Chapter 5

This brilliant passage of Pope is quoted in this place by the author of that English Commentary, who has also subjoined many excellent remarks on _the revival of old words_, worthy the particular attention of those who cultivate prose as well as poetry, and shewing at large, that "the riches of a language are actually increased by retaining its old words: and besides, they have often _a greater real weight and dignity_, than those of a more _fashionable_ cast, which succeed to them. This needs no proof to such as are versed in the earlier writings of any language."--"_The growing prevalency of a very different humour_, first catched, as it should seem, from our commerce with the French Models, _and countenanced by the too scrupulous delicacy of some good writers amongst ourselves, bad gone far towards unnerving the noblest modern language, and effeminating the public taste_."--"The rejection of _old words_, as _barbarous_, and of many modern ones, as unpolite," had so exhausted the _strength_ and _stores_ of our language, that it was high time for some master-hand to interpose, and send us for supplies to _our old poets_; which there is the highest authority for saying, no one ever despised, but for a reason, not very consistent with his credit to avow: _rudem esse omnino in nostris poetis, aut inertissimae nequitiae est, aut fastidii delicatissimi.-- Cic. de fin._ 1. i. c. 2.

[As woods endure, &c.] _Ut silvae foliis_, &c. Mr. Duncombe, in his translation of our Author, concurs with Monsieur Dacier in observing that "Horace seems here to have had in view that fine similitude of Homer in the sixth book of the Iliad, comparing the generations of men to the annual succession of leaves.

[Greek: Oipaeer phyllon genehn, toiaede ch ahndron. phylla ta mehn t anemohs chamahdis cheei, ahllah de thula Taeletheasa phyei, earos depigigyel(*)ai orae Oz andron genen. aemen phnei, aeh dahpolaegei.]

"Like leaves on trees the race of man is found, Now green in youth, now withering on the ground; Another race the following spring supplies, They fall successive, and successive rise: So generations in their turns decay; So flourish these, when those are past away."

The translator of Homer has himself compared words to leaves, but in another view, in his Essay on Criticism.

Words are like leaves; and where they most abound, Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found.

In another part of the Essay he persues the same train of thought with Horace, and rises, I think, above his Master.

Short is the date, alas, of modern rhymes, And 'tis but just to let them live betimes. No longer now that golden age appears, When Patriarch-wits surviv'd a thousand years; Now length of Fame (our second life) is lost, And bare threescore is all ev'n that can boast; Our sons their father's failing language see, And such as Chaucer is, shall Dryden be. So when the faithful pencil has design'd Some bright idea of the Master's mind, Where a new world leaps out at his command, And ready Nature waits upon his hand; When the ripe colours soften and unite, And sweetly melt into just shade and light; When mellowing years their full perfection give, And each bold figure just begins to live; The treach'rous colours the fair art betray, And all the bright creation fades away!

_Essay an Criticism._

95.--WHETHER THE SEA, &c.] _Sive receptus, &c._

This may be understood of any harbour; but it is generally interpreted to refer to the _Portus Julius_, a haven formed by letting in the sea upon the _Lucrine Lake_, and forming a junction between that and the Lake _Avernus_; a work, commenced by Julius Caesar, and compleated by Augustus, or Agrippa under his auspices. _Regis opus!_ Both these lakes (says Martin) were in Campania: the former was destroyed by an earthquake; but the latter is the present _Lago d'Averno_. Strabo, the Geographer, who, as well as our Poet, was living at the time, ascribes this work to Agrippa, and tells us that the Lucrine bay was separated from the Tyrrhene sea by a mound, said to have been first made by Hercules, and restored by Agrippa. Philargyrius says that a storm arose at the time of the execution of this great work, to which Virgil seems to refer in his mention of this Port, in the course of his Panegyrick on Italy in the second Georgick.

An memorem portus Lucrinoque addita claustra, Atque indignatem magnis strideribus aequor, Julia qua ponto longe sonat unda refuso, Tyrrbenusque fretis immittitur aeflut AVERNIS?

Or shall I praise thy Ports, or mention make Of the vast mound, that binds the Lucrine Lake? Or the disdainful sea, that, shut from thence, Roars round the structure, and invades the fence; There, where secure the Julian waters glide, Or where Avernus' jaws admit the Tyrrhene tide? DRYDEN.

98.--WHETHER THE MARSH, &c. Sterilisve Palus.]

THE PONTINE MARSH, first drained by the Consul Cornelius Cethegus; then, by Augustus; and many, many years after by Theodorick.

102.--OR IF THE RIVER, &c.] _Sen cursum, &c._ The course of the _Tyber,_ changed by Augustus, to prevent inundations.

110.--FOR DEEDS OF KINGS, &c.] Res gestae regumque, &c.

The ingenious author of the English Commentary, to whom I have so often referred, and to whom I must continue to refer, has discovered particular taste, judgement, and address, in his explication of this part of the Epistle. runs thus.

"From reflections on poetry, at large, he proceeds now to particulars: the most obvious of which being the different forms and measures of poetick composition, he considers, in this view, [from v. 75 to 86] the four great species of poetry, to which all others may be reduced, the Epick, Elegiack, Dramatick, and Lyrick. But the distinction of the measure, to be observed in the several species is so obvious, that there can scarcely be any mistake about them. The difficulty is to know [from v. 86 to 89] how far each may partake of the spirit of the other, without destroying that natural and necessary difference, which ought to subsist betwixt them all. To explain this, which is a point of great nicety, he considers [from v. 89 to 99] the case of Dramatick Poetry; the two species of which are as distinct from each other, as any two can be, and yet there are times, when the features of the one will be allowed to resemble those of the other.--But the Poet had a further view in choosing this instance. For he gets by this means into the main of his subject, which was Dramatick Poetry, and, by the most delicate transition imaginable, proceeds [from 89 to 323] to deliver a series of rules, interspersed with historical accounts, _and enlivened by digressions_, for the regulation of the Roman stage."

It is needless to insist, that my hypothesis will not allow me to concur entirely in the latter part of this extract; at least in that latitude, to which; the system of the writer carries it: yet I perfectly agree with Mr. Duncombe, that the learned Critick, in his observations on this Epistle, "has shewn, in general, the connection and dependence of one part with another, in a clearer light than any other Commentator." His shrewd and delicate commentary is, indeed, a most elegant contrast to the barbarous analysis of Scaliger, drawn up without the least idea of poetical transition, and with the uncouth air of a mere dry logician, or dull grammarian. I think, however, the _Order_ and _Method_, observed in this Epistle, is stricter than has yet been observed, and that the series of rules is delivered with great regularity; NOT _enlivened by digressions_, but passing from one topick to another, by the most natural and easy transitions. The Author's discrimination of the different stiles of the several species of poetry, leads him, as has been already shewn, to consider the diction of the Drama, and its accommodation to the _circumstances_ and _character_ of the Speaker. A recapitulation of these _circumstances_ carries him to treat of the due management of _characters already known_, as well as of sustaining those that are entirely _original_; to the first of which the Poet gives the preference, recommending _known_ characters, as well as _known_ subjects: And on the mention of this joint preference, the Author leaves further consideration of _the_ diction, and slides into discourse upon the fable, which he continues down to the 152d verse.

Atque ita mentitur, sic veris falsa remiscet, Primo ne medium, medio ne discrepet imum.

Having dispatched the fable, the Poet proceeds, and with some Solemnity of Order, to the consideration of the characters; not in regard to suitable _diction_, for of that he has already spoken, but in respect to _the manners_; and, in this branch of his subject, he has as judiciously borrowed from _the Rhetoricks_ of Aristotle, as in the rest of his Epistle from the _Poeticks_. He then directs, in its due place, the proper conduct of particular incidents _of the fable_; after which he treats of _the_ chorus; from whence he naturally falls into the history of theatrical musick; which is, as naturally, succeeded by an account of the Origin of _the Drama_, itself, which the Poet commences, like master Aristotle, even from the Dithyrambick Song, and carries it down to the establishment of the New Greek Comedy; from whence he passes easily and gracefully, to _the_ Roman stage, acknowledging the merits of the Writers, but pointing out their defects, and assigning the causes. He then subjoins a few general observations, and concludes his long discourse on _the_ drama, having extended it to 275 lines. This discourse, together with the result of all his reflections on Poets and Poetry, he then applies in the most earnest and _personal_ manner to the elder Piso; and with a long and most pathetick _peroration_, if I may adopt an oratorical term, concludes the Epistle.

116.--THE ELEGY'S SMALL SONG.] EXIGUOS _Elegos_.

Commentators differ concerning the import of this expression--exiguos _Elegos_, the _Elegy's_ small _song_. De Nores, Schrevelius, and Desprez, think it refers to the humility of the elegiack stile and subjects, compared with epick or lyrick sublimity. Monsieur Dacier rather thinks that Horace refers here, as in the words _Versibus impariter junctis,_ "Couplets unequal," to the use of pentameter, or short verse, consisting of five feet, and joined to the hexameter, or long verse, of six. This inequality of the couplet Monsieur Dacier justly prefers to the two long Alexandrines of his own country, which sets almost all the French poetry, Epick, Dramatick, Elegiack, or Satyrick, to the tune of Derry Down. In our language, the measures are more various, and more happily conceived. Our Elegy adopts not only _unequal couplets_, but _alternate rhymes_, which give a plaintive tone to the heroick measure, and are most happily used in Gray's beautiful _Elegy in a Country Church yard.

135.--THY FEAST, THYESTES!] Caena Thyestae.

The story of Thyestes being of the most tragick nature, a banquet on his own children! is commonly interpreted by the Criticks, as mentioned by Horace, in allusion to Tragedy in general. The Author of the English Commentary, however, is of a different opinion, supposing, from a passage of Cicero, that the Poet means to glance at the _Thyestes of Ennius,_ and to pay an oblique compliment to Varius, who had written a tragedy on the same subject.

The same learned Critick also takes it for granted, that the Tragedy of Telephus, and probably of _Peleus_, after-mentioned, point at tragedies of Euripedes, on these subjects, translated into Latin, and accomodated to the Roman Stage, without success, by _Ennius, Accius, or Naevius_.

One of this Critick's notes on this part of the Epistle, treating on the use of _pure poetry_ in the Drama, abounds with curious disquisition and refined criticism.

150.--_They must have_ passion _too_.] dulcia _sunto_. The Poet, with great address, includes the sentiments under the consideration of diction.

--_Effert animi motus_ interprete lingua. _Forces expression from the_ faithful tongue.

Buckingham has treated the subject of Dialogue very happily in his Essay on Poetry, glancing, but not servilely, at this part of Horace.

_Figures of Speech_, which Poets think so fine, Art's needless varnish to make Nature shine, Are all but _Paint_ upon a beauteous face, And in _Descriptions_ only claim a place. But to make _Rage declaim_, and _Grief discourse_, From lovers in despair _fine_ things to _force_, Must needs succeed; for who can chuse but pity A _dying_ hero miserably _witty_?

201.----BE NOT YOUR OPENING FIERCE!] _Nec sic incipies_, Most of the Criticks observe, that all these documents, deduced from _the Epick_, are intended, like the reduction of the Iliad into acts, as directions and admonition to the _Dramatick_ writer. _Nam si in_ EPOPaeIA, _que gravitate omnia poematum generae praecellit, ait principium lene esse debere; quanto magis in_ tragoedia _et_ comoedia, _idem videri debet_? says de Nores. _Praeceptum de intio grandiori evitaado, quod tam_ epicus _quam_ tragicus _cavere debet_; says the Dauphin Editor. _Il faut se souvenir qu' Horace appliqae à la Tragedie les regies du Poeme Epique. Car si ces debuts eclatans sont ridicules dans la Poeme Epique, ils le sont encore plus dans la Tragedie_: says Dacier. The Author of the English Commentary makes the like observation, and uses it to enforce his system of the Epistle's being intended as a Criticism on the Roman drama. [ xviii] 202---Like _the rude_ ballad-monger's _chant of old_] _ut scriptor_ cyclicus olim.] _Scriptor_ cyclicus signisies an itinerant Rhymer travelling, like Shakespeare's Mad Tom, to wakes, and fairs, and market-towns. 'Tis not precisely known who was the Cyclick Poet here meant. Some have ascribed the character to Maevius, and Roscommon has adopted that idea.

Whoever vainly on his _strength_ depends, Begins like Virgil, but like Maevius ends: That Wretch, in spite of his forgotten rhimes, Condemn'd to live to all succeeding times, With _pompous nonsense_, and a _bellowing sound_, Sung _lofty Ilium_, _tumbling_ to the _ground_, And, if my Muse can thro' past ages fee, That _noisy, nauseous_, gaping fool was _he_; Exploded, when, with universal scorn, The _Mountains labour'd_, and a _Mouse_ was born.

_Essay on Translated Verse_.

The pompous exordium of Statius is well known, and the fragments of Ennius present us a most tremendous commencement of his Annals.

horrida romoleum certamina pango duellum! this is indeed to split our ears asunder With guns, drums, trumpets, blunderbuss, and thunder!

211.--Say, Muse, the Man, &c.] Homer's opening of the Odyssey. his rule is perhaps no where so chastely observed as in _the Paradise Lost_. Homer's [Greek: Maenin aeide thea]! or, his [Greek: Andra moi ennepe,Mgsa]! or, Virgil's _Arma, Urumque cano_! are all boisterous and vehement, in comparison with the calmness and modesty of Milton's meek approach,

Of Man's first disobedience, &c.

2l5.--_Antiphates, the Cyclops, &c_].- _Antiphatem, Scyllamque, & cum Cyclope Charybdim_. Stories, that occur in the Odyssey. 218-19--Diomed's return--the Double Egg.]

The return of Diomede is not mentioned by Homer, but is said to be the subject of a tedious Poem by Antimachus; and to Stasimus is ascribed a Poem, called the Little Iliad, beginning with the nativity of Helen.

227.--Hear now!] _Tu, quid ego, &c._

This invocation, says Dacier justly, is not addressed to either of the Pisos, but to the Dramatick Writer generally.

229.---The Cloth goes down.] _Aulaea manentis._ This is translated according to modern manners; for with the Antients, the Cloth was raised at the Conclusion of the Play. Thus in Virgil's Georgicks;

Vel scena ut versis disceedat frontibus, atque Purpurea intexti tollant aulaea Britanni.

Where the proud theatres disclose the scene; Which interwoven Britons seem to _raise;_ And shew the triumph which their _shame_ displays.

Dryden

230.--Man's several ages, &c.] _aetatis cujusque, &c._ Jason Demores takes notice of the particular stress, that Horace lays on the due discrimination of the several Ages, by the solemnity with which he introduces the mention of them: The same Critick subjoins a note also, which I shall transcribe, as it serves to illustrate a popular passage in the _As you Like It_ of Shakespeare.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their _exits_ and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts: His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms: And then, the whining school-boy with his satchel, And shining morning-face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then, the lover; Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eye-brow. Then, a soldier; Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel; Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then, the justice In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances, And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and flipper'd pantaloon, With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side; His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes, And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness, and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

_Animadverti_ a plerisque _hominis aetatem_ in septem divisam esse partes, infantiam, pueritiam, adolescentiam, juventutem, virilitatem, senectutem, & _ut ab illis dicitur_, decrepitatem. _In hâc verò parte nihil de_ infantiae _moribus Horatius, cum nihil ea aetas praeter vagitum habeat proprium, ideòque infantis persona minimè in scenâ induci possit, quòd ipsas rerum voces reddere neque dum sciat, neque valeat. Nihil de moribus item hujus aetatis, quam, si latinè licet_, decrepitatem _vocabimus_, quae aetas quodammodo infantiae respondet: _de_ juventute _autem_ & adolescentia _simul pertractat, quòd et studiis, et naturâ, & voluntate, parum, aut nihil inter se differant. Aristoteles etiam in libris ad Theodectem omisit_ & pueritiam, & _meritò; cum minime apud pueros, vel de pueris sit orator habiturus orationem. Ille enim ad hoc ex aetate personarum differentiam adhibet, ut instituat oratorem, quomodo moratâ uti debeat oratione, id est, eorum moribus, apud quos, & de quibus loquitur, accommodatâ._

It appears from hence, that it was _common_ for the writers of that time, as well as Shakespeare's Jaques, to divide the life of Man into seven ages, viz. _Infancy, Childhood, Puberty, Youth, Manhood, Old Age_, and _Decrepitude_; "which last, (says Denores) in some sort answers to Infancy," or, as Shakespeare expresses it, IS second childishness.

"Before Shakespeare's time," says Warburton, "_seven acts_ was no unusual division of a play, so that there is a greater beauty than appears at first sight in this image." Mr. Steevens, however, informs us that the plays of that early period were not divided into acts at all. It is most probable therefore that Shakespeare only copied the moral philosophy (the _Socraticae chartae_) of his own day, adapting it, like Aristotle and Horace, to his own purpose; and, I think, with more felicity, than either of his illustrious predecessors, by contriving to introduce, and discriminate, _every one of_ the seven ages. This he has effected by assigning station and character to some of the stages, which to Aristotle and Horace appeared too similar to be distinguished from each other. Thus puberty, youth, manhood, and old age, become under Shakespeare's hand, _the_ lover, _the_ soldier, _the_ justice, and the lean and flipper'd pantaloon; while the _natural qualities_ of the infant, the boy, and the dotard, afford sufficient materials for poetical description.

262.--_Thus_ years advancing _many comforts bring, and_ flying _bear off many on their wing_.]

_Multa ferunt_ anni venientes _commoda secum, multa_ recedentes _adimunt_.

Aristotle considers the powers of the body in a state of advancement till the 35th year, and the faculties of the mind progressively improving till the 49th; from which periods they severally decline. On which circumstance, applied to this passage of Horace, Jason de Nores elegantly remarks, _Vita enim nostra videtur ad_ virilitatem _usque, quâ_ in statu _posita est_, quendam quasi pontem _aetatis_ ascendere, _ab eâque inde_ descendere. Whether Addison ever met with the commentary of De Nores, it is perhaps impossible to discover. But this idea of _the_ ascent _and_ declivity _of the_ bridge _of_ human life, strongly reminds us of the delightful _vision of_ mirza.

288.--_An actor's part_ the Chorus _should sustain_.] _Actoris partes_ Chorus, &c.