He from thick films fhall purge the visual ray, 8 In adamantine chains fhall death be bound, Shall finish what his fhort-liv'd fire begun ; Their vines a fhadow to their race fhall yield, 65 And the fame hand that fow'd, fhall reap the field. See lillies fpring, and fudden verdure rise; Ver. 67. The fwain in barren defarts, &c.] Virg. E. 4. ver. 28. Molli paulatim flavefcit campus arifta, Incultifque rubens pendebit fentibus uva, Et duræ quercus fudabunt rofcida mella.. The fields fhall grow yellow with ripen'd ears, and the red grape fhall bang upon the wild brambles, and the hard oaks fhall diftill honey like der. Ifaiah, ch. xxxv. ver. 7. The parched ground shall become a pool,. and the thirty land fprings of water: In the babitations where dragons lay, fhall be grafs, and reeds, and rushes. Ch. lv. ver. 13. Instead of the thorn fhall come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar fhall come up the myrtle-tree. 8. Ch. xxv. ver. 8. ver. 6. 9 Ch. xl. ver. 1I.` 11 Ch. ii. ver. 4. 13 Ch. xxxv. ver. 1, 7. The green reed trembles, and the bulrush nods. And starts, amidst the thirsty wilds to hear 70 Waste fandy 14 vallies, once perplex'd with thorn, The leaflefs fhrubs the flow'ry palms fucceed, 75 And od❜rous myrtle to the noisom weed. The 15 lambs with wolves fhall graze the verdant mead, Pleas'd the green luftre of the scales survey, And with their forked tongue fhall innocently play. See, a long 18 race thy fpacious courts adorn; See future fons, and daughters yet unborn, Ver. 77. The lambs with wolves, &c.] Virg. E. 4. v. 21. Ipfæ lacte domum referent diftenta capellæ 85 Ubera, nec magnos metuent armenta leones---- Occidet The goats fhall bear to the fold their udders diftended with milk: nor Pall the herds be afraid of the greatest lions. The ferpent shall die, and the berb that conceals poison shall die. Ifaiah, ch. xi. ver. 16, &c. The wolf fhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard fhall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child fhall lead them And the lion fhall eat firaw like the ox. And the fucking child fhall play on the kole of the afp, and the weaned child fhall put his hand on the den of the cockatrice. Ver. 85. Rife, crown'd with light, &c.] The thoughts of Ifaiab, which compofe the latter part of the poem, ate wonderfully elevated, and much above those general exclamations of Virgil, which makes the loftieft parts of his Pollio. Magnus ab integro fæclorum nafcitur ordo! incipient magni procedere menfes ! Afpice, venturo latentur ut omnia fæclo! &c. The reader need only turn to the paffages of Isaiah, here cited. 14 Ch. xli. ver. 19. and Ch. Iv. ver. 13. 16 Ch. lxv. ver. 25. 15 Ch. xi. ver. 6, 7, 8. 17 Ch. lx. ver. 1. 18 Ch. lx. ver. 4. In crouding ranks on ev'ry fide arise, Demanding life, impatient for the skies! Walk in thy light, and in thy temple bend; And heap'd with products of 20 Sabaan Springs! See thy bright altars throng'd with proftrate kings,. 95 And feeds of gold in Ophyr's mountains glow. Thy realm for ever lafts, thy own Meffiab reigns! 100 105 21 Ch. lx. ver. 20. 更更更更更 斑斑斑 T CHA P. XII. Of the EPISTLE. HIS fpecies 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 ftill to confider that the true character of the Epiftle is eafe and elegance; nothing therefore fhould be forced or unnatural, laboured, or affected, but every part of the compofition breathe an eafy, polite, and unconttrained freedom. It is fuitable to every fubject; for as the Epiftle takes place of difcourfe, and is intended as a fort of diftant converfation, all the affairs of life and researches into nature may be introduced. Those however which are fraught with compliment or condolence, that contain a defcription of places, or are full of pertinent remarks, and in a familiar and humourous way defcribe the manners, vices, and follies of mankind are the best; because they are most suitable to the true character of Epiftolary writing, and (business fet apart) are the ufual fubjects upon which our letters are employ'd. All farther rules and directions are unneceffary, for this kind of writing, is better learned by example and practice, than by precept. We fhall therefore in conformity to our plan select a few Epiftles 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 defcription of the curiofities and places about Rome, together with fuch reflections on the inestimable bleffings of liberty, as muft give pleasure to every Englishman, especially when he fees them thus placed in direct oppofition to the baneful influences of flavery and oppreffion which are ever to be seen among the miserable inhabitants of thofe countries. A Letter from Italy to the Right Honourable Charles Lord While you, my lord, the rural fhades admire, For wherefoe'er I turn my ravish'd eyes, To view the Nar, tumultuous in his courfe, Through the long windings of a fruitful fhore, O'er the warm bed of smoking fulphur glide. (Dumb are their fountains and their channels dry) Yet run for ever by the mufe's skill, And in the smooth description murmur still. And the fam'd river's empty fhores admire, With fcorn the Danube and the Nile furveys; Oh cou'd the mufe 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 fhould yield to mine! See how the golden groves around me smile, That fhun the coafts of Britain's ftormy ifle, Or when tranfplanted and preferv'd with care, Curfe the cold clime, and ftarve in northern air. Here kindly warinth their mounting juice ferments To nobler tastes, and more exalted scents: |