THE PREFACE. (continued 2)

In Pursuance of my Design of endeavouring to be as like Virgil as possible; I have chosen Blank Verse, rather than Rhime. For besides that the Fetters of Rhime often cramp the Expression, and spoil the Verse, and so you can both translate more closely, and also more fully express the Spirit of your Author, without it, than with it; I say besides This, supposing other Circumstances were equal, Blank Verse is in it self better. It is not only more Majestick, and Sublime, but more Musical, and Harmonious: It has more Rhime in it, according to the ancient, and true Sense of the Word, than Rhime it self, as it is now used. For in it's original Signification, it consists not in the Tinkling of Vowels, and Consonants; but in the metrical Disposition of Words, and Syllables, and the proper Cadence of Numbers; which is more agreeable to the Ear, without the Jingling of like Endings, than with it. The Reader may say, To whose Ear is it so? To Yours perhaps; but not to Mine. And I grant all This to be matter of Fact, rather than of Reason; and to be determined by Votes, rather than Arguments. And accordingly a great Majority of the best Genius's, and Judges in Poetry now living, with many of whom I have frequently conversed upon this Subject, have determined in favour of this way of Writing. And among Those who are dead, the same was the Opinion not only of my Lord Roscommon (to omit others,) but of [21]Mr. Dryden Himself; who was the best Rhimer, as well as the best Poet, of the Age in which he lived. And indeed let but a Man consult his own Ears.

——Him the Almighty Pow'r Hurl'd headlong, flaming from th' ethereal Sky, With hideous Ruin, and Combustion, down To bottomless Perdition; there to dwell In Adamantine Chains, and penal Fire; Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to Arms. Nine times the Space that measures Day, and Night To mortal Men, he with his horrid Crew Lay vanquish'd, rowling in the fiery Gulph, Confounded, tho' immmortal——

Who that hears This, can think it wants Rhime to recommend it? Or rather does not think it sounds far better without it? I purposely produced a Citation, beginning and ending in the Middle of a Verse; because the Privilege of resting on this, or that Foot, sometimes one, and sometimes another, and so diversifying the Pauses, and Cadences, is the greatest Beauty of Blank Verse, and perfectly agreeable to the Practice of our Masters, the Greeks, and Romans. This can be done but rarely in Rhime: For if it were frequent, the Rhime would be, in a manner, lost by it: The End of almost every Verse must be something of a Pause; and it is but seldom that a Sentence begins in the Middle. The same may be said of placing the Verb after the Accusative Case; and the Adjective after the Substantive; both which, especially the last, are more frequent in Blank Verse, than in Rhime. This Turn of Expression likewise is agreeable to the Practice of the Ancients; and even in our own Language adds much to the Grandeur, and Majesty of the Poem, if it be wrought with Care, and Judgment. As does also the judicious interspersing (for judicious, and sparing it must be) of antique Words, and of such as, being derived from Latin, retain the Air of That Language: Both which have a better Effect in Blank Verse, than in Rhime; by Reason of a certain Majestick Stiffness, which becomes the one, more than the other. Milton indeed has, I think, rather too much of This: And perhaps the most ingenious Mr. Philips has too much imitated him in it; as he has certainly well nigh equalled him in his most singular Beauties. I speak of this Stiffness only in some particular Passages, for which it is proper: For Blank Verse, when it pleases, can be as smooth, as soft, and as flowing, as Rhime. Now these Advantages alone (were there no other) which Blank Verse has above Rhime, would more than compensate for the Loss of that Pleasure which comes from the Chiming of Syllables; the former, by reason of those Advantages, being, all things considered, even more musical, and harmonious, as well as more noble, and sublime, than the latter.

Upon Varying the Pauses it is to be observed, that Two Verses together should rarely pause at the same Foot; for a Reason too plain to be mentioned. I said rarely; because there is no Law so strict in Things of This Nature, but that it is sometimes a Vertue to break it. And tho' it be one great Privilege in this sort of Verse, to make a full Period at the Beginning, or in the Middle of a Line; yet you may do it too often. Milton, I think, does so; who sometimes gives you thirty, or forty Verses together, not one of which concludes with a full Period. But to return to our Comparison.

Tho' all This be rather Matter of Sense, than of Reason; yet I appealed to the best Genius's, and Judges in Poetry; because it is a great Mistake to think that all Ears are equally Judges. It may as well, nay better, be affirmed that all Persons have equally Ears for Musick. This Sentiment is not purely Organical, and depends not solely upon the Mechanism of Sense. The Judgment has a Share in it: Or if it has not; there is (which amounts to much the same) so close an Union between the Soul and Body of Man, as also between the Spirit and the Diction, which may be called the Soul and Body of Poetry; that the Poetical Turn of any Person's Mind affects the very Organs of Sense. Readers of vulgar and mean Tastes may relish Rhime best; and so may Some even of the best Taste; because they have been habituated to it. But the more they accustom themselves to Blank Verse; the better they will like it:

———Si propius stes, Te capiet magis——

After all, I cannot agree with Those, who entirely condemn the Use of Rhime even in an Heroic Poem; nor can I absolutely reject That in Speculation, which Mr. Dryden, and Mr. Pope have ennobled by their Practice. I acknowledge too that, in some particular Views, tho' not upon the Whole, This Way of Writing has the Advantage over the other. You may pick out more Lines, which, singly considered, look mean, and low, from a Poem in Blank Verse, than from one in Rhime: supposing them to be in other respects equal. Take the Lines singly by themselves, or in Couplets; and more in Blank Verse shall be less strong, and smooth, than in Rhime: But then take a considerable Number together; and Blank Verse shall have the Advantage in both Regards. Little, and ignoble Words, as Thus, Now, Then, Him, &c. on the one Hand; and long ones, as Elements, Omnipotent, Majesty, &c. on the other, would in a Poem consisting of Rhime sound weak, and languishing, at the End of a Verse: because the Rhime draws out the Sound of those Words, and makes them observed, and taken notice of by the Ear: Whereas in Blank Verse they are covered, and concealed by running immediately into the next Line. And yet a considerable Number of Lines are not, in the Main, Prosaick, or Flat; but more Noble, than if they were all in Rhime. For Instance, the following Verses out of Milton's Paradise Lost, Book II.

Of Heav'n were falling, and these Elements——

Instinct with Fire, and Nitre hurry'd him——

taken singly, look low, and mean; but pray read them in Conjunction with others; and then see what a different Face will be set upon them.

——Or less than if this Frame Of Heav'n were falling, and these Elements In Mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth. At last his sail-broad Vans He spreads for flight; and in the surging Smoke, &c.

——Had not by ill chance The strong Rebuff of some tumultuous Cloud Instinct with Fire, and Nitre, hurry'd him As many miles aloft. That fury stay'd; Quench'd in a boggy Syrtis, neither Sea, Nor good dry Land: Nigh founder'd on he fares, Treading the crude Consistence——

Thus again in the VIth Book.

Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when——

Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent——

And limited their Might; tho' number'd such——

These Verses disjointed from their Fellows make but an indifferent Figure: But read the following Passage and I believe you will acknowledge there is not one bad Verse in it:

So under fiery Cope together rush'd Both Battles maine, with ruinous Assault, And inextinguishable Rage: All Heav'n Resounded; and had Earth been then, all Earth Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought On either side; the least of whom could wield These Elements, and arm him with the force Of all their Regions. How much more of pow'r, Army 'gainst Army, numberless, to raise Dreadful Combustion, warring, and disturb, Tho' not destroy, their happy native Seat: Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent From his strong Hold of Heav'n high over-rul'd And limited their Might; tho' number'd such As each divided Legion might have seem'd A num'rous Host in strength, each armed hand A Legion——

In Short, a Poem consisting of Rhime is like a Building in which the Stones are all (or far the greatest part of them) hewn with equal Exactness; but are all of a Shape, and not so well jointed: Every one of them, by it self, is better squared, than some in another Building, in which they are of different Figures. But tho' in this latter there shall be a few, which, taken separately, do not look so well: yet some running into others, and all being better adjusted together; it shall not only upon the Whole, but with regard to any considerable Part, by it self, be a stronger, and a more beautiful Fabrick, than the former.

But we are told that Blank Verse is not enough distinguished from Prose. The Answer must be, It is according as it is. That of our English Tragedies, I confess, is not; tho' very proper for the Purpose to which it is apply'd. This indeed is what the French rightly call Prose mesurée, rather than Verse. But much worse is to be said of any Poem, which is only written in the Shape of Metre, but has no more of Verse in it, than of Rhime; no Harmony, or Prosody, no true Metrical Cadence; half the Lines concluding with double Syllables, as Torment, Greatness, and the Participles ending in ing. This deserves not so much as the Name of Prose on Horseback; 'Tis Prose upon Crutches; and of all Prose the vilest. But if Blank Verse be laboured, as it ought to be; it is sufficiently distinguished from Prose. We have no Feet, nor Quantities, like the Ancients; and nothing in our poor Language will ever supply That Defect: Rhime is at least as far from doing it, as the more Advantageous Variety of Cadences in Blank Verse: Which requires so much the more Care, and Art, to work it up into Numbers, and Support it from groveling into Prose.

Which naturally leads us to observe further, that many Imperfections, both in Thought, and Expression, will be overlooked in Rhime, which will not be endured in Blank Verse: So that the same may be said of This, which Horace applies to Comedy;

Creditur——habere Sudoris minimum; sed habet——tanto Plus oneris, quanto veniæ minus——

I do not say, Rhime is, all things considered, more easy than the other: That Point cannot be well determined; because it relates to the particular Genius's of particular Persons. For my own part, if I never made one good Verse, I have made many good Rhimes: But supposing Both to be equally easy, I should chuse Blank Verse, for the Reasons already alledged.

After all which, if some Gentlemen are resolved that Blank Verse shall be Prose; they have my free Leave to enjoy their Saying: provided I may have Theirs to think they mean nothing by it; unless they can prove that Rhime is essential to Metre; consequently that the Goths, and Monks were the first Inventers of Verse; and that Homer, and Virgil, as well as Milton, wrote nothing but Prose.

Milton indeed has too many of those looser and weaker Verses; as he has some Lines which are no Verses at all. These for Instance,

Burnt after them to the bottomless Pit: In the Visions of God; It was a Hill:

are Lines consisting of ten Syllables; but they are no more English Verses, than they are Greek ones. Many irregular and redundant Verses, and more of an ill Sound and Cadence, are to be met with in his Poem; sometimes a considerable Number of them together. Whether This was Negligence in him, or Choice, I know not. Certain it is from the main Tenour of his Verification, than which nothing can be more heroically sonorous, that it was not Want of Ear, Genius, or Judgment. What is the true Cadence of an English Verse, is sufficiently known to the Ears of every one who has a Taste of Poetry. Sometimes it is not only allowable, but beautiful, to run into harsh, and unequal Numbers. Mr. Dryden himself does it; and we may be sure he knew when he did it, as well as we could tell him. In a Work intended for Pleasure, Variety justifies the Breach of almost any Rule, provided it be done but rarely. Among the Ancient Poets, what are many of those Figures (as we call them) both in Prosody, and Syntax, but so many Ways of making false Quantity, and false Grammar, for the sake of Variety? False, I mean, ordinarily speaking; for Variety, and That only, makes it elegant. Milton however has too much irregular Metre: But if his overruling Genius, and Merit might in Him authorize it, or at least excuse it; yet nobis non licet esse tam audacibus: especially when I am translating Virgil, the most exact, and accurate Versificator in the World: A Character, however, which he would not deserve (for the Reason just mentioned) were he not in some Verses irregular, and unaccurate. I am sure I have truly imitated him in That; I wish I may have done so in any thing else.

Two Things remain to be taken notice of, equally relating to Rhime, and Blank Verse. It is a known Fault in our Language, that it is too much crouded with Monosyllables: Yet some Verses consisting wholly of them sound well enough: However, the fewer we have of them, the better it is. I believe there are as few of them in this Translation as in any English Poem of an equal Length; which is all I shall say upon This Article.

The Other is the Elision of Vowels: Upon which, in my Opinion, the Criticks have ran into Extremes on both Sides. Mr. Dryden declares for it as a general Rule which he has observed without Exception, in his Translation of the Æneis;[22] and is utterly against a Vowel gaping after another for want of a Cesura, as he expresses himself. Another great Master and Refiner of our Language[23] is for very little, or no Abbreviation; if I do not mistake his Meaning. It is true, in the Letter, to which I refer, he instances only in cutting off the Vowel E at the End of our Participles ending in ed; but I presume his Argument is equally designed against the Elision of a Vowel before a Vowel in two different Words: And, if I do not forget, he has declared himself of That Opinion, when I have had the Honour and Pleasure of his most agreeable and instructive Conversation. But with humble Submission to both these great Men, the Elision seems sometimes proper, and sometimes not, in the Particle The; for upon That, and the Particle To, the Question chiefly turns; He, and She being but very rarely abbreviated by any tolerable Writer: And therefore Mr. Dryden expresses himself too much at large, when he speaks of Vowels in general. And when this Elision is proper, and when not, the Ear is a sufficient Judge. The French, we know, continually use it in their Le, and that in Prose, and common Discourse, as well as in Verse: L'Amour, L'Eternel, L'Invincible, &c. As also in their Pronouns, me, te, and se. In our English Poetry, I think it may be either, Th' Eternal, Th' Almighty; or The Eternal, The Almighty; but rather the former: It should be always, The Army, The Enemy; never Th' Army, or Th' Enemy. And so in other Instances: Of which the Ear (which by the way will never endure the Sound of Th' Ear) is always to be Judge. But of these Things too much.

The Kind of Verse therefore, which I have chosen, distinguishes this Translation from Those of Others, who have gone before me in this bold Undertaking: For I had never heard of Dr. Brady's Design, 'till long after This was in a great Forwardness. And His being not yet executed; He is not to be reckoned among my Predecessors: of whom I presume it is expected that I should now give some Account. When I say my Translation is thus distinguished from Those of Others, I speak of our own Countrymen; because Hannibal Caro's Italian Æneis is in Blank Verse, such as it is: For [24]Mr. Dryden's Character of it is a very true one; and I need not add any thing to it. Few Persons were ever more familiarly acquainted with the Æneis, had a truer Gust, and Relish of it's Beauties, or enter'd more deeply into the Sentiments, into the very Soul, and Spirit of it's Author, than Monsieur Segrais. His Preface is altogether admirable; and his Translation perhaps almost as good as the French Language will allow; which is just as fit for an Epic Poem, as an ambling Nag is for a War-Horse. It is indeed my Opinion of the French; that none write better of Poetry, and few (as to Metre) worse in it. Their Language is excellent for Prose; but quite otherwise for Verse, especially Heroic. And therefore tho' the Translating of Poems into Prose is a strange, modern Invention; yet the French Transposers are in the right; because their Language will not bear Verse. The Translation of the Æneis into Scotish Metre by Gawin Douglas Bishop of Donkeld, is said to be a very extraordinary Work by Those who understand it better than I do: There being added to it a long List of great Men, who give him a wonderful Character, both as an excellent Poet, and a most pious Prelate. What Mr. Pope says of Ogilby's Homer, may as well be apply'd to his Virgil, that his Poetry is too mean for Criticism. Mr. Dryden tells us, that no Man understood Virgil better than the Earl of Lauderdale; and I believe few did. His Translation is pretty near to the Original; tho' not so close, as it's Brevity would make one imagine; and it sufficiently appears that he had a right Taste of Poetry in general, and of Virgil's in particular. He shews a true Spirit; and in many Places is very beautiful. But we should certainly have seen Virgil far better translated by a Noble Hand; had the Earl of Lauderdale been the Earl of Roscommon; or had the Scotish Peer followed all the Precepts, and been animated with the Genius of the Irish.

But the most difficult, and invidious Part of my prefacing Task is yet to come. How could I have the Confidence to attempt a Translation of Virgil, after Mr. Dryden? At least to publish it; after Mr. Pope has in effect given us his Opinion before-hand, that such a Work must be unsuccessful to any Undertaker (much more to so mean a one, as I am) by declaring that He would never undertake it Himself? I do not say he makes That Inference; but if his Modesty would not suffer him to do it, his Merit must oblige others to do it for him. I so far agree with That most ingenious Gentleman, that Mr. Dryden's is, in many Parts, a noble, and spirited Translation; and yet I cannot, upon the Whole, think it a good one; at least, for Mr. Dryden. Not but that I think his Performance is prodigious, and exceedingly for his Honour, considering the little time he allowed himself for so mighty a Work; having translated not the Æneis only, but all Virgil's Poems in the Compass of three Years. Nobody can have a truer Respect for That great Man, than I have; or be more ready to defend him against his unreasonable Accusers; who (as Mr. Pope justly observes) envy, and calumniate him. But I hope I shall not be thought guilty of either (I am sure they are the Things of the World which I abhor) if I presume to say that his Writings have their dark, as well as their bright Side; and that what was said of somebody else may be as well applied to Him: Ubi bene, nemo melius; Ubi male, nemo pejus.

This may be affirmed of his Works in general; but I am now obliged to consider his Translation of the Æneis in particular. As he was the great Refiner of our English Poetry, and the best Marshaller of Words that our Nation had then, at least, produced; and all, who have followed him, are extremely indebted to him, as such: his Versification here, as every where else, is generally flowing, and harmonious; and a multitude of Beauties of all kinds are scattered through the Whole. But then, besides his often grosly mistaking his Author's Sense; as a Translator, he is extremely licentious. Whatever he alledges to the contrary in his Preface; he makes no Scruple of adding, or retrenching, as his Turn is best served by either. In many Places, where he shines most as a Poet, he is least a Translator; And where you most admire Mr. Dryden, you see least of Virgil. Then whereas my Lord Roscommon lays down this just Rule to be observed by a Translator with regard to his Author,

Fall, as he falls; and as he rises, rise:

Nothing being more absurd than for those two Counter-parts to be like a Pair of Scales, one mounting as the other sinks; Mr. Dryden frequently acts contrary to this Precept, at least to the latter Part of it: Where his Author soars, and towers in the Air, He often grovels, and flutters upon the Ground. Instances of all these Kinds are numerous. If I produce a few, it is not to detract from his Translation, in order to recommend my own: I detest That base Principle of little, and envious Spirits: And besides, I am sensible that it would be as foolish, as ungenerous: For of Mine, the World will, and ought to be judge, whatever I say, or think; and it's Judgment in these Matters is never erroneous. It is not therefore that I am acted by the Spirit of malevolent Criticism, or Criticism commonly so called; which is nothing but the Art of finding Fault: But I do it, partly to justify my Undertaking (tho' of a different Kind from His, which is what I chiefly insist upon) not to recommend my Performance; partly for the Instruction, and Improvement of my self, and others; for the sake of Truth, and true Criticism; that is, right, and impartial Judgment, joined with good Nature, and good Manners; prone to excuse, but not to falsify; and delighting to dwell upon Beauties, tho' daring to remark upon Faults.

Were we to make a few scattered Strictures upon the First Book only; we should observe that he leaves out a very material Word in the very first Line: And That too happens to be the Word First: As if That stood for Nothing, in Virgil's Verse; and as if First would not have stood as well as Forc'd in his own. Especially, since there are two Adjectives more of the same Signification [Expell'd, and Exil'd in the next Verse but one] agreeing with the same Substantive, all three to express the single Epithet Profugus: Which, by the way, is Tautology, and utterly unlike Virgil's Manner; who never says any thing in vain, and whose chief Beauty is Brevity. In the very next two Lines, Italiam, Lavinaque Littora are left out; tho' necessary to the Design of the Poem: Not to mention his strange Transposing of sævæ memorem Junonis ob iram. V. 28. Long cited by the People of the Sky, is entirely added. As is, V. 41. Electra's Glories, and her injur'd Bed; and the two following Lines. The Addition of three Verses together is too much in all Reason. V. 66. Then as an Eagle grasps the trembling Game, is wholly his own. And so is V. 107, 108. The charming Daughters of the Main Around my Person wait, and bear my Train. V. 144, 145.——Whose dismember'd Hands yet bear The Dart aloft, and clench the pointed Spear. As there is no Hint of This in Virgil; so I doubt it is not Sense in it self. For how the Hand of a Body, which has been dead seven Years, can hold a Spear aloft, I cannot imagine. V. 220. And quenches their innate Desire of Blood. This is not only added; but too gross, and horrid for Virgil's Meaning in that Place. V. 233. After, Two Rows of Rocks (which, by the way, is no Translation of geminique minantur in cœlum scopuli) the next Words are totally omitted; Quorum sub vertice late Æquora tuta silent. V. 459. Then on your Name shall wretched Mortals call, is not included in Multa tibi ante aras nostra cadet hostia dextra. He is speaking of himself, and his Friends in particular; not of wretched Mortals in general; of Thanksgiving, not of Prayer. V. 886.——You shall find, If not a costly Welcome, yet a kind, is no more in Virgil, than it is like his Stile. But as for the Flatnesses, and low prosaick Expressions, which are not a few, and which even the Rhime neither covers, nor excuses; I will for several Reasons forbear to transcribe any of them. These Errata which I have mentioned in the First Book only, (and there are in it many more such, which I have not mentioned) are either in adding to, or curtailing, or mistaking the Sense of the Original.

But upon the Article of adding to his Author, and altering his Sense, there is one Fault in Mr. Dryden which is not to be pardoned. I mean when he does it directly contrary not only to the Sense, but to the Temper and Genius of his Author; and that too in those Instances which injure him not only as a good Poet, but as a good Man. As Virgil is the most chaste, and modest of Poets, and has ever the strictest Regard to Decency; after the Prayer of Iarbas to Jupiter in the Fourth Book, he proceeds thus:

Talibus orantem dictis, arasque tenentem Audiit omnipotens; oculosque ad mœnia torsit Regia, & oblitos famæ melioris amantes.

What could be more well-mannered, more delicate, and truly Virgilian, than the Sweetness, and Softness of that remote, insinuating Expression, oblitos famæ melioris amantes? For this Piece of a Verse Mr. Dryden gives us Three entire ones; which I will not transcribe. The two first are totally his own; and to One who is not himself insensible of Shame, those fulsom Expressions must be very nauseous. Part of the last Verse indeed is Virgil's; and it comes in strangely, after the odious Stuff that goes before it. If Virgil can be said to be remarkable for any one good Quality more than for Modesty, it is for his awful Reverence to Religion. And yet, as Mr. Dryden represents him describing Apollo's Presence at one of his own Festivals, he speaks Thus; Book iv. V. 210.

Himself, on Cynthus walking, sees below The merry Madness of the sacred Show.

Virgil says, He walks on the Top of Cynthus; That's all: The rest is Mr. Dryden's. And it is exactly of a Piece with a Passage in the Third Georgick; in which, without any sort of Provocation, or the least Hint from his Author, He calls the Priest the Holy Butcher. If Mr. Dryden took Delight in abusing Priests, and Religion; Virgil did not. It is indeed wonderful that a Man of so fine, and elevated a Genius, and at the same time of so good a Judgment, as Mr. Dryden certainly was, could so much as endure those clumsey Ideas, in which he perpetually rejoices; and that to such a degree, as to thrust them into Translations, contrary not only to the Design, and Meaning, but even to the Spirit, and Temper, and most distinguishing Character of his Author. Thus in his Translation of the last Lines of Homer's First Iliad he describes the Gods, and Goddesses as being drunk; and that in no fewer than three Verses, and in some of the coarsest Expressions that our Language will admit of: Whereas the Original gives not the least Intimation of any such thing; but only says that they were sleepy, and went to bed. And therefore here again I cannot be of Mr. Pope's Opinion, that it is a great Loss to the Poetical World that Mr. Dryden did not live to translate the Iliad. If we may judge of what the Whole would have been by the Specimen which he has left us; I think it was a Gain to the Poetical World that Mr. Dryden's Version did not hinder us from Mr. Pope's. Which may be said, without any great Compliment to the latter.

As to the Instances of Mr. Dryden's sinking, where his Author most remarkably rises, and being flat where his Author is most remarkably elegant; they are many: But I am almost tired with Quotations; quite tired with such invidious ones, as these are; it being (as I said) much more agreeable to my Temper to remark upon Beauties, than upon Faults, and Imperfections; especially in the Works of great Men, who (tho' they may have written many things not capable of being defended, yet) have written many more, which I can only admire, but do not pretend to equal. And That is the present Case. I shall therefore mention but one Example of this Kind; And it is the unutterable Elegancy of these Lines in the Fourth Book, describing the Scrietch-Owl:

Solaque culminibus, ferali carmine bubo Sæpe queri, & longas in fletum ducere voces.

How is This translated in the following Verses? Or rather is it translated at all?

——With a boding Note The solitary Scrietch-Owl strains her Throat; And on a Chimney's Top, or Turret's height, With Songs obscene disturbs the Silence of the Night.

To produce more Instances would be needless; because One general Remark supersedes them all. It is acknowledged by every body that the First Six Books in the Original are the best, and the most perfect; but the Last Six are so in Mr. Dryden's Translation. Not that even in These Virgil properly sinks, or flags in his Genius; but only he did not live to correct them, as he did the former. However, they abound with Beauties in the Original; and so indeed they do in the Translation, more, as I said, than the First Six: Which is visible to any one that reads the Whole with Application.

I observed in the last place, that where Mr. Dryden shines most, we often see least of Virgil. To omit many other Instances, the Description of the Cyclops forging Thunder for Jupiter, and Armour for Æneas, is elegant, and noble to the last degree in the Latin; and it is so to a very great degree in the English. But then is the English a Translation of the Latin?

Hither the Father of the Fire by Night Thro' the brown Air precipitates his Flight: On their eternal Anvils here be found The Brethren beating, and the Blows go round.

Our Language, I think, will admit of few things more truly Poetical, than those four Lines. But the two first are set to render

Huc tunc Ignipotens cœlo descendit ab alto.

There is nothing of cœlo ab alto in the Version; nor of by Night, brown Air, or precipitates his Flight in the Original. The two last are put in the room of

Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in antro, Brontesque, Steropesque, & nudus membra Pyracmon.

Vasto in antro in the first of these Lines, and the last Line entirely are left out in the Translation. Nor is there any thing of eternal Anvils (I wish there were) or here be found, in the Original: And the Brethren beating, and the Blows go round, is but a loose Version of Ferrum exercebant. Much the same may be said of the whole Passage throughout; which will appear to Those who compare the Latin with the English. In the whole Passage Mr. Dryden has the true Spirit of Virgil; but he would have had never the less of it, if he had more closely adhered to his Words, and Expressions.

Sometimes he is near enough to the Original; And tho' he might have been nearer, he is altogether admirable, not only as a Poet, but as a Translator. Thus in the Second Book;

Pars ingentem formidine turpi Scandunt rursus equum, & nota conduntur in alvo. And some, oppress'd with more ignoble Fear, Remount the hollow Horse, and pant in secret there.

And in the Twelfth, after the last Speech of Juturna;

Tantum effata, caput glauco contexit amictu, Multa gemens, & se fluvio Dea condidit alto. She drew a length of Sighs; no more she said, But with her azure Mantle wrap'd her Head; Then plung'd into her Stream with deep Despair, And her last Sobs came bubbling up in Air.

Tho' the last Line is not expressed in the Original, yet it is in some measure imply'd; and it is in it self so exceedingly beautiful, that the whole Passage can never be too much admired. These are Excellencies indeed; This is truly Mr. Dryden. Si sic omnia dixisset, tho' he had approached no nearer to the Original than This; my other Criticisms upon his Translation had been spared. And after all, I desire that Mine, being in a different sort of Verse, may be considered as an Undertaking of another kind, rather than as an Attempt to excel His. For tho' I think even That may very well be done; yet I am too sensible of my own Imperfection, to presume to say it can be done by Me. I have nothing to plead, besides what I have already alledged, in Excuse of my many, and great Faults, in the Execution of This bold Design; but that I was drawn into it, not by any Opinion of my Abilities to perform it, but by the inexpressible Passion which I have always had for this incomparable Poet. With a View to whom, I will here insert a noble Stroke out of my Lord Roscommon's excellent Essay on Translated Verse: Which, I think, is proper to stand in This Place, both as a Conclusion of my Preface, and as a Kind of Poetical Invocation to my Work:

Hail mighty MARO! May That sacred Name Kindle my Breast with Thy celestial Flame; Sublime Ideas, and apt Words infuse: The Muse instruct my Voice, and THOU inspire the Muse.

FOOTNOTES:

Transcriber's Notes

Spelling: English spelling in the 18th century had many differences from present-day spelling, and most of the spelling has therefore been retained without alteration.

The following may also be correct, and have been retained: "Excrescencies" (Preface p. xiii), "it self" (Preface p. xvii), "w'on't" (Preface p. xxvii), "encountring" (Preface p. xliv, a quotation from Milton PL Book 6), "forreign" (Preface p. xlviii), "litteral" (Preface p. xv), "Scotish" (Preface p. xlviii), "grosly" (Preface p. xlix).

The spelling "Aeneid" is standard in the Introduction, and the spelling "Æneid" is standard in the Preface.

The following more obvious typos have been amended: "parishoners" to "parishioners" (Introduction p. iv) "mnch" to "much" (Preface p. xlv line 14) "Transprosers"; to "Transposers"; (Preface p. xlviii line 23)

Missing period has been inserted on the following pages in the Preface: p. xv (after "rest are Episodes"), p. xlii (after "Vertue to break it"), and p. l (after "Erroneous").

Footnotes 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15 in the Preface have been particularly difficult to decipher.

Missing period has been added at the end of footnotes 5, 11, 15 and 19.

Incorrectly placed breathings and diacritics on diphthongs in the Greek text have been correctly placed.

Inconsistent positioning of footnote numbers has been retained.