All this may be; the People's Voice is odd, 90 But let them own, that greater Faults than we 95 They had, and greater Virtues, I'll agree. i Spenfer himself affects the Obfolete, And Sydney's verse halts ill on 1 k Roman feet: Milton's ftrong pinion now not Heay'n can bound." Now Serpent-like, in profe he fweeps the ground, In Quibbles, Angel and Archangel join, And God the Father turns a school-divine. 101 " Not that I'd lop the Beauties from his book, But for the Wits of either Charles's days, In the dry desert of a thousand lines, 110 Or lengthen'd Thought that gleams through many a page, Indignor quidquam reprehendi, non quia craffe Compofitum, illepideve putetur, fed quia nuper; Nec veniam antiquis, fed honorem et praemia posci. 'Recte néone crocum florefque perambulet Attac Fabula, fi dubitem; clamant periisse pudorem Cuncti pene patres: ea cum reprehendere çoner, Quae gravis Aefopus, quac doctus Rofcius egit. Vel quia nil rectum, nifi quod placuit fibi, ducunt; Vel quia turpe putant parere minoribus, et, quae Imberbi didicere, fenes perdenda fateri... Jam Saliare Numae carmen qui laudat, et illud, Quod mecum ignorat, folus vult scire videri ; Ingeniis non ille favet plauditque fepultis, Noftra fed impugnat, nos noftraque lividus odit. * Quod fi tam Graecis novitas invifa fuiffet, Quam nobis ; quid nunc effet vetus! aut quid haberet, Qyod legeret tereretque viritim publicus ufus? V21. 119. On Avon's bank,] At Stratford in Warwickshire, where Shakespear had his birth. The thought of the Original is here infinitely improved. Perambulet is a low allufion to the name and imperfections of Atta, 115 'I lose my patience, and I own it too, When works are cenfur'd, not as bad but new; One Tragic fentence if I dare deride, t Which Betterton's grave action dignify'd, Or well-mouth'd Booth with emphasis proclaims. (Tho' but, perhaps, a mufter-roll of Names) How will our Fathers rife úp in a rage, And fwear, all fhame is loft in George's Age! 120 125 You'd think no Fools difgrac'd the former reign, W Extols old Bards, or Merlin's Prophecy, 135 VER. 124. A mußter-roll of Names,] An abfurd cuftom of feveral Actors, to pronounce with emphafis the meer Proper Names of Greeks or Romans, which (as they call it) fill the mouth of the Player. VER. 129—130.] Inferior to the original: as VER. 133~4. excel it, Quod cupide petiit, mature plena reliquit. Quid placet, aut odio eft, quod non mutabile credas? Hoc paces habuere bonae, ventique fecundi. VER. 142. A Verfe of the Lord Lanfdown. - VER. 143. In Horsemanship t'excèl, And ev'ry flow'ry Courtier writ Romance.] The Duke of Newcastle's book of Horsemanship: the Romance of Parthenissa, by the Earl of Orrery, and most of the French Romances translated by Perfons of Quality VIR. 149. Lely on animated Canvas fiole-The fleepy Eye, etc.] Or what remain'd, fo worthy to be read y In Days of Eafe, when now the weary Sword Was fheath'd, and Luxury with Charles reftor'd; 140 In ev'ry tafte of foreign Courts improv'd, "All, by the King's Example, liv'd and lov'd." Then Peers grew proud in Horfemanship t' excell, The Soldier breath'd the Gallantries of France, 145 150 The sleepy Eye, that spoke the melting foul. This was the Characteristic of this excellent Colourist's expreffion; who was an exceflive Manierest. VER. 1:3. On each enervate firing, etc.] The Siege of Rhodes, by Sir William Davenant, the firft Opera sung in England. |