musicæ numeros poeticæ temere cadentes, ut taceam denique genuinas illas et quasi jam modo spirantes vitæ imagines, quæ quidem efficiunt, ut vix prima facie opinemur scenam earundem in sæculo perinde remoto fuisse repræsentatam, atque nobiscum magis ipsi cogitantes sentimus. Una porro objectio non est silentio prætereunda; quippe crimini in universo pene orbe Christiano ducitur hisce poetis, nimiam in inhonestis rerum ideis excogitandis licentiam nimiamque in eisdem exprimendis obscoenitatem affectasse. Sed tamen est certum quid respondeam. Se quando parva blanditiarum suarum quasi stratagemata explicantes, tali verborum usi sunt delectu, qualem religiosa dedignaretur morum simplicitas, ortam inde tamen vitiosam oblectationem omnem non singulari cuidam turpitudini ab his unice affectatæ, sed communi potissimum atque effrænatæ illius, in qua viguere, ætatis licentiæ attribuere nos debere contendo. Siquidem ejusdem reum criminis agimus Horatium; habere certe debemus confitentem reum. Porro autem ipse Virgilius, cujus ad cœlos tollitur modestia, multa in Bucolicis scripsit, quæ apud nos lasciva atque ab honestate remota ponuntur. Ne plura-totum argumentum hæc unica consideratio determinat. Qui animum bonis et intaminatis vitæ institutis retinet imbutum, ille cum hisce authoribus facillime versari poterit, omnis expers periculi contagionis. Atque quantum ad eos spectat, quorum improbitas superat ingenium, (execrabilius autem accidere fatuo nihil potest) illi proprii, et insensati quidem vitii tempestate abrepti, aras focosque et res omnes quam maxime sacras, nequissimi cujusque facinoris perpetrandi gratia, pro TRANSLATION. ness in love, what kindness to relations, what instances of all the social virtues do we not meet with in their writings! Not to mention a thousand ornaments of wit, a wonderful sweetness, and easy cadence in their numbers, and so true a picture of life, that one can scarce fancy the scene to lie at the distance it is placed. There is one objection which I must not pass over, and that is generally charged upon these poets; I mean, their too great licence and obscenity in their ideas and language. To this I would reply, that if upon some occasions they seem not to have been very scrupulous about the terms they made use of in communicating their amorous adventures, it ought not to be imputed to a scandalous singularity in them, but to the common indulgence of the age in which they flourished. Horace must plead guilty to the same indictment. Nay, Virgil himself, as applauded as he is for modesty, has left many expressions in his Eclogues that might be argued of wantonness. After all, the whole matter will turn upon this single point. A person whose principles are uncorrupted may freely converse with these authors without danger of infection: and for such who have more wickedness than wit, (the greatest curse that can befall a fool,) their senseless vice will sternunt. At quandoquidem omnia horum poetarum carmina, uti erant primitus et Latine scripta, tuto et sine labe legi queant; singula tamen, salva morum pietate, Anglice reddi posse minime contendo. Sed quum multa possint, dolendum videtur linguam Anglicanam non perfrui pluribus quippe quæ ditiorem redderent sermonem nostrum, atque pleniorem dulcium varietate imaginum, quæ æque sunt innocuæ, atque sunt suaves. Qui vero hujusce operis provinciam in se susceperint, illi profecto desudabunt, cum novos passim invenient labores ex crebris clausulis ad ritualem religionis cultum et superstitiosa quælibet dogmata alte respicientibus oriundos. Hisce exemplis abundant ea Carmina, in quibus reperitur maxima vis libidinis; nempe lasciviæ lenocinari superstitio jugiter solet. Quantum autem ad illa attinet, quæ non indecora tralatione digna sunt, ea quidem omnia, paucis illustrata commentariis, non solum erunt intellectu facilia, verum etiam lectoribus mere Anglicanis magnam afferent voluptatem. TRANSLATION. tempt them to pervert even the most sacred things to the vilest purposes. However, though all their poems may be read in the originals with safety, I do not pretend to say they can all be translated with decency. But since many of them may, it is pity, I think, we have not more of them in English, to enrich our language with a variety of pleasing images that are as innocent as they are delightful. There is one difficulty that will still lie upon the hands of any who shall undertake this work, and this ariseth from their frequent allusions to the ceremonies and notions of their religion. Instances of this abound even in those copies of their verses that are writ the most in the spirit of lewdness (as superstition hath ever been an especial bawd to lust). But for all such as are proper to be translated, they may be rendered by a few explanatory notes not only intelligible, but very entertaining to a mere English reader. IN LAUDEM DOMINI PARKERI.1 QUANDOQUIDEM ad boni principis officium nihil magis pertinet, quàm ut amplissimas reipublicæ dignitates viris de PREAMBLE TO LORD PARKER'S PATENT. As it is the duty of a good prince to confer the highest dignities of the state upon those who have done the most eminent services In Mr. Hughes's correspondence (vol. ii. p. 79) will be found a very courteous and complimentary letter to Lord Chancellor Parker, for patria optumè merentibus impertiatur, prædilectum et perquamfidelem consiliarium nostrum Thomam Parkerum militem, et capitalem in banco regio justiciarium, procerum nostrorum numero adscribi volumus, qui in honorum fuga, pari studio usus est, quo plures, in eorum petitione, uti solent; nec, ulla sua opera titulos sibi acquisivit, nisi quòd illos meruerit. Egregiam hanc optimi civis modestiam efflagitatione nostra vincendam duximus, nè ab arduis curia patricia negotiis diutiùs se retraheret, malo publico verecundus. Præclaræ, quibus fruitur, animi dotes, et omnimodo tum rerum tum scientiarum peritia, quæ, ut vitam in otio elegantèr et jucundè agere et posset et mallet, effecere, quo minùs ita ageret, dudum impedierunt. Summam in senatu, summam in foro laudem sibi comparavit. Gravissimo seni Johanni Holt militi, capitali in banco regio justiciario, successor constitutus est, utpote qui tanti muneris dignitatem ritè sustineret, tanti viri levaret desiderium. Ibi, difficillimis temporibus, cum jus nostrum in regni hu TRANSLATION. to their country, We have determined to advance to the degree of peerage our well-beloved and faithful counsellor, Sir Thomas Parker, knight, Chief Justice of the King's Bench; who has hitherto as industriously declined honours as others are wont to solicit them; and has had no part in the acquisition of a title, but deserving it. This modesty of so good a subject, however commendable in itself, We have thought fit to over-rule by Our express commands, that it should no longer withhold him from the important services of the House of Peers, nor continue to be indulged to the prejudice of the public. His eminent endowments of mind, with his extensive knowledge and learning, which have put it in his power and in his wishes to pass his time in the pleasures of an elegant and retired life, have been the very means which have hindered his doing so. After having arrived at the highest reputation of a lawyer and senator, he was, upon the death of that valuable person Sir John Holt, appointed Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, as one fully qualified to support the dignity of so weighty a charge, and to alleviate the loss of so great a man. In that station, at a juncture when Our succession to this Crown was most endangered, he promoted the cause of Our family, and warding a copy of his "Ode to the Creator of the World," which he says was published by Tonson, 1713, at the particular instance of Mr. Addison, "for whose judgment I know your Lordship has a very just esteem." jusce successionem periclitaretur, domus nostræ adeòque populi Brittannici causam strenuè promovit, majori fortitudine an justitia incertum ; cavitque nè impunè leges partibus nostris faventes impugnarent mali, neu cum periculo boni vindicarent. Nec majorem officii auctoritate in negotiis publicis reverentiam, quàm morum suavitate in quotidiana vitæ consuetudine omnium sibi gratiam conciliavit: fælix meritò habendus, cui ista contigerit animi æquabilitas, quæ sicuti civem maxumè exornat, ita in primis commendat judicem. Neque ea quæ inter mortalium laudes præcipuum locum obtinet, et quæ illum sibi nobisque paritèr reddit acceptiorem silentio prætereunda est, sincera erga Deum pietas, singulari erga homines benevolentiæ conjuncta. Hunc talem virum, ut litibus intersit supremo foro dirimendis judex integerrimus; ac in legibus ferendis eodem loco, versetur, quo in explicandis sæpe sibi gloriam adeptus est; optimatum nostrorum ordini admovendum curavimus. TRANSLATION. therein of the British nation, with equal justice and fortitude; and took effectual care that it should not be safe for ill men to attack those laws which were made in Our behalf, nor dangerous for good men to defend them. If he has made himself venerable by the authority of his office in public affairs, he has made himself no less amiable by the sweetness of his behaviour in all the ordinary and familiar intercourses of life; being blessed with that evenness of temper, which, as it adorns the private man, so in a peculiar manner it recommends the judge. Nor must we omit that which is the greatest of all human praises, and which renders him more acceptable both to himself and Us, a sincere piety towards God, joined with an exemplary benevolence towards men. A person of this character, We have thought fit to make a Peer of Our Realm; that a Judge, who has so long acted with the greatest integrity, may have a voice in that Court which is the last resource of justice, and share in the making of laws where he has so often gained himself a reputation in the explaining of them. ORATIO. NOVA PHILOSOPHIA VETERI PRÆFERENDA EST.1 QUOUSQUE veterum vestigiis serviliter insistemus, Academici, nec ultra patres sapere audebimus! Quousque antiquitatis ineptias, ut senum deliria nonnulli solent, religiose venerabimur? Pudeat sane, dum tam præclarum ætatis hujusce specimen coram oculis præsens intuemur, ad antiquos encomia nostra transferre, et inter priora sæcula quos celebremus sedulo investigare. Satis superque veteri Philosophiæ concessum est, quod Stagyrite laudibus theatrum toties sonuit Sheldonianum, quod ille vel Alexandro suo major in scholarum rostris tam AN ORATION, IN DEFENCE OF THE NEW PHILOSOPHY.2 SPOKEN IN THE THEATRE AT OXFORD, JULY 7, 1693, BY MR. ADDISON. Translated from the Latin by Richard Rawlinson, LL. D. How long, gentlemen of the University, shall we slavishly tread in the steps of the ancients, and be afraid of being wiser than our ancestors? How long shall we religiously worship the triflings of antiquity, as some do old wives' stories? It is indeed shameful, when we survey the great ornament of the present age,3 to transfer our applauses to the ancients, and to take pains to search into ages past for persons deserving of panegyric. The ancient philosophy has had more allowed than it could reasonably pretend to; how often has Sheldon's theatre rung with Encomia on the Stagyrite, who, greater than his own Alexander, has long, unopposed, triumphed in our schooldesks, and had the whole world for his pupils. At length ■ Vid. Theatri Oxoniensis Encænia, sive Comitia Philologica, Julii 7, 1693, celebrata. This Oration, as well as Dr. Rawlinson's translation, was first printed by Curll in Lit. Cor. vol. iv. 1736, then by Cogan in Addison's Miscellaneous Works, 1750, and lastly, as far as we know, at the end of an edition of Fontenelle's Plurality of Worlds, Lond. 1757. Sir David Brewster quotes it at large in his recent Life of Sir Isaac Newton, vol. i. p. 334. 3 Newton. |