artHt feems injudicioufly placed inftead c^Ttyjix the art itfelf, as the latter confeiTeuly adds a fpirit to the thou3ht. C 2 Genial 36 The Odes of Anacreon. Genial fpring, whofe darling hour:? Bring the rofe, the queen of fiow'rs, Feafts of joy the fcene improve, Feafts, and revelries I love ; -]-Let no ftern myfterious rite Mar the feafon of delight ; Let no tragic theme be fought But — adieu to care, and thought. Rather, Sons of mirth to blefs, Here the jolly God exprefs ; With the blooming hymens crowned, Venus, dance the mazy round ; *Qucen of tranfport, thou prefide Miftrefs of the foaming tide ! Here ■f For the true meaning ef the word TE?;£Ta*, the reader may confult Mad. Dacier, who from a pafiage of P/ato makes it appear ihsiZ ^nacrecn mesLni to diftinguiih between certain-] ceremonious and religious facrifices in expiation of crimes, ' and the more feftive rites of yemts, and of Bacchus, where that degree of refleftion and anxiety was necelTarily tobebanifhed, which muft have accompanied the former. * The two verfes in the original I read MvTiv vufxaroq tb Kt/7rp» By this the poet fignifies that Jove; which he frequen' I'he Odes cf Anacreon. Here unarm'd the loves difplay, Here the fmiling graces ftray Round the vine, whofe umbragegrects With thecluirer's promis'd fweets ; Youths defcribe, a blooming train, *Phc£bus too, thy prefence deign. unites with wine, ought to prefide over the fcene of drinking, a compliment at lea it to the power of beauty. If the reader is diflatisfied with this (more refined) interpreta- tion, he may take Mad. Z)^zf;»-'s amendment of the original text, which is very happy, e>:cepting only that the i ( -velj cer- tainly ought to be T£ (er) The firft is, in ftriftnefs, falfe quan- tity. She joins ^j^tvj, as llie reads the word, withEvVoi/. * The ftream of commentators runs in favor of an opinion on this palTage, which rather appears inconclufive, and not equally elegant with the meaning in the verfion, feleftedfrom Mad. Z)/). The former alTert, that y^«jcrfc« alludes to the cataftrophe of Hyadnthuihy iht hand of Apollo, on which account the artift is abfolutely enjoined not to en- grave that deity with the aflembly of choice fpirits. As Apllo has never been brought in gv.ilty of wilful murder, and as he has been occafionally mentioned with honor by Anacreon, it is but fair to admit him into a fociety, which his prefence cer- tainly improves. ODE 38 The Odes of Anacreon. ODE XIX. * Thirfty earth drinks up the rain. Trees — the moifture of the plain 5 In * The ancients were not very fagacious naturalifts. Their more elaborate inqulfitors of truth had the difadvantage of combating pcp-^lar opinions, whxh, however abfurd, were never given up without a tedious Itruggle, particularly in TbeoUgical tenets. To confine the fubjeft to natural philofo- phy, we ma\ obferve in this very ode, if the common reading is the true, (which it is reafonable to fuppofe) that their knowledge was not extenflv'^- Hivn ^oKccaaa, ^ocvfaq^ The lea drinks the air. 1 he full propriety of this it may be difficult fi?i6tly to afcertain from philofophical principles, though if reconcilable, in our more enlightened days it would appear trifling and impertinent. The phrafes indeed throughout the piece are cbfcure frcm their e::treme concifenefs,the whole turning upon the word %'>niv- IIjvii ^a,ha,a-<7* 'anotvfag. The fea drinks the rivers is the only fatisfaftory reading. The hint of ih- alteration was taken from Dr. Tra//)'s verfion and note upon the paffage. I cannot conclude the remarks on this ode without taking p.o- tJce of a fuppofed imitation of it by our famous Sbakefpear, in the following Lnes, from his play of Tlmon, Aft IV. r II exa*' pi e you iv'itb thie'very. 7'be fun's a tb'ief, andivUb bis great attraBion Rohi The Odes of Anacreon. 39 In the ocean's greedy womb Rivers find a fpacious tomb ; PhcebuSy rofy God of Day, ' '^•^^ Quaffs his foaming bowl the fea. Robs the vaft fea- The moons an arrant thief , And her pale fire Jhe fnatches from tbefun» The fea' s a thief ivboje liquid f urge refolves The mcur.ds into fah tears. The earth'' s a thief That feeds, and breeds by a compofiurefiol'n From general excrements. If this is an imitation of the Greek, it is far fuperior to the oric^inal. The application itfelf is different, as may bo' gather- ed from a perufal of the whole fcene. Some phrafes of the Greek text are likewife happily varied, and others confiderably improved. The latter fort extend to " The fea's a thief,'* which palTage isadmirably e x pre fled ; and with the fuccceding thought relating to the earth is altogether unborrowed. It may be required perhaps, that I Ihould here enter into the famous controverfy, about the learning of our incomparable writer. But this would be little adapted to an edition oi Ana- creon. I will, however, venture to infinuate, that he was not a reader of originals in the Greek and Latin languages, but that he received a portion of afF.ftance, through the medium of bald tranflations, for few others exited in his time. The curious reader is referred for a particular elucidation of this point to the ingenious Mr. Farmers Eflay on the Learning of iSji'iJ.'<;;/5>far, where plaufibility is cotvfirmcd by proof. C 4 Placid 4-0 The Odes of Anacreon, Placid thief, the filler moon Drinks the radiance of the fun. When of drink, all nature round^ One unvary'd fcene is found. Tell me, Sto'ic^ if you can, (Antipode of focial man) Why fhould I, who love my bowl. Be the only fober foul ? ODE XX. * Her fiaughter'd babes while Nioh' mourns. Mid Phrygian rocks, a rock (he turns 5 And Progne round her own domain Flits with the fwallov/s twitt'ring ftrain. * \v o%Oai? has been rendoreJ " ad Tluenta^" by many commentators ; I have turned it "Rocks," accordingto Mad. Dacier's explanatory note, tho* not altogether conformably to her verfion. She calls it in the latter ** the mountains of jnrygia,"' which is confident with the real ftory of the meta- morphofis. Dr. TV/j^^unneceflarily propofes ox^ot; ^^collibus.'" This compofitjon of caf, and delicate politenefs has been fuc- cefsfuUy hnita'edin thofe a.'reeable turns, which charafteiife the gallantries of our own y^«^.'r«w, Prior, But Ihe Odes of Anacreon. 41 But I — for thee, with happier doom A glafs, my Chlce^ will become. Proud to behold thy lovely face, Reflector of each heav'nly grace, A gown, forever near my love, «. Vainly wiftiful to improve ; — A fountain with enamor'd wave My Chloe's fnowy limbs to lave. I'd take the ointment's rich perfume Sweet-breathingo'er thy treiTes' bloom ; I'd take the necklace* pearly row. And with a gay luxuriance glov/ j A tippet I'd embracing reft On the fofc heav'n of Chloc's breaft, rd be a ftioe no humble blifs. My idol's very feet to kifs. ODE XXL Bring me, nymphs, the laughing bow]. Fill, oh ! fill it to the brim. That my fainting, gafping foul l\\ the purple flood may fwim. I die. 42 The Odes of Anacreon, I die, I die, * the vital fpring Drink the thirfty flames of day ; II Hafle — yon fragrant chaplet bring. Charm to quell the folar ray ! Wreaths, around my brow difplay'd, With'ring ftrait the fervor prove ; X From my fev'rifli heart no fhade E'er can force the heat of love. * ITpoTroSsK is to be connefled with the two foregoing verfes, and the fenfe is "Give me large draughts of liquor, for (ya^) I am already drunk up by the heat." The turn, fuch as it is, runs upon the word izCiw as ufed in the fecond line. II uv^Buv IksUoiv is elegantly fubftituted by Le Fevre, in- ftead of £X£;va, which is very forc'd, if fenfe. The conclu- i5on of the ode is adm'rable for its eafy application to the ardor of love from the exceflive heat of the weather. X T read with Ze F^re >«p«^t>? IvKKETra^w. The word rm ufually employed in the verfe makes the refledtion harfli. The contraft between the fliade of the chaplet, which was of no efficacy to cool the fever of the poet, and the fhade of the heart to break the heat of love, is thus mure dearly diftin- guiihed. O D S The Odes of Anacreon. 43 ODE XXIL Here, my Chloe\ charming maid. Here, beneath the genial (hade. Shielded from each ruder wind, I Lovely Chlo'e^ lie rcclin'd, Lo I for Thee, the balmy breeze Gently fans the waving trees ! i Streams, that whifper thro' the grove, \ Whifper low — the voice of love, f Sweetly bubbling, wanton fport, I * Where Perfuafion holds her court. Mufing fwains, the {hade who ftray. One fliorr moment fondly ftay ; Joys, like thefe, your fouls to fire, Can you fee, £nd not admire ? ODE • Hviyrt ^seqot 9r£»Scy?. Mad. Dacier has delivered her- felf in raptures at this exprefficn, which (he has very infignifi- cantly tranflated, ** ^'ty paAe murmur e defes eaux invite, ^ per- Juade." Thetwolaft words, it is obvious, mean the fame thing. In hernote, iV.e turns the phrafeff//? Fontaine, qui roule la per^uafion^'' This, (he julUy obferves, would not be endured in the Yrtncb ; it may likewife be added, that it is not (to all appearance) the fenfe of the text. \ii^v TretSoD? (to roll perfualion) is, I am afraid, rather ungrammatical. The Mtural conltruiftion feems to be riryj? l\ 'ni\^w({ Pi8a-x itcc^a, avrw IpeSt^et, I 44- ne Odes of Anacreon. ODE XXIII. * If from the iron hand of death Gold could fave my fleeting breath, Then would I toil for precious ore, Then amafs a boundlefs {lore ; II Come when he would — the dreams fliould roll Sure to melt the tyrant's foul ■ But5 * Madam D^iTiV has in my opinion improperly conneaei PCP^vS with n^oyro?, a phrafe which ihe had no oecafion make a difficulty of condemning. The fentence is clea; if we place the words thus ** i:c:fftyi '^w^xoii; to ^^j/ (|u,£Ta) t5 %fJ5-5. From the offence, which Le Fevre has taken at thefe verfes, he has ventured to condemn the ode itfelf as fpurious. I have a little fufpicion, I confefs, about the authenticity of the lines in queftion, becaufe the purity of the Greek, as it now ftands, with all Dr. Trappy and Pj/-««'s vindication, Is difputable, and words of the fame derivation clofe the lines with » paltry jingle. On thefe accounts I had almoft determin- ed to omit them in the tranllation, the fenfe being otherwife compleat. However, as they are here, let us make the moft of them. ^ocviTv as a nominative before a verb feems very inelegant, and by no means conformable to Grecian expreffion. The main difficulty then is to find a proper npmi- natire The Odes of Anacreon. 45 * But as the fons of earth muftdle. Nor a lonjrer date can buy ; ^ Why native with which the verb ^«"oT) may be connefted. A flight alteration in the firft verfe will produce it, without oiTering any violence to the text, unlefs in the meafure, which is not flriftly exaft. To Qr.v 'rrct^riyi Sv^jToHf, AotZr, Ti, Kol Sec ^tpj. I Piuto is thus placed in the room ofP/utus, and is the nominative, 1 to AabT), miT'^Bv) and utplct). To^v vivere is a common ' Crecifm ufed for the fubftantive ^ur,v (jvitam) with a noun mean- ing facultas, or potentla underftood. BccnTv is literally ex- plained by ^ocro^cttuv (on the f'jbjeft of death.) As to u^lrv it will readily be given uptothofe who are not diiratis- fed with the jingle of wap/xy*}, which they are welcome to pre- ferve. An extraordinary Grccifm is obfervable in our great poet -S/^jj/^z-jwhich few modem bards would ha ve confidence to venture. '* Could fave the fit ofTketlsfrom — — to die. " A verfe applicable to the prefent cafe. I prefume not, however, to aflert, that the Er.gUp bard has been in the leaft indebted to the Grecian ; though as the fenti- ineiit originally ftood, it would be doing little injur}* to our ex- cellent child of fancy to promote that opinion. Refieftions, far more dilfimilar, have been placed by modern zealots, on tlie fide of imitation. * The common rejuinj oi'SE has been infufficiently changed into 46 The Odes of Anacreon* Why droops my heart with fruitlefs pain? Anguifli, fighs, and tears are vain. Away — what boots it to behold Mountains heap'd of mafTy gold ? Joy for the fpan of life be mine. Pour the ftreams of rofy wine ; Be mine to tafte in Chke's arms All the heav'n of beauty's charms; Nor lefs the fmile of friendfcip prove; Friendftiip is the foul of love. — ODE XXIV. * To run the race of life my doom^ And fink to duft at laft ; Can I forefee the hours to come ? Tho' confcious of the pafs'd. Henccf into tfoeVw. The meaning of the pafiase requires ov^xjav. "Dele rh in the original verfe. * Le Fevre'i delicacy in efteeming this ode fpurious on ac- count of the inequality of the meafure cannot be fubmitted to.- An admirer oiAnacreon will aflc, whether the poet has labored hij The Odes of Anacreon. 47 * Hence, forrows, hence, nor rudely dare Difturb my tranfient fpan ; Be mine to live — (Adieu to care) As chearful as I can. Ere death dire£t his baleful dart. Unbounded joys I'll prove ; Will laugh, will dance with jovial heart I A Have to wine and love. \ [ills metre to exafinefs in any of his pieces ; and the anfwer may be readily given. The two firft lines of this ode, to make thefenfeof the whole refledtion clearer, (liould in my opinio* run, E^TEHj BpoTo?, yi b^sveiv Barnei has offered the firft word for ETTEt^rj, and it is rather better, though they are both allowed in the fenfe required by the text. * I read MeGete /x ay oil ^pomi^E?, which at leaft will be fufficient to invalidate the foregoing obj eft ion to the ode. ■ Some critics write (/-ihrs, which is more adapted to the metre. ODE 48 The Odes of Ajiacreon, ODE XXV. When the God inflames my bread All my cares are lulFd to reft ; * Hence, ye fighs, ye tears of woe ! While the fparkling bumpers flow ; True ! ye fages (what care I ?) ' ^ II True ! Anacreon foon muft die ! * Baxter and Bar-nei have given themfelv^s unneceflaTjT trouble about the text, that the verfe maybe fhewn in per^'eft purity. But as it ftands, it is fuffi- cient fcnfe, and therefore requires no alteration, 11 The verfe has likewife undergone correftlon fr^m the indiiftry of 5<2rK« and Baxter. There feems a fimilar reaf n for its being pte- ferved in the original orm, as was remark'd in the forego ng note. The fame may be concluded with refpeft to the enfuing Tcrfe altered by ScaUger, though his little amendment is not inelegant.- He reads "Tr^ii* yap. Why The Odes cf Anacreon. 49 Why then roam the fpan, of cares II Tangled in the mazy fnares ? Now, my friends, v/ith feftive foul, QuafF we now the foaming bowl ; When the God inflames my breaft, Ev'ry care is luU'd to reft* II rlv Etoi/ TrXavaJ'xat has been expreHively rendered by Mad. Dacler , pourquoi " rnegarer dars cette F«." The phrafc itfelf is familiar to Grecian concifenefs, which ufually drops a prepoficion. A method adopted by Plautus in The Mijer, Aft V. Sc. VII. ■ The exprelFon is 'voram V'lam redij rendered by the ingenious Mr. Bcnmll Ibomtcn^ • ** JivaUoiv up the ivcy^ In bafirig hack again,'''' I rather think, that Viam is to be connefted with rediy I'orans is ftrongly placed for bafty, or impatient ; and is here to be underftood adverbially. The Roman play-writers, to accommodate ihemfelves to the fpivit of a dialogue, made vtxy licentious omiffions. Examples abound in the politer and more elegant Terence, per feems underftood in Plaufu: *•* ridi ^ per eandem' Viwn,^' ODE 50 H^e Odes of Anacreon, D E xxvr. Now Bacchus ruflies In my bread, I feel the pow*r divine; Begone, ye cares, I will be blefsM, Now Crafus' wealth is mine. Bring, bring me, boy, the fparkling bowl, * Bring Mufic's melting charms ; The world I view with pitying foul. Its tumults, and alarms. ♦ The fifth verfe of the text implies, that the poet " lies d ;wn with a chaplet of ivy on his head." An expreflion which would ha e been of but little ornament to the veriion. — See Remarks on Ode VJ. for the ivy itfelf, The reader will obferve, that the courfe of feveral lines is altered from the original. The fenfe, however, is not affeded by thi» vhbarty. Is The Odes of Anacreon. 5 1 Is it then fix'd, ye Pow'rs, my breath I foon, muft foon refign ? — * Away with all thy terrors. Deaths — The ftroke be giv'n by wine; ODE xxvir. * When the blithfome God of Wine Fills me with his ftreams divine j * This ode is written in the Doric dialeft, and from a remark ■m3.Z The Odes of Anacreon; Away — Away — with madnefs blefs'd Still fliall glow my rapt'rous breaft. I (V t Madnefs Jlcmaon once infpir'd, J Madnefs once OnJ?es fir'd j They connexion between the madnefs of the chiefs mentioned in the text, and that of Aracreon: the one was mad as a punifhment to their crin;ies, the other for pleafure, and his madnefs a fidtion, which in faft was the cafe with the madnefs of the former. With all the critic's refined pedantry, the ode will be efteemed Ar.acreonv.c by all readers, except thcfe few, who would injudicioufy require from carelefs volatility the exaft reafoning of a grave philofopher. X The hiftory of Alcmaon% madnefs and that of Ortjlei are fuffxiently comprifed in the text. Hercules is faid to have flain Iphitus on account of his polTeff.ng fome fine mares, which the former, like a true hero, wanted for his own. There was another Ij^hitus, who inftituted Olympic games in honor of Hercules, and a third in the Trojan war^ The frenzy of Ajax is excellently pidtuied by 0-vid in his Metamorphofes, at the end of the conteft for Achilles^ fhield, B. XV. which is the beft written part of the whole performance, Ajax, however, muft have been rather touched before, or he would fcarcely have been driven mad by the lofs of a fhield, when he already owned the next beft in the whole army. II The epithet XetxoTra? applied in the original to Oref.eij Barnes has too refinedly conjefTured, to have been given hitn The Odes of Anacreorr. 63 They with impious pallion flew. And their haplefs mothers flew. Not mine the rage for human blood. But the goblet's purple flood ; No madnefs (hall enfiame my foul. But the madnefs of the bowl. Th'unconquer'd chief, of Gtecuin fiory, Mad became, ftark-mad with glory ; Lay'd, at a Itroke, * the heroe low. Then ufurp'd his hol^il bow. Proud Jjax roar'd with madnefs toft. When the longM-for fnield he loft, TKHeSiorcan fword with vengeful fweep High he rear'd, and flew the — fiieep. Nor mine the fliield or fword to wear. But — the full-brim'd goblet bear; No helmet (hall adorn my head, Flow'rs — their genial wreath (hall fpread, Thus ever thus, with madnefs blefs d, Rapture (hall o'crfiow my brcaft. him bccaufe he ran bare-footed after he was mad. He more confillentJy, at theclofe of his no'.e, alludes to white faadals, ♦ Iphirus. ODE 64 TJje Gdes of Anacreon* ODE XXXII. ||In evVy grove if thou canft fhew Ev'ry leaf the zephyrs blow ; Or if thou can'lt number o'er. All the fand that gilds the (hore; Thou, thou only, in my heart Can'fl point the wounds o{ Cupid's dart. Fifty loves at Jthc::s count ; Xo a legion will amount Thofe of Corinth's amorous plain. There Bsauty fpreads her frraiing reign. From iW Ionian meads at leaft Six hundred have ufurp'd my breaft. The fame from Cartas foft abodes, The fame from Lejbosy and from Rhodes, 1| It is flrange, that Le Fevre (hould e/leem this od« ipurious, and unworthy oi j^nacreon. A freedom, he has too iiberally indulged, and ufually with little tafte, or judgment. We may rcafonably expeft a more futficient foundatioa for this opinion, than one error in a llngle verfe. The The Odes of Anacreon. 65 The fame ? nay, write two hundred more, jl " But prithee, why this endlefs fcore ?" I've pafs'd the troops oi Syrian maids, And thofe who haunt Campus^ (hades. Nor have I nam'd the num'rous fair, Which in Cretanhow*rs appear ; * Crete, where all of rapture reigns, Cupid, monarch of the plains. No more — my loves from Indian ground E'en to Basra's {bore are found ; Gades gives the pleafmg fmart - In (hort, where'er I go, my heart Feels the point of Cupid *s dart* ODE 1 11 Tk ^>)?, uii xrfu/Gtt; in the text is cfteemed corrupt by the commentators, who have wantoned in the frolic of con- jefture. The phrafe fliould rather be preferv'd, as it now runs, if tolerable fenfe can be gathered. y.r,fu^^ni implies that the poet's heart, " had received impreffcns, as readily as the (du(5til) wax." Some read a/* ^ifuruq, not fuffi- ciently aware of a repetition, after the line immediately pre- ceding. The Scholia underltand it x>;fi« 6k* which is adoi<- cd by Baxter. * TV/^- uTTxtir i'^aar,^ to compleat the fcntence ':ot,Ka}\a. muft be under ftood 5 poflei^ng every thing beautiful and delight- ful.. E This 66 The Giles of Anacreon. D E XXXIIL Swallow, hail thy twittVing ftrains. Thou, when fummer decks the plains, Flitting round with annual grace, Build'ft thy neft, and tend'ft thy race ; But when winter's rigid hand Chills the air, and binds the land. Warmer climes thy pinions try, Cheer'd with Memphis' template (ley. Or the Ntle prolific, where Fanning breathes the genial air. Still, ftill center'd in my breaft, .Love for ever builds his neft j This little geography of love has been much admired, and is indeed one of the moft elegant pieces of Anacreott. If the reader is difpofed to fee the hiltory and defcription of the feveral countries, mentioned in the text, he will be fa- tisfied from a perufal of the learned Madam Dac'ier's re- markst Various ) lloe Odes of Anacreon. 67 Various (hews the brood of ftrife, This juft burfting into life, Wanton joy ! another fprings, * Fond to try his new-born wings ; Still their harfti ungrateful found Murm'ring pours my heart around. Soon will thefe, maturely grown. Careful parents, nurfe their own; Thofe have foon a younger brood, And my heart's their conftant food. But fo vaft th' encreafing ftore. All I ne'er can number o'er; ' — Nay — if larger grows the race, t Sure my heart muft want a place. * In the original ^p^ettto?, iignifies lite rally /^wJ exiguut, which cannot be more dofely exprefled in Englljhj than by the word "half- formed." '^ ly.^0Y,(T&A in the laft verfe is too refinedly rejefted by Le Fevre, and altered unneceflarily by Salmafius to IjiTrtrjcrat to exprefs j and by Scallger luTrovia-cii , to fet free, which is ftill worfe. lnQovcxi is elegant, and means to exprefs any thing with a degree of noify earneftnefs. The Scholia in- terpret ic 6H^a^»?i2c;Vr and Barnes ; an interpretation which may well be termed premature, as the fpring is the feafon inti- mated. Ofthislaft opinion is Dr. 7rfl/'/>. Why may not r^iplTai be read, and the fentence made exclamatory, " Let the rofe crown'd goblet flow !" *'for (as in the next verfes) every leaf and every branch promifes a year of plenty." X Kx^bXuv dem'ittens fliould be dem'tjjus. I cannot exprefs a fondnefsfor the prepofition in a verb repeated diredly before a fubftantive enfuing. May I venture to fubftitute «^»a? dim'ijfusj as lefs liable to exceptions ? ODE 76 Tlie Odes of Anacreon. ODE XXXVIII. Old in body, young ia foul. With the youths I drain the bowl ; Heroe of the rofy band, I the laft of all can ftand; Flying round with rapt'rous zeal. If I cannot dance, I reel. ^ Let who will the fceptre rear, Mine a fwelllng calk to bear; Round I fly in wanton fport, Bacchus only my fupport. * This fceptre was ufed commorly in the ancient dances, and was, I believe, the Thyrfus mentioned in Ode VI. hung round with flowers. The tccfByi^ was the fame with the ferula, by which S'thnui ticubante; ebrius ertus fujlifiuit. It •Avas a fort of " baton, ''^ as Madam Dacier has rendered Thyrfu> in Ode VI. t Here The Odes of Anacreonv 77" X Here advance, ye warring race, — I will ftand you to the face ; Take the bowl and ftand the fight. Arms, like thefe, my foul delight. Boy, the foaming treafure pour, Let me drain the feftive fhow'r. Old in body, young in heart, Joy and I will never part ; With Silenus^ rapt'rous zeal. If I cannot dance, I'll reel. \ TraptVo', »tj fjM^ia^u) has been ftrangely conceived by fiarnei. The words certainly mean a lively challenge from yf«flfr««to thofe, who profefled themfelves warriors, whom he jocofely invites to battle, not in a very bcnorable manner, for he prefcribes his own weapons, itraperj yap (he has my c-onfent) is fpiritlefs. The other interpretation is natuial, uid in the true genius of our poec. O D E 78 The Odes of Anacreon. D E XXXIX. When I quafF the foaming bowl, Tranfport revels in my foul ; * As the tuneful nine infpire, Soft I fweep the warbling lyre. When I drink with jovial mind, *' Care, I give you to the wind." • Barne5hz% altered the run of the words in the third line of the original^ and has more particularly changed the fifth for the fake of the metre. I think the two verfes have a better appearance in their ne\v drefs, but the old one is fuf- ficiently countenanced by others in the fame ode, not taken no- tice of by that critic. Thofe in queftion are the clofe of hexameters. So are the fix laft fyllables of the ninth, and of the thirteenth, the whole of the feventeenth, and the latter fyllables offeveral other lines. Hence The Odes of Anacreon, 79 Hence reflexion, anguifh, pain. Hence ! I waft you to the main. When I quaft the fparkling wine, Rufties forth the povv'r divine, Snatching me thro' fields of air; II Fields of gay luxuriance, where Sweetefl flow'rs, with fmiling bloom. Round difFufe their rich perfume. When I drink — the rofes fpread, Blufhing helmet o*er my head, Lons adieu I fmg; to ftrife, " Hail the joys, the calm of life !" Cave (fays Dr. Trapp,) imeU'igas Calum. Cave (ic may be replied) a/iud inttiJigas, The exprefllon is ylracreontic , and therefore cannot be weighed in the ballance of exaft propriety. There are no flowers, ftriftly fpeaking, in the regions of the air, nor can reafon imagine any in the Mahometan heaven. Yet they hiivebeen lavished by fanciful zealots on the latter, and the '* fragrant fields of aii" is well known to be a favor- ite exprefllon with poetsi While So The Odes of Anacreon; While I glow with Bacchus arms Flufli'd with ointment's genial charms^ Hanging am'rous o'er the fair, I — to Venus pour my pray'r. When I quafF the full-brim'd bowl, X Bacchus opens all my foul ; * Fir'd I dance the youths among, Frolic, as the frolic throng. When the foaming treafures flow. With unbounded joy I glow; \ viroHiifTOK^t is rightly made one word by Madam DacUr, the meer Ki/pTOKTt wanting force. aTrAwcra^- in the next line has given offence to Le Fevre. On which it is unly to he ob- ferved, that when a commentator is feized with the rage of correftion, he too commonly plants his batteries againft words and phrafes of the moft ftriking excellence. * T/p9ro^a» is thrown afide by Barnes, who fubfticutes y/ytjSa' the former he was led to infert from the Scholia. If TefTTOfMui is preferved, this verfe is an additional confirmation of what has been al lodged in Nor. i. with regard to the metre ©f the ode. Joy'^ ^e Odes of Anacrcon. 8 1 Joy's a gain — the blefTing take^ 'Tis of life the moft to make ; Something thus from death we fave, Pleafure blooms not in the grave. ODE XL, * In tlie rore*s fragrant (hade. Sipping fvveets a bee was laid ; Little Love^ who wantonM round, On his finger felt the wound. Scar'd, and pain'd, he fobs, and fighs, And to heav'nly Venus flies ; • This ode is inferted by Mad. Dacier with feveral in- fiances of Doric expreflion, turn'd by Dr. Trafp in the Ionic form ; tliis particularity is mentioned only to obviate the opinion, before taken notice of, that ihofe odes, wherein the Doric dialeft is in fome editions employed, were not tbe compontions of Anacrcon, F " I faint S2 The Odes of Anacreon. '' I faint — I die — oh ! fuccor lend, « Or thy Cupid's at an end ; '* X Pierc'd by a ferpent — haplefs me, *' Which the ploughmen call a bee. •' Small he was, and bearing v.7ings — *« To the very heart he flings." .— ** Thlsthemifchief you deplore ?'* Venus cry'd — **^ and how much more, *• II Mu{l the wretched bofoms prove, *' Tortur'd with the flings of Love ?" ODE X The thought In the text has a natural and elegant Sim- plicity, well-adapted to the urchin's fituation. Mad. Dtfc/^r applies it to Pagan theology, alluding particularly, it may feem, to a refledtion in Homer, which puts different ap- pellations for the fame creatures into the mouths of their Gods and mortals. By Gods caWdChalcas, and by men — an owl. There is but little foundation for this conftruftion, which the claffical commentator Longeplerre cenfurcs as too refined. It muft be confefied, that a learned interpretation (fuch a* that of Mad. Dacier) adds not the leaft beauty to a fenciment, of genuine and intrinlic delicacy. II 'TTQvtT^ & 9ro^5?n' Jn the jarlginal areufed in the fame manner, as the Latin word Join TJie Odes of Anacreon. i^ ODE XLI. * Let the fparkling bowl go round, And Bacchus' eccho'd praife refound. Bacchus in the jovial danoe Bids the fportive train advance j dckt is employed l>y Mart'ial^ in the concUif^on of his epigram on Arria and Poitus, Our Engl'Jh word *•' grieve " is likewife employed in an aftive and neuter fenfe. li grieves me, '* I grieve. " Such a concord is fomeumcs cbfervable in languages of the moft different texture. * Mad. Da:\cr obfcrves that, a^^ci^Ki^^o'^iv \a the fecond line fhould be a.voctjA'K'^'ioij.zM » In ftriitnefsit fliould, the bet- ter to agree with Trtw/^Ev in the firft verfe ; but in an author of AnacreoTi% carelefs vivacity the change of a particular ninod may be eafily admitted. The critic built her reflection upon the Scholia. F 7. X He 84 ^^ Odes of Anacreon. X He enflames the poet's fire. He to mufic wakes the lyre ; Venus with her darling boy, Nurs*d the rofy, infant Joy. Revel-mirth from Bacchus fprung. And the Graces, ever young ; See I he fmiles ! — affliftions ceafe, Anguifh foftens into peace. With the gen'rous youthful foul When I quaff the feftive bowl, J! Richly foaming to my mind ■ X Hence ye forrows to the wind 1 is tranflated in a double fcnfe, to point out the whole force, and fignificancy of the epithet. The poet may be underftocd to intimate fongs fet to mufic by a different hand. II I cannot conflrue the word KSfotc^^iv to allude to an an- cient cuftom at the Grecian tables of mixing wine and water, as Mad. Dacier has alTerted. The word is at leaft better re- conciled to the fpirit of our poet, if turn'd as in the verfion. There appears to be feme fimilarity between this )ctfoccrBt» and the Ladn " merum " foconftantly ufed by the beft claflics to exprefs wine only. Mad. Dackr feems to have bor- Tow*d the above opinion from the Scholia. X avs^toTfoTTw is not to be met with in Lexicons. It ihowld be awfAoTp'^i), from ays/AOTpt^jjj a veato nuiritus, or The Odes of Anacreon. 85 Friends, — the laughing fweets prepare, Drink a long farewel to care ; t Whence the pangs of bufy {trife, Ruin to the joys of life ? Who-can point the hours to come, Hid intime*s uncertain womb ? Vainly bold your date ye fcan, *l'is a ta(k deny'J to man — Wine infpires — Til beat the plain Wantoning with the virgin train ; auclui. Le Fevre gave hiaifelf unnecelTary trouble in hunt- ing after a word of a different derivation uvsy^rpo^a^ Tho* if a critic thinks fit to quarrel with one word, it is but fair that he produce another in its ftead. 'f' cuLViJfjievu) is properly fubflitutcd by Ejrres inflead of ohv^uixivu which is not Greek, though fathered by Mad. Dackr on the Dork dialeft, unafilfled, however, by proof. The former takes notice of a ftrange blunder in Stephens, who artirms, that there is a Greek verb o^voa,:^on. Aliquando bcr.ui dotmitat Ilcmerut. Le Fevre is wildly incenfed at this ode, which he do^^matically terms mlfcrable. I believe, few will fecond his opinion. F 3 All 85 lis C Us of Anacreon. AV. the fvvet s (if ( veets there are) In a lifig'i'Mglli'e of care Ta'le, vc wretched, if ye will, — I — of jr-y will take my fill ; Bid the fparkiing bowl go round. And the praife of Bacchus found. ODE XLIL Rapt'rous blifs enfiames my foul, When I take the gen'rous bowl ; Reveling in wanton play I join the chorus of the gay. Soft I ftrike the warbling lyre, — Bacchus rules the poet's fire — But, the chaplct's fiow'ry bloom Round diiTufing rich perfume. From the fair the fmiles of love 'Tis a heav'n of jcy to prove. * Malice T}je Odd of AnacrcoiT. 2^ * Malice is a pert — my heart Never aini'J th' envenom'd dart ; Keiice, ye foul, dctefted crew ! Fiends of fcandal — hence — adieu ! Why {hould war's ungrateful found With the laughing bowl go round ? * tciUT:ov, or as Barres would have i: dxUxr.v is very reafonably queftioned by Dr. Trapp. The former, however, difliking both, has fubilituted (I have not been in fear of biting envy) where Trapp to per- ftdc the verfe propofes oioi^oc for aiidioc, eodtmfenfu. There- is an objefticn to the word ** fear" in ih's paffage, arifing from the poet's faying immediately afterwards "I fly {(ptvycj) the darts of calumny " — which is more expreflive- ly interpreted to convey the horror of cenforioufnefs from a mixture of hate and fear. As to the repetition of the for- mer line, in the very words of the prefent, it is by nO' means unufual with Amcreon. Perhaps the reading of ^hovo'j QV ^r,x.7iy.ov aide So. (my heart as before) r)Top, May have on the whole greater beauty. As to the me:re itfelf it is as confiftent with many other lines in ih;s ode, as that offered by Tr^//'. F + Why 88 The Odes of Anacreon. Why is Bacchus* genial flood SuUy'd with a fcene of blood ? — Strike the lyre's ecftatic ftring, * Ours to revel, dance, and fmg ; Cheer'd with beauty's rofeate bloom, -^ 'Tis a fun, that breaks the gloom. Life is love one care employ All the foul ■ the care of joy. * The laft verfe, notwithftanding Baxter's licentious in- terpretation ^'falians agan:us ** and Mad. DjaVr's vindica- tion of yo^ii/o)^ (pepuu.Bv as confiftent with elegant writing, muft be read by itfelf, and the ^o^svun applied, as by Dr. 7r<7/>/> to Tvyia in a foregoing verfe. Though every language contains whimfical particularities, downright violations of grammar, unlefs they add fmgular fpirit to an expreflion, are prohibited ; fuch is our Englijh phrafe, *' We, the King's moft excellent Majefty," a manner of fpeaking completely burlefqued by its adoption, in our monthly reviews, v.here the diftinft writer of every article pronounces himfelf ■ the ■whole fociety of gentlemen. Le Tenjrt properly reads yaoSijAfi; inftead of iifioS^Aoj?, or ?i«K» the meaning of .-which is abfurd in this place, o n E The Odes of Anacrcon* 89 O D E XLIII. * Happy creature, what below Can more happy live, than thou ? Seated *■ The ancients had an extravagant veneration for the grafshopper, particularly if all their favorable exprefllons were to be taken in a literal view. But as that is ipconfiftent, it will fufHce in fome degree to account for their zeal from the traditions thej familiarly received, after having firft reconclleJ fome more general phrafes in the prefentode. It muft be premifed that the Cicada is not our modern grafs- hopper, according to Dr. Mi:rtyn% accurate defcriptlon. The ©evopoj- in the fecond line of this piece refers, in the Scholia, to the fmaller branches in hedges, which are certain- ly more confiftent in this place, than the lofty trees in forefts. Its feeding wholly, as in the third verfe, upon dew, is a poetical turn for its living chiefly in the grafs. The fahfequent compliments to verfe I5ch cannot be reduced to critical precifenefs. The reft allude entirely to the well- • known fable of the 7'///jo«;/2« metarrwrphofis, and to-Pa:t, its wifdom. The epithet o-o^o;, line 16, muft mean at beft a negative pof- feflion, alluding to the Cicada's fituation in a freedom from care. This might be called Anacreontic wifdom in a man, who has the power of involving himfelf in aftive troubles, or fitting down quiet, and contented. Eu: in modern eftimation iC 92 The Odes of Anacreon. Thine the lavifhM voice of praifc Harbinger of fruitful days ; Darling of the tuneful nine Phosbus is thy fire divine ; Phoebus to thy notes has giv^n Mufic from the fpheres of heav'n, Happy moft, as firft of earth. All thy hours are peace and mirth ; Cares, nor pains to thee belong. Thou alone art ever young. Thine the pure immortal vein, Blood, nor flefh thy life fuftain ; Rich in fpirits — health thy feaft, .Thou'rt a dcmi-2od at. leaft. it mult be ill-adapted to a grafshopper, which has too much youth in its nature for that grave, and folemn qualification of old age alone. Though to fpeak ferioufl)', it may be a com- p-liment, like moft of the others, poetically introduced. >^0 D E 11)6 Odes of Anacreon. 93 ODE XLIV. High in air with rapid wing, Fancy'd flight, I feem'd to fpring ; With a heavy weight of lead Though his little feet were fpread, Cupid with a whirlwind's force Flew — and ftop'd me in my courfe — *' Why th' ideal tale impart ? " X — Struck of old by beauty's dart. Love's unbounded fway I bore, — But not long the fetters wore : This ode Is admirable for an elegant concifenefs ; I can- not, however, beftow fuch extravagant encomiums, as Mad. Dac'ier has laviihed upon its beauty and its gallantry. In the feventh line Aoxsa; ^fywye is flat, and fpiritlefs, the words are therefore omitted in the verfion. ;|; hohia^xvuy is a word of emphatical gaiety, meaning that the poet had Aid, or flipt out of the hands of his former miftrelfes. Now 94 ^^^ Odes of Anacreon, — Now to one a flave I'll be. Now to all but Chloe, free. ODE XLV, In his Lenmos lov'd abode. Where the facred furnace glow'd, Vulcan moulds, with toilfomejoy, Arrows for the Paphtan boy. Fatal arrows ! — Venus dip'd. And their points with honey tipt; Cupid ftrait, at mifchief 's call, Ting'd them, deeply ting'd, with galU Sta'king from the field of fate, Mavors^ in heroic ftate, Grafping ftern his maiTy fpcar, Ey*d the trifles with a fneer. *Tis a trifle, Cupid fpake. In thy hand this arrow take ; Some* TJ}e Odes of Anacreon. 95 Something here of weight may prove. Something — in the fcale of love. * Mars unwary felz'd the dart — Soon it pierc'd him to the heart ; Venus, queen of amorous wiles. O'er the vanquifli'd conqu'ror fmiles. Stung with pain the hero fighs, Takcj oh ! take it oiT (he cries) *Tis thy cwQ (rejoin'd the boy) — Haplefs god — I wifh thee joy. Baxter has enlarged the thought in the original, which means fimply that Mars took up the darr. The critic pre- fumes, that Cupid at this inflant aim'd it at him. Surely the former is eaGerand more confident with the ridicule thrown upon the tr'ifies by the God of War. The refleftion of Mad. Dac'.er on the Ode itfeif merits attention, " The Poet (fays ■Ihe) means to reprefent, that the arrows cf love are not even to Ue tocuhed with impunity." ODE 96 The Odes of Anacreon. ODE XLVL Love's fetters 'tis a pain to bear, 'Tis pain thofe fetters not to wear. But the worft of pains to prove The forrows of a fruitlefs love. What can wifdom, what can birth', , Heav'nly charms, or fpotlefs worth ? Thefe in love are trifles — ; — all To the povi^'r of gold muil fall. CursM be he, whofe ravifh'd fight Tore the fplendid ill to light ; Wretch, 'tis he — the fource of harmsj Sets the kindred vjrorld in arms ; — Ev'ry fond endearment ends — — Fathers, Brothers, Sifters, Friends, He — the murd'rous band infpires, He the Dogs of battle fires ; Still more baleful to behold Cupid's darts are tip*d with gold. O D iPJ Tie Cihs cf Arscreon. 97 D E XLVII. Yes ! yes 1 I view with rnpt'rous foul The mirth of laughing ?ge ; Not youths, who love the dance, and bowl. Can more my heart engage. What tho' the filver'd head declare The chilling froft of time ! Years, all in vain, the limbs Impair, T he fpirits in their prime. ODE 98 The Odes of Anacreoa. ODE XLVIIL Give me Homer's godlike lyre, — Change the chords of martial fire ; Strains alone my foul will prove Rous'd by wine, or tun*d to love ; Bring, oh ! bring the fparkling bovi^l Sacred to the thirfty foul. This ode is a turn upon the ancient cuftom of eftaWifliing what would now be called Toaft-Mafters, (or in old times) y^refidents of a debauch. Thefe were defpotic monarchs in the government of Comus, and Bacchus, and ufually forc'd fmaller cups upon thofe Anacnons of the meeting, who were given to excefs. Our poet in this felf allotted province teaches his comrades a leflbn, better adapted to his own dif- pofition, than thofe which were more ufually given. *Pre- The Odes cf Anacreon. 99 *Prefident of Bacchus tribe Mine to fill and laws prefcribe ; Drink an ocean, dance, and play. Mad difcretion crown the day ; Wake -the ibng, and fwell the lyr€ — Rapture calls, and I inipire. * I read the fourth line ^ifi fjtoiy vouiii; y.ifa,cr(7U» The firft words exprefs an impatience from their repetition, the laft introduce with fpirit the indulgent regulations of this merry lawgiver. xfirtA^a ^ia[ji.cjv is an expreflive inverfiouof ^B^fxSq KvrriXhm ; though the Scholia and commentators in general underftand the phrafe to mean cups, on which the laws of drinking were fet down ; but if that is the conftrudion, what need of a prefident of unlimited authority ? I talce CHo-jLta? to mean the cuftoms more frequently adhered to, from which however it may feem that prefidents in general as well as our poet, might deviate in their fovereign capa- city. G 2 ODE lOO The Odes cf Anacrean. ODE XLIX, Beft of Painters, take thy ftand ; Hark ! the Lyric Queen's command ! Laughing o'er the floods of wine, Firft let jovial cities (hine j Feftal Bacchus* vot'ries gay. Give a loofe to mirth, and play 5 The corruption of this ode is evident, tho' with proper correftions it may very well pafs. The tranfpofition of the lines has been adjufted by the Vatican manufc. and admitted by Dr. I'rapp, The to ir^uxov at the head of the fecond direftion, as it originally ftood, puts one in mind of the con- stable's method of argumentation in " much ado about »othing." jLet T1:)e Odes of Anacreon, lOi X Let th' alternate mufic float From the lute's melodious note ; If thou can'ft, their joys improve. Fill, oh! fill each heart with love, X "ErefOTTvoiiq Iv avhoT;, as altered by Le Fevre, is the reading with more recent com- mentators. It may be prefumption to queftion its propriety j but I will venture to propofe "ETc^Q7r]>o8<; K EvatAa^. ** The prieftelTes of ^<2ffAw, and men playing on the lute j'* otherwife we muft alter with Le Fevre (pi'KivTuv in the laft verfe, into 'Triovruv ; for the poor womeji had before no fwains to love, and be lov'd in turn* Mad. Dacier has entered into an elaborate difcuflion of the ancient double flutes, as flie terms them ; how one man could conveniently, or indeed any way, play on both at the fame time without difcord, is rather difficult to reconcile. Baxter'^ verfion " a'.ternatim fantet " is lefs foreign, and more fami- liar to modem conception, irepwooi, which ftriftly means *' di'verse f antes'^ will admit of the foregoing conHruftion. The Scbo!:a render the words as they read) " utrimq-^fpiratai tlhias.''^ This may more par- ticularly allude to the Jtiji and fee ond farts of a tune played by '.wo diiliaft inilrumencs, of the fame coallrudion. G 3 ODE 102 The Odes of Anacreon. D * He comes, he comes ; in ev'ry vein I feel th' infpiring God ; Grief, anguiih, care, a ghafrly train. Are vanifli'd at his nod. To fip the various fweets of love He fires the youthful foul ; Bids him the boundlefs tranfports prove. That crown thegenVous bowl. * I read the three firft lines according to the Vatican M. S. Hen. iitephenSy and other fufficient auihorities, widi TToi/otj, imo^oi;, and TroTotj, which make a pleafing variety inftead of the Inelegant re- petition of TTOTOK ; whence feme more phlegmatic critics might imagine, that Anacreon was actually in his cups, when he wrote this ode. With 7h Or!es of Av.zcrcon, 103 With p;uardian rare he tends the flioots, * Till Au umn'5 jovial hour, When . ufhin» forth the npen'd fruits Their laviih creafares {how'r. From widow'u vines theclufter'd charms With annual oceans fwell ; The body's pangs, the mind's alarms, Thefe kind phyficians quell. '^ 'Triir-'^.oT.yJvov^ the reading of Baxter, an alteration of a iln:;le letter, gives fpirit to the paffage, which the other reading has not, if it conveys any meanin,';. The prot raft ion of the fecond fyllable is not fufficient to invalidate the infer- tion of the word, though the only inftance of the fort in the whole performance. (^vKu^ttuv in the next verfe is prefer- able to 9'-'^'^''"^"'' • 'CcriTof?, the old reading, is not Gr«/C'. Tho word muft be formed into two e? E^^b* but, the prepo- fition governing an acc'jfative, Dr. Trapp underftands Xp^'"'''' This fufficiently confutes the opinion of Baxter and Barnes^ that the text from the ninth verfe alluded fclely to the au- tumnal feafon, becaufe, forfooth, fevers are frequent at that period; but does it likewife more particularly aiiiift the mind - for the text includes ihit alfo. G4. ODE lo4 ^^^^ Odes of AnacreoiT, ODE LI. What hand with animated grace * Has flamp'd this ocean's mimic face ? The crmmfn'ators, like the fifli mentioned in tlie origna?, h.wt aukwardly wantoned over this ode, which is more un- nvorable to a tranfator than all the others. The text is certainly corrupted ; too clofe a repetition of the fame words, feveral thoughts ronfufedly exprefled, and a trifiing omiparifon, which degrades poor Venus to a fea-weed, are more than enough to raife fufpicions With fome amend- ments, however, it islioped the poetical bill may be allov^ed to pafs. is abfurdj for, as Dr. Tr^//' remarks, " nonre efl Ipfe fu^us Dorjum Maihf" lie alters accordingly the fourth verfe to yAya. KVfAOtf a very expreffive repetition, I once thou^jht it might run but the other is preferable, particularly as 'rsLnov '' Pelagus'* is nien'.ioned beforei What The Odes cf Anacreon. 105 What mafter-hajid ciifplay'd the (how Of waving billows' gentle flow ? The glowing art to madnefs fir'd Flas boldly to the Gods afpir'd. See ! the comely Venm laves Blithely wantoning in the waves ! Parent of the Pow'rs above, Source of joys, and Queen of love. II See ! in wandering mazes fwims The lucid ivory of her limbs ! |] dETT Lv-xn has been excellent fond for the commenta- rors. Mad. Dac'ier has aukwardly enough explained the order of the words; which muft neceflarily be the cafe with any who attempt it, as they now ftand, the nominative to the verb eAx£i being at fuch a cruel diftanca, and a prepofition to govern yaXjji":?, in the fecond line following, being un- claflically placed before the nominative itfelf. Without taking notice of the inconclufive interpretations of the critics, I venture to propofe a reading, which will at leaft obviate ihe impropriety before alledged. 'Povtov Tra^oi^iv sAxej, Wandering io6 ^Pfje Odes of Anacreon. Thofe the modeft ftreams conceal, Which fancy only {hould reveal. Her arms (he waves — from fide to fide. The liquid hills obedient glide ; X With am'rous kiffes they embrace The heaving bofom's polifh'd grace. *' Wandering from the fliore, and bearing herfelf properly for failing (ei? 7r7\oov) upon the placid fea," &c. I erafe the thirteenth line with Dr. Trapp, par'icuiarly as it would cramp the e nfuing comparifon of the liUy and violet. J Po^eeov vTTSf^s yt^ocJ^wv A7rctKr)i; I'vapfie on^viq M/ya ^iy.(x tt^utoc T///.f£{. Thefe verfes, to make the fecond line confiOent, muft con- tain a defcript on of the particular part touch'd by the waves, while ■r>;7«j was fwimming. The fenfe is " the wave cuts the firft, or the higher parts, where the breafts begin, juft under the neck ;" the fpot necefiarlly touch'd by the wato in fwimming, the breafts being juft under the water, and the neck juft above it. Pooiuv is a whimfical epithet for the bofom. In this place it cannot mean *' rofy ;" but is meant to exprefs beauty and comelinefs in general^ the appearance of the rofe independent of its color. Amid I The Odes of Anacreon. 107 Amid the filver of the deep. Whole placid waters almoft fleep, Mildly bright her beauties (how. Like the lilly's fpoilefs fnow. Mid beds of violets difplay'd 5 — Blended tints of light and {hade. In gambols o'er the watry way See ! th' unwieldy dolphins play ; t Loves, Defires, with youthful fmiles, Here fufpend their amorous wiles. Wreath'd with aukward, antic fport The fcaly nation pny their court ; In emulative homage rove, Coiifcious of the queen of love. -f coAe^o* ixsraiTTot is very elegant Gretk^ and happily fubftituied for doXi^ov. If the reader is fo unfortunately cu- rious, as to defire a fight of egregious trifling among the critics, he may perufe Dr. Trapp^s note upon this pafiage ; a .j.3flage which they will not fuffcr to explain itfclf. ODE !£)8 The Odes of Anacreon. D E LIL See how the vine's luxuriant fpoil * Infpires tnt youth's autumnal toil ; AHiftant Nymphs the treafures bear • Soothing with fmi'es the weight of care. The future ocean's bluftiing (lore Profufely lavifti'd on the floor. The above cde and the fiftieth have heen eAcemed v^ , tage-hymns ; a fore of harveft-home In honor of Racchir Neither of the pieces carvbe conftrued altogether in that liglii, particularly the prefei\t, becaufe mention is made in the eighth verfe of the very words uffd by the wine-preirers ■ their hymns to the God of wine, while they were employed < ihebufinefs. * (pspaam muft be read with Stephens, Inilead of vhe participle, otherwife there is no verb to govern the fenience, which the fenfe, and grammar require. I'he Odes of Anacreon* 109 By manly flrength the prefs is trod ; . — Forth from his prifon Durfts the God, 1 lo Bacchus^ Thee they Ting, Hymns of joy thy praifes ring j Un- '^ M/ya Tcv $£oy y.^orSvTtt; £p I am will'ng to underftand " the girl's being the betrayer of her own difpofition, as to marriage with the fuitor }" the other interpretation is too grofs, and fuited only to the lafcivious coarfencfs of Pttronius Arbiter, or the ribald frolics of Poggii Faatia, ODE 112 TIj£ Odes of AnzciQon, O D E LIU. While rpring with lavifh flow'rets glows. From the gay wreath I'll pluck the rofe. The queen of fragrance will difplay, — Oh I pour, my Friend, th*accordant lay. Monfieur Z)draVrhas made a very probable, and Ingenious con- jefture, which gives the form of a dialogue to the prefent ode; aconjefture, according to his learned Lady, manifeftly authen- ticated by the run of the piece. This conftrudtion undoubt- edly adds a force, and expreflion to the performance, and the verfion has accordingly adopted it, with a fingle ex- ception as to the commencement of the dialogue, here placed at the fourth verfe. Mad. Dacier enters on it at the ninth, and confequently reduces the intermediate lines to a preface ; this however muft be allowed to weaken their fpirit. I read the third verfe with D. Heinjlui The old reading is inelegant, MCreek, * Dear The Odes of Anacreon. il j *Dear to earth, thy fmiling bloom ! Dear to heav'n thy rich perfume ! Sacred to the fportive hour When the loves from flow'r, to flovv'r Blithely trip — the Graces fair J3ind thy treafures to their hair ; By the Paphian Queen carefs'd Seated on her fnowy breaft. t Nymphs, who haunt th'embcv/'ring (hades, Poefy's enchanting maids, * I have tranfpefed the original, thinking it more con- llftent to place the heathen Gods, infignificant as they were, in the poft of honor,, hitherto ufurp'd by the Bj&tc/i, ilie Lns of earth. To as yap BfoT'Xt to Pi^ap/z-a Toh xj Beuv urifxx. It is othcrwlfe an vfe^ov wpoTcfoi', an inaccuracy, which ho\r- ever abounds in Anacnon. Since making the above re- mark I have ubferved Dr. Trapp is of the fame opinion, f I read [xeXr^y^x Ni'jtAi^at:, the firft word being ufually fullowed by a dative cafe ; (^.iXri^a, [xoi is familiar Anacreon. The original /xySat^ has too much the airof tau ■tology with the fucceeding Myj-t/. H Woo to 1 14. The O^es of Anacreon. M^oo thee, Rcfe ; thy charms infpire All the raptures of the lyre. . H Cull we ftrait th' inviting Rofe, — Shielded by the thorn it glows ; Cull the Rofe ; what boots the fmart I Boundlefs fweets regale the heart. J Pluck it not; the flow'ry gem Unwilling quits its parent ftem ; Round Jl I read with Rarnes, as tr.ore elegant Greek, wciSvT* 'zsii^aVf Stepheni''i 'Tto^ovvrra <7rhpat cannot fo properly precede the preposition h in the following verfe. J This paflage has been learnedly difcuiTed by Monf. Dader, as quoted by his Lady. The Criuc thinks it refers to a whimfical cuftom arifing from the fuperfiition of the an- cients, who, it feems, in order to form an adequate judg- ment of their future fuccefs in love, took a poppy, and tried whether by ftriking their hand, or elbow againft it, any noife cnfued ; if there did, they depended upon a happy iflue, if not, they of confequence were reduced to defpair. The misfortune is, that although this were aftually a cuftom among thofe ridiculous zealots, it has no connection with the prefent thought, the very words of which are wrefted by Mad, Dader in favor of her hulband's hypothefis. Add to I The Odes of Anacreon. 1 15 Round the feaft of fragrance rove, But gently touch — the Rofe of love. Mid to this the remark of De Pawj), that their writers, when they treated this prophetic ceremony of love, mentioned only the Lilly, the Poppy, and the Anemone, but never the Rofe. However, I know not how any of the flow'rs could be conclufive in the experiment, unlefs entirely dif- ferent from their namefakes of modern conftrudlion. The reader will obfewe, that the verfion runs contra- dictory to the fenfe of the whole tribe of commentators, which was owing to the editor's being ftruck with the ex- prelTive contra ft, thereby made, to the verfes immediately foregoing, to which thofe in queftion are refponfive. He prefumes to read thus Ylfocroe,y^vT\ &:C. Gently bringing it (to the fmell.) The next line fliould be read with Mad. Djcicr, Tj POJOV TO UVJO TifTtVOV — ~ The old reading uaao^lj is intolerable, and the tw te faBun:, H 1 Nature- 1 1 8 The Odes of Anacreon. Nzturc gave the Queen of flow'rs, Coeval Sirter of the Pow*rs. When th' immortals' frolic fouls Glow'd vi^ith the Nc^iars copious bowls, By chance upon a blooming thorn (Such as the heav'nly feats adorn) Prolific fell th' aetherial dew ; — Confecrated Rofes grew. The Topers hail'd the plant divine, And gave it— to the God of Wine. ODE LIV. * When I view youth's blithfome train. Rapture beats in every vein ; All ♦ H. Stephens has properly altered the old reading, which was abfurd and ungrammatical, to Ot lyu viuv ofjuXov Eaxter his, like a true critic, refiped upon the words, which he The Odes of Anacreon, 119 All my fplrits on the wing. In the merry dance I fpring. * Stay, ye wanton ftriplings, ftay. Old I am, but will be gay ^ he turns more injudicioufly, if poflible, than the original r>onfeufe This is aukward at the very firft appearance ; Dr, Trabp pronouiKcs it ungrammaticaJ. * KtCij'ca in the original has puzzled the critics, who have in ceneral confpired to change ic into crtK/iC*, to this there can be no other objedticn, than the too frequent re- petition of the Gretk words for youth in this very ihorc piece. I would propofe xub^Cj, fignifying a fon of Noife, and Jollity, in the more figurative inteijretaton. This fuffi- ciently implies youth, without the impropi'Cty of expteli.nj it. KyCrjIoy?, fay the Scholia, is meant or a woman, who took pleafure in Revelry and Dancing. The reader may accept the latter, if he is rather inclined to that conftruc- tion, which may appear more Anacrcont'c, as filling up the whole fce.-.c cf Mirth and Feftivity, the fubjot^.s of the ode. Pocot CO'; - H 4 Rofe?, 120 TJje Odes of Anacreon. Rofes, wreaths of Rofes, fpread. To hide the filver of my head. Age, away ! the youths among Let me dance — I ftill am young. Give me, boy, to drench my foul, II Rivers of th* autumnal bowl. 11 Anacnon might fay of the critic Le Fevre, as the fwaiii in yirgil did of his miflrefs, ^' malo me Galatea petit j" for he has made the poet cry out after apples in this paffage, which I do not remember, he has once longed for in all his other odes. But the unlucky ftumbling-block is ^otav which, it feems, lignifies Malum Punicum, In the firft place both the fyllables of the word are falfe quantity, as they Itand in the prefent verfe ; it being requifite that the firft fhould be Ihort, and the laft long. This particular would not have been cotifidered, but that the line may be fo eafily brought to a meafurc, confiftent with the reft of the ode, and the fenfe much iefs exceptionable. Bring me rivers of autumnal (wine) 3 this being the feafonfgr making it. t Fir'd TJ}e Odei of Anacreorl. 12 1 X Fir'd with thefcj we foon (hall view. What a green old age will do ; Lively age ! that urell can drink, Well can talk — but will not think ; Fill'd with ecftacy divine. Nobly mad — when mad with Wine. D E LV. Exprefllve of the mafter-hand The Courfer feels the letter'd brand ; X \v 1,^ri is connefted with (pifiru) t;? in the foregoini; fentence. tlTrelt in the verfe following has been by feme critics interpreted finging, not talking. It would fcarcely be worth a remark, had not the verfion given a new turn to the original reflation. *Thc 122 The Odes of An2,creon» * The lofty Turban's fullen grace Proclaims the haughty Parthian race. As fure the confcious marks to prove Thefofter hearts imprefs'd with love, Tho' hid within the mifchief lies, II It pierces thro* the traitor eyes. O D * This ode has been fufpefted on account of the Partbians- mentioned in the text, an error occafioned by the uncertainty ©f the true period, when Anacreon florifhed, which feems to be properly fettled by Mad. Dacier, In the times of Crafus, and confequently of Cyrus, who gave the name of Parthian, to that people little known before. See Rem. on Ode XV. Ij The Greek, Xtirrlv xcifxy[J!,ot •v|'U%>5?, " a fubtil mark of the mind" requires enlargement in the Eng/ijh language. As Dr. Trapp reads it " ad literam" it is very faint, and hideed fcarcely fenfe j the verHon has fixed the particular fjgn of love, where it never fails to be obferved, namely, in the eyes. Such is the interpretation of the belt editions. The reader, who is falhionably enamored of the French, will excufe my intruding the following lines of Mr. De la Fojfe, occalioned by, and greatly fuperior \o the original. Lors que je vois un amant, 11 cache en 'va'in Jon Tourmenty A le trab'ir tout confpire : * Sa Langueur, fan embarrar. Tout ce qu'il pcut faire, ou direj Mime it qu\l ne die pa:. This n^e Odes of Anacreon. 123 ODE Lvr. Scarce fcatterM here and there difplay My locks their venerable grey ; X Their glow of life my fpirits lofe, My teeth their ancient aid refufe ; This delicate and elegant petit ckanfon evinces how well the language is adapted to a lefs confined paiaphrafe of /Anacreon, to whofe agreeable levities the French can never do ample juilice, when cramp'd in the trammels of tranllaticn. From the above verfes an Englijh Atiacrecntk has been at- tempted. With fmiles I view the Lover's ?ride, — Fondly He thinks thofe pains to hide. Which— All confpiie to prove j The foul with languid wildnefs fraught. The Aftions, Words, and very Thought j Ev*nfilence fpeaks his love» \ yYifx>.toij if the metre is confulted, muft be read, with three fyllables onl>'; ihc t mclied into v*. To 124 5^^^ Odes of Anacreon. To youth my trahfports I refign ; A (hort, (hort interval is mine. * What fears ! from fcenes of rich delight. To roam the vale of endlefs night ! The * AmrotKiilu the old reading is not to be found Dr. 'frapp takes a.variva.l^ci} from Baxter. It is unaccountable, how the other abfurdity could have crept into the text, and not have been expunged before. The laft line is pro- perly read by ^flrwj, Kara^afTi ^n 'vxQy/jxi, The whole phrafe however may be turned . //->? yxp 6 BToifjiov Ka,rcx,^a.vTi , k^ 'la^yjvat. And the reflection may be rendered " The Defcent to ■ Hades is uncomfortable, for it is not prepared, or readily allowed to any, who defcend, to re-afcend." /^>3 £Toi,uoy is ftrongly explained by the words of Firgil Rrvocare Gradum — — • Hoc Opus y hie Labor ej}. Striftly fpeaking Barnes's {xin in the laft verfe fliould be placed before etojjexov, which may allude to thofe few fabulous exceptions of Heroes, who re-afcended to earth, a privilege - abfolutely refufed to the herd of mankind. The above ode has the ftrongeft marks of authenticity. The prefervation of it by Stephens has brought the whole body of critics on the fide of its adoption. Add to this, that it makes a concluGon, the moft charafleriflic -of humanity, co the odes of ^4nacreQn. The Odes of Anacreon. 125 The blefs'd of earth, to fhades below. Unwilling heavy trav'llers go. The glooming profpecSb fcares the eye. They fliriek — and cannot bear to die. No wonder, the full figh they vent. And tremble at the drear defcent ; In Chains eternal doom'd to mourn, Ah I neverj never to return. Anacreon^ which (hall be difmifled with a moral obfervation— That an animated flow of fpirits, fuftained by a conftant indulgence of mirth, and pleafure, muft neceffarily droop, if not fooner, at that period, when age deprefles the foul with a languid Tcedium, and the nearer approach of Death makes it look back with all the horrors of difappointment on the earlier relifli for enjoym.ent, pofTelTed at the expence of Health, Wifdom, and Happinefs, T H E I i THE ODES O F SAPPHO, I T H OBSERVATIONS ON HER LIFE, and WRITINGS. < i OBSERVATIONS ON THE L I F E, and V/ R I T I N G S S A P P HO. 1\/T1TXL E NE^ an Ifland o^ Lejhos^ gave birth to this amorous Poetefs ; who, when arrived at a pre-eminence of literary reputation, received a diftinguifhed honor, fimilar to that which Hnmer had before ex- perienced. Seven cities of Greece contending for the birth of the latter, and eight per- fcns bonftiijg to have been fathers of the for- mer. Her mother, Clc'isy for the mother is I always 130 OBSERVATIONS, i^c always known, mufl: furely have been in- jured by the zeal of*thefe wild competi* tors. From the anecdotes of Sappho's hiftory, we muft conclude her to have been of a violent temper, and a flave to its ufaal con- comitants, ungovernable pafiions of all forts* She was married to Cercolas^ a man of confiderable wealth, in the ifland of Andros ; a match probably not the offspring of love ; at leaft we have no reafon to efteem it fiKh, w^hen we reflecEl: upon the licentious condudt of her widowhood ; a condu6t, which fuf- ficently evinces that (he had very little regard -for her hufband or herfelf *. Of * The tradition, \}c.7X Amcreonv^^% a fuitor of our poetefs, is evidently fabulous. Sap^hoy according to the moft plaulible accounts, was born A. M. 3^8, about the 6^\{x Olympiad , zndi Anacreon began his life A. M. 3417, and in the 3d year of the 6oth Olympiad: fo that Sappho, if exiftent at the birth of the former, moft have been 79 years old ; a very unfavorable i OBSERVATIONS, iffc, 131 Of her three brothers, Larichus, Euri^ius^ and Caraxus, fhe a6lcd and wrote againft the Jaft with a frenzy of deteftation, irritated at his afFeclion for * Rhoc/ope, a famous cour- tezan. If this ftory is built on truth, it may be rather prefumed, that difappointment, which the wretched cataftrophe of her death proves, (he could not endure, gave rife to her inveteracy. Why might not Rhodope unfavorable date for enlarging; the lift of admirers. The account of Alcaui'% affection for Sappho has a ftronger ap- pearance of authenticity, as he was about twenty cne years her fenior. But the extravagant rebuke, with which the Lyric poet was repulfed, if we may credit Arlfotky muft have effeitually put an end to his amorous ardor. *■ A romantic tale has been handed down relative to this diitinguillied beautv. An eagle fnatched up one of her fippers, as fie was bathing, and carrying it to McmpLh, tlropped it into the lap of the king, while he was ad- miniftering juftice. The elegance of the fiiiper of courfe induced this royal judge to fend for its owner, whom he made an honeft woman, by making her his queen, and they lived very happy afterwards. The immortal mother Gocft of chiidilh men)ory, feems to have borrowed one of her many interefting tales, from this delicate hifiorlola of an- tiquity. I 2 have 13^ OBSERVATIONS, ^c. have bren a favorite of a fimilar caft with Jttl:!s cr Jndromcda P Debates have arifen, whether our author was of noble or mean extradlion. The af- feitors of the latter ground their opinion upon her brother, Caraxus^ who dealt in wines; but this, as Mad. Dacier remarks, is inconclufive ; it having been common for men of the greateil: confequence, to engage in traffic, for the more convenient fojourning in foreign nations. Thus Solon defrayed his travelling expences by the profits of his merchandife ; and Plato fubfifted in Egypt upon the oil he fold. Happy would it he for our modern fet of fantaftic travellers, if they would condefcend to fuch a ftep, for then they would at leall have lomething to employ them ! But if Sappho had been difiinguifhed by fuperiority of birth, it might be expected, that her origin would be better known. Some limb ot the genealogical tree would furcly have eicaped the malice of oblivi- on, as we'l as the lefs figniticant anec- dotes of her life, and character. Add to this OBSERVATIONS, 6y. 133 this, that a paltry Phaon, a ferry-man, as he is always termed, would probably have known his own intereft better, than to have run away from her addrefles. He would at leaft have temporized, and fet his own value upon that unrivaj'd beauty, with which Vains is fabled to have adorned his perfon. This coy Adonis^ however, put his admirer to the trouble not only of following him into SidJy, but abfolutely dildained her importu- nities, when fae came there. The anxiety naturally arifing from {<:> fe- vere a uiTappointment would have driven a female of a lefs impetuous difpofition to ex- tremities. IVleer vanity alone, always ani- mated by repulfes in love, would have been fufHcienr, tho' affeiftion had been indulged no more. In Qiort, the violence of her chagrin plung'd her into dcfpair, and ilie put an end to her paiTion, with her life. But as it was inconfiflcnt, that a perfonage of SappLo'% eminence (hould peaceably dif- patch herfelf by the noofe, or the river, ihc afccnded the top of the Leucadlan Promon- I 3 tory i 134 OBSERVATIONS, ^c. tory ; and after having ofFered her laft vows at the temple of Jpollo, ereded on the fpot, j| (for prayer has been very uiually employed to confecrate the greateft enormities) fhe threw herfelf into the Tea. By fuch a leap from this traditionary precipice lovers fondly expected to extinguifti the flame of Ciipidy and at the fame time preferve the lamp of life. But they always went out together. While Sappho was engaged in this unfor- tunate purfuit, it is reafonable to conclude, with the generality of her commentators, that (he wrote her admirable hymn to Venus, The fentiments of that piece are fo con- genial with fuch a fituatior, that a caviler alone would diflent from the eftabliftied opi- nion. To applaud the compofitions of this '* tenth mufe," for fuch was her ancient title, were but to add a mite to the tri- bute of praife colledled in earlier times ; a tribute, which, with all her merit, feems to have been more lavifhly ofFered to her re- maining prgdu<^ions, becaufe fg many more had OBSERVATI ON S, &c, 135 had perilhed. The good-natur'd critic is forward to fuppofe an extenfive portion of excellence contained in the loft writings of an author, if the fragments which have efcaped perdition, are the ofFjpring of fa* perior genius. Indeed we may gather from the diftinguifii- ed reputation of S<7p^/^j, that her voluminous works would have met with a favorable recep- tion. She was inventrefs of the mod harmoni- ous meafure in the Grecian^ or Roman Poetry, and the ancient Pedlis has been lilcewile re- puted her own [|. In the lift of her learned Eulogifts Mad. Dacier places as principals, Socrates, Aristotle, Strabo, Dio- NYssius Halicarnassensis, Longinus, and the Emperor Julian. Names efta- blifhed in the rolls of literature, in whofe II Sappho was author of nine books of Lyric performances, with Epie;rams, Iambics, Elej;ies, and Epithalamiums. To ihe Iambics we may a'tribute tbofe cenfures, which fhe experienced from fevcrai pens of antiquity, to whofe far- cafms Ihe gave too fair a f.eld by the excelTes of her immo- rality, I 4 rc- 136 O B S E R V A T I O N S, eff.-. reH''6lions pofterity muft pay a more enlarged confidence f, as owing their origin not to flattery, but convidiion. But it may be prefumed, that for feveral years after her death, the works of Sappho were either unaccountably neglected, or received not univerfally the encomiums they have fince experienced, i^/'/y/fw immortalized her memory by diftinguilhed honors, and even ftamped her head upon its coin ; and the Romans^ well- known to diiFufe rewards on the grave of deceafed abilities, erected a ftatue to her. Bat the Mkylenians were not fuificiently ftudious to preserve her remains, and the Romans idolized thofe exertions, of which their know- ledge could have been little more than ideal. It has been infinuiited, that Ovid, who has work'd his fined epiftle on the hiftory of Sappko and Pha'm^ borrowed his moft ele- gant defcriptions from the writings of our poetefs* •j- Horace gives Sappho the title of rr.ajcula, which Mad, Dader has injudicioufly apply'd to the extravagant Lvverf Leap, which occaficned her death. Porpbyrion has mure ingenioufly auribuied it 10 the manly elegance of her numbers* O B S E R V A T T O N 3, 6f^. 137 poutefs. A ccnjedlure, ra her complimentary to the prefumed excellence oi the loft pieces, than a ftricl adherence to truth. The Odes, which have efcaped the ma- lice of time and barbarifm, both abound with incorredions. Dionyssius and Longinus have, moreover, left unnoticed the orher writings of Sappho ; an indirect proof that the principal parts had periflied before ihofe days, and of courfe before the days of Ow'^/, who was about contemporary with Dionys- sius. But the above refle6lion Is more imme- diately grounded upon the picture of Sappho's perfon, in the fictitious epiftle before-mention- ed, a pi6lure ftrongly imagin'd to have been genuine. If we confider the repeated ftri^lures put by ancient authors, into the mouths of fpeakers, on their own beauty, or deformi- ty, we may find fufficieiit reafon for a differ- ence of opinion. Thus 138 OBSERVATIONS, &,, Thus Theocritus has reprefented Polyphemey and Virgil, after him, another flighted lover, delineating their refpeiSlive features ; and thu3 Mofchus (For to that poet the ByjcoAtcrxog is not improperly attributed) exhibits the herdfman defcanting upon his form, affronted by Eunice, Pidures, rather drawn from fancy, than from the life ; in which light it is more reafon- able, on many accounts, to conftrue the Ro^ man draught of Sappho, ODE i*n mmmf*meibmammmm^mim0mmtm O D E I. A N HYMN T O F E N U S*. OH ! from thy throne, with flow'ry (hew Where beams a variegated glow. Bend, Venus.i bend, whofe wanton art Fondly deludes the amorous heart ; — Give, me, oh I give me not to prove The heavy pangs of adverfe Love. ^ Dhnyjfiui HaUcarnalfenJis, whotn Mad. Dac'ur compliments eft rhe- tcilcian 140 The Odes of Sappho. J If e'er thou heard'ft my anxious prayV, If e'er didft ftiil the voice of care ; (And torician of antiquity, has refc ;ed this charmin:;; compofitiou from its long obfcurity. A merit, which, without confider- ing his literary talents, entitles him to the thanks of pofte- rity. I own I cannot but etteem this piece, though very little confidered, as flowing with a more malterly elegance, than the enfuing one, which has received fuch a prodigality of applaufe. With refped to the odes themfelves, I muft beg leave to touch upon the metie in particular, which fhould be re- duced to a ceitain regular ftandard. The Latin Sapphics, which owe their origin to thefe exertions of the Lesbian nightingale are uniform in their meafure. S'w'pUci myrto rib' I allabores, unlefs in the laft fyliable, which is various. One of the moft exaft lines (lull be taken from the Greek, as a guide for all the others. Where they deviate, it feems rc- quillte, that they (hould be regulated, more particularly, as our poetefs has been tranfmitted to modem ages in a very imperfeft condition. It muft however be premifed that the fourth fyliable in thefe vcrfes is not uniformly fliort, or long. 'l In the fifth line wc muft read y.a.^^\ as Le Fev>: has altered it, inftcad of y.a>T wliicU is fliort, Mad. Da- cler The Odes of ^ii^p\\o. 141 (And confcious of thy votary's fate. Oft haft Thou left thy heav'nly (late; Now, now, my Guardian Qiieen, defcend. Now, Venus y be thy Sappho's friend. Ere while along the blue ferene Soft Pity's chariot have I feen ; Have feen with emulative wing Thy feather'd deeds triumphant fpring ; Oft, Venus^ this, v/ith bounteous breaft This \\z?i thou done for Sappho's reft. citr points out a metrical error in the next verfe, which is judicioufly obviated by the fame critic. The eleventh line of the original is to be read with 7/". VoJpu% 'Att wpav' is the Lcr'ic for cctP h^ocvh. The 13 h verfe has been improperly altered by the above critic to AliJ/ oOO^j as the fecond fyllable fhould be fhort. 1 he old Reading Aiv]/a d i^UovTo is unexceptionable. The 17th verfe is to be read y'oTreuij for the fake of the metre. Oft 1^2 ^he Odes of Sappho. Oh has the fmile v/Ith Toothing grace Spread the foft heav'n of Venus' face ; Yes ! oft the partner of my care, '* Whence (thou haft cry'd) my Sappho's pray'r ? " Say, whence the vows incefTant flew ? '^ What griefs my Sappho's reft purfue ? ^' What ruling hopes thy foul infpire? *' What wifties roufe the fond defire ? " * is there feme lov'd, refifting fwain ?— *' Soon {hall the traitor feel thy chain ; # Thefe words, as Mad. Dadcr remarks, have never been fuf- fieiently comprehended, which has given rife to many cor- rtitlons. I put the expreffion into the mouth of Ferus, the tenor of the ode requiring It, and read ■'f What Lover (or Love) would ycu auraft; or entice 'into your net ?'* t' Where The Odes of Sappho. 1 43 ^' Where fprnng the haplefs love, my Fair ? *' Tfcil me, my Sappho^ tell me where. ^' Fly, fly the youth ; — for ever true ** His fuit the fcorncr lliall renew ; " Deigns he not one, one boon impart ? " Soon he fliall give — fhall give his heart ; *' And dares he NOW difdain thy fway f " At thy Command He (hall obey." Indulgent to the weight of grief, Yield, Goddefs, yield thy foft relief; Lull ev'ry torment of my breall. And tune each wayward thought to reft ; Give, give the pangs of love toceafe, .For ah ! — I long to be at peace. ODE The Odes of Sappho. ODE IL % Happy the youth, who free from care Is feated by the lovely Fair ! Not Gods his ecftacy can reach, Who hears the mufic of thy fpeech ; Who views entranc'd the dimpled grace. The fmiling fweemefs of thy face. Thy fmiles, thy voice with fubtil art Have rais'd the fever of my heart ; I faw Thee, and unknown to reft, At once my fenfes were opprefs*d ; ] faw 1 hee, and with envy tofs'd, My voice, my very breath, was loft. J Ep,/i*£v' avijp is rendered more metrically by If. VoJJiut uvTip for uixp. Bpoy^Qv uvaa,q (Fauces rods) has a happy cjcprefTivenefs, which cannot be literally rendered. f^oJius\ , Bpo^saq qjuvotq fubftituted in lieu of the former is not fuf- f ciently intelligible ; and the remaining parts of the perfor- mance are, on the whole, more confiftently phrafed in t!."" old reading. My The Odes of Sappho. 14^ My veins a throbbing ardor prove The tranfport ot a jealous Love ; Ev'n in the day's meridian light A fickly languor clouds my fight ; A hollovv murmur wounds my ear, I nothing but confufion hear. With The prefervatlon of this little Ode wasalloted to Lenghws, ulij has honored his efe of Horace^ * pen'd in a majeftic form. The eafier Lyrics of the latter are unrival'd by the moft fuccefsful efforts of Grecian excel- lence, though Jnacrcons jovial elegancies have been thought in fome degree worthy of a comparifon. Ancient Epigram remained of all compofitions the longeft in its primitive ftate; the Greds very rarely deviating into thofe lively points * The Ode of Horace, traiiflated at the clofe of this work, may be admitted as a proof of the above refleflion, in pre- ference to manv of the hcioic ftile. K 4. v.'ith 152 Effay en EPIGRAM. with which modern epigram abounds. Witlv thefe it was at moft an ingenious copy of verfes on one particular fubjedl:, limited to a certain fize, without regard to witty, or fan- taltic conclufions f. The whole Anthologia confifts, with but, few exceptions, of pieces built in this le(s perfonal form, which utterly baniflies the epigramatic cad. The fame •f- Tlie KY.^ion'AiTrrr.c of Theocritus may be regarded as one of the moft perfeft Epigrams oi Greece, founded upon lefs ancient principles. The thought is natural, the expieffion elegant, and the clofe of i: work'd with an eafy point, which, like its fubjeft, the dart of Love, has all the honey of deli- cacy, untiniflured with venom. The following verfion is fubmitted; Of the hive little Cupid was fipping the fpoils, When a Bee Aung the Th ef in revenge of her toils j He blew on his finger, he Itamp'd on the ground. And fobbing to Ver.us he pointed the wound ; ' Though fmall is the lling, yet how dreadful the pain !'-^ Ah ! ceafe, Ihe replies v/ith a fmile, to complain j *rhou too art a Bee, and though little thy dart. Vet deep is the poifcn, which ftings to the heart. plan EJfay on EPIGRAM. 153 plan fecms to have been purfued by CatuUuSy and happy were it Tor his memory, had he not attempted to refine, or in fa£l to corrupt it. Thofe vcrfes, in which he means to at- tract by ded littb to Roman reputation. It 154 W^y ^« EPIGRAM, It may appear remarkable, that fcarcely any attention was payed to Epigram in * the age of Jugujius, Amid the encoragement given to literary merit, fo conrpicuous in more elevated works, Epigram, which muft be confefled the mark of a minor genius, might poffibly have been overlook'd. It is obvious, that in fucceeding ages, whea the ignorance and profligacy of the great rendered them little foiicitous to patronize Merit, and when confequently more elaborate produdions dwindled, Epigram raifed its head. Here no wade of midnight oil, no racking of the invention, or puzzling of the brain were required. While the labors of the flu* * Accordingly we may obferve, that Virgil, though, from the adulatory fpecimen he has afforded of epigramatic abilities, his excellence is undoubted, has ventared only one compofition of that fpecies, (if we except the lively turn of bis ^ Jic vos mn i-cbh, £f<:.') unrival'd by the beft of Martial, NcHe fluit iota, redeunt JpeBacula irane — — Di'vijum iv:p£rium cum jcve Cafar baixt. Rain fills the Night, andfcftal pomps, the Daj', — Thus Jove^ and Cfsjar bear divided Swa)'. dent iEJay en EPIGRAM, 155 dent met with an mfignificant, if 2nY, re- ward, the writer, carelcfs of immortality, naturally ftoop'd to inferior poetry, which coil: him the \t^\i trouble, and expence of thought. Martial florifhed at a period, when the language and manners of his country had wretchedly degenerated. His pages afford a profpedt of epig-ram according to modern de- finition, but it were to be wifhed, that his fancy had been lefs prolific. Bv an afTecled contraction of many thoughts, he has im- proved the (liape, but taken away the fpirit of his epigrams ; he is frequently over- run with v^itticifms, ridiculous, but not laughable, and his turns are as frequently conveyed with a pedantic ftifrnefb, which cannot endure a critical examination. Without reFie6ling on his grofs vanity, on that fondnefs of felf, fcarcely to be for- given, even from indulgence to abilities more confpicuous in an age made up of illiberality, candor mufl allow that it is a wretched drudgery to w.;d3 through a volume of Epi- 156 EJay on EP IG RAM. grams, whereof the bad confiderably over- balance the good ; where the repetition of impertinence, and indelicacy, makes the rea- der exclaim, to the honor of Auguftan erudi- tion, as the 'Trojans mourned over their loft city. Fuit ILIV My et ingens Gloria Teucrorum, » In this motley fituation was Epigrar^ handed to the Moderns, who have in ge- neral condu£led it in a more rational man- ner. No author of fuperior excellency having engaged himfelf wholly on this trif- ling ta(k. It has been regarded as a Jeu d^ Efprit, in which quicknefs of thought, and brightnefs of conception fupply the place of folidity. On fuch a produdlion our writers have been unwilling to (lake their poetic chara£ler, and have according- ly touched upon it at thofe happier inter- vals alone, when their genius was beft adapted. ESSAY on EP IGRAM, 157 A fludied Epigram cannot fail to be a bad one ; the imagination muft be fir'd at a flroke, and contrary to the fpirit of other pieces, which require its rays to be diffiifcd, they muft in this be col!e6led to a point. The turn (liould be delicate, and the wit genuine, capable of being tranfplanted from one language, to another. It muft pleafe at firft reading, or it cannot pleafe at all, for an Epigram, that is obfcure, will never re- pay the pains of its unraveling. EPI* EPIGRAMS O V ANACREON. EPIGRAM L LO W in this marble cavern lies riMOCRITUS the great; Learn, Stranger, learn from his un'imely fate, — ALirs feals in Death the warrior's eyes. But loaths, with juft difdain. His falchion in the coward's blood to fiain J. X A more literal tranfation of thele pieces was judged Juconfiflent, the Epigramatic thoughts of the ancients requir- ing a degree of extenfion. The above is a proof of what is alledg'd in the foregoing eljay concerning the nature of thofe compofitions, EPI. i6o T'j&^ Epigrams of AN AC R EON, EPIGRAM II. When to his fable hier Pale AG at: HO was borne. With gentle pity's fofteft tear, XABDERA wept forlorn. Ah ! well may figh the breaft of care, ABDERA, 'twas for Thee he dy'd j Refentlefs Mars^ how juft thy pride ! For never In the field of war Did braver blood adorn thy thinly fpear, EPIGRAM IIL Once more to view his much-lov'd native land. Young CLEONORID left the foreign ftrand ; J Mad. Dacer mentions tvfo Abderas^ one in Thracf, the oiber in Sfain. I join with her in conrtruing the Abdera of the text to be the former, becaufe Anacreon had paflVd feveral years in that hofpitable Afylum. Probably -^X^^'"^'* was a perfon, with whom he had contracted a friendlhip while he fojourned in that ccuntry. Amid The Epigrams of ANJCREON, i6i Amid the winter's florm forfook the ftiore, D While, as to chicle his hade, the billows roar ; Too carelels, dawning in Life's rofy bloom. He rufb'd ill-fated to a wat'ry tomb. EPIGRAM IV. Fair IIELICONUS is the firft defcry'J, The next ZANTIPPE wantons by her fide. The laft \sG LAUCJ^ from the mountain's brow They fly with tranfport to the vale below \ IJ Mad. Dac'ier has greatly admired the concifenefs of t,i^T,v avETT^ov in the text, which ihe rcndeis " a feafon, that one cantiot be refponfible for." ' The prolixity of French expreflion admits not of its being rendered in one word; but Ihe has unjufily thrown the fame imputation upon all other Jsnguages. Our word ** faithlefs" (faithlefs feafon) concife- ly implies the whole of the Greek ^ thou,:^h not a direr a motto to foire repreren'ation of a jovial A»- L i emblj. i64 T^e Epigrams of ANJCREON. Where is the man, whofe fecial foul Mid Pleafure's rofy hours can prove The fweets of Poefy, and Love ? He, He fhall drain the fparkling bovi^l. fcmbly, the prefident of which may be prefumed to hive made this addrefs to the party. The conduft of Mad. Dac'ier has been followed in the fe- leftion of the above EPIGRAMS. The verfes collefted by the induftry of Barnes, and fubjoined in fome editions of our author, being by no means worthy of confideration. THE ( i65 ) THE FRAGMENTS of SAPPHO. I. THE moon, with filver-gleaming eye Smiling a paly light. Has pafs'd, long pafs'd the noon of night : The Pleiades no more Cheer with their glimm'ring lamps the fky. Ah I long with envious wing has flowa The Love. appointed hour, While I, perfidious man, with amorous moan, Sink on my couch abandon'd, and alone. This Fragment has been prcferved by HephaJ'ion, and from its tenor we may conclude it to have been the oifspringof the J-cJblan mufe. L 3 II 166 TJjt Fragments ^Z" SAPPHO. II. Yet, oh ! thefe fond complaints, dear parent, ceafe. Leave me, oh ! leave my wretched foul to Peace ; Think, cruel, think, — can iStf/)/)Z?c'sfalt'ring hand The golden Shuttle's labor'd force command ? While glows my love-fick mind with Cupid's dart, And all the Youth comes rulhing o*er my heart. Among thefe Remains of our Poetefs, two profe perform- ances are inferted in fome editions j the firft, relating to an unletter'd lady, from whom Sappho to all appearance had received, or imagined an affront, is recorded by Mad. Dacier^ but by fume fatality omitted in her lift of fragments. III. Love, thou fweetly-bltter pow*r, Ruler of the human hour. Why do'ft hurl thy wanton dart 'Gainft a fond, unguarded heart ? Gentle pow'r, thy foft control Well might melt my yielding foul, Did The Fragments of SAPPHO. 167 Did my fav'rite Atthis prove, (She to Sapphi vow'd her love) How I court the charming fair ; How fhe loads my breafl: with care ! While my rival in her mind Rules the place to me aflign'd *. * The Te'an mufe was divided between Love, and Wine, but the produftions of the Lejbian are confined folely to the former. The three foregoing Fragments flow in that charatteriftic ftrain, and are therefore in- ferted as genuine. We may at leaft trace in feveral fcn- timents a portion of that elegance, and fpirit, which are compleatly difplayed in the two Lyric pieces of Sapfbo* This third Fragment may feem to have been compofed upon a favorite companion, who quitted her friendfliip, and with, a very ufual frenzy in all ages, and conditions, exchanged the eld for new connections ! L4 E P I, ( i68 ) E P I GRAM S^/'SAPPHO. EPIGRAM I. Behold, where P£Z^GOA?''s palecorfe is lay'd. The Fifher's oar, and ozier-net difplay'd ; Thefe confecrating gifts the father fpread. Signs of the toilfome life his ofFipring led *. '■* The above Epigram alludes to the ancient cuftom of placing on the tombs of the deceafed the feveralinftruments, employed in the bufinefs they profefled. Mad. Dacier re- marks, that fuitable emblems were depolited to charaderize the particular difpofitiors of the dead. A cuftom, which eridently arofe from the opinion, that the ftiades of the de- parted" amufed themfelves in- the regions below, as their fmcies directed them, while living. Manet Cimrts ca Cura repojiou V I « o. EP I^ Epigrams of SAPPHO. 169 EPIGRAM 11. Ah ! beauteous TIMAS^ ere the knot was ty'd, And fcarce the maid was ripen'd to the bride. Death fealM with frozen hand thy radiant eyes. Intruder rude ! and claim'd Thee for his prize ; Their locks (they can no more !) the weeping fair Devote a laft, beft tribute of their care*. * The neareft relations, or moll intimate friends, of the deceafed, cut off a lock of their hair, and threw it into the grave. This ancient cuftom is with a folemn InTerfion ap- plied by modern mourners, who fondly procure a lock of hair from the head of the departed, and inclofe it in a ring, or feme other ornament. An inftance of affedion, which can at beft only tend to the more conftant remembrance of the object which once we loved. • — — — — furgor inani Munere, THE THE E PITAPH of AD NIS r R M B I O Ni AND THE EPITAPH of B I N FROM AI S C H U S, JVith Observations on their LIVES, and WRITING Si AND AN ESSAY OX PASTORAL POETRY. OBSERVATIONS O N T H E LIVES and WRITINGS O F B 10 N and MO SC HUS. T> I O N was born at Smyrna, a city of //ta Minor ^ which from a record in the Elegy of Mojchus on that Poet's death, laid the faired claim likewife to Homer ; and in- deed the river Melcs^ fo pathetically introduced in that Idyllium, was reported to have been the father of the latter ; a poetical reafon for his Smyrna an origin. MOS^ 174 O BS ER V A TIONS, ^r. MO SC HU S was born at Syracufe, and according to his own confcilion, was the pupil of Bion. From the place of his nati\ ity it is probable, that he has been accounted no other, than Theocritus. An opiiticn, which Mofchus h'.mfelf fufficiently confutes by infert- ing that maftcr of Doric poetry in the lift of Bions mourners f. By a pafTage in his elegy on Bions death, it muft be concluded, that he pafs'd fomecon- fiderabie time in Italy ; it is at leaft evident, •|- Suidai is wretchedly erroneous in placing Mcfcbus among the friends of Arlfarchusy who lived in the reign of Ptolemy PJbilometor, King of Egypt. This Prince of critics was born A. M. 3787, in the firft year of the 153d Olympiad. The birth of Mojcbui is uncertain, but he evidently exifted after B'lon, who was contemporary with, or at the moft, not of a much later date than Theocritus, who was born A. M. 3675, in the firft year of the 125th Olympiad. The extreme dif- tance of 112 years between the birth of Theocritus, and that of AriflarchuSy will fcarcely reconcile the opinion of Suidas : though He/kin, with a good-nature little known to the run of critics, feems willing to have it taken for granted, that JMofchus in his youth was acquainted with Theocritus in his old age, and that when Mofchus was advanced in years, he was a friend of /^njlarchus in his youth. ' that O BS K R V A TI ONS, £ffr. 175 that he compofed that poem in the lower parts o^ Italy, inhabited by the Aufones, Ai)7(jV'.y.a.% oqvvx^ ^iK-ku ubXoi;. Though Jufonia might have been placed for Italy in general. It has been like wife furmis'd, that Blon was in a ccmfortable fituation. ] do not think the words from which that opinion is gathered, are a dire6l proof of the aficrtion. * ' A^.AoJj |U,£!/ tiov oKQov, sue) o'u7r£>,ii^sc; uoi^xv. They are more elegantly applied to the fatisfaclion Mojchus felt in inheriting the paf- toral genius of his predecefTor, than to any confideration of the uealth, which Bion had \zii to others. If the refledlion is to be • The conftruftioQ runs ; " You (alluding to B\on) have left your wealth to others, but your poetry to me." Which 'Mofcbus, from a complimentary view alone, could have plac'd upon the footing of a Legacy. con- 176 OBSERVATIONS, {iff. connected with B'lons circumdances, it may be conftrued to flow from a difappointmenr, that Alofchiis had been forgot in his will, and therefore folaced himfelf with the other bar- ren acquifition. From the teftimony of Mofchus^ who Is the only fufEcient evidence in the hiftory of Bioriy it muft be prefumed, that the death of the latter was haften'd by poilbn, which has given occa- fion to fome beautiful and expreflive compli- ments in the elegy of the former. The manner, in which Mofchus died, is not particularized, nei- ther has pofterity any reafon to expeft anec- dotes of a writer's death, the whole circum- ftances of whofe life are only to be collected from himfejf. After having run through the fliort hiftory of our two paftoral writers, it may be expe£l- ed, that I (hould give fome reafon, why fo inconfjderable a part of their works has been undertaken. It will be deemed, I hope, no injury to the other furviving pieces, to affirm, that thofe which OBSERVATIONS, ^^. 177 fele6led are more peculiarly chara£leri{lic. Learned candor might be dirpofed to excul'e me, if I pronounced them fufficient to confe- crate the Memory of their Authors, without the afliitance of inferior remains. Not butfeveralof their other pieces po fiefs a diftinguifbed merit ? being prettily imagined, and executed with elegance. In Bion we may obferve the deli- cacy of Mantuan refinement, and in A^^fchus a portion of Theocritus' s fimp'icity, without the rullic coarfenefs he has adopted J. Were the refpeclive excellencies of thcmafter and the pupil to be collected from the two fuc- ceeding produdions, the preference mufl: be X This definkion of Mb/fi^wj, as a writer of paftorals, i$ altogether unfavorable to the opinion, that the Idyllium of Dapkm: and the country maid, more known than approved, was the produftion of this poet. What a pity, thrit fuch a paltry fceneof ribaldry fliould not only be thought proper ti> be preferved, but worthy to occafion difputes concert. ii.g its real author, while fo many compof.tions of value have been fuffered peaceably to fink into oblivion, without a lingle at- tempt towards their redemption ! M given ,78 O B S E R V A T I O N S, ^c. given to the firft, the elegy on the death of Bion having been formed upon the plan of the elegy on AdontSm Its originality is in this re- fpedt impeach'd : a confideration vi'hich muft be underftood to diminiOi the comparative value. As to the general condudl of the re{f, though the ftile and manner of BtGn nave a more poliftied fweetnefs ; fonie tribute is due to Mojchus^ for his more clofe adherence to nature ; on this principle his pieces may probably gain a pre-eminence from the judgment of lefs vi'andering critics, as the offspring of genuine paftoral; for though they cannot be confidered in a more poetic light of harmonious courtlinefs, they are lefs excep- tionable, if regarded as exertions of the BUCOLIC MUSE. Yet with all the praifes due to the Syracufan Monody, modern criticifm mull: look up to it as to the firen, which has debauch'd our miner poets ; having little genius to ftrike out new lights of their own, and bewitched by this example, they have difFufed forrow over O B S E R V A T I O N S, 6fr. 179 over the whole inanimate world, but, (not after the fame example) the ftolen incenfe has been offered to coufecrate wretches, whofe whole worth has frequently confifled in title, or in wealth. This misfortune however is not to be im- puted to the fault of Mofihus, but to that fa- tality fo conftantly experienced, in the cor- ruption cf the greateft excellencies ; there is a zeal, a generous zeal in the literary, 2s fome- times In the moral world, which fpurs men to the emulation of fuperior merit ; but, in the former ftruggle of ambition, the injudicious copier loo generally reduces himfelf to a flavifh dependence on his original ; in the ftream of whofe beauties his own abilities are abforb'd. M 2 THE THE Epitaph of AD N I S: TRANSLATED FROM THE G R E E K of B I O N. Theock THE haplefs youth, Jdonis lofi:, I mourn. Each plaintive tear the weeping loves return ; Striped, wretched Fenus, of thy purple veft. Heave the full fic^h, and beat thy throbbing breaft : M 3 Yes t i82 tic IIP IT A pa of Yes ! in the weeds of grief the lofs deplore, And tell the world, Adonis is no more. The dear loit youth I mourn, Adonis dead. The forrowing Loves the tear of anguifb Ibed i There, there Adonis lies, * a mangled corfe, Pierc'd by the foaming boar's relentlefs force ; Fair Venus catches, clafping ev'n in death, The laft, poor relics of departing breath. The ftreaming gore diftains his fnowy limbs, The clofing eye in heavy languor fwims j No more alas ! thofc icy lips difclofe The living bluflies of the blooming rofe : The lips, which Venus loads with many akifs, No longer confcious of the heav'nly blifs. * It is aftonifhing, that the bell writers of antiquity chill'd the moft affeding defcriptions with fpiritlefs, and un- meaning epithets. fJiTifov 7\ivy.u >,ivy.Qv l^Uri 3n the text takes off the attention from the fcene of forrow, which the poet in reality intended to have more ftrongly rivet- ed by the repetition of o^ovn. The fimilarity between the whitenefs of the boar's teeth, and that of the youth's Ikin is n-iiferably ill-tim'd. To obviate the impropriety, Hejkln, the Chrift-Cburch editor, read^ 7\iy'^a Qddm. The ADONIS. i8j The haplefs youth, JJonh loft I mourn. The Loves each figh of agony return ; Yes! there he lies, there proftrate on the ground; Wide gapes — with liorror gapes thegrizly wound, The wound productive in fond Veiim^ heart Of keener forrow of eternal fmart. Faft by his fide the faithful dogs deplore ; The nymphs bewail Adonis now no more ; Love's frantic Goddefs with diihevel'd hair Roams thro' the (hade, and gives a loofe to care; Deep mark'd with blocd her feet unfliielded ftray. Nor heed the pointed brier, or thorny fpray ; Around the plains, around the vale flie fiies. And calls the fav'rite youth with ceafelefs cries j The fav'rite youth not lieav'nly founds can move, Proftrate he lies, regardlefs of her love ; That bofom, late fo fair, diftainM wirh blood. And ftill, ftill reeking with the vital flood. Thee, Thee, unhappy Queen, the Loves lament. For thee, ihey pour the tear, the figh they vent ; Where now is fled thy beauty's matchlefs pride. Which bloom'd fo charming, ere Adonh dy'd r His fmile the radiance of thofe charms infpir'd, For him they florifh'd, and with him expir'd. M 4 Adon's j84 1'he EP ITAP H of Adonh loft the reverend oaks bewail, Th* ambitious mountain, and the modeft vale ; Slow-glide with fullencourfe the murm'ring floods, Slowly the fountain trickles thro' the woods ; :j;No more the flow'rs their blufhing glories ihed. But clofe their fragrant fweets, and drop the wither'd head. Wrap'd in defpair with cries the goddefs fills The thronging city, and fequefter'd hills ; The dear loft obje(S): of her foul laments, While echo anfwers ev'ry figh fbe vents. What bofom melts not at thy haplefs loves. Thrills with each pang, and all thy anguifh proves ? See 1 how (he wildly gazes on the wound, i\nd the red torrent ftreaming o'er the ground ! On the pale corfe with fond embraces fpread, " Belov'd Jdcnis, ftay, unhappy dead, *' One (liort, ftiort moment ftay, thy heav'nly charms *« Give me to fold, and clafp thee in my arms. " Arife, Jdonis, Venus calls, arife ; « 'Tis to a laft, laft look thy Venus flies; X "Efv^fxlvtron is a very whimiical expreflion to cha- tafterize the effeft of forrow on flowerst I fhould prefer « Come ADONIS. 185 *' Come to my arms, nor ceafe the amorous blifs, " Till life fprings joyful from each glowing kifs ; '' Come let us revel in the fweets of love, " Till all Adonis in ih' embrace I prove ; " Each kifs, Adonis^ dying lips impart, " Shall, like himfelf, be center'd in my heart. ** But thou, devoted youth, butthou mufl go, *' Muft fmk forever to the (hades below ; " While I, unknown the privilege of Death, " Feel the (harp curfeof everlafting breath. " Take, Proferpme^ yet rake the lovely prey, '' Thy Pow'r demands, and p^enu^ muft obey 5 " The charms of youth, and beauty's rcfeate bloom " Smile but to fade — and live but for the tomb. " Adonis loft, a wafle of cares is mine, ** * Trembling the prize for ever I refign ; " Yes! * Kai ?E ^o'o^„•/xa^ in the text feems aukwardly intro- duced ; the words can with propriety allude only to the fore- going fentence, verfe 55, wliere Venui fubmits to Profer pine ^ as polTeiTcd of power fuperior to lier own ; to fay afterwards therefore, that fhe feared Projirp'we^ is fuperriuous. I apprehend. i86 The E P ir A F H ./ " Yes! the dearchnrmer's fied, my foul's delight, ** Fled as the fleeting vilions of the night, *' Adonis dead — the little Loves in vain " Play round my couch, and wanton in my train 5 *' With thee the gauntlet's pride, Adonh^ lies, " What art can florifti, when its mafter dies ! *' But v;hy, too beauteous for the tcilfomc courfe, *' Purfue the favage, and provoke his force ? *' Thofe charms were form'd ferener joys to grace* *' Not the rude labors of the fylvan chace." Thus Venus mourns ; the little Loves around Sigh to her fighs, and aid the plaintive found. Ah I wretched Queen, the lovely Youth is fled, She mourns, unceafing mourns Adonis dead ; What grief too lavifh for a name fo dear ! For every drop of blood (he gives a tear : Two blooming flowers the genial ftreamsdifclofe, The tear, Anemone, the blood — a Rofe. apprehend, that the connexion of the fentence will be bet- ter preferved, by reading jaot Gave, c'oi; ^\ ^\,\iv'Vol\ , or i:o%ivTct.\y which may pofiibJy be prefer'd, as giving an expreflivenefs to Tf»7J-o^«T£, & tto^o? immediately fol- lowing. I ADONIS. 1S7 T mourn the Youth, J.hms now no more, — Ceafe, ceafe, defpondent, nor thy fate deplore. For him the variegated couch is ip read, Reclin'd he lies on thy celeftial bed ; He lies — as fleeping he cxhal'd his breath. Fair as of old, and beauteous ev'n in Death. Hafte, for the youth prepare the filken veft, Wrap'd in vvhofe blufiiing charms, the fvveets of reft *He fought with Beauty's Queen; ftrew, ftrew the flow'rs, And crown the fiumb'ring youth with fragrant fhow'rs ; * jM,o;^6iiv vTTvov laborare fomnum is fingukily happy, and delicate. I once imagined the genuine word was ivo^Xsiv turbare, or ho^nv graviter ferre ; but the firft is more ex- preilive, and may be ventured. The Englijh muft neceirarily fall ihort, our language not being able to wrap up the mean- ing with fuch excellence as the original. TO aov iJi.vfcv "A^ung mencioned verfe 78, is equally ill-fuited to EngUjh expreflioa. The great efteem, in which the ancients held ointment, evi- dently gave occafion to the application of the title in affec- tionate addreffes. However abfurd fuch appellations may feem to modern ears, feveral fondnefies of phrafe, employed perpetually by ourfclves, are at Icaft a futKcicnt coun- lenence. Th€ i88 The EPITAPUof The flowers, alas ! — when lov'd Adonis dy*d, Clos'd all their beauties, and refigr/d their pride. Around his head let amorous myrtles bloom. And the foft ointment flied its rich perfume; Such gifts, alas I fuch vainly are requir'd ; All bloom, all fragrance with the youth expir'd. Enrob'd with purple veft Adonis lies. The loves around him heave their penfive fighs;, No more their trefles wave with graceful flow, Enrag'd they fpurn the quiver, and the bow; Strip of their fatal points the winged darts, And give a paufe of reft to human hearts. Some the rich fandals loofe — with living ftreams Some purify from blood the fuliy'd limbs ; Some wave their fillcen pinions, and exhale The vain, vain fragrance of a genial gale. Nor lefs with fobbing figh, and tearful ftrain. Hang round their Venus' knee the fubje£t -train ; Pale Hymenceus with a forrowing frown Spoils of its flow'ry wreath the nuptial crown ; His torch no longer (beds its beaming fires. No tunes of joy the fullen fcene infpires ; Can blifs, Adonis dead, the bofom move? Can //)7w^« fmile, when weeps the Queen of Love? The beauteous Graces the loft youth deplore. Each note refounds — •"■^Adonis is no more. More ADONIS. 1S9 More loud the tumult than Dione's cries, Whofe fond, maternal echo fills the fkies. * Soft from the warbling nine the numbers flow To roule their fav'rite from the (hades below ; In vain would fongs recall departed breath. And tunes play idly in the ears of Death. Stop, F^nuSf flop awhile the rolling tear, IJ A feart of grief awaits the next revolving year. * The old reading Mo7pcci (thedeftinles) is felf-conviftedof abfurdity. £c«j^-/)iVrtf reads properly Morcrat, and as impro- perly applies k ; he underflands incantations, but the commoa meaning is the eafieft and moft beautiful, wx. The Mufes, And the wonder is how any other could have been thought of. The 95th line begins moft confiftently KaAov ; the prefenc aui /x,»K is inelegant, and infipid. II Kl'jxuv in the text alludes to the annual feftival in- ftituted in honor of Adonii. The pailage fliould be thus -pointed. A N A N ELEGY ON THE DEATH of B I N. TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK of MO SC HUS. YE Groves, lamenting breathe the fighs of woe, Thou, Dorian wave, with confcious mur- murs flow ; Heavily, Bion\o{\:y ye dull ftreams move, So late, who lov'd you, and fo late your love; Wither, ye Plants, ye Forefts droop your head. Ye fick'ning Flow'rs, alaft, hft fragrance fhed ; No 192 An ELEGY on the No more her living bluQies deck the Rofe, Or health's warm glow th' Anemone difclofe ; Th' infcriptive tale of woe, ye Hyacinths, fpeak. Your leaf the tints of deeper fable ftreak ; The Youth, who charm'd you with his ftrains^, no more — ^ —Awake, 5/a7/^« Maid, awake the folemn lors, i Sweet Bird of folitude, the fprays among. Who tun'ft thy midnight melody of fong. To Arethufas gentle ft ream relate Thy rival Harmonift's, thy Bions fate ; Sunk is the Dorian mufic's fylvan pride — — All, all the fweets of verfe with Bion dy'd. Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore. Around your native ftreams, ye Swans, deplore; Trill the foft ftrains of coniecrating woe f Soft as your Elegies' ^r^^Z^^//V flow. The •f- The Cbnft-Ckurch Editor has placed the fixteemh line of the text between hooks, under the notion of its being fpurious. As it now ftands, it is little better than nonfenfe, but may be corredtcd thus, '^Ota vixtrspoiq 'TToTi %£fAEj' asi^sTe yijpag. That is. The note, *' in which you fometimes fing your own old age." I have purpofely rendered the words in a literal -wraj. DEATH of -QIO"^. 193 The Dorian Orpheus left — ye Nymphs bewail, Nymphs of the mountain, Virgins of the vale. Awake, Sidlian Miife, the folemn lore ; Dear to the flocks, their (hepherd is no more, Beneath th' embow'ring oak no more reclin'd He ojvea to tuneful folitude his mind ; In Pluto's dreary realm, with languid breath, He fwells the melancholy note of death. Mute is the voice of joy the hills arounr^. And Nature only wakes to mis'ry's found ; Heedlcfs t>f food, unmindful of their loves. The herd with m.urmurs feck the darkncfs of the groves. Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore. For thee thy Phabus (beds the warbled (lore ; Pans grlzlycrew, and foul Priapus train Array'd in fable veft demand thy fl-rain ; Nymphs of the fountains o'er the circling wood Loofe a full tide of tear?, and fwell the flood ; Hx'd on her rock, *lone echo learns to pine. No more the mimic of a voice like thine. way. This inrerpretation alludes to the fable current in mciem times, that the S-.van, '* tun'd its own elegy." N *FalWi 194 Jn ELEGY on the * Fall'n lies the fruitage, fall'n at Bions death, Its glories bldlled as by winter*s breach; With milky ftreams no more the ewes diftend. Nor tweets luxuriant from the hive depend t The Bee defpondent quits his honey'd toil, isince death has revel'd in thy (weeter fpoil. Awake, Sicil'tan Mufe, the folemn lore, II Not thus the Dolph'm warbling on the fhore, Not *■ The word Acvofov has been hitherto omitted in the lift of Mourners, but av^oj is one of the Dramatis Perfonas jn the fourth verfe ; It muft therefore mean in this paflage *•' ornamentum.''* If this interpretation had not been allow- able, I Ihould have propofed a.-^icc [Pondera) as well- adapted to y-otfitoq, •\ Ai7 in the text fliould be ftriftly conftrued " convenit" (their melancholy renders fuch a talk unju'uable) for other- wife it had been more confiftent in the Bees to have doubled their induftry, to fupply the lofs of fweets occafioned by the death of Bion, II The fable of the Dolphin % harmonious nature, together with its fame for humanity, is here quoted by Hejkln j a romance, the veracity of which he feems to imagine, is confirmed by particular e»ainples recorded in Pliny, an author DE J TH of Bl OK. 19s Not Philomela on the hills alone. Or Progne twitt'ringto her filler's moan, Or fond Jlcyone with anguilh fpread, Thus mourn'd, as now they mourn, their Bion dead. Awake, Sidlian Mufc, the folemn lore, — ■ jTh' expiring fpoufe their featheiM brides deplore 5 author little ro be depended upon as a naturalKt. Longe- fienr apprehends that Mofbus had in view the cataltrophe of Jleriod, whole body having been caft into the fca, a Dolphin kindly conveyed it to Ihore, an event which might have had a foothing effeft on the faperftltious minds of antiquity, as he obferves, bui is very whimfical in che judgment of che lufs credulous moderns. X Conjugal affeition was the charafteriftic of the Ceryfus, an ancient bird, mentioned in the te>:t. I know not for wlut reafon it was honor'd with this diftinguirtied excellence. Hc/kin obferves, that this C«-y«i was of the male fex ; when he grew old, and infirm, he is faid to have been borne uporj the wings of the female ; and on the death of either, the fur- vivor was feized with an extravagance of forrow. We have but very few of thefe Birds to boalt of in the prefent a^e \yhich inftruftsus totally to difregard our Cowfamom for L'l/e, ts foon as ever they are in the leait inconvenient. N 2 In 196 Jn E LEG Y en iht In eanern clirr-cs around bis honor'd tomb The fluttering fongflcrs wail their Memnon*^ doom. Yet have they ne'er the wafle of anguifh fhed. Ne'er wept as now they v./eep, their Bitn dead. Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore- - - In ftrains melodious, Nightingales deplore; •)- Thy voice infpir'd each tenant of the grove. So late who lov'd you, and fo late your love ; V/ide through the {hade the tunes of mufic flow, i^nd f]ghs alternate fwell the fcene of woe; Nor you, ye doves, (to you thefe themes belong) Forego the penfive, melancholy fong. Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore • The triumphs of thy pipe are heard no more ; For who, too daring, on the reed fhall play. Which ftill, flill warbles with its Bions lay ? •}- The Text particularly mentions Swallows, which ire introduced to us with a very hafty repetition. As the error is only to be reconciled by the ancient veneration for that Bird, Jthe propriety of the original would have been funk in the Verfion. It is on this account omitted, and a more enlarged turn at once given to the fentence. Echo, DEyfTHo/BlO]>i. 197 Fcho, but vainly, would the notes recall. Her voice drops languid in a dying fall ; Ev'n Pan the talk of mufic mufl- decline, Too weak a rival of a voice Jike thine. — Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore — Fair Galatea^ on the fiient (bore. Who i'at To fondly at her Bions fide, And drank with ravifti'd ear th' harmonious tide. Still liilens to the fong, ftill wooes her Twain i Oh ! how unlike the Cyclops favage train 1 For thy fweet intercourfe {he loath'd the race, Devouring ev'ry fmile on Bion\ face ; Now o'er the defert, by her ftreams unmov'd. She tends the cattle of the youth fhe lov'd. Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore — All, all of muiic's foui-enchanting ftore. The youth's foft tranfports, and the virgin's kifs. The melting ecftacies of mutual blifs, Are funk, for ever funk, at Bion's doom. And fondling 6V//)/Wj hang around the tomb. Thy Venus mourns, with fi antic lorrow toit, A new Achrjs in her Bion loft ; Far more (he lov'd thee than the kifs (he gave. Her lafl, laft kifks- o\r Adonis grave. N 3 Oh I 198 y^n ELEGY on the Oh ! Thou whofe wave with fweeteft mufic flows, Meks^ indulge the tributary woes ; Fail by thy fide th* immortal bard expirM, V/hom all the triumphs of the nine infpir'd ; His voice, the Mufe, and harmony, his ftraiii, • — Thy wave roll'd forrowing to the forrowing main J Again, another Son demands, again Swell thy loud murmurs to the murm'ring main. Each quafF'd lov*d poefy's alluring ftream. Here Jganippe rous'd the godlike theme ; Far in the vale below a paftoral fill Meek Bion fip'd from Jrethufas rill. Here glow Pel'tdes' rage, fair Helen's charms, An injur'd hufband, and a world inarms; There horrors feaft not, or the dorms of fight. But fvvains foft-fmiling with xh^'n Pan delight j There innocently graze the fleecy throng, CheerM with the mufic of the warbled fons;. The lowing kine a fondling guardian prpve. Who formed the vocal reed to tunes of love ; Sang Beauty melting to the rap'trous joy. And dear to Fenusy for he lov'd her boy. ' Awaksj D E J T H cf B I O N, 199 A wake J Sicilian Mufc the folcmn lore The far fanri'd cities, and their realms deplore j Not thus th' Jfaaan fwaiiis their Hcfid mourn> * Nor thus Bceotia wooes her bard's return ; Not thus the Lefblan tear Alcaus crown'd, "* Nor Ccian woes their tuneful Ton refound ; To thee * the Parian yields his vengeful ire. And charm'd with Bion, Sappho drops the lyrejl. *** P'.ndar redeemed Betotia from its eftabllfhed charatJ^er of duilnefs. Smonidei was the ornament of Ceos, and Ar.bUo' chui of Parzs. "fhcti is interpreted by the fcholiaft, a city of Boeotla. but as the place of Pindar % birth is not generally fixed, the common conltrudion, " the woods of Boeotia'* inay be adhered to. II The compliment payed by Mofctus to the genius of Bhrr^ however warped from the rigor of truth, is elegantly caft ; but alas ! no Ajcraa would ever have renounced her He/iod^ no Bceona her Pw.dar, no Lejbos her Ak^eus, no Ce'ds her Simonides, no Parosher ArchUochui^ and no Mity/ene hex Saffbo, in favor of a B'lort. Add t ) this that the " Genus Irritabilt''' of poetry have always been forward to crufh the merits of a brother. The flattery however is to be regarded merely in a poetical light, and fo indeed muft the whole perfor- maace. N 4 tThc 200 An EL EG r on the •fThe pafloial fouls, on v/hom the Mufe has fhed Her honey'd fweetncfs, mourn their Blon dead ; Blithe the' of old, and laughter in lis eye. Pale Lycicias at length has learn'd to figh ; T h' unrival'd voice o^ Syracuja's plain Theocriim attunes the penfive ftrain. Ev'n T, the meaneft of the riming race, On £;5/Vs fhrine thepad'ral incenfe place; Ee mineth' Jufonian facrif.ce to pay, *Twas thou, 'twas Bion firft infpir'd the Jay ; Thy Mufe's Dorian Legacy I fhaic- True Wealth oiy own — 1 tnvy not th^ Heir, ■f Six verfes are here omitted in the older editions of T/cfchus, and they are, to fpeak the truth, very fuff icious. They fet out with a manifeft intention of particularizing EucoUc writerst The firft we meet with is Sicelidas (or in Sz£l^JcIej?iadeSy the fon of Sicelidas) no paftoral, but epigram- atic writer J the fecond in the lilt is Lycidas, a common title for a Ihepherd, and according to Theocritus, a paftoral ipoet. The laft mentioned is Phi/etas, no paftoral, but an elegiac and critical author. Thus two out of the number are improperly introduced. I would preferve the two initial verfes and the fourth, and /Z;*; join the f.fth with the line relating iolheocritus, fv re woXlraij Awakes DEATH ^/ B I O N. 2or Awake, Siiilian Mufe, the folemn lore — jThe weed's luxuridnce wild, the flouret*s ftorc Though winter lock them In her annual tomb, Again diffuie their variegated bloom. But MAN the Icarn'd, the titled and the brave. When tyrant death once drop:; him in the grave, Fix'd in his home eternal tenant lies, Fix'd to awake no more, no more to rife. Thou too, my Bion^ in the filentfhade. Thou too, the darling of the Mule, art lay'd y *Yet flill triumphant in the mar(hy vale The Frogs of Pitidiis croak their grating tale ; I X The original defcription contains ^ccKoc-xcn Mallows, ?£Aiva PariTey, and uyr.^ov Dill, which would have made a poor appearance in the verfion. The general fentiment of the poet is not in the leaft affected^ by the omilTion of fuch particulars. * The text is '^ It ha? feemed good to the nymphs, that the Frog fhould fing for ever." But why the Nymphs? they muft furely have had very indifferent Tailes ! In my opinion Moipam (the l>eftlnie8) is the proper reading ; un- lefs it be proved, (which would be difficult) that the Fatet were honored with the title of Nymph, and with that inter- preution alone the old reading can be allowed to Hand. —Free 202 An ELEGY on the — Free let them croak— I envy not the throng- Still could I tafte the fweets of £/5«'s Tong ! Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore — Th'envenom*d draught, my Bion, I deplore, 'Twas thine to tafte but v*'hence the ftream of death Unchang'd to honey, as it felt thy breath ? Lives there a wretch, whofe unrelenting foul Mix'd, without horror mix'd, the guilty bowl ? Could not the fweets of heav'nly mufic charm The murdVer's frown, and wreft his iron arm ? — Awake, Sicilian Mufe, the folemn lore—* But Juftice waits, and vengeance is in ftorej Be mine to tread the dreary walk of woe, Th'embalming tears on Bion^s herfe (hall flow ; With godlike Orpheus could my foul defcend. With fage UlyJ/eSy and th'unconquer'd friend, Free would I. roam o'er Pluto's gloomy plain. Once more to hear the much-lov'd Bion*s Strain. But ftill, my fhepherd, to the ghaftly throng Tune the rich tranfports of thy paft'ral fong ; For DEATH ./ B I O N. 203 For once the emprefs of the (hades could play On foft Sicilias (bore the Dorian lay. Some fonder tribute will the ftrain reward. Pity at leaft fhall crown ihe gentle bard ; Such as of old the warbling Orpheus prov* 6 ^ Whofe note reftor'd Eurydice belov'd ; Pity at leaft a B'lon muft remand To footh, once more to footh his native land ; . — Yet 1 yet ! th' availing note could Mofchus fmg, Myfelf for Bions life would charm the Stygian king. Where no alteration has been attempted in the text, the reading oi Hejktns Edition is followed, which upon the whole \z the moft correft. A N A N ESSAY O N PASTORAL POETRY. Gaudentei rure Camder.a. H o r , TH E precife time, when the Paftoral mufe made her appearance in the world, hiftory feems to have left uncer- tain. Conje<5lures have been hazarded, and *prerumptions multiplied, yet her origin is * See what may be called tlie Prolegomena to the 0£ox^iTtf Et/^K7xo/^Ei» cum Grach Scho/iis, printed at Lottdcn 1743, TTs^t tS TTtf K^ TTcy? £f^>;9r) Tflt ^HKoXiKX, vfhere the reputed invention of Paftoral poetry has neither the air of probability nor ingenuity. mi 2o6 Jn E S S A Y on mil unraveled; and the lefs inquifitive genius fits down contented with afcertaining her firtt perfedion in the writings of Theocritus. Indeed refearches of this nature are rather curious, than intereilinj ; for though we may perhaps meet with fome plaufible accounts, we can trace none that carry convidlion. The §very few writers, handed down to us from Greece and Rojne in that fpecies of compofition, are but infufficient guides to the rife of the art itfeif. As it is more entertaining, it is likewife more to the honor of Pattoral to obferve, that it mull neceflarily have exifted in the § Mofchus, and B'lon, with Theocritus, among tlie Greeks, and yirgil among the Romans, are the only fiandard writers of Paftoral, mentioned by ff^'aiton in the diflertation prefixed to his edition of Virgil', that editor, with the critic X R^P'», feeming to explode all other ancient authors in that branch of poetry. J /Lsr/jiVs critical works, vol. 2. remarks en Paftoral poetry. earlier PASTORAL POETRT. 207 earlier ages of the worli ', cxilted, not indeed in the fee form and elegance of numbers, but in the genuine ientiments of the heart, which nature alone infpired. For the mind being on all fides furrounded with rural obje»S^s, thofe obje6ls would not fail to make an imprelnon ; and whether the patriarchs of old with our parents in Milton pioufly broke out into the praife of their Creator, or refle6^ed in filcnt admiration on the beauties of the eanh, their hymns, or their meditations muft have been purely Paftoral. It has been remarked by a laborious com- mentator on theEcIogues of Firgil, that the lives of our earlieft forelathers were fpent in huf- bandry, and the feeding of cattle. And indeed it could not have been otherwife. At a period, when the numbers of mankind were compara- tively infignificant, and their thoughts engag- ed in procuring fubfiflence, while luxury and ambition were yet unknown, it is inconfiftent to fuppofe, but that the fons of earth were all in a manner the fons of agriculture When 2o8 An E S S A r on When the world however increafed, and its inh 'bitants difperfed into various regions, when focieties were formed, and laws efta- bliibed, and when (the natural confequence of fuch expanfion) the plagues of war and contention arofe, different orders, and con- ditions were fettled for the regulation of king- doms; ruftic aukwardnefs received the polifh of civil life, and the plough-{hare was con- verted into inftruments of deilrujStion. Thus by degrees from an honorable fituation huf- bandry became the employment o; thofe alone, who had the leaft ambition, and the greateft probity.^ But in thofe climates, whither emigrations -being lefs faftiionable, the people retained their primitive fimplicity, it is no wonder, if in procefs of timeconfiderable advance was made, and regulaiity introduced into Paftoral reflec- tions ; that the di6lates of unrefined nature were improved by the harmony of numbers. We may accordingly obferve, that in the countries which fufFered the kali variation from PASTORAL POETRT, 2C9 from their original form, Padoral was moft efteemed ; there the thoughts were ftill allured, and the imagination feafted with rural fcenes unimproved, or more properly uncorrupted ; for the cottage had not felt the infe6lion of the couit. Arcadia^ fo ufually painted the flowery kingdom of romance, is more ingenioufly ac- counted the land of Paftoral. Its inland fitua* tion, and the plenty of its pafture, with the well-known characler of its inhabitants con- fpire to favor the title. That the ancient poets defcribed this place as the feat of Pado- ral, is evident; a ihepherd f peculiarly flcilled in ftnging, being familiarly termed an Arcadian, There appears however in many traditions of * Dr. Martyn, in his preface to the Eclogues of Virgil, calls y^rcad'ia " mountainous and almoft inaccefliblc ;" another leafon in fupport of the Paftoral dilpofition of its people, -j- VngU in his yth Eclogue fays of two fhepherds, that they were " Arcades ambo^'' upon which Servius remarks, they were not Arcadiars, but fj Ikilfuil in fmging, that they might be efteemed Arcadians. :i o An E S S A Y on the country fuch a ftrong mixture of the fa- bulous, that we may well fufpedt them to be theprodu6t rather of fancy, than of truth. Nor lefs fantaftic are the defcriptions of the golden age, the ideal manners of which are efteemed, by the more refined critic, the ge- nuine fource of Paftoral. To a tafte fo delicate, the leaft appearance of the rurtic is difgufling. A becoming, in- deed an elegant fimplicity, and the pureft in- nocence mufi- compofe the character of the {bepherd. No paffions but of the fofteft and moft engaging kind are to be introduced : in fhort the fwain is to be what no fwain ever was. In thefe elevated notions of humble Paf- toral, reality is facrificed to the phantoms of the imagination ; the more charaderiftic flrokes in the pi£ture of rural life being utter- ly erafed ; the bright colors of unfpotted integri- ty are indeed pleafing to the eye, but in a piece where nature fhould predominate, are more properly blended with the Jhadc of frailty. For PASTORAL POETRT. 211 For if mankind are to be reprefented entirely free from faults, we cannot look for their exigence later than the fall. On this faftidious principle it is efteemed ne- cefTary, that rural happinefs (liould be de- fcnbed perfedl, and uninterrupted. The li.'e of the Ihepherd is to be one perpetual fpring, without a cloud to diiturb its calmnefs. The viciffitudes indeed of love, which gives birth to more than half our r-iiodern Pailorals, are admitted into the piece : for it feems to be with fome as tflential for a fnephcrd to be ia love, as to have been born. Yet even here the reprefentation is con- fined ; the fwain after whining and crying {zs Acbilies jiid to his good mother Thetis) calls on the trees and bulhes, and every thing in nature, to be witnefics of his unhappincfs ; but after all, the performance, like our novels and romances, thofe fiandards of propriety, muft have a fortunate conclufion *. O 2 But ■ It has indeed a tendency altogether immoral to repre- sent, with ItiocrltuSf a difappoinced lover hanging himl'df,. 212 An E S S A r on But whatever fond and amufing profpecSs the country naturally opens to the mind, ex- perience teaches us, that even there vexations will arife : the leafons of quic and uneafinefs fuccecd as familiarly as fummer and winter : groves and lawns, and purling ftreams, found very prettily in defcription, chiefly when' flowing through the numbers of ibme under- , aged amorato ; but reafon cannot fet her feal to the luxuriancy of this Mahometan pa- radife. From fentiments fo extravagantly refined let us turn to thofe of a more fordid com- pledlion. As the former fatiate the judicious reader with beds of rofes, the latter difguft him with the filthinefs of a dunsihill. With critics of this cafl, the manners of the meer peafant are the fole foundation of Paftoral ; even lefs ruftic and homely appellations are banifhed from the charaders, and the Meli- The prefent mode of indifference In thefe concerns Is more eligible, and on the whole may be thought more natural. Love forrows are very rarely fatal, boeus PASTORAL POETRT. 213 boeus, or Neaera of Virgil are To much too counly, that in their place are to be fubfli- tuted the AtTToAof, and Bot;jT?nds for many atrocious Climes, was remarkable for his finc,uUr re- gard to i\\z welfare of his fubjccts, and was a diiunj.,uimed encorarcr of learned men. See Anc.Unlv, H'tjl. vol. 9, P. 36S, noceT. the the peafant, it is not folely perufal. The critic, as he cannot on the one hand permit nature to h^ excluded, cannot re- 3i(h on the other her being expofed in difgrace- ful colors. There are in almoft every fituation fome ^ circumftances, over u^hich we (hould draw ^ the veil, for all is not to be painted with a < clofeexacSlners*. Coarfenefs of fentiment, and ( indelicacy of expreflion are an offence to de- ' corum, and give modefty the blufli. Writings of fuch illiberal tendency countera6l the beft and principal end of compofition ; they hold up 2ifiilfe mirror to vice and immorality, and iacrifice virtue to contempt. To thofe, who live in the meridian of cur more refined fimplicity, Pafioral appears moft * On this principle, it were to be wifhed, that the fub- jeft of VirgWs fecond eclogue, were not greatly liable to exception, though the morals of the poet fhould not be per- Ibnally impeached, we muft lament that he has varnifhed in his Alexis the depravity of his times. Several reprefentations i:\ Theocritus are glaringly obfcene. pro^ PASTORAL P0E1RY. 215 properly in the drefs of rural elegance, Sorne-^ thing is indulged to thecharadler of the (hep- herd, and fomething to the genius of the wri- ter. They, who would place the former at the toilette, would betray an abfurdity, which would no lefs extend to the latter, whofe thoughts flowed in the channel of uninformed rufticity. The country is the fcene, in which Pafto- ral is naturally laid ; but various may be the fubjeds of this little drama. The fplrit of the poet would be wretchedly cramped, if never permitted to ftep afide. An infipid famenefs runs through the pieces *, founded on the im- propriety of this indulgence, and moflofour later Paftorals are in this refpecl but unmean- ing paraphrafes of earlier authors. Were we to attempt an hidorical epitome of paftoral compofition, we might place Tbeo- * Modern Eclot^ues from this reafon abound with repeti- tions of amorous fcenes, or of fwains piping for a reward. Not to mention other fubjeits of a like iuterefting nature^ which from conftanc ufe are worn to tatters, O 4. critHi 2i6 Jn E S S A r en crkus in its dawn ; in that earlier age when rural fimplicity was cultivated and revered. Though we are fonietimes ftruck with the rays of his genius, breaking out into more ex- sited defcriptions, Paliorai appears to be his favorite province J. Confidering him as a writer, who drew his fentiments from the principles of nature, we may rather admire, that his Idyllia are fo engaging, than cavil at his blemifhes ; we may reflecSl: upon Theocritus^ as the hive, whence the moft eftablifhed writers of Eclogues have derived their Aveets, or as a diamond, whofe intrinfic worih has received its luilre from the refinement of fucceeding times. There is a very confiderable gap in the hif- tory of PapLoral, betv/een the age o^ Theocritus and Virgily who was refervsd for the noon of X The praifes of Ttoleir.y^ the Eyla$^ and the Hiero, are by no means paftoral, but lilbeocruus is entitled to a great- er fiiare of praife for any particular parts of thofe perform- ances; it is, where he deviates into paftoral reprefentations. Hi PJSrORAL POETRY. 217 its perfeclioij. It will fcarcely at firft fight be imagin'ii, that the period when civil war defo- Jated the provinces, and fpread all its horrors over the neighborhood of Ramey could tend to the improvement of the paftoral mufe, whofe fpirit it was likely to have totally deftroyed. Yet to this feemingly unfavorable fituation we owe the mod pleafing and interefting bu- colics of Virgil^ who has mads the hiftory of his country fubfcrvicnt to tne efforts of his jrcnius*. o In thofe fcvcral pieces, to which the dif- treiTes of his times> or other political confi- derations gave rife, he feems more elaborately to have exercifed the faculty of invention. But where f genuine nature was to be repre- fented, he borrowed largely from Theocritus ; many of his fimilies, fentiments and defcrip- * The firft and ninth Eclogues dcferve attention en this account. To thefe we may alfc j:iin the fourth and fifth. ;J: See the third, feventh and eighth Eclogues, where imi- tations from Tbeocritui abound. tions. 2i8 An E S S A r on tions, being literal tranflations from his Gre- cian mafter. Even in this lefs original tafk the merits of the Roman are confpicuous ; he has feparated the ore from the drofs, and transplanted thofe flowers alone, which could add a fragrance to his work. On the whole, the Paftorals of Virgil are moft agreeably condu£led ; they are not fet forth in jewels, or arrayed in filks, norfordidly drefied in rags. In the " paulo majora," of his mufe, the poet rarely lofes fight of the Shepherd, and we may ftile him the refined Theocritus of an Auguflan age. From this elegant asra, when the language of the country and the court was purity itfelf, let us pafs over to the days of our excellent Spenfevy when the converfation of the latter hadjuft emerged from rufticity. The gtmu^o^ Spenfer was formed for poetry. The rich luxuriance of fancy which fhines through the Fairy Queen furpafles the fublime of PASTORAL POETRT. 219 of antiquity. Such bold conceptions little fpealc a writer qualified for Paltoral. The fire of imagination, which ftrikes us in more elevated compofitions, muft in this be fufpend- ed ; for nature is moft advantageoufly (hown, when (he feems to borrow the leaft from art. Our author was too great to rife by imita- tion. Though he had both Theocritus and Firgil for his models, his Shepherd's Calendar is altogether original. The diale£t of his times is as happily adapted to ruftic life, as the Doric of the former, and the eafy flow of his defcrip- tions, with the natural variety of his land- fcapes, rivals the poetic excellence of the latter. Proverbial fayings, not too clofely crouded, add to the fimplicity of Paftoral ; but I own mvfelf moft peculiarly attracted with his fhort Icfibns of morality ; they add a pleafing inno- cence to the character of the fhepherd, and refiedl a luftre on the poet. Yet amidft this fuperior merit it muft be obferved, that a mafterly writer of our own days 220 An E S S A r on days has ceniured the dialogue of Spcnfer^ as affededly barbarous, and the reflections of his peafants as too exalted. It is neceffary however to premife, that the criticifm of this author is confined to the Sep- tember of the Shepherd's Calendar; an Ec- logue which is indeed conveyed in a dialect finguiarly ruftic; and the fubjecSt: being the depravity of ecclefiaftical manners in popifh countries, the fordid language, under which the fatire is couched, gives the greater offence to the critic, who concludes with this ex- clamation : *' Surely at the fame time that a Ihepherd learns theology, he may gain fome acquaintance with his native language !'* The more ancient dialecl feems here to have been fele6^ed, as a difguife to the real purport, or charadlers of the piece. The reign of Mary^ when England was under the bondage of an arbitrary religion, and opprefied by foreign counfcls, may be efteemed the period of the Paftoral. The violence, which had been fo barbaroufly exerted throughout the countiy PASTORAL POETRT. 221 country at that baleful feiifon, was too recent to have been forgotten ? and the Shepherd is very naturally defcribed as having fled from a perfecution, the cenlure of which was a com- pliment to the principles oi Elizabeth *. A rural metaphor is manifellly fuflained through the performance, as if to obviate the inconfiftency, which is alledged. So far from difcufling knotty points of theological learn- ing, the province of the peafant is clofely pre- feived; unlefs it fhould be infifted, that no- thing relative to religion ought to concern a fhcpherd. To dcfcend from the writings o^ Spenfer to the fucceeding age, would be to point out the decline of the pafloral Mufe. Indeed flie has fcarcely exifted but in the produdions of * The late Rom-Jh brutality was at that time fo IntereAIng a topic, and fo flattering to the crown, that Spenjer has em- ployed three Eclogues on the fubjeft. * Philips 222 An E S S J T on ^Philips and of Pope. Philips is fo often on the whine, that we are apt to over-look his lefs exceptionable defcriptions ; he has injudi- cioufly blended the polifii of VirgiVs language, with the fimplicity of Spenfer*s ; and fo great * The Paftnrals of Gay feem to have been defigned, as bur^ lefque reprefentacions of fcenes altogether ruftic, and parr ticularly as a ridicule of preceding authors, of whom many, it muft be confefTed, deferred fuch a treatment. I have on this account, omitted his name as a Paftoral writer, though his genius fufficiently qualified him for the taik of Eclogue. But if a modern Paftoral, where nature is clothed in her moll becoming drefs of eafe, and limplicity, be permitted to claim our admiration, it is more particularly due to the ce- lebrated compofition of Dr. Byront, S^am VENUS Sluinta parte fui Ne^iarh imbuit. To commend the original, is fuperfluous, as it has fo long en- gaged the attention of every claliical reader; but if the faint copy of its beauties, fubjoined to the prefent EiTay, be efteemed not altogether unworthy of regard, the Editor will be fatisfied, without afpiring to the rank of poets, whofe labors were an ornament to the court of AuguJIus, )LS PASTORAL POETRT. 223. is his want of original matter, that he is at bell to be regarded as a graceful copyift *. Pope has been fo afiiduous to refine his periods, that his fpirit is evaporated ; and his Paftorals, excepting the Meffiah^ only merit our attention as the marks of early genius. Sweetnefs of veifjfication, and purity of ex- prefTion may conliitute the chara6ler of a poet ; but courtlinefs is not the whole that is e^cpected in a writer of Eclogues. That love of the country, inherent in the bcfom of ReRedion, has cccafionally produced many later attempts on Paftoral^ but the moil fuccefsful ones are fainter traces of rural life ; the Mule has at laft varied her form, and united the charms of elegance and nature in the Ballads of Shen/ione, * The fifth Paftoral, which relates the conteft of the Swain and Nightingale, is prettily turned on the whole ; but the thought, like Philips'' soiher more agreeable ones, is borrowed. The fame may be remarked of the Paftorals oiPope, E C L O G A. I ( 225 ) ©•^•S-^©?"©-?® n^^^Cg^-^-® n-iS^^^ E C L O G A. PE N N I S, Plerides, fugit pernlcibus aetas, Dum Phoebe mihi blanda comes, qua- cunq; vagarer ; Mille voluptates placida dulcedine lastum Implevere Animum, quas fenfit nullus amantum. Aft Phoebe mea fuavis abeft, miferumq; reliquit Cruclelis, faciesfubito mceftiflima rerum ! Dum Natura vigens varies perfudithonores, Vernum agnofco diem — rifit vicinia Phoebes. II. 226 E C L O G A. II. Lanigeram tecum folltus depafcere gentem» Ludere lafcivus, viridive recumbere lear,igerae pecudes, Zephyri lenefq; fufurrant, Stridentefq; hilari modulantur voce cicadae. Phoebe fuavis abeft ; aures non mufica captat Amplius, baud folita fpirant dulcedine filvae, !Non tenerae balant pecudes, non aura fufurrat; — - Phcebese cantus animavit vocis imago. Vlil. E C L O G A. 229 VIII. Perdlta, purpurei, Rofa, qua fugere rubores ? Caerula cur violas decorat non vitacaducas? Ut fuus omnis honor pallenlia germina fallit ! Ut Prata elanguent, ornantes prataq; Acres ! Cur varia, aft novi, novi, gens asmula, vcflc Nuper ridifti, niveo non pedlore fedes Allexit? nonne ut laeteris lumina, molli Ut carpare manu, gremio pereafq; puclls ? XL Tardo tarda gradu fubrepunt tempora j (Venti, Fruftra rpiratis, tali dum ardore laboro) Hora rua?, ingrata ruas, refcrafq; puellam, Sifte, at fifte pedes, Phcebe quando adfit, inertes. Quod fi baud nefcirem, volvas qua (cdc, pro- tervas Tn plumas fufflans, plumbum praefegne llquarem. Do6lafugam retinere, nihil miferata precantis, Vix Curfu vix bora morans gradietur anili. P3 X. 230 E C L O G A. X. Nullum igitur placidas Numen non obftruet Aures ? Non vulnus compefcet atrox, reddatq; quietem ? * Sic tibi certa Salu?, turbet non cura pu- eliae Longlor; at demens alienus vivat amori. Oh 1 nimium formofa, redi ! . femperne re- linquar Exul, et incaflum Temper fufpirla ducam ? Quid faciam ? — fpes nulla manet, mors Tola levablt; « Paftores, ubi forma nitet tarn pulchra, ca- vete. REMARKS REMARKS ON THE [ FIRST ECLOGUE o r VIRGIL, WITH A VERSION of that PASTORAL fubjolned. Efi quadam prodlre tenus, f rton detur Ultra* HoR. £/. I. Lih. I. P4 REMARKS V I R IT has been ufually underftood, that the Mnc'id oi Virgil was founded upon po- litical principles; an obfervation, which extends to feveral of his paftoral compofitions. The firft of thefe is exhibited, as more imme- diately of hiftoiical origin. Critics agree, that our poet meant, in this piece, to delineate his ov;n condition, as con- neded with the fituation of Rome \ but diffi- culties have been occafionally flarted with refpeil 234 R E M A R K S, ^c, refpecl to the Ms obvious circumflances of the chara6lers inlroduced. The firft obje£l of debate is the name of Tityrus *. The other fnepherd, AielibceuSy may be fetdown as an aged inhabitant of Cremona^ who endured, without redrefs, the ufurpation of a military pofl'efibr, to whom his lands had been arbitrarily configned by OSlavius, Virgil^ in the judgment of fome eajier commentators, contented himfelf with infert- ing his Tityrus, from the authority, and ex- ample of his Grecian predecefTor. A tame con{lru6tion, but ill-adapted to the fpiritof the Eclogue, and the genius of the poet. More folid reafons may be alledged in favor of an opinion, that he intended the pidlure for his own ; Reafons, which at the fame time will * La Cerda treats us with four reafons for Virgirs appli- cation of the name of Tityrus to zn Italian Ihepherd. If we except the firft, which concludes it to have been borrowed from Theocri'.uiy they are calculated to a meer difplay of his erudition, without 3 tendency to explain the text. in< REMARK S, ^c. 235 invalidate the prcfumption, that the character was drawn for liis father. Critics, qualified from abilities to dojuftice to the ancients, have too frequently Ipoiled themfelves by hunting after novelty^ to fupport a darling hypothefis. The love of novelty pro- duces paradox ; a wild creature, whofe repu- tation is at beji eflabliftied by learning, at the expence of judgment. The many elaborate whlmfies, attending the difcufiion of the pre- fent fubjetSl, are a fufficient proof of the re- mark. A fober adherence to the more familiar conflrucflion of an original bids fairer for a rational comment ; and ' verhumverho redder e^ though a fpiritlefs plan for a tranflator, is the fafeft direction to a Critic. Virgil^ from the fituation of Mantua^ the neighboring city to Cremona^ may be prefum*J to have inclin'd his principles to the unfuc- cefbful competitor. The battle of Philippi was followed by the forfeiture of feveral eftates, among which the little property of the Maniuan Orpheus was beftowed upon a veteran 236 REMARKS, bV. veteran of the conqueror. On the poet's iolicitation it was reftored. This comfortable change gave rife to the performance, * plac'd at the head of FirgiFs paftoral exertions, in which the introducSlory fpeech of McUbocus intimates the intended Tityrus I Tu, Tityre, lentus In Umbra Formojam refonare doces Amarilliday//z;^x. The character of this rural amorofo would be impertinently applied to the gravity of age. Grey hairs, and love are ridiculous concomi- * This moft probably was not the firft Eclogue pro • duced by Virgil. Some portion of poetical fame feem.s to have been requifite to the attainment of a conqueror's regard for a petitioner, undiftinguifned by fuperiority cf birth, and circumllances, independent of the confideration, that he was a patron of the adverfe faftion. Genius was at that period an unfailing recommendation. The Tityrus may be concluded, on a regular edition of the Bucolics, to have been placed the firft, on account of its fubjcft, fo flattering to the author's benefaftor. tants. R E M ARKS, Isfc. 237 tants, for the languor of years very naturally cools the ardor of afFe6lion. Whether the jl?narillis of the poet*s heart was a real, or a figurative miftrejs, remains to be confidered. An obje6l of parfuit is beft attributed to the fever of youthful fondnefs. The anfwer, placed in the mouth of Tiiyrus, contains the exact hiftory of our poet. McUbcee, * DEUS nobis hac Otla fecit j Namq; erit Hie mihi femper DEUS Ille mcas errare boves^ ut cernis^ et ipfum Ludere^ quce vellem^ Calamo permifit ogrejli, A farther proof, that the writer intended the picture for his own. * In the opinion of Ser'vlus the repetition of Deus ex- cludes all appearance of flattery. This is faying too much. The grofsuefs of adulation is indeed mitigated by the artful ■infertion of the latter words, which are highly in charafter with a heathen fhepherd, addreffinghimfelf to another, uncon- scious of the fame impreflions. M£^ 238 REMARKS, &c. Afeliba?us makes the following queftion to his collocutor, Et ques tantdfult Romam tib'i caufa vldendi? The anfvver to which (hould be thus pointed : Libertas ; qua f era ^ tamen refpex'it inert em Candidior^ pojiquam tondenti barb a cadebat. This folemn mention of liberty implies, that Virgil had for a confiderable time been harrafs'd in a ftate of flavery, from which he was at length delivered. The reference of ^candidicr* to ^libertas* was originally pointed out by Virgifs oldeft, and one of his beft commentators. The epithet ' inertem ' is more confiftently applied to the inexperience of the fpeaker than, as more uTually, to his flothful difpofifion, for Tiiyrus fignifies, that he was induftrious ; Multa meis exirei vioJimafeptis^ * Pinguis et ingrata premeretur Cafeus Urbi, If * Stw'iui applies ' p'mguh" to * •v'lFIlma,'' which is by no means in the fpirit of rirgtiian harmony, though in feme meafure. REMARKS, ijfc. 239 If ^ p'l/Igudm^* in the quotation precedinf^ the above, be interpreted ' fometime after, ' the age of Virgil^ who had pafFed the years of a tripling, when he wrote the Eclogue, will be more particularly defcribed *. Meliboeus in his next fpeech cries out, Mirahar^ quid mafia Deos^ Amaiilli, vocares? Cui pendere fiiu paierer'n in Arbore poma? The anfwer given is, Tityrus Line aberat. mcafure to be defended from the ccnfideratlon, that the good condition of a vidim recommended it ftrcnp,!)' to the heathen Gods, who loved to be well fed. * Plnguis* feems betttr oppofed to ^ ingraitje,^ which means, that the city of Mantua did not adequately reward the poet's application to his rural cares. ■ Vugil's Eirth Is properly fixed in the year of Rome 684. Cawvlus, and Antony obtained the viftory againft BrutuSy and Cajius 712, when /^r^i/mult have been 28 years of age J the following J'<^>ir gave birth to the prefent Eclogue. While 240 R E M ARKS, ^c. While Virgil was abfent from his farm on the fuit to OSiavius^ his miftrefs Amarillis is re- prefented as imploring the deities for his re- turn, and referving the fruits of the eftate to regale him on that event. Here again the hiftory of our poet is the beft comment to the text. The clofe of the fpeech flows with a fweetnefs truly paftoral ; * Ipfcs tCy Tityre, Pinusy Ipfi tefonteSy ipfa hac arhufta vocabant — But the difficulty, which our critical objec- tors efteem infurmountable by thofe, who con- clude Tityrus to have been meant for Virgil^ arifes from the following exclamation of i^^- Ubosus ; ^ Ser'vius zoo refinedlyaflerts ' Pinus* to be placed iorCefar, and * Fotites' for the Senate. The fimple allufion to rural fcenes is furely more in character with a Hiepherd, Dr. Martyn might well expeft, that Servius would, after this, have explain- ed ^Arbufid! to mean the people. This critic pertinently afks, * Can it be imagined, that fo modeft a man,asFi/-_g;;7, would pre- sume to reprefent Cejar, with the fenate, and people of Rome^ bewailing his abfence ?' An arrogance, not fufficiently fofcen- €d from the reflevticO; that the fpeech was m^^th^- MeVibceus. For* REMARKS, (ifr. 241 Fortunate Senex^ ergo tua Rura manehunt ! Fortunate Sencx^ Be Inter Jiiimina nota^ EtfoKtesJacros^ fr'tgus captabis opacwn ! Here they tell us with a triumphant confi- dence, that an old man is plainly defcribed in the chara(5ler of Tiiyrus. MeUhoeus is exprefiivcly lamenting his dlf- trefics, diftrefles crowding on him at a period oflife, when the natural dejection of fpirits calls for eafe and tranquility,- at this period he loft his all, he was driven into exile from his native country. Under fuch circumftances may not this addrefs of the venerable hufband- man be regarded as the prophetic ecftacy of a friendly heart ? * Your property will remain aflur'd to you, your lot will be to enjoy competency, and leifure, in the evening of life, ' inter flumina ncta-y a lot denied to us, who O HtHc 242 REMARKS, ^c. Him alii ftiientes ibitnus Afros ; Pars Scythia/n, ^ rapidum Cretae veniemus Oaxem.* How natural for the declining age of the wretched Meliboc-vs to dwell fondly on the f?ni- ling profped, which promifed a fun-fet of happinefs to the youth he loved ! Having thus examined the feveral expref- fions of the original, which could lead to the folution of the chara6ler of Tityrus^ it may be hoped that the poet's intention in the pi£tures oiGalateai znd J/?2ary His ^ will be afcertained from a confideration of the paflages, in which they appear. The following words of Af^//- basus have been before quoted, to explain the perfon of Tityrus ; Amaryllis^ who ihall be fet down, after Dr. Trapp's conjecture, as an allegorical miftrefs, infinuating the Maniuan^s change of party, is now to be difcuflbd. Formofam refonare doces AmaryllidayJ/z;^x, The date of this eclogue is evidently to be fix'd at a period fuccelTive to the reftoration of Virgih property, in confequence of which, as REMARKS, &c. 243 as may be gathered from hlflory, he had varied his political opinions. His Amaryllis there- fore is mod naturally applied to the party of Oi^avius, the celebration of which, gratitude, no lefs than intereft, infpired. Galatea is diredly contrafted with Amaryllis in a defcriptioa given by Tityrusy of himfelf, Poftquam * nos Amaryllis habet^ Galatea reliquit ; A verfe immediately fucceeded by Namq ; fateborenim^ dum me Galatea tenebat^ Nee fpes liber tails eraty nee cur a pecull. This confeffion evinces the prudence of the politician, in terms fuited to the fhepherd. Tityrus artfully fays, to throw off the odium, which might otherwife have attended his Shifting fides, Galatea reliquit ' * I know not, nrhetherit may be worth while to obferve, that the poet, when he names Galatea^ as his miftrefs, mentions himfelf alone by the Angular, ' Me,* when he names Amaryl- lis, he enlarges his reflection by the plural * Nas.' We may indeed except the line quoted above, from which however the enfuing one iaimedjately deviates by a return to the fmgular number. 0^2 The 244 REMARKS, &c. The party of Brutus forfook him ; otherwife he could not have failed to forfake the party, for he was in a fair way of continuing, for life, a beggar and a Have. This is the true fpirit of Roman adu\3iiion \ While the poet adhered to his former atfachment (his Galatea) his condition grew every day worfe, and worfe ; but when (his Amaryllis) the party of OSlavius received him, the profpeil: of freedom and happinefs immediately dawned around. The laft paflage, in which the name of Amaryllis is introduced, is Mirahar-i quid majla Deos^ Amarylli, vo cares? Catrou, who underdands Galatea, zndjfnaryllis to be X allegorical, concludes, that Rome is couched under the perfon of the latter, and Mantua under that of the former. Several particulars of the paftoial counteradl this opinion*. X i'er'y/wi indeed infifts, that every fentence throughout the f aftorals of Virgil is to be confidered in a literal fenfe. How will This agree with his remark alluded to in the following njte ? * See Ruausj and Dt, Martyn'i notes. The REMARKS, ^c. 2|5 The compliment o^ Mdibosus to cur autlior in this laft quotation is highly oe icate, as in- finuating, that the adherents oi O^iav'rus were anxious to call him theirs*. On the whole, the Galatea may be repre- fented to have been Virgil's more youthful choice of party, and as fuch, of no advantage to his affairs — It was fondnefs, without pru- dence. But his Amaryllis^ the latter objcdl of his regard, was founded upon the expe- rience of more fober maturity. * This may feeni a contradiclioii to the remark en Ser'vm''% foregoing obfervation upon ' Ipjte te, T'.tyre, P'lnut , &c.' but the groHhefs of flattery is in the prefent place fufficiently mitigat- ed by the introdudion oi ^tr.aryUh , as the wz/Fj-e/ioi our poet's aiTeftions ; whereas the conltruction of the former palTage cannot admit of being foftened, as extended from the faBion of Ocfavius to the moft dilUnguiflied chara<5lers, and even the whole commonwealth oiRome^ including the ufurpcr himfelf. 0-3 THE /^%.,^^^S.r^^.^^0S^f^^^S^^^k THE FIRST ECLOGUE O F I V I R G M E L I B CE U S. BENEATH the beech's venerable (hade You tune the fylvan reed fupinely lay'd. We exird wander from our native coaft. Our frontiers ravag'd, and our country loft ; You through the grove your tender loves refound. And JmarylUs charms the plains around, Q, 4 TUtyrus. 24S "The fii ft Eclogue r/ V I R G I L Tliyrus, A God for Tit'rus fhed the fweets of reft, A God, for ever to my foul confefs'd ; • Yes I oft fele£led from the fleecy train, My lambkin fiiall imbrue his facred fane ; Cheer'd by his fmile my carelefs Oxen graze, And I fecurely warble o'er my lays. Surprize is mine, not envy of thy joys, Such wild confufion all our fields annoys ! My Goats, fad fwain, I fcarce can drag along; Ev'n lately This has left her helplefs young. Her twins, the hope of all my little flock, Expos'd, deferted, on the barren * rock. Oft have thefg Oaks deplor'd the blafting fkies, And oft (vain figns to Meliboeus* eyes) Oft from yon ilex the prophetic crow — —But give me, Swain, this gen'rous God to knoW' • * This is not a ftrift verfion of ' SUex nuda' «» the text, but is introduced to heishten the fcene of Mi?/?^ar»/s dif- frefs, Tityrui The firft Eclogue ofWlKGlL 249 Tltyrus, I deertiM, that facred Rome, mldaken clown. Was poor, v/as humble as our Mantuan town ; Mantuay where ftiepherds, from the verdant plain, Hafte to the market with their fleecy train ; Thus — great with fmail too iondly we compare. Dogs with their whelps, with dams their infant care. But Rome o'er ev'ry city heaves on high, As the low fhrub tali cyprefles outvie. Melibcsus, And what to Rome thy longing footfteps drew ? Tiiyrus* Fair freedom call'd me — Freedom I purfue — ■ Soft queen of happinefs, though late, (he came, § When time matur'd the ftripling's amorous flame ; § The original ^ pojltjuam tondent't barba cadehai" could not be rendered gracefully in the fenfe implied by the foregoing j-emarks. The fentiment cherefore is enlarged. My r 50 The firft Eclogue ^VIRGIL. My Amaryllis every thought infpir'd.— . — Yet fure, my heart while Galatea fir'd, Carelefs I roam'd about, nor hopes of gold. Nor dearer liberty my cares control'd. Num'rousthe vi(5^im, lavilh'd from my train, — I pour'd the confecrated feaft in vain ; Rich cheefes to th* ungrateful town I bore, And much I fold, but not increas'd my ftore. Udeltbosus, Oft have I heard amaz'd, thy forrowing foul Her deep diftrefles, Jmaryllisy roll. With wonder feen the loaded branches bend ; — For him, hr Tifrus^ felf the fruits depend,— • For thee the fhrubs, for thee the forefts mourn. And ftreams complaining murmur thy return. Tityrus. Yet fay, my (hepherd, fay, what God fo kind Had pour'd the beams of freedom on my mind ! Here firft the youth I faw in grateful praife With annual incenfe ftiall thy altars blaze*. "* The text fays, * bh fenoi dies quotannis* alluding to every nwnth J it was not thousht neceflary to render this exaflly. Be The fird Eclogue c/ V I R G I L. 251 Be yours, he cry'd, the produce of the plain. Be yours to feed your herds, and yoke the fleer again. Meliboeiis, Thrice happy fvvain ! thy lands, fecure of ftrife. Rich competence, ihall blefs declining life ; The rugged ftone may fpread the fields around. And muddy rufhes rife o'er all the ground. Thy pregnant ewes no ftranger-food dial) dread. No pe{t its influence on thy flock (hall (hed. Wrap'd in his well-hnown (bade (hall lifrus fing, Lull'd by the mufic of the facred fpring ; Faft by yon fence, the bound'ry of thy foil, The bee, ftill rev'ling in the flow'ry fpoil. Shall tune her bufy murmurs, and compofe Thy indolence of years to foft repofe. The pruner from the fteep (hall roufe his ftrain. And Doves, thy fav'rite harmonifls, complain. Shall breathe the melancholy notes of love. And forrowing turtles warble through the grove. Tityriis, Sooner the flag (hall graze th'etherial plain. Sooner the fcaly race abhor the main, Sooner 252 The firfl Eclogue ^/VIRGIL. Sooner the Parthian loath his native bound. And focial wander o'er Germanias ground. Than ^ell oblivion's charm, or time's control. Shall Ileal the godlike image from my foul. Melibceus, 'T.is ours to roam, in wild defpondence tof&'d. O'er A/Tic's torrid fands, or Scyihia's froft j To tread the Region, where Oaxis roars. Or pine on Britain s world-divided fliores. Ah ! ne'er fhall Melibceus tafte again, For many a long, long year, his rural reign ? For ever from his little all depart ? No more my turf-built Cot allure my heart? Shall impious foes ufurp my fruitful foil ? Barbarians reap the harveft of my toil ? Ah ! what a weight of woe has difcord bred 1 — See, fee for whom the lifmg grain is fpread ! Now, fondling MelibceuSy now 'tis thine To graft the fruitage, and to rank the vine ! — Hence, happy fheep, once happy, but in vain ! No more, I tune no more the filvan ftrain, Siretch'd in my mofly cave, the browzing flock Behold, depending from the verdant rock. And fmilc, obfervant of their harmlefs treat. The willow's harQinefs, and the trefoil's fweet. Tityrus. The firft Eclogue ^/ V I R C 1 L. 2$^ liiyrus. Yet here, at leaft, in friendftiip's calm delight^., Pafs, on thefe leaves reclin'd, the live-long night ; Chefnuts and apples crown my bending trees. And loaded laughs my board with plenteous cheefe; Thick-curls the village-fmoke, and o'er the glade From the vaft mountain falls th'extended fhade||» II The moft worthlefs originals are prefered, by the prefent mode of talte, to the moft fuccefsful copies; and every loweft fonneteer ey.claims with a fneer at the tranflator, that bii compofitions are his own. The Editor was too well convinced of this fantaftic prefumption to have hazarded the foregoing verfion, had, he not been defirous to drefs in Englijb colors the meanings afligned, in the Remarks, to feveral paflages of the Eclogue. Too humble to affed a diftatorfliip Inletters, heconfeffes an honeft veneration for ancient beauties, and pities the Icarui of emhufiafm, whowiilies to be efteemed ** AutCafar, aut nullui.^' With thefe fentiments he contentedly difmifTes the opinion of the crowd, that the labors of yirgil, which have been thought worthy to employ ihe free fpirit of a Dryden, the torreEier equalitlei of a JVarton, and the luxuriant para^braje of a Crejfctj are meet objefts of the Itripling's exercife. Nm Mep'igeat n:emini(fi Maronlu LYRIC. LYRIC VERSIONS FROM H O R A C £, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON HIS LIFE, and WRITINGS. OBSERVATIONS ON THE Life, and Writings of HORACE. COMPARISONS have been occafionally drawn between Te'iaJi and Hcratian elegance ; particular pieces contain a portion of refemblance, though the conduct of the poets is intrinfically different. That their re- fpe6tive merits may be more fully afcertained, the following verfions are fubmitted, as an Appendix to the Grecian Lyrics. Nor let the reader cenfure the afFe£tation of an Appendix, fo amply juliified by the reigning literary mode, vj\\\c\\ gravely demands it, as a capital flori{h to the conclufion of a work, with whofe contents a material connec- tion has been frequently overlook'd. The tranflations themfelves are defignedly cart in the paraphiaftic mould ; the flowers of R Horatian 258 Ohfervations on the Life and Writings Horaiian morality, like thofe of nature, are more beautiful, when expanded. The originals were in fome meafure adapted to a compara- tive confideration, many reflections being con- genial with padages o^ Anacreon-y not but the fuperiority of the Roman mufe is confpicuous, from thole graceful turns of morality, that can- not fail to captivate, when enlivened by the Tallies of imagination ; Sallies, which being little ventured in more recent compofitions, they have labored under the wretched impu- tation of being ' very moral, and very dull/ It were however to be wifh'd, that fentimental repetitions abounded not in the text with too flender variation. Some more refined critics have affirmed, that the Odes oi Horace were compofed for Mufic, and the poetical patrons of this opinion have accordingly banlfhed from their verfions the EngUJh heroic meafure. The reafonablene'.s of the notion may be doubted from the very infufficient flate of ancient mu- fic, to which the poet feems not to have at- tempted to modulate a language, little favor- able to * concord of fweet founds.' Yet that metre cf U O R A C E. 259 metre is evidently inconfiflent with lyric ex- ertions, and is therefore introduced only in the unrival'd Ode, refpciSting the transfer of the * Reman capital' to ncv^ Troja^ whofe fub- jccl is fuited to majedy of expreilion. On this lafl produ£lion, wherein the genius of Horace is difplayed by a happy feleclion of words, and a luxuriant boldnefs of defcription, it may be reniarked, that though the poet too fordidiy flattered his emperor at times with the fupplenefs of a courtier, he has here de- voted his abilities to the caufe of his country ; calling in the very deities folemnly to coun- teradl a favorite frenzy handed from Julius to his fucceflbr. Indeed his principles src delivered with a cautious delicacy, a delicacy adapted to his fitua- tion as a poet, and a courtier -, his plan he well knew to be ungrateful to Augujlus^ and has therefore artfully feated him among the gods in compliance wi:h the dtification, previoufly indulged by the idolatry of the age. This rcccmpence was attributed by Horace to the R 2 emperor's 260 OhfervaUons oh the Life and Writings juftice, and conftancy ; virtues, with the general commendation of which the perfor- mance ^/^«<5^/V/)' lets out*. The infertion of this Lyric fublimity, fo foreign from the eafe and naivete of Anacreon^ may require an apology; the candid reader is refer'd to the beauties of the original, as the beft excufe for an improper introduction of the copy. Horace., from many intimations fcattered throughout his works, may be prefumed to have leaned to the dovElrine of EpicuruSy a do6lrine of carelefs libertines, which, placing the enjoyment of life in the indulgences of * It would be difficult on any other conftruftlon to af- certaio the connection of the beginning with the progrefs of the Ode. I am inclined to think, that Augufius promifed his favorite Macenas, that he never would exajt Troy higher than (as it was) a province of rhe Empire, And this piece may be fuppofed written at the inftigation of Macenas (for Horace would not otherwife have prefumed to diflate to his Emperor in a point, which was fo evidently difagreeable) and defigned to keep Augujim in the fame refolution during his abfence fiomRmej in the vicinity of the place in queftion. fenfe. ./HORACE. 261 fenfe, was reafonably defcribed to influence fuch deiiies, as fupcrftitioii taught them to adore. Thcfe would have been Joft in more rational, and diftinguiflied employments than Due ere neciarls Succos, & adfcribi quiet is Ordin'ibus dcorum . I would not be underftcod, by this fan- tafiic view of the Eficurean philofophy, to re- fiecl upon the character of its founder ; the obfervation being limited to the difciples of Epicurus in the days of y/«^2^z^r. His moral condu(5l, and the general tendency of his do6^rines have been fufficiently vindicated from the lonj5 eftablifiied calumnies handed down againft them+. A novelty of fyftem never fails to give an alarm to the profeflbrs of thofe already in efteem ; and a fyftem, built on the calm inter- courfe of friendfliip, and fociety, was furc not to efcape reproach from felf-opinion- ated tribes, whofe zeal to pufh forward their tenets was net lefs frantic, than the X SecBiosraph, Dlftion, Art, Efcurus, R 3 tenets 262 Ohfervations on the Life and Writings tenets themfelves were indefenfible. Indeed the outcry againft our philofopher feems to have arifen froiii the popular jealoufy of his intention to erect a new religion, on the ruins of the old, and to have been moft fuccefsfully purfuei from the odium of the contemptuous ridicule, v.'ith which he treated the deities. A downright blafphemy againft that delirium of devotion riveted in the heathen world ! But the branches of the philofophical tree require in all ages to be pruned, or they in- fenfibly fhoot into a wild luxuriance. The followers of Epicurus difgraced their mafter's fyftem with tenets of libertinifm, and indo- lence, too familiarly arifmg from that placid lerenity, which charadterized the original meetings of the philofopher and his adherents*. Yet * Horace became, from policy, the profelTor of prin- ciples, to which his Emperor led the example of conformity, and at that time Soletn qui: dicere falfum Aufit? Yet he thrnght himfelf obliged fomewhat to acquiefce in the popular vagaries of emhufiafm. The fame may be obferved of cf HORACE. 263 Yet with all our poet's veneration for Epicwifni we may obferve, that he chimes in with the ?nore confirmed reveries of Pa'^an fables, which the Epicureans abhor'd ; that he enforces fober reflc6lion v/ith prepofterous examples o^ Geryon^ Tifyu?, and Sifyphus, thofe convicts of imagination, who crouded the J'u'ics of ancient romance. But modern fenfibility little approves fuch incoherent dreams, concerned, that thofe y'lrgi/, who has elaborately reprefented the fcenes of yfi'a'es from the eftabliflied Religion, though the pidure is clofed with an infinuation, that the whole was a creature of fancy. Fii/fa ad coelutn mittunt infomnia manti.~-~K refledtion fheltered by the authority of Homer, and prcceeding from the poet's adherence to Epicurean principles, which were in thofe days fo miferably perverted, that they countenanced follies equally deftruftive of morality with thofe, they were defigned to fupprefs. Thus in particular, difrelifliiDg the whimfical deviations from propriety in the defcriptions of the foul's fituation after death, they abfoluteJy denied its immortality. Vitans 'vlt'ta w contrar'm currlt. But the reader will be fuf- ficiently repayed the labor of examining Dr. Jortlns. learned diiTertation on yiig. yEn. b. 6, from page 296 to the end ; and will then fcarcely reconcile himfelf to the fantaflic para- dox, that JEncat''% defcent into hell figniries his initiation into Eleujin'ian mijloui. It might with as great propriety be con- jeftured to imply his admiffion into the mifteries of mafonry, R 4 follies. 264 Ohfervafms m the Life and Writings follies, which degraded the religious, fliould pollute the literary genius of antiquity ; and it is no trivial argument of our author's excel- lence, thatthefe impertinent Juxiliariei to his morality do not abfclutely depreciate the lelTons, he inculcates*. That courtly elegance, with which the drinefs of fentiment is feafoned in the Odes of Horace, merits obfervation. A charac^eriflic elegance, diflinguiOiable in his fatiric compo- fitions, which flow from other pens in an unbounded courfe of cenforious feverity, with whofe ftream an ingenuous complacency has rarely intermixed. § DeU'ms and Lidnius very greatly required the cool di6lates of philofophy ; the former, a *■ Is is not to be conftrued, that Horace was a rigid Fp'uurean, at leaft in tlie earlier part of life ; for he was then confined to no feft.— ^^0 me cutiq; rapU te?r.fcflas deftrcr hcfpa-^ This was owing; to a capricious or temporizing nature — Thus in his phiJofophical, as in his miii:ary charafter, our poet might have recorded his ' teliElam non bene parmulam* % Ode 3 and 10 of book 2, are addrefled to thefe charac- ters, recorded with infamy by hiltorical critics. political £/• H O R A C E. 265 political mercury, whofe veerings cannot be excufed fiom the fiu£luating temper of his times, the latter pofiefled with that ambition, and extravagance, which in fpite of the in- terpofmg friendlhip of || Mcecenas brought deftruiSlion upon his family, and in the end upon himi'elf. The ledures therefore mud have been fmgularly ftriking, when the chara6lers exift- cd, to whom they were addrelTed, but tlie in- tr'infic merit of the produdiions has preferved them to modern tafte. The pieces, though untin6lured with a formal abufe of vices, which difgraced thofc charaflers, might have been efteemed, at an earlier period, indire6l ac- cufations of their conduct; the efficacy of which muft neccirarily evaporate, when they are fo little interelHng, or even known. li This fon of luxury, the favorite of 811 artful ufurper, fecms, from the molt plauHble authorities, to have been in- debted for n-.odern efteem to his protedtion of the brighter ftars in the hemlfphere of letters. Vices he had many, of the moft inveterate fort, which greatly overbalanced his few, and infignificant virtues. Flattery however, with this crea- ture, as with mary others, has fcandaloufly atoned for defeft of merit. ODE ODE XiV. BOOK II. SEE ! with precipitated courfc, Still haft'ning his career, Sweeps along in rapid force The whirling Year ; Nor vows can bend, nor pray'rs can ftay That ftranger to delay ; Envious he pofts to fnatch thy bloom, — And death rapacious points the tomb. Though hecatombs luxuriant ftain (Each coni'ecrated day) Inexorable Pluto's fane, The fruitlefs bribe we pay. He 268 Odes ^/ HORACE. He — to th'infernal plains Gerycns triple form retrains ; Nor from the (hade will Tityus free ; — And dar'ft thou think, he'll pity thee ? ]sfo ^'tis the lot of human birth, The privilege of breath. To linger for a while on earth, Then tread the realms of death. Mid labor d health the fated wound Will pierce the peafant to the ground. And monarchs tinfeld round with (how Muft, with their courtiers, feel the blow. The thunder of the battle's roar In vain the coward flies ; Or views, undaunted on the (hore, The billows flrilce the fkies. Ah ! what avails it at the laft To (hun intemp'rate Au/ler's blaft ? To (hield the tender frame, and fear The fury of th'autumnal year ? Yes ! all muft pafs Cocytus' wave, Whofe flow, dull ftreams furround The ghaftly regions of the grave j ——A melancholy round— Yes O D E s ^/ H O R A C E. 269 Yes! o'er the drear unfocial coaft Muft fee each agonizing ghoft; Mufl: hear each guilty Danaid's groan. And his, who toiling heaves the ftill-re- turning ilone. Yes 1 of thy land?, thy houfe, thy wife, Thofe envyd joys, bereft. Not one, one iblacs of thy life To mis'ry will be left. The trees, that fhade thy fpacious land. Still in unrival'd pomp fhall l^and ; And fcarce a cyprefs-twig, my friend, Will from the world its lord attend. Then (hall the goblet's purple foam Burft joyful to the fight ; The fwects (hall revel through the dome Too long inyolv'd in night. I fee the floor in blu(hing pride Stream with the wine's luxuriant tide. See priel^ly Epicures outdone By thy triumphant, worthier Son. ODE 270 Odes ef H OR A CE, ODE XVI. BOOK IL When blur'd the canopy of night. And every ftar withdraws her light, Amid the thunders of the main. Reft of their guide, the fuppliant train — Undaunted by a hoft of foes — Fee), deeply feel, afflicl'on's throes, Defpondence lowering in their breaft With anguifti they exclaim for — refc. Sweet Reft the Thracian warrior charms, And quiver'd Mede enflav'd to arms ; But vain the jewel's dazzling glow. Vain is the veftment's purple flow. Vain are the treafur'd hills of gold ; — To pageantry {he ne'er is fold. True to her vot'ries ne'er has reft The mifer, or the coxcomb blefs'd. Nor Odes ^/ HO RACE. 271 Nor povv'r, nor riches can impart A balfam to the fickly heart, Still may their fafcinating nod Exalt th' opprefibr to a God ; Such — fplendid meannefs may content, Quiet for worthier fouls was meant. While, round the dome of grandeur, care On raven pinion croaks defpair. Happy the fage, whom wealth maintains. Boon of a Father's honeft gains ; Happy the fage, who rich nor poor. Enjoys his all, nor afks for more ; No fears aflail, no galling ftrife Mar the ferenity of life ; Nor throbing hope^, with wild control, To fordid tumults roufe the foul. Say, Whence thy toils, impatient man. To curfe a momentary fpan ? Thou giant with a pigmy's povv'r. Why itretch a thought beyond thy hour ? Is it for thee thy clime to change, For thee o'er tiiftant realm.s to range ? Go, exile, go from plain to plain, — Thyftlf alas ! thou flieft in vain. Yes! 272 Odes £/• HORACE. Yes ! though we mount the rapid (hip, Care will purfue us o'er the deep ; Clofe will purfue the crowding fail. Sure o'er the vidims to prevail. Yes! though we mount the foaming horfe, Care will arreft us in our courfe, Far fwifter than the bounding hind, Far fwifter than the wings of wind. Who fei^I contentment*s genial pow'r. Calmly enjoy the prefent hour ; Ne'er to the morrow's thoughts a prey, The now their all, they live to-day; With cheerfulnefs, a balm to ft rife. Soothing the bitter draught of life : Blefs'd to infurc, fuch griefs annoy. One fabbath of untainted joy. Pelides to the ftars rcnown'd Lay pierced by fate's untimely wound ; With flow advances lingering death From old Tithonus ftole his breath ; Thou foon may'ft quit the bufy ftage, "While I — enjoy protraded age ; Kind Heav'n (the boon unafk'd) may grant Thofe years to me, which thou may 'ft want. For Odes £/* H O R A C E. 273 For thee the wide-extended hills Mild-bleating innocency fills j Thine the luxuriant harvefts, thine The murmurs of the lowing kine j h foreign let of prancing mares In neighing pomp thy chariot bears j And robes in richeft purple dyM Flame forth for thee with biufhing pride. Of Competency's cell poflefs'd Mine is the calm, the focial bieaft, Some portion of poetic fire, Some little art to tune the lyre ; To cull the flow*rs of Rome and Greece Heav'n has indulg'd — and added peace, With pride to fpurn, and worth to hate The rabble, and the knave of ftate. ODE 274 Odes cf HORACE, ODE IX. BOOK HI. This little Dialogue has been univerfally ' efteemed a mafter-piece of love, admirable for its fweetnpfs of verfe and delicacy of thought. I was willing to add to the lift of , it's tranflators, particularly as it pofTelles a portion of that eafe and nature fo confpicu- ous in the lyric remains of Sappho. Horace. While no fond youth, with dearer arms, PolTeib'd the heav'n of Lydias charms. No monarch was like Horace blefs'd, — Sole ruler of thy fnowy bread, Lydla. While thou, content with Lydia\ flame. Avow'dft no fair ufurper's claim, Far richer tranlports graced my love. Than honored Ilia e'er could prove. Horace, Odes ^/ HORACE. 275 Me — ChIoe\ heav'nly :nv,!es infpire. So — i'weet her voice, fo foft her lyre ! P^or Chlce I would die, if fate Indulg'd my fair a longer date. Lyd'ia. My heart for blooniing Calais burns. The conftant youth my love returns ; Thrice would I gladly die, to fave My blooming Calais from the grave. Horace, Say fliouldthe God once more reflraia His captives in a mutual chain. Should I from beauteous Chloe turn ! Should I again for Lydia burn ! Lydia, Though Calais' charms, divinely bright, Outvy'd the filver lamp of night. Thou lighter than the ftormy fea. Yet would 1 live, would dk with thee, S 2 ODE ^76 Odes e^ HORACE. ODE VII. BOOK IV. The fnow with elemental chain No longer binds the frozen plain. Earth's vernal treafures bloom ; Th'embowVing tree with leaves is crown'd. The grafs its verdure fheds around, The fiow'r i;s rich perfume. Th'impetuous torrent now no more Heav'd o'er the banks with fallen roar Rolls an unbounded tide ; Calmly mseandring in their courfe, Juft waking to the murmur's force. The tuneful Ibeams fubfide. The lively nymphs their mazy round Trip o'er the velvet of the ground, -—And hail the buxom air; -The Odes t?/ H O RAC E. 277 The fcaibn call-, to fport, and joy, Which time too eager to deftroy, Condemns to age, and care. Winter retires, with balrr.y wing Steps blithely on — the frolic Tpring, Like youth, her tranfienr fvvay ; Summer the lovely Ipring expells. While jolly autumn rulhing quells The fummer's radiant day. Autumn with gay luxuriance pours In nature's Jap his genial TuovyVs, But—— foon 'efigns