He most judiciously leaves out

dos, l. 1:

excellent Translation. that Hemistick, volvuntur sydera lapsu, the place whereof is Achillei(perhaps from Statius) supply'd with parea muto il mondo. mutumque Yet on the other hand, here seems to be some superfluity ample5 of Fish: those in the Sea and those at the bottom of the Lakes orbem. are more by half than Virgil, or perhaps than Tasso, had occasion for in this place.

But that we may have something new from the Italians on this Subject, Marino has taken care in his Adonis, 10 Canto 13:

15

25

Notte era, allhor che dal diurno moto

Ha requie ogni pensier, tregua ogni duolo;
L'onde giacean, tacean zefiro e Noto,
E cedeva il quadrante a l'horiuolo,
Sopra l'huom la fatica, il pesce il nuoto,
La fera il Corso, e l'augelletto il volo,
Aspettando il tornar del novo lume

Tra l'alghe, o tra rami, o su le piume.

In these we have more of the fancy than of the judgment, 20 variety of matter rather than exquisite sense. Marino is perfectly himself throughout; the thoughts diurnal motion, I fear, will scarce pass for a very pathetical expression, nor will it satisfie that he makes Zephyrus and the Southwind silent; if he particularize these, he should also name the rest, otherwise the East-wind and Boreas have leave to bluster. But, above all, he tells us that the Clocks have got the better of the Sun-dials. A thought purely New and strangely Heroick! What could come more sudden or surprising? In the latter part of the Stanza we have 30 some strokes of Ariosto, but far more lame and imperfect than the original. Neither ought he in this place to speak of any expecting the return of the light; omnia noctis erant.

But I hasten to the French, amongst whom none more eminent than Chapelain, nor was ever a Poem of greater 35 expectation. His description is thus:

ctitur

Cependant la nuit vole & sous son aile obscure
Invite a sommeiller l'agissante Nature.

Dans les plaines des airs tient les vents en repos,
Et sur les champs salez fait reposer les flots.
A tout ce qui se meut, à tout ce qui respire,
Dans les prés, dans les bois le repos elle inspire ;
Elle suspend par tout les travaux & les bruits,
Et par tout dans les cœurs assoupit les ennuis.
Charles seul esveillé-

5

This description is perfect French. There is scarce any 10 coming at a little sense, 'tis so encompassed about with words. What Virgil or Tasso would have dispatch'd in half a Verse, here fills out the measures of two whole Alexandrins.

Some Caviller would object, That since the Night flies, 15 there is little sleep to be got under her wing, unless for such as can walk in their sleep. And that the Night might have spared this invitation, seeing those she invites are asleep already: Charles alone is awake, and for that reason was the onely thing fit to be invited; and doubtless the 20 Night was as free of her invitation to him as to any others; 'twas his fault that he had no stomack to 't. And here is much power given to the Night which she has no claim or title to: 'tis not the Night that makes the Waves and Winds and all the things that move and breath in Meads 25 and Woods to repose. She onely invites them to sleep, and it is sleep that makes them rest. In the space of four lines, we meet with repos, reposer, repos, which argue the language very barren, or else the Poet extremely negligent, and a lover of repose. He tells us that the Night inspires 30 repose. But certainly motion is a more likely thing to be inspired than rest, as more properly the effect of breath.

But without examining this further, let us try if Le Moyne (whom our Critick prefers before all others of the French Epick Poets) be more fortunate:

35

ΙΟ

Cependant le soleil se couche dans son lit,
Que luymesme de pourpre & de laque embellit:
Et la nuit qui survient aussi triste que sombre,
De toutes les couleurs ne fait qu' une grand'ombre.
Aveque le sommeil le silence la suit,

L'un amy du repos, l'autre ennemy du bruit:
Et quoique sous leur pas la tempeste se taise,
Quoique le vent s'endorme & que l'onde s'appaise.
(St. Louys.)

Here again are words in abundance. He cannot tell us that 'tis Midnight till he first have informed us that the Sun is gone to Bed, to a fine Bed of his own trimming; and this is matter enough for the first two Verses. Then we are told that the Night of all Colours makes but one great shade, 15 and this suffices for the second Couplet. Aussi triste que sombre is an expression the French are so delighted with, they can scarce name any thing of Night without it. The third Couplet is much-what as in a Bill of fare:

20

25

30

35

Item-Beef and Mustard,

That Friend to th' Stomach, this a Foe to th' NoseThe second line in both being alike impertinent.

Any further Reflections, or more examples, would be superfluous. What has been noted rather concerns the Niceties of Poetry than any the little trifles of Grammar. We have seen what the noblest Wits, both ancient and modern, have done in other languages, and observ'd that in their very Master-pieces they sometimes trip, or are however liable to Cavils. It now remains that our English be expos'd to the like impartial Censure.

All things are hush'd, as Nature's self lay dead:
The Mountains seem to Nod their drowsie head,
The little Birds in dreams their Songs repeat,
And sleeping flowers beneath the Night-dew sweat:
Even Lust and Envy sleep.

(In the Conquest of Mexico.) In this description, four lines yield greater variety of

matter and more choice thoughts than twice the number of any other Language. Here is something more fortunate than the boldest fancy has yet reached, and something more just than the severest reason has observed. Here are the flights of Statius and Marino temper'd with a more 5 discerning judgment, and the judgment of Virgil and Tasso animated with a more sprightly Wit. Nothing has been said so expressive and so home in any other Language as the first Verse in this description. The second is Statius improv❜d.

IO

Et simulant fessos curvata cacumina somnos, Saith Statius, where simulant is a bold word in comparison of our English word seem, being of an active signification; and cacumina may as well be taken for the tops of Trees as the tops of Mountains, which doubtful meaning 15 does not so well content the Reader as the certainty.

In the third Verse, 'tis not said that the Birds sleep, but what is more new and more Poetical, their sleep is imply'd by their dreams. Somewhat like to the Fourth we have in

Marino:

E languidetti i fiori

Giaceano a l'herba genitrice in seno.

(Adonis, Canto 20.)

20

Which is a pretty image, but has not so near a resemblance with truth, nor can so generally be apply'd to 25 all flowers. Our Author here dares not say directly that the flowers sleep, which might sound a little harsh, but slurs it over in the participle as taken for granted, and affirms only that they sweat, which the Night-dew makes very easie.

30

In the last Half-verse, we may see how far our Author has out-done Apollonius. 'Twas no such strange thing in the sorrowful Woman, when she had spent her tears, for sleep to close her eyes; but here we have the most raging and watchful passions, Lust and Envy. And these, too, 35

instead of the lustful and the envious, for the greater force and emphasis in the abstract.

Some may object, That the third Verse does contradict the first. How can all things be hush'd, if Birds in dreams 5 repeat their Songs? Is not this like the indiscretion of Marino, who says, That the Winds and all things are husht, and the Seas so fast asleep that they snore. (Canto 20.)

It may be answer'd, That in this place 'tis not the Poet that speaks, but another person; and that the Poet here To truly represents the nature of man, whose first thoughts break out in bold and more general terms, which by the second thoughts are more correct and limited. As if one should say all things are silent or asleep; however, if there is any noise, 'tis still but the effect of sleep, as the dreams 15 of Birds, &c. This comparison might be much further improved to our advantage, and more observations made, which are left to the Readers ingenuity.

II. FROM THE TRAGEDIES OF THE LAST AGE
CONSIDER'D AND EXAMIN'D BY THE PRAC-
TICE OF THE ANCIENTS AND BY THE
COMMON SENSE OF ALL AGES

1678

ΤΟ

Fleetwood Shepheard, Esq;

Aving several mornings, and early, travell'd to St. James's, with the only design of being with you, 20 and missing you as often, I became so mortifi'd with the misfortune that I resolv'd to come into the Town no more till assur'd of your return from Copt-Hall; but because I meant not altogether to kill my self, for my entertainment