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"aures.

Otho was advancing against him: "Age"batur huc illuc Galba, vario turbæ fluc"tantis impulsu, completis undique ba"silicis et templis lugubri prospectu. Neque populi aut plebis ulla vox; sed "attoniti vultus, et conversæ ad omnia Non tumultus, non quies; sed "quale magni metus, et magnæ iræ, si"lentium est*." No image in any poet is more strong and expressive than this last stroke of the description: "Non tumultus, "non quies, sed quale," &c. This is a conception of the sublime kind, and discovers high genius. Indeed, throughout all his works, Tacitus shews the band of a master. As he is profound in reflection, so he is striking in description, and pathetic in sentiment. The philosopher, the poet, and the historian, all meet in him. Though the period of which he writes may be reckoned unfortunate for an historian, he has made it afford us many interesting exhibitions of human nature. The relations which he gives of the deaths of se⚫veral eminent personages, are as affecting as the deepest tragedies. He paints with a glowing pencil; and possesses beyond all writers, the talent of painting, not to the imagination merely, but to the heart, With many of the most distinguished beauties, he is, at the same time, not a perfect model for history; and such as have formed themselves upon him, have seldom been successful. He is to be admired, rather than imitated. In his reflections he is too refined; in his style too concise, sometimes quaint and affected, often abrupt and obscure. History seems to require a more natural, flowing, and popular manner. Blair.

§ 123. On the Beauty of Epistolary
Writings.

Its first and fundamental requisite is, to be natural and simple; for a stiff and la boured manner is as bad in a letter as it is in conversation. This does not banish sprightliness and wit. These are graceful in letters, just as they are in conversation: when they flow easily, and without being studied; when employed so as to season, not to cloy. One who, either in conversation or in letters, affects to shine and to sparkle always, will not please long. The

style of letters should not be too highly polished. It ought to be neat and correct, but no more. All nicety about words, betrays study; and hence musical periods, and appearances of number and harmony in arrangement, should be carefully avoided in letters. The best letters are commonly such as the authors have written with most facility. What the heart or the imagination dictates, always flows readily; but where there is no subject to warm or interest these, constraint appears; and hence those letters of mere compliment, congratulation, or affected condolence, which have cost the authors most labour in composing, and which, for that reason, they perhaps consider as their master-pieces, never fail of being the most disagreeable and insipid to the readers. Ibid.

§ 124. Ease in writing Letters must not degenerate to carelessness.

It ought, at the same time, to be remembered, that the ease and simplicity which I have recommended in epistolary correspondence, are not to be understood as importing entire carelessness. In writing to the most intimate friend, a certain degree of attention, both to the subject and the style, is requisite and becoming. It is no more than what we owe both to ourselves, and to the friend with whom we correspond. A slovenly and negligent manner of writing, is a disobliging mark of want of respect. The liberty, besides, of writing letters with too careless a hand, is apt to betray persons into imprudence in what they write. first requisite, both in conversation and correspondence, is to attend to all the proper decorums which our own character, and that of others demand. An imprudent expression in conversation may be forgotten and pass away; but when we take the pen into our hand, we must remember, that " Litera scripta manet." Ibid.

The

§ 125. On PLINY's Letters. Pliny's Letters are one of the most celebrated collections which the ancients have given us, in the epistolary way. They are elegant and polite; and exhibit a very pleasing and amiable view of the author.

• "Gaiba was driven to and fro by the tide of the multitude, shoving him from place to place. "The temples and public buildings were filled with crowds, of a dismal appearance. No clamours "were heard, either from the citizens, or from the rabble. Their countenances were filled with "consternation; their ears were employed in listening with anxiety. It was not a tumult; it was "not quietness; it was the silence of terror, and of wrath."

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But, according to the vulgar phrase, they
smell too much of the lamp. They are
too elegant and fine; and it is not easy to
avoid thinking, that the author is casting
towards the Public, when he is ap-
eye
pearing to write only for his friends. No-
thing indeed is more difficult, than for an
author, who publishes his own letters, to
divest himself altogether of attention to the
opinion of the world in what he says; by
which means, he becomes much less agree-
able than a man of parts would be, if, with-
out any constraint of this sort, he were wri-
ting to his intimate friend.

Blair.

published in Mr. Pope's works, and partly
in those of Dean Swift. This collection
is, on the whole, an entertaining and agree-
able one; and contains much wit and in-
genuity. It is not, however, altogether
free of the fault which I imputed to Pliny's
Epistles, of too much study and refinement.
In the variety of letters from different per-
sons, contained in that collection, we find
many that are written with ease, and a
beautiful simplicity. Those of Dr. Ar-
buthnot, in particular, always deserve that
praise. Dean Swift's also are unaffected;
and as a proof of their being so, they ex-
hibit his character fully, with all its defects;
though it were to be wished, for the honour
of his memory, that his epistolary corre-
spondence had not been drained to the
dregs, by so many successive publications,
as have been given to the world. Several
of Lord Bolingbroke's, and of Bishop At-
terbury's Letters, are masterly. The cen-
sure of writing letters in too artificial a
manner, falls heaviest on Mr. Pope himself.
There is visibly more study and less of na-
ture and the heart in his letters, than in
those of some of his correspondents. He
had formed himself on the manner of Voi-
ture, and is too fond of writing like a wit.
His letters to ladies are full of affectation.
Even in writing to his friends, how forced
an introduction is the following, of a letter
to Mr. Addison "I am more joyed at

§ 126. On CICERO's Letters. Cicero's Epistles, though not so showy as those of Pliny, are, on several accounts, a far more valuable collection; indeed, the most valuable collection of letters extant in any language. They are letters of real business, written to the wisest men of the age, composed with purity and elegance, but without the least affectation; and, what adds greatly to their merit, written without any intention of being published to the world. For it appears that Cicero never kept copies of his own letters; and we are wholly indebted to the care of his freedman Tyro, for the large collection that was made after his death, of those which are now extant, amounting to near a thousand*. They contain the most authentic materials of the history of that age; and are the last monuments which remain of Rome in its free state; the greatest part of them being written during that important crisis, when the republic was on the point of ruin; the most interesting situation, perhaps, which is to be found in the affairs of mankind. To his intimate friends, especially to Atticus, Cicero lays open himself and his heart with entire freedom. In the course of his correspondence with others, we are introduced into acquaintance with several of the principal personages Rome; and it is remarkable that most of Cicero's correspondents, as well as himself, are elegant and polite writers; which serves to heighten our idea of the taste and manners of that age.

Ibid.

of

§ 127. On POPE's and SWIFT's Letters.
The most distinguished collection of let-
ters in the English language, is that of Mr.
Pope, Dean Swift, and their friends; partly

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your return, than I should be at that of "the Sun, as much as I wish for him in "this melancholy wet season; but it is his "fate too, like yours, to be displeasing to "owls and obscene animals, who cannot "bear his lustre." How stiff a compliment is it, which he pays to Bishop Atterbury: "Though the noise and daily "bustle for the public be now over, I dare say, you are still tendering its welfare;

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as the Sun in winter, when seeming to "retire from the world, is preparing "warmth and benedictions for a better "season. This sentence might be tolerated in an harangue; but is very unsuitable to the style of one friend correspondIbid. ing with another.

§ 128. On the Letters of BALZAC, VOITURE, SEVIGNE; and Lady MARY WORTLEY Montague.

The gaiety and vivacity of the French genius appear to much advantage in their * See his letter to Atticus, which was written a year or two before his death, in which he tells him, in answer to some enquiries concerning his epistles, that he had no collection of them, and that Tyro had only about seventy of them.-Ad ATT. 16, 5.

letters, and have given birth to several agreeable publications. In the last age, Balzac and Voiture were the two most celebrated epistolary writers. Balzac's reputation indeed soon declined, on account of his swelling periods and pompous style. But Voiture continued long a favourite author. His composition is extremely sparkling; he shews a great deal of wit, and can trifle in the most entertaining manner. His only fault is, that he is too open and professed a wit, to be thoroughly agreeable as a letter-writer. The letters of Madame de Sevignè are now esteemed the most accomplished model of a familiar correspondence. They turn indeed very much upon trifles, the incidents of the day, and the news of the town; and they are overloaded with extravagant compliments, and expressions of fondness, to her favourite daughter; but withal, they shew such perpetual sprightliness, they contain such easy and varied narration, and so many strokes of the most lively and beautiful painting, and perfectly free from affectation, that they are justly entitled to high praise. The letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montague are not unworthy of being named after those of Mad. de Sevigne. They have much of the French ease and vivacity, and retain more the character of agreeable epistolary style, than perhaps any letters which have appeared in the English language.

Blair.

§ 129. Lyric Poetry. On PINDAR.

Pindar, the great father of lyric poetry, has been the occasion of leading his imitators into some defects. His genius was sublime; his expressions are beautiful and happy; his descriptions picturesque. But finding it a very barren subject to sing the praises of those who had gained the prize in the public games, he is perpetually digressive, and fills up his poems with fables of the gods and heroes, that have little connection either with his subject, or with one another. The ancients admired him greatly; but as many of the histories of particular families and cities, to which he alludes, are not unknown to us, he is so obscure, partly from his subjects, and parly from his rapid, abrupt manner of treating

them, that, notwithstanding the beauty of his expression, our pleasure in reading him is much diminished. One would imagine, that many of his modern imitators thought the best way to catch his spirit, was to imitate his disorder and obscurity. In several of the choruses of Euripides and Sophocles, we have the same kind of lyric poetry as in Pindar, carried on with more clearness and connection, and at the same time with much sublimity. Ibid.

§ 130. On HORACE, as a Lyric Poet.

Of all the writers of odes, ancient or modern, there is none that, in point of correctness, harmony, and happy expression, can vie with Horace. He has descended from the Pindaric rapture to a more moderate degree of elevation; and joins connected thought, and good sense, with the highest beauties of poetry. He does not often aspire beyond that middle region, which I mentioned as belonging to the ode; and those odes, in which he attempts the sublime, are perhaps not always his best. The peculiar character, in which he excels, is grace and elegance; and in this style of comopsition, no poet has ever attained to a greater perfection than Horace. No poet supports a moral sentiment with more dignity, touches a gay one more happily, or possesses the art of trifling more agreeably, when he chooses to trifle. His language is so fortunate, that with a single word or epithet, he often conveys a whole description to the fancy. Hence he has ever been, and ever will continue to be, a favourite author with all persons of taste. Ibid.

§ 131. On CASIMIR, and other modern Lyric Poets.

Among the Latin poets of later ages, there have been many imitators of Horace. One of the most distinguished is Casimir, a Polish poet of the last century, who wrote four books of odes. In graceful ease of expression, he is far inferior to the Roman. He oftener affects the sublime; and in the attempt, like other lyric writers, frequently becomes harsh and unnatural. But, on several occasions, he discovers a considerable degree of original genius, and

* There is no ode whatever of Horace's, without great beeuties. But though I may be singular in my opinion, I cannot help thinking that in some of those odes which have been much admired for sublimity (such as Ode iv. Lib. iv. "Qualem ministrum fulminis alitem, &c.") there appears somewhat of a strained and forced effort to be lofty. The genius of this amiable poet shews itself according to my judgment, to grcater advantage, in themes of a more temperate kind.

poetical fire. Buchanan, in some of his lyric compositions, is very elegant and

classical.

Among the French, the odes of Jean Baptiste Rousseau have been much and justly celebrated. They possess great beauty, both of sentiment and expression. They are animated, without being rhapsodical; and are not inferior to any poetical productions in the French language.

In our own language, we have several lyric compositions of considerable merit. Dryden's Ode on St. Cecilia, is well known. Mr. Gray is distinguished in some of his odes, both for tenderness and sublimity; and in Dodsley's Miscellanies, several very beautiful lyric poems are to be found. As to professed Pindaric odes, they are, with a few exceptions, so incoherent, as seldom to be intelligible. Cowley, at all times harsh, is doubly so in his Pindaric compositions. In his Anacreontic odes, he is much happier. They are smooth and elegant; and, indeed, the most agreeable and the most perfect, in their kind, of all Mr. Cowley's poems. Blair.

§ 132. On POLITIAN and MURETUS, two elegant Writers of modern Latin. [In a Letter in answer to Inquiries concerning their Characters.]

One of the brightest luminaries which shone forth at the revival of learning was Politian. A slight knowledge of the Greek was in his age a great and rare attainment. He not only understood the language so as to read it, but to compose in it. As a grammarian, as an orator, as a poet, he has been an object of general admiration. Genius he undoubtedly possessed in a degree superior to the laborious scholars of his times; but his poetry is, notwithstanding, greatly defective. In fire he abounds; but he is wanting in judgment and in art. There are many fine lines in his Rusticus; and the diction is throughout remarkably splendid, though not always purely classical. The Latin poets of this period were not, indeed, so careful of the classical purity of their style as of harmony and brilliancy. Several of of Politian are florid to excess, poems and far beyond that boundary which Augustan taste so finely delineates.

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When we consider the state of literature at this early season, we must allow that great applause which has been paid to such writers as Politian justly due. They were under the necessity of breaking

through a thick cloud of ignorance; and they had to contend with the rude taste of their age before their writings could gain attention. Under every difficulty, they arrived, by the extraordinary efforts of emulation and genius, at a degree of excellence which greatly resembled that of the models selected by them for imitation.

The Greek verses which he wrote at a very early age are highly commended. He prefixed the age at which he wrote them. Scaliger says he need not have done this; for they are so excellent, that even his Latin verses, which he wrote when a man, are by no means equal to his juvenile compositions in the Greek language.

The Letters of Politian are indisputably elegant; but they are not without their faults. The style is sometimes too elevated and oratorical. For the sake of introducing a favourite phrase, he often goes too far out of his way, and overburthens the sense and the expression by a redundancy of words.

With all his faults, I must confess I have read him with great pleasure. There is a charm in true genius which compensates defects, and often conceals them.

Politian's real name was Bassus. The adoption of names entirely new, was, at one time, not uncommon. Thus the real name of Erasmus was Gerard. There was, perhaps, some degree of blameable ostentation in assuming the appellations of Desiderius and Erasmus, both of which, according to their respective etymology, signify the amiable or the desirable. Politian's adopted name was also chosen with a view to convey a favourable idea of his character. It is not improbable that it was thought to express, what, indeed, its derivation may intimate, a polished taste and understanding.

It is remarkable of Muretus, another elegant Latinist of Modern ages, that he acquired a perfect knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages, in the latter of which he wrote most elegantly, without an instructor.

He composed various critical and poetical works; but his orations have always been celebrated as his best productions. They are, indeed, formed on the pattern of Cicero; they are written in a rapid and flowing style, and are not destitute of judicious observations. But, with respect to his diction, it must be said of him, that

he is less careful in the selection than in the disposition of words. This defect arose from a blameable precipitation, of which authors have sometimes been vain. We are told that Muretus never transcribed any of his writings; that he scarcely ever read his productions twice; that he seldom made a change of interpolation, and still less frequently a blot. This may account for his faults, but it cannot excuse them. It is an insult on mankind to present them with a work less perfect than the author might have rendered it. Haste and carelessness have often been avowed by writers who wished to exalt the general opinion of their abilities; but they have usually, and as they deserved, lost that lasting and undiminished reputation which they might have enjoyed. While an author lives, prejudice and party may support his fame; but when he is dead, these soon subside, and his real merit alone can preserve him from oblivion. Maretus has been justly and severely censured for having bestowed praises on the execrable massacre at Paris on St. Bartholomew's day.

He imitates Cicero; but, like a servile imitator, he imitates that which was least beautiful in his model. The very diffuse style of the Roman is still more diffuse in the orations of Muretus. The Asiatic manner, even in its best state, is not agreeable to a correct taste. It prevented the works of the greatest orator whom the world ever saw from being universally admired; and, when it is presented to the reader with aggravated deformity, it can scarcely be rendered tolerable by any concomitant beauties.

The Epistles of Muretus, though often elegant, are improperly written in the oratorical rather than in the epistolary style. He seems to have studied and admired the Orations of Cicero more than his Epistles.

Muretus has been greatly commended for his poetry. Scævola Sammarthanus says of him, that Catullus is not more like himself than he to Catullus. I have not been able to discover any peculiar grace, either of sentiment or style, in the few little poems which remain on sacred subjects. But there are several on other occasions which are very pleasing, and far surpass, in classical purity and in sentiment, most of the Latin compositions of the age of Muretus. In the very pretty epitaph on Raphael there is a manifest

impropriety in representing the painter as praising himself in the highest style of commendation.

The verses entitled Tibur are pleasing. The prologue to Terence's Phormio is easy and elegant. The Institutio Puerilis was intended to be no more than useful. The whole collection will furnish entertainment to him who has formed a taste for modern as well as ancient Latin poetry. Catullus and Tibullus were evidently his patterns; but Rapin thinks, that by an excessive affectation of fine latinity, his odes are rendered stiff and unnatural.

It is true that there are many succeeding writers who have excelled Muretus both in verse and prose; but his real excellencies, and the great reputation he has possessed, will justly render him an object of attention to him who, from his love of letters, becomes interested in the works of all who have contributed to advance their progress. Knox's Essays.

§ 133. On PHILELPHUS and THEODORE GAZA, polite Scholars of the Fifteenth Century.

Though the admirer of elegant letters will find his sweetest, most solid, and most constant pleasures of the learned kind, in the writings of the Augustan age; yet he will often feel his curiosity powerfully excited, and amply rewarded, by those among the revivers of learning who are distinguished by the politeness of their literary accomplishments. I was lately amusing myself in this pleasant walk of classical literature, when I accidentally met with the Epistles of Philelphus. Though they were not without a few expressions which mark the barbarism of his times, they possess a considerable share of elegance, and partake much of the graces which shine so agreeably in the epistles of Pliny and Cicero.

Philelphus was born at Tolentino, in Italy, in the year 1398; a very early period for so uncommon an instance of proficiency. He died at Florence in 1480, after having filled a long life with the Let it be most laborious application. remembered, that printing was unknown at that time, and that not only the books which were composed, but which were also read, were often painfully transcribed by the student.

Philelphus was no inconsiderable poet, and was crowned with laurel, according

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