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§ 119. The ancient Hiftorians excel in pic turefque Narration.

felves caught, and no hope of escape left, we are made to fee, firft, their aftonishment, next, their indignation, and then, their dejection, painted in the most lively manner, by fuch circumftances and actions as were natural to perfons in their fituation. The reftlefs and unquiet manner in which they pass the night; the confultations of the Samnites; the various meafures proposed to be taken; the meffages between the two armies, all heighten the fcene. At length, in the morning, the confuls return to the camp, and inform them that they could receive no other terms but that of furrendering their arms, and paffing under the yoke, which was confidered as the last mark of ignominy for a conquered army. Ibid.

§ 121. TACITUS remarkable for Hifto rical Painting.

In all the virtues of narration, particularly in that of picturefque defcriptive narration, feveral of the ancient hiftorians eminently excel. Hence, the pleasure that is found in reading Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Livy, Salluft, and Tacitus. They are all confpicuous for the art of narration. Herodotus is, at all times, an agreeable writer, and relates every thing with that naïveté and fimplicity of manner, which never fails to intereft the reader. Though the manner of Thucydides be more dry and harsh, yet, on great occafions, as when he is giving an account of the plague of Athens, the fiege of Platea, the fedition in Corcyra, the defeat of the Athenians in Sicily, he difplays a very strong and mafterly power of defcription. Xenophon's Cyropædia, and his Anabafis, or retreat of the ten thousand, are extremely beautiful. The circumftances are finely felected, and the narration is eafy and engaging; but his Hellenics, or continuation of the hiftory of Thucydides, is a much inferior work. Salluft's art of hiftorical" populi aut plebis ulla vox; fed attoniti painting in his Catilinarian, but, more efpecially, in his Jugurthine war, is well known; though his ftyle is liable to cenfure, as too ftudied and affected.

Ibid.

$120. LIVY remarkable for Hiftorical

Painting.

Tacitus is another author eminent for hiftorical painting, though in a manner altogether different from that of Livy. Livy's defcriptions are more full, more plain, and natural; thofe of Tacitus confift in a few bold ftrokes. He felects one or two remarkable circumstances, and fets them before us in a ftrong, and, generally, in a new and uncommon light. Such is the following picture of the fituation of Rome, and of the Emperor Galba, when Otho was advancing against him: "Age"batur huc illuc Galba, vario turbæ fluctu"antis impulfu, completis undique bafilicis " et templis, lugubri profpectu. Neque

"vultus, et converfæ ad omnia aures, "Non tumultus, non quies; fed quale

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magni metûs, et magnæ iræ, filentium "eft." No image, in any poet, is more ftrong and expreflive than this laft ftroke of the description: "Non tumultus, non

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quies, fed quale," &c. This is a conception of the fublime kind, and difcovers high genius. Indeed, throughout all his work, Tacitus fhews the hand of a master. As he is profound in reflection, fo he is ftriking in defcription, and pathetic in fentiment. The philofopher, the poet, and

Livy is more unexceptionable in his manner; and is excelled by no historian whatever in the art of narration: feveral remarkable examples might be given from him. His account, for inftance, of the famous defeat of the Roman army by the Samnites, at the Furce Caudina, in the beginning of the ninth book, affords one of the most beautiful exemplifications of hiftorical painting, that is any where to be met with. We have firft, an exact defcription of the narrow pafs between two mountains, into which the enemy had decoyed the Romans. When they find them-"filence of terror, and of wrath.”

* "Galba was driven to and fro by the tide of "the multitude, thoving him from place to place. "The temples and public buildings were filled "with crowds, of a difmal appearance. No cla

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mours were heard, either from the citizens, or "from the rabble. Their countenances were "filled with confternation; their ears were em"ployed in liftening with anxiety. It was not "a tumult; it was not quietnefs; it was the

the

the hiftorian, all meet in him. Though the period of which he writes may be reckoned unfortunate for a historian, he has made it afford us many interefting exhibitions of human nature. The relations which he gives of the deaths of feve ral eminent perfonages, are as affecting as the deepest tragedies. He paints with a glowing pencil; and poffeffes, beyond all writers, the talent of painting, not to the imagination merely, but to the heart. With many of the moft diftinguished beauties, he is, at the fame time, not a perfect model for history; and fuch as have formed themselves upon him, have feldom been fuccefsful. He is to be admired, rather than imitated. In his reflections he is too refined; in his style too concife, fometimes quaint and affected, often abrupt and obfcure. Hiftory feems to require a more natural, flowing, and popular manner.

Blair.

§ 122. On the Beauty of Epiftolary
Writing.

Its firft and fundamental requifite is, to be natural and fimple; for a stiff and laboured manner is as bad in a letter, as it is in conversation. This does not banish fprightlinefs and wit. Thefe are graceful in letters, juft as they are in converfation; when they flow eafily, and without being ftudied; when employed fo as to feafon, not to cloy. One who, either in converfation or in letters, affects to fhine and to fparkle always, will not pleafe long. The ftyle of letters fhould not be too highly polished. It ought to be neat and correct, but no more. All nicety about words, betrays ftudy; and hence mufical periods, and appearances of number and harmony in arrangement, should be carefully avoided in letters. The best letters are commonly fuch as the authors have written with mott facility. What the heart or the imagination dictates, always flows readily; but where there is no fubject to warm or intereft thefe, constraint appears; and hence, those letters of mere compliment, congratulation, or affected condolance, which have coft the authors moft labour in compofing, and which, for that reafon, they perhaps confider as their mafter-pieces, never fail of being the moft difagreeable and infipid to the readers.

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Ibid.

123. Eafe in writing Letters must not degenerate to careleffness.

It ought, at the fame time, to be remem

bered, that the eafe and fimplicity which I have recommended in epiftolary correfpondence, are not to be understood as importing entire careleffness. In writing to the most intimate friend, a certain degree of attention, both to the fubject and the ftyle, is requifite and becoming. It is no more than what we owe both to ourselves, and to the friend with whom we correspond. A flovenly and negligent manner of writing, is a difobliging mark of want of refpect. The liberty, befides, of writing letters with too careless a hand, is apt to betray perfons into imprudence in what they write. The first requifite, both in converfation and correfpondence, is to attend to all the proper decorums which our own character, and that of others, demand. An imprudent expreflion in converfation may be forgotten and pass away; but when we take the pen into our hand, we must remember, that "Litera fcripta Ibid.

manet."

§ 124. On PLINY's Letters. Pliny's letters are one of the most celebrated collections which the ancients have given us, in the epiftolary way. They are elegant and polite; and exhibit a very pleafing and amiable view of the author. But, according to the vulgar phrafe, they fmell too much of the lamp. They are too elegant and fine; and it is not eafy to avoid thinking, that the author is cafting an eye towards the Public, when he is appearing to write only for his friends. Nothing indeed is more difficult, than for an author, who publishes his own letters, to diveft himself altogether of attention to the opinion of the world in what he fays; by which means, he becomes much lefs agreeable than a man of parts would be, if, without any constraint of this fort, he were writing to his intimate friend. Ibid.

§ 125. On CICERO's Letters. Cicero's Epistles, though not fo fhowy as thofe of Pliny, are, on feveral accounts, a far more valuable collection; indeed, the moft valuable collection of letters extant in any language. They are letters of real bulinefs, written to the greatest men of the age, compofed with purity and elegance, but without the leaft 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,

made, after his death, of those which are now extant, amounting to near a thoufand*. They contain the most authentic materials of the hiftory of that age; and are the laft monuments which remain of Rome in its free ftate; the greateft part of them being written during that important crifis, when the republic was on the point of ruin; the moft interefting fituation, perhaps, which is to be found in the affairs of mankind. To his intimate friends, efpecially to Atticus, Cicero lays open himself and his heart, with entire freedom. In the courfe of his correfpondence with others, we are introduced into acquaintance with feveral of the principal perfonages of Rome; and it is remarkable that most of Cicero's correfpondents, as well as himself, are elegant and polite writers; which ferves to heighten our idea of the taste and manners of that age. Blair.

$126. On POPE's and SWIFT's Letters.

The most diftinguished collection of letters in the English language, is that of Mr. Pope, Dean Swift, and their friends; partly published in Mr. Pope's works, and partly in thofe of Dean Swift. This collection is, on the whole, an entertaining and agreeable one; and contains much wit and ingenuity. It is not, however, altogether free of the fault which I imputed to Pliny's Epiftles, of too much ftudy and refinement. In the variety of letters from different per. fons, contained in that collection, we find many that are written with ease, and a beautiful fimplicity. Thofe of Dr. Arbuthnot, in particular, always deferve that praife. Dean Swift's alfo are unaffected; and as a proof of their being fo, they exhibit his character fully, with all its defects; though it were to be wifhed, for the honour of his memory, that his epiftolary correfpondence had not been drained to the dregs, by fo many fucceffive publications, as have been given to the world. Several of Lord Bolingbroke's, and of Bishop Atterbury's Letters, are matterly. The cenfure of writing letters in tco artificial a manner, falls heaviest on Mr. Pope himself. There is vifibly more ftudy, and lefs of nature and the heart in his letters, than in thofe of fome of his correfpondents. He had formed himself on the manner of Voi

*See his Letter to Atticus, which was written a year or two before his death, in which he tells him, in anfwer to fome enquiries concerning his epiftles, that he had no collection of them, and that Tyro had only about feventy of them.

Ád ATT. 16. §.

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. Addifon: "I am more joyed at

your return, than I fhould be at that of "the Sun, as much as I wish for him in "this melancholy wet feafon; but it is his "fate too, like yours, to be difpleafing to "owls and obfcene animals, who cannot "bear his lustre." How ftiff a compliment is it, which he pays to Bishop Atterbury: "Though the noise and daily "buftle for the Public be now over, I dare fay, you are ftill tendering its welfare;

as the Sun in winter, when feeming to "retire from the world, is preparing "warmth and benedictions for a better "feafon." This fentence might be tole rated in an harangue; but is very unfuitable to the flyle of one friend correfponding with another. Ibid.

§ 127. On the Letters of BALZAC, V01TURE, SEVIGNE, and Lady MARY WORTLEY MONTAGUE.

The gaiety and vivacity of the French genius appear to much advantage in their letters, and have given birth to feveral agreeable publications. In the last age, Balzac and Voiture were the two moft celebrated epiftolary writers. Balzac's re putation indeed foon declined, on account of his fwelling periods and pompous ftyle. But Voiture continued long a favourite author. His compofition is extremely sparkling; he fhows a great deal of wit, and can trifle in the moft entertaining manner. His only fault is, that he is too open and profeffed 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 correfpondence. 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 expreffions of fondnefs, to her favourite daughter; but withal, they fhew fuch perpetual fprightlinefs, they contain fach eafy end varied narration, and fo many ftrokes of the most lively and beautiful painting, perfectly free from any affectation, that they are justly entitled to high praife. The Letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montague are not unworthy of being named after thofe of Mad. de Sevigne. They have much of the French eafe and vivacity, and retain more the character of agreeable

epiftolary

epiftolary ftyle, than perhaps any letters which have appeared in the English language. Blair.

$128. Lyric Poetry. On PINDAR. Pindar, the great father of lyric poetry, has been the occafion of leading his imitators into fome defects. His genius was fublime; his expreffions are beautiful and happy; his defcriptions picturesque. But finding it a very barren fubject to fing the praifes of thofe who had gained the prize in the public games, he is perpetually digreffive, and Alls up his poems with fables of the gods and heroes, that have little connection either with his fubject, or with one another. The ancients admired him greatly; but as many of the hiftories of particular families and cities, to which he ailudes, are now unknown to us, he is fo obfcure, partly from his fubjects, and partly from his rapid, abrupt manner of treating them, that, notwithstanding the beauty of his expreffion, our pleafare in reading him is much diminished. One would imagine, that many of his modern imitators thought the best way to catch his fpirit, was to imitate his diforder and obfcurity; In feveral of the chorufes of Euripides and Sophocles, we have the fame kind of lyric poetry as in Pindar, carried on with more clearnefs and connection, and at the fame time with much fublimity. Ibid.

129. 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 expreffion, can vie with Horace. He has defcended from the Pindaric rapture to a more moderate degree of elevation; and joins connected thought, and good fenfe, with the highest beauties of poetry. He does not often afpire beyond that middle region, which I mentioned as belonging to the ode; and thofe odes, in which he attempts the fublime, are perhaps not always his beft. The peculiar character, in which he excels, is grace and elegance;

There is no ode whatever of Horace's, without great beauties. But though I may be fingular in my opinion, I cannot help thinking that in fome of thofe odes which have been much ad zired for fublimity (fuch as Odc iv. Líb. iv.

Qualem miniftrum fulminis alitem, &c.") there appears fomewhat of a ftrained and forced effort to be lofty. The genius of this amiable poet fhews itfelf, according to my judgment, to greater advantage, in themes of a more temperate bisal.

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$130. 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 diftinguished is Cafimir, a Polish poet of the last century, who wrote four books of odes. In graceful cafe of expreffion, he is far inferior to the Roman. He oftener affects the fublime; and in the attempt, like other lyric writers, frequently becomes harth and unnatural But, on feveral occafions, he discovers a confiderable degree of original genius, and poetical fire. Buchanan, in fome of his lyric compofitions, is very elegant and claffical.

Among the French, the odes of Jean Baptifte Rouffeau have been much and juftly celebrated. They poffefs great beauty, both of fentiment and expreffion. They are animated, without being rhapfodical; and are not inferior to any poetical productions in the French language.

In our own language, we have feveral lyric compofitions of confiderable merit. Dryden's Ode on St. Cecilia, is well known. Mr. Gray is diftinguished in fome of his odes, both for tendernefs and fublimity; and in Dodiley's Mifcellanies, feveral very beautiful lyric poems are to be found. As to profeffed Pindaric odes, they are, with a few exceptions, fo incoherent, as feldom to be intelligible. Cowley, at all times harth, is doubly fo in his Pindaric compofitions. In his Anacreontic odes, he is much happier. They are fmooth and elegant; and, indeed, the most agreeable and the moft perfect, in their kind, of all Mr. Cowley's poems. Ibid.

§ 131. On the different Kinds of Poetical Compofition in the Sacred Books; and of the diftinguishing Characters of the chief Writers. ft. Of the Didactic.

The feveral kinds of poetical compofition which we find in fcripture, are chiefly the

didactic, elegiac, paftoral, and lyric. Of the didactic fpecies of poetry, the Book of Proverbs is the principal instance. The nine first chapters of that book are highly poetical, adorned with many diftinguished graces, and figures of expreffion. At the 10th chapter, the style is fenfibly altered, and defcends into a lower ftrain, which is continued to the end; retaining however that fententious, pointed manner, and that artful conftruction of period, which diftinguishes all the Hebrew poetry. The Book of Ecclefiaftes comes likewife under this head; and fome of the Pfalms, as the 119th in particular.

Blair.

ded to be accompanied with mufic, the Old Teftament is full. Befides a great number of hymns and fongs, which we find fcattered in the historical and prophetical books, fuch as the fong of Mofes, the fong of Deborah, and many others of like nature, the whole book of Pfalms is to be confidered as a collection of facred odes. In thefe, we find the ode exhibited in all the varieties of its form, and supported with the higheft fpirit of lyric poetry; fometimes fprightly, cheerful, and triumphant; fometimes folemn and magnificent; fometimes tender and foft. From thefe inftances, it clearly appears, that there are contained in the holy fcriptures

$132. Of the Elegiac and Paftoral Poetry full exemplifications of feveral of the chief kinds of poetical writing.

of Scripture.

Of elegiac poetry, many very beautiful fpecimens occur in Scripture; fuch as the lamentation of David over his friend Jonathan; feveral paffages in the prophetical books; and feveral of David's Pfalms, compofed on occafions of diftrefs and mourning. The 42d Pfalm, in particular, is, in the highest degree, tender and plaintive. But the most regular and perfect elegiac compofition in the Scripture, perhaps in the whole world, is the book, entitled the Lamentations of Jeremiah. As the prophet mourns in that book over the deftruction of the Temple, and the Holy City, and the overthrow of the whole ftate, he affembles all the affecting images which a fubject fo melancholy could fuggeft. The compofition is uncommonly artificial. By turns the prophet, and the city Jerufalem, are introduced, as pouring forth their forrows; and in the end, a chorus of the people fend up the most earnest and plaintive fupplications to God. The lines of the original too, as may, in part, appear from our tranflation, are longer than is ufual in the other kinds of Hebrew poetry; and the melody is rendered thereby more flowing, and better adapted to the querimonious ftrain of elegy.

The Song of Solomon affords us a high exemplification of paftoral poetry. Confidered with refpect to its fpiritual meaning, it is undoubtedly a myftical allegory; in its form, it is a dramatic paftoral, or a perpetual dialogue between perfonages in the character of fhepherds: and, fuitably to that form, it is full of rural and paftoral images, from beginning to end. Ibid.

$133. On the Lyric Poetry of Scripture. Of lyric poetry, or that which is inten

Ibid.

$134. A Diversity of Style and Manner in the different Compofers of the Sacred Books. On JOB, DAVID, and ISAIAH.

Among the different compofers of the facred books, there is an evident diverfity of style and manner; and to trace their different characters in this view, will contribute not a little towards our reading their writings with greater advantage. The moft eminent of the facred poets are, the author of the Book of Job, David, and Ifaiah. As the compofitions of David are of the lyric kind, there is a greater variety of style and manner in his works, than in thofe of the other two. The manner in which, confidered merely as a poet, David chiefly excels, is the pleafing, the foft, and the tender. In his Pfalms, there are many lofty and fublime paffages; but, in ftrength of defcription, he yields to Job; in fublimity, he yields to Ifaiah. It is a fort of temperate grandeur, for which David is chiefly diftinguished; and to this he always foon returns, when, upon fome occafions, he rifes above it. The pfalms in which he touches us moft, are thofe in which he defcribes the happiness of the righteous, or the goodnefs of God; expreffes the tender breathings of a devout mind, or fends up moving and affectionate fupplications to heaven. Ifaiah is, without exception, the moft fublime of all poets. This is abundantly vifible in our tranflation; and, what is a material circumftance, none of the books of fcripture appear to have been more happily tranflated than the writings of this prophet. Majefty is his reigning character; a majesty more commanding, and more uniformly fupport ed, than is to be found among the rest of

the

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