LUCRETIUS, agreeably to his uncom fortable fyftem, has prefented us with a different, and more horrid picture of this ftate of nature. The calamitous condition of man is exhibited by images of much energy, and wildness of fancy. - Sæcla ferarum Infeftam miferis faciebant fæpe quietem : He represents afterwards fome of these wretched mortals mangled by wild beafts, and running distracted with pain through the woods, with their wounds undreffed and putrifying: At quos ettugium fervârat, corpore adefo, Pain is forcibly expreffed by the action defcribed in the fecond line, and by the epithet tremulas. * Lib. y. ver. 991. 39. The 39. The fhrine with gore unftain'd, with gold undreft, Unbrib'd, unbloody, stood the blameless priest *. THE effect of alliteration is here felt by the reader. But at what period of time could this be juftly faid, if we confider the very early inftitution of facrifice, according to the fcripture-account of this venerable rite? 40. Ah! how unlike the man of times to come! OVID, on the fame topic, has nothing fo manly and emphatical. "Hears the general groan," is nobly expreffed, and the circumftance of betraying his own fpecies, is an unexpected and striking addition to the foregoing fentiment. Thomson has enlarged on this doctrine, with that tenderness and humanity for which he was 10 justly beloved, in his Spring, at verse three hundred and thirty. Our poet afcribes the violence of the paffions to the use of animal food. * Ep. iii. 156. + Ep. iii. 161. 11 4 But But just disease to luxury fucceeds, And every death its own avenger breeds *. 41. Thus then to man the voice of nature spake, "Go from the creatures thy inftructions take; THE prosopopœia is magnificent, and the occafion important, no less than the origin of the arts of life. NATURE is perfonified alfo by Lucretius, and introduced fpeaking with fuitable majesty and elevation; she is chiding her foolish and ungrateful children for their vain and impious difcontent. Quid tibi tantopere 'ft, mortalis, quod nimis ægris Luctibus indulges? quid mortem congemis, ac fles?— Aufer abhinc lacrymas, barathro et compefce querelas, THERE is an authoritative air in the brevity of this fentence, as also in the concluding line of her speech; and particularly in the very laft word. " Æquo animoque, agedum, jam aliis concede:neceffe 'ft ." * Ver. 165. † Ep. iii. ver. 171. Lib. iii. ver. 975. 42. Thy 42. Thy arts of building from the bee receive, Learn of the mole to plow, the worm to weave THE Romans have left us fcarcely any piece of poetry fo ftriking and original, as the beginning and progress of arts at the end of the fifth book of Lucretius +. I shall at prefent confine myself to transcribe his beautiful account of the rife of mufic. At liquidas avium voces imitarier ore Ante fuit multo, quam lævia carmina cantu Concelebrare homines poffent, aureifque juvare. Et zephyri cava per calamorum fibila primum Agreftes docuere cavas inflare cicutas. Inde minutatim dulceis didicere querelas, Tibia quas fundit digitis pulfata canentum, Avia per nemora, ac fylvas faltusque reperta, Per loca paftorum deferta, atque otia dia ‡. 43. He from the wond'ring furrow call'd the food, Taught to command the fire, controul the flood, Draw forth the monsters of th' abyfs profound, Or fetch the aerial cagle to the ground § * Ver. 175. + The Perfians, it is faid, diftinguish the different degrees of the ftrength of fancy in different poets, by calling them, painters or Sculptors. Lucretius, from the force of his images, fhould be ranked among the latter. He is, in truth, a scULPTOR-POET. His images have a bold relief. ↑ Lib. v. ver. 1378. § Ver. 219. A FINER ftile *. A FINER example can perhaps fcarce be given of a compact and comprehensive The manner in which the four elements were fubdued is comprised in thefe four lines alone. POPE is here, a Quintilian fays of another, denfus et brevis et inftans fibi. There is not an useless word in this paffage; there are but three epithets, wondering, profound, aerial; and they are placed precifely with the very fubftantive that is of moft confequence: if there had been epithets joined with the other fubftantives, it would have weakened the nervousness of the fentence. This was a fecret of verfification POPE well underftood, and hath often practifed with peculiar fuccefs. 44. Who first taught souls enflav'd, and realms undone, Th' ENORMOUS faith of many made for one †. "QUAND les fauvages de la Louisiane veulent avoir du fruit, ils coupent l'arbre We have here what Dionyfius fays of Alcaus, du MOTA SELOTHO, "Sweetnefs with ftrength." Edit. Sylburg, p. 69. tom. ii. + Ver. 241. au |