Note 155 — VI. LITERARY CRITICISM.
Reading edition
See Homer, Odyssey, vi. 90.
Εἵματα χερσὶν ἕλοντο καὶ ἐσφόρεον μέλαν ὕδωρ, Στεῖβον δ' ἐν βόθροισι θοῶς ἔριδα προφέρουσαι. Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πλῦνάν τε κάθηράν τε ῥύπα πάντα, Ἑξείης πέτασαν παρὰ θῖν' ἁλὸς, ἧχι μάλιστα Λάϊγγας ποτὶ χέρσον ἀποπλύνεσκε θάλασσα.
The verse translation of this passage given in the letter is from Pope's Odyssey.
The lines in "Faithful for Ever," particularly alluded to as having been condemned by the "Critic," were those here italicized in the following passage:
"For your sake I am glad to hear, You sail so soon. I send you, Dear, A trifling present, and will supply Your Salisbury costs. You have to buy Almost an outfit for this cruise! But many are good enough to use Again, among the things you send To give away. My maid shall mend And let you have them back. Adieu! Tell me of all you see and do. I know, thank God, whate'er it be, 'Twill need no veil 'twixt you and me."
("Faithful for Ever," p. 17, II. "Mrs. Graham to Frederick," her sailor son.)