He from thick films shall purge the visual ray, In & adamantine chains shall death be bound, 10 Feeds from his hand, and in his bosom warms; Ver. 67. The frwain in barren defarts, &c.] 40 45 50 55 69 65 The fields shall grow yellow with ripen'd ears, and the red grape shal! bang upon the wild brambles, and the hard oaks shall diftill honey like dew. Isajah, ch. xxxv. ver. 7. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: In the babitations where dragons lay, shall be grass, and reeds, and rushes. Ch. lv. ver. 13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle-tree. 8. Ch. xxv. ver. 8. ver. 6. 10 Ch. ix. 12 Ch. lxv, ver. 21, 22. 9 Ch. xl. ver. 11. 11 Ch. ii, ver. 4. 13 Ch. xxxv. ver. 1, 7. And starts, amidst the thirsty wilds to hear 70 The spiry fir and shapely box adorn; The leafless shrubs the flow'ry palms succeed, 75 And od'rous myrtle to the noisom weed. The 15 lambs with wolves shall graze the verdant mead, And boys in flow'ry bands the tyger lead! The steer and lion at one crib shall meet And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim's feet. 80 The smiling infant in his hand shall take The crested bafilisk and speckled snake, Pleas'd the green lustre of the scales survey, And with their forked tongue shall innocently play. 85 Exalt thy tow'ry head, and lift thy eyes! See, a long 18 race thy spacious courts adorn ; Ver. 77. The lambs with wolves, &c.] Virg. E. 4. v. 21. Ipfæ lacte domum referent distenta capellæ Ubera, nec magnos metuent armenta leones---- The goats shall bear to the fold their udders distended with milk: nor shall the berds be afraid of the greatest lions. The ferpent shall die, and the berb that conceals poison shall die. And the Ifaiah, ch. xi. ver. 16, &c. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together: and a little child shall lead them lion shall eat firaw like the ox. And the fucking child shall play on the kole of the afp, and the weaned child shall put bis band on the den of the cockatrice. Ver. 85. Rife, crown'd with light, &c.] The thoughts of Ifaiab, which compose the latter part of the poem, ate wonderfully elevated, and much above those general exclamations of Virgil, which makes the loftiest parts of his Pollie. Magnus ab integro fæclorum nafcitur ordo ! - - toto furget gens aurea mundo! incipient magni procedere menfes ! Afpice, venturo latentur ut omnia fæclo! &c. The reader need only turn to the passages of Ifaiab, here cited. 14 Ch. xli. ver. 19. and Ch. lv. ver. 13. 16 Ch. lxv. ver. 25. 17 Ch. lx. ver. 1. 15 Ch. xi. ver. 6, 7, 8. 18 Ch. lx. ver. 4. In crouding ranks on ev'ry side arise, Demanding life, impatient for the skies! See barbarous 19 nations at thy gates attend, See thy bright altars throng'd with prostrate kings, And heap'd with products of 20 Sabean springs! For thee Idume's spicy forests blow, 95 And feeds of gold in Ophyr's mountains glow, 100 105 21 Ch. lx. ver. 20. T CHAP. XII. Of the EPISTLE. HIS species of writing, if we are permitted to lay down rules from the examples of our best poets,. admits of great latitude, and folicits ornament and decoration; yet the poet is still to consider that the true character of the Epistle is ease and elegance; nothing therefore should be forced or unnatural, laboured, or affected, but every part of the composition breathe an easy, polite, and unconstrained freedom. It is suitable to every subject; for as the Epistle takes place of discourse, and is intended as a sort of diftant conversation, all the affairs of life and researches into nature may be introduced. Those however which are fraught with compliment or condolence, that contain a description of places, or are full of pertinent remarks, and in a familiar and humourous way describe the manners, vices, and follies of mankind are the best; because they are most suitable to the true character of Epistolary writing, and (business set apart) are the usual subjects upon which our letters are employ'd. All farther rules and directions are unnecessary, for this kind of writing, is better learned by example and practice, than by precept. We shall therefore in conformity to our plan select a few Epistles for the reader's imitation; which, as this method of writing has of late much prevailed, may be best taken perhaps, from our modern poets. The following letter from Mr. Addison to lord Halifax, contains an elegant description of the curiosities and places about Rome, together with such reflections on the inestimable blessings of liberty, as must give pleasure to every Englishman, especially when he sees them thus placed in direct opposition to the baneful influences of slavery and oppression which are ever to be seen among the miferable inhabitants of those countries. A Letter from Italy to the Right Honourable Charles Lord Halifax, in the Year 1701. By Mr. ADDISON. While you, my lord, the rural shades admire, And from Britannia's public posts retire, For wheresoe'er I turn my ravish'd eyes, To view the Nar, tumultuous in his course, Fir'd with a thousand raptures I survey Sometimes, misguided by the tuneful throng, I look for streams immortaliz'd in fong, That lost in filence and oblivion lie, (Dumb are their fountains and their channels dry) Yet run for ever by the muse's skill, And in the smooth description murmur still. Sometimes to gentle Tiber I retire, And the fam'd river's empty shores admire, That deftitute of strength derives its course From thirsty urns, and an unfruitful source; Yet fung fo often in poetic lays, With scorn the Danube and the Nile surveys; So high the deathless muse exalts her theme! Such was the Boyn, a poor inglorious stream, That in Hibernian vales obfcurely stray'd, And unobserv'd in wild Meanders play'd; Till by your lines and Nassau's sword renown'd; Its rifing billows through the world resound. Where'er the hero's godlike acts can pierce, Or where the fame of an immortal verse. Oh cou'd the muse my ravish'd breast inspire With warmth like yours, and raise an equal fire, Unnumber'd beauties in my verse should shine, And Virgil's Italy should yield to mine! See how the golden groves around me smile, That shun the coasts of Britain's stormy isle, Or when transplanted and preserv'd with care, Curse the cold clime, and starve in northern air. Here kindly warinth their mounting juice ferments To nobler tastes, and more exalted scents : |