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"of a woman, is of few days, and full of "trouble."* And, in the same style, says Homer,

- Δυσηνοισι μετ' ἀνδρασι,

Ου μεν γαρ τι πε ἐσιν δϊζυρώτερον ἀνδρος,
Πανίων όσσα τε γαιαν ἐπιπνειες τε και έρπει.†

That is "With the miserable race of "men;-for there is nothing more wretch"ed (full of trouble) than man, of all that 'breathe and move upon the earth.”

"To every thing," says Solomon, "there "is a season; a time to keep silence, and a "time to speak." Homer has the same reflection, in almost the same words:

Ωρη μεν πολεων μυθεων, ὥρη δε και ὑπνε.

The Psalmist describes the concord of

* Job, ch. v. ver. 7. and ch. xiv. ver. 1.

+ Iliad, xvii. v. 445.

Eccles. ch. iii. ver. 1. and 7.

§ Odyss. xi. v. 378.

brethren, by the following very beautiful images:-" Behold! how good and pleasant "it is for brethren to dwell in unity; it is "like the dew of Hermon, and as the dew "that descendeth on the mountains of "Zion."*

Homer, on a kindred subject, the reconciliation of Menelaus and Antilochus, describes the emotions of the former, by images similar to those of the King of Israel:

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That is:" And his mind was gladdened,

"as when the dew moistens the ears of the

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Numberless other parallelisms, both of thought and expression, occurring in the

* Psalm cxxxiii.

† Iliad, xxiii. v. 597.

sacred scriptures, and in the more ancient Greek writers, might be produced, in which there can be no suspicion of imitation, but which naturally arise, from the similarity of the objects, and of the circumstances which are described. To seize the distinguishing traits of external nature, and of human character, is the high privilege of genius. It is of little consequence whether the poet be of Syria, or of Greece, or of the Highlands of Scotland; he will stamp the character of his genius on the scenes and events which he describes, and they will come forth from his brain, clothed with the drapery and colouring which belong to them.

SECTION VI.

Particular Examination of Mr Laing's alleged Imitation of ancient and modern Authors.-Addresses to the Sun, Moon, and Evening Star.-Imitations of Pope, Job.-Maxims of the Highlanders concerning the Course of Human Affairs.— Imitations, continued in Mr Laing's Order, of Virgil, Catullus, Homer, Milton.

WHEN we turn our attention from these parallelisms, of which the resemblance is so close and striking, and which can be thus easily accounted for, to the vague similarities, adduced by Mr Laing, between certain passages of Ossian, and of the ancient or modern classics, we cannot help perceiving a forced adaptation of images and expressions, which either have nothing in common be

tween them, or which may be easily accounted for, on the principles which I have endeavoured to establish.

Where, even supposing Mr Macpherson's translation to be just, is the resemblance between Ossian's "Loveliness was around her "as light; her steps were the music of songs," and Milton's

"Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, "In every gesture dignity and love,"

except the single term "steps?"-let any eye or ear judge concerning farther resemblance.

Did we not know Mr Laing to be serious, it would seem, that he had intended a burlesque upon criticism, when he maintains, that the

"Seu solvit crines, fusis decet esse capillis"

of Tibullus, which, literally, is:-" If she

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