and elegance than the most applauded fonnet of the politeft French marquis that ever rhymed. However indelicate I may be efteemed, I freely confefs I had rather fit in the grotto of Calypfo, than in the most pompous faloon of Louis XV. The tea and the cardtables can be introduced with propriety and fuccefs only in the mock heroic, as they have been very happily in the Rape of the Lock; but the prefent modes of life must be forgotten, when we attempt any thing in the serious or fublime poetry; for heroifm difdains the luxurious refinements, the falfe delicacy and state of modern ages. The primeval, I was about to fay, patriarchal fimplicity of manners difplayed in the Odyffey, is a perpetual fource of true poetry, is inexpreffibly pleafing to all who are uncorrupted by the bufinefs and the vanities of life, and may therefore prove equally inftructive and captivating to younger readers,

It feems to be a tenet univerfally received among common critics, as certain and indifputable, that images and characters of peaceful and domeftic life are not fo difficult to be drawn as pictures of war and fùry. I own myfelf of a quite contrary opinion, and think the defcription of Andromache parting with Hector in the Iliad, and the tender circumstance of the child Aftyanax ftarting back from his father's helmet, and clinging to the bofom of his nurfe, are as great efforts of the imagination of Homer, as the dreadful picture of Achilles fighting with the rivers, or dragging the carcafs of Hector at his chariotwheels the behaviour of Hecuba, when the points to the breast that had fuckled her dear Hector, is as finely conceived as the moft gallant exploits of Dio

mede and Ajax the natural is as strong an evidence of true genius as the fublime. It is in fuch images. the Odyffey abounds; the fuperior utility of which, as they more nearly concern, and more strongly affect us, need not be pointed out. Let Longinus admire the majefty of Neptune whirling his chariot over the deep, furrounded by fea monsters that gambolled before their king; the defcription of the dog Argus, creeping to the feet of his master, whom he alone knew in his difguife, and expiring with joy for his return, is fo inexpreffibly pathetic, that it equals, if not exceeds any of the magnificent and bolder images which that excellent critic had produced in his treatise on the fublime. He justly commends, the prayer of Ajax, who, when he was furrounded with a thick darkness that prevented the difplay of his prowefs, begs of Jupiter only to remove the clouds that involved him; "and "then," fays he, "deftroy me if thou wilt in the day

light;" in de pàu na But furely the reflections which Ulyffes makes to Amphinomus, the moft virtuous of the fuitors, concerning the mifery and vanity of man, will be found to deferve equal commendations, if we confider their propriety, folemnity, and truth. Our hero, in the difguife of a beggar, had just been spurned at and ridiculed by the rest of the riotous loyers, but is kindly relieved by Amphinomus, whofe behaviour is finely contrafted to the brutality of. his brethren. Upon which Ulyffes fays, "Hear me, "O Amphinomus! and ponder the words I fhall speak 66 unto thee. Of all creatures that breathe or creep upon the earth, the most weak and impotent is man. "For he never thinks that evils fball befal him at "another feafon, while the gods

bestow on him

"ftrength and happiness. But when the immortal "Gods afflict him with adverfity, he bears it with "unwillingness and repining. Such is the mind of "the inhabitants of earth, that it changes as Jupiter "fends happiness or mifery. I once numbered my felf "among the happy, and elated with profperity and "pride, and relying on my family and friends, com "mitted many acts of injustice. But let no man be “proud or unjust, but receive whatever gifts the gods "bestow on him with humility and filence." I chofe to tranflate this fententious paffage as literally as polfible, to preferve the air of its venerable fimplicity and Ariking folemnity. If we recollect the fpeaker, and the occafion of the speech, we cannot fail of being deeply affected. Can we therefore forbear giving our affent to the truth of the title which Alcidamas, ac.. cording to Aristotle in his rhetoric, bestows on the Odyffey; who calls it "a beautiful mirror of human * life, καλοι ανθρωπινε βιε κατοπτρον.

Homer, in the Iliad, refembles the river Nile, when it defcends in a cataract that deafens and astonishes the neighbouring inhabitants. In the Odyffey, he is ftill like the fame Nile, when its genial inundations gently diffufe fertility and fatnefs over the peaceful plains of Egypt.

No. LXXXI. Tuesday, August 14. 1753.

Nil defperandum.

Avaunt despair.

Hor.

I HAVE fometimes heard it difputed in converfation, whether it be more laudable or defirable, that a man should think too highly or too meanly of himfelf: it is on all hands agreed to be beft, that he should think rightly: but fince a fallible being will always make fome deviations from exact rectitude, it is not wholly useless to inquire towards which fide it is fafer to decline.

The prejudices of mankind feem to favour him who eris by under-rating his own powers: he is confidered as a modeft and harmlefs member of fociety, not likely to break the peace by competition, to endeavour after fuch fplendour of reputation as may dim the luftre of others, or to interrupt any in the enjoyment of themfelves; he is no man's rival, and therefore may be every man's friend.

The

The opinion which a man entertains of himself ought to be distinguished, in order to an accurate dif cuffion of this question, as it relates to perfons or to things. To think highly of ourselves in comparison with others, to affume by our own authority that pre. cedence which none is willing to grant, must be always invidious and offenfive; but to rate our powers high in proportion to things, and imagine ourselves equal to great undertakings, while we leave others in poffeffion of the fame abilities, cannot with equal juf tice provoke cenfure.

It must be confeffed, that felf-love may difpofe us to decide too hastily in our own favour: but who is hurt by the mistake? If we are incited by this vain opinion to attempt more than we can perform, ours is the labour, and ours is the difgrace.

But he that dares to think well of himfelf, will not always prove to be mistaken; and the good effects of his confidence will then appear in great attempts and great performances: if he should not fully complete his defign, he will at leaft advance it fo far, as to leave an easier tafk for him that fucceeds him; and even though he fhould wholly fail, he will fail with honour.

But from the oppofite error, from torpid defpondency, can come no advantage; it is the froft of the foul, which binds up all its powers, and congeals life in perpetual fterility. He that has no hopes of fuccefs, will make no attempts; and where nothing is attempted, nothing, can be done.

Every man fhould, therefore, endeavour to maintain in himself a favourable opinion of the powers of the human mind; which are perhaps, in every man, greater than they appear, and might, by diligent culti