Part 6

_----Him the Almighty Pow'r Hurl'd headlong, flaming from th' ethereal Sky, With hideous Ruin, and Combustion, down To bottomless Perdition; there to dwell In Adamantine Chains, and penal Fire; Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to Arms. Nine times the Space that measures Day, and Night To mortal Men, he with his horrid Crew Lay vanquish'd, rowling in the fiery Gulph, Confounded, tho' immmortal----_

Who that hears This, can think it wants Rhime to recommend it? Or rather does not think it sounds far better without it? I purposely produced a Citation, beginning and ending in the Middle of a Verse; because the Privilege of resting on this, or that Foot, sometimes one, and sometimes another, and so diversifying the Pauses, and Cadences, is the greatest Beauty of Blank Verse, and perfectly agreeable to the Practice of our Masters, the _Greeks_, and _Romans_. This can be done but rarely in Rhime: For if it were frequent, the Rhime would be, in a manner, lost by it: The End of almost every Verse must be something of a Pause; and it is but seldom that a Sentence begins in the Middle. The same may be said of placing the Verb after the Accusative Case; and the Adjective after the Substantive; both which, especially the last, are more frequent in Blank Verse, than in Rhime. This Turn of Expression likewise is agreeable to the Practice of the Ancients; and even in our own Language adds much to the Grandeur, and Majesty of the Poem, if it be wrought with Care, and Judgment. As does also the judicious interspersing (for _judicious_, and _sparing_ it must be) of _antique_ Words, and of such as, being derived from _Latin_, retain the Air of That Language: Both which have a better Effect in Blank Verse, than in Rhime; by Reason of a certain Majestick Stiffness, which becomes the one, more than the other. _Milton_ indeed has, I think, rather too much of This: And perhaps the most ingenious Mr. _Philips_ has too much imitated him in it; as he has certainly well nigh equalled him in his most singular Beauties. I speak of this Stiffness only in some particular Passages, for which it is proper: For Blank Verse, when it pleases, can be as smooth, as soft, and as flowing, as Rhime. Now these Advantages alone (were there no other) which Blank Verse has above Rhime, would more than compensate for the Loss of that Pleasure which comes from the Chiming of Syllables; the former, by reason of those Advantages, being, all things considered, even more musical, and harmonious, as well as more noble, and sublime, than the latter.

Upon Varying the Pauses it is to be observed, that Two Verses together should rarely pause at the same Foot; for a Reason too plain to be mentioned. I said _rarely_; because there is no Law so strict in Things of This Nature, but that it is sometimes a Vertue to break it. And tho' it be one great Privilege in this sort of Verse, to make a full Period at the Beginning, or in the Middle of a Line; yet you may do it too often. _Milton_, I think, does so; who sometimes gives you thirty, or forty Verses together, not one of which concludes with a full Period. But to return to our Comparison.

Tho' all This be rather Matter of Sense, than of Reason; yet I appealed to the best Genius's, and Judges in Poetry; because it is a great Mistake to think that all Ears are equally Judges. It may as well, nay better, be affirmed that all Persons have equally Ears for Musick. This Sentiment is not _purely_ Organical, and depends not _solely_ upon the Mechanism of Sense. The Judgment has _a Share_ in it: Or if it has not; there is (which amounts to much the same) so close an Union between the Soul and Body of Man, as also between the Spirit and the Diction, which may be called the Soul and Body of Poetry; that the Poetical Turn of any Person's Mind affects the very Organs of Sense. Readers of vulgar and mean Tastes may relish Rhime best; and so may Some even of the best Taste; because they have been habituated to it. But the more they accustom themselves to Blank Verse; the better they will like it:

_----Si propius stes, Te capiet magis----_

After all, I cannot agree with Those, who _entirely condemn_ the Use of Rhime even in an Heroic Poem; nor can I absolutely reject That in Speculation, which Mr. _Dryden_, and Mr. _Pope_ have ennobled by their Practice. I acknowledge too that, in some particular Views, tho' not upon the Whole, This Way of Writing has the Advantage over the other. You may pick out more Lines, which, singly considered, look mean, and low, from a Poem in Blank Verse, than from one in Rhime: supposing them to be in other respects equal. Take the Lines singly by themselves, or in Couplets; and more in Blank Verse shall be less strong, and smooth, than in Rhime: But then take a considerable Number together; and Blank Verse shall have the Advantage in both Regards. Little, and ignoble Words, as _Thus_, _Now_, _Then_, _Him_, &c. on the one Hand; and long ones, as _Elements_, _Omnipotent_, _Majesty_, &c. on the other, would in a Poem consisting of Rhime sound weak, and languishing, at the End of a Verse: because the Rhime draws out the Sound of those Words, and makes them observed, and taken notice of by the Ear: Whereas in Blank Verse they are covered, and concealed by running immediately into the next Line. And yet a considerable Number of Lines are not, in the Main, Prosaick, or Flat; but more Noble, than if they were all in Rhime. For Instance, the following Verses out of _Milton_'s _Paradise Lost_, Book II.

_Of Heav'n were falling, and these Elements----_

_Instinct with Fire, and Nitre hurry'd him----_

taken singly, look low, and mean; but pray read them in Conjunction with others; and then see what a different Face will be set upon them.

_----Or less than if this Frame Of Heav'n were falling, and these Elements In Mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth. At last his sail-broad Vans He spreads for flight; and in the surging Smoke,_ &c.

_----Had not by ill chance The strong Rebuff of some tumultuous Cloud Instinct with Fire, and Nitre, hurry'd him As many miles aloft. That fury stay'd; Quench'd in a boggy Syrtis, neither Sea, Nor good dry Land: Nigh founder'd on he fares, Treading the crude Consistence----_

Thus again in the VIth Book.

_Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when----_

_Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent----_

_And limited their Might; tho' number'd such----_

These Verses disjointed from their Fellows make but an indifferent Figure: But read the following Passage and I believe you will acknowledge there is not one bad Verse in it:

_So under fiery Cope together rush'd Both Battles maine, with ruinous Assault, And inextinguishable Rage: All Heav'n Resounded; and had Earth been then, all Earth Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought On either side; the least of whom could wield These Elements, and arm him with the force Of all their Regions. How much more of pow'r, Army 'gainst Army, numberless, to raise Dreadful Combustion, warring, and disturb, Tho' not destroy, their happy native Seat: Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent From his strong Hold of Heav'n high over-rul'd And limited their Might; tho' number'd such As each divided Legion might have seem'd A num'rous Host in strength, each armed hand A Legion----_

In Short, a Poem consisting of Rhime is like a Building in which the Stones are all (or far the greatest part of them) _hewn with equal Exactness_; but are all of a Shape, and not so well jointed: _Every one_ of them, _by it self_, is better squared, than _some_ in another Building, in which they are of different Figures. But tho' in this latter there shall be a few, which, taken separately, do not look so well: yet some _running into others_, and all being _better adjusted_ together; it shall not only _upon the Whole_, but with regard to any _considerable Part_, by it self, be a stronger, and a more beautiful Fabrick, than the former.

But we are told that Blank Verse is not enough distinguished from Prose. The Answer must be, It is according as it is. That of our _English_ Tragedies, I confess, is not; tho' very proper for the Purpose to which it is apply'd. This indeed is what the _French_ rightly call _Prose mesurée_, rather than Verse. But much worse is to be said of _any_ Poem, which is only written in the Shape of Metre, but has no more of Verse in it, than of Rhime; no Harmony, or Prosody, no true Metrical Cadence; half the Lines concluding with double Syllables, as _Torment_, _Greatness_, and the Participles ending in _ing_. This deserves not so much as the Name of _Prose on Horseback_; 'Tis Prose upon Crutches; and of all Prose the vilest. But if Blank Verse be laboured, as it ought to be; it is sufficiently distinguished from Prose. We have no Feet, nor Quantities, like the Ancients; and nothing in our poor Language will ever supply That Defect: Rhime is at least as far from doing it, as the more Advantageous Variety of Cadences in Blank Verse: Which requires so much the more Care, and Art, to work it up into Numbers, and Support it from groveling into Prose.

Which naturally leads us to observe further, that many Imperfections, both in Thought, and Expression, will be overlooked in Rhime, which will not be endured in Blank Verse: So that the same may be said of This, which _Horace_ applies to Comedy;

_Creditur----habere Sudoris minimum; sed habet----tanto Plus oneris, quanto veniæ minus----_

I do not say, Rhime is, all things considered, more easy than the other: That Point cannot be well determined; because it relates to the particular Genius's of particular Persons. For my own part, if I never made one good Verse, I have made many good Rhimes: But supposing Both to be equally easy, I should chuse Blank Verse, for the Reasons already alledged.

After all which, if some Gentlemen are resolved that _Blank Verse shall_ be _Prose_; they have my free Leave to _enjoy their Saying_: provided I may have Theirs to think they mean nothing by it; unless they can prove that Rhime is essential to Metre; consequently that the _Goths_, and _Monks_ were the first Inventers of Verse; and that _Homer_, and _Virgil_, as well as _Milton_, wrote nothing but Prose.

_Milton_ indeed has _too many_ of those looser and weaker Verses; as he has some Lines which are no Verses at all. These for Instance,

_Burnt after them to the bottomless Pit:_

_In the Visions of God; It was a Hill:_

are Lines consisting of ten Syllables; but they are no more _English_ Verses, than they are _Greek_ ones. Many _irregular_ and _redundant_ Verses, and more of an ill Sound and Cadence, are to be met with in his Poem; sometimes a considerable Number of them together. Whether This was _Negligence_ in him, or _Choice_, I know not. Certain it is from the main Tenour of his Verification, than which nothing can be more heroically sonorous, that it was not Want of Ear, Genius, or Judgment. What is the true Cadence of an _English_ Verse, is sufficiently known to the Ears of every one who has a Taste of Poetry. Sometimes it is not only allowable, but beautiful, to run into harsh, and unequal Numbers. Mr. _Dryden_ himself does it; and we may be sure he knew when he did it, as well as we could tell him. In a Work intended for Pleasure, _Variety_ justifies the Breach of almost any Rule, provided it be done but _rarely_. Among the Ancient Poets, what are many of those _Figures_ (as we call them) both in Prosody, and Syntax, but so many Ways of making _false Quantity_, and _false Grammar_, for the sake of _Variety_? False, I mean, ordinarily speaking; for Variety, and That only, makes it elegant. _Milton_ however has too much irregular Metre: But if his overruling Genius, and Merit might in Him _authorize_ it, or at least _excuse_ it; yet _nobis non licet esse tam audacibus_: especially when I am translating _Virgil_, the most exact, and accurate Versificator in the World: A Character, however, which he would not deserve (for the Reason just mentioned) were he not in _some_ Verses irregular, and unaccurate. I am sure I have truly imitated him in _That_; I wish I may have done so in _any thing else_.

Two Things remain to be taken notice of, equally relating to Rhime, and Blank Verse. It is a known Fault in our Language, that it is too much crouded with _Monosyllables_: Yet some Verses consisting wholly of them sound well enough: However, the fewer we have of them, the better it is. I believe there are as few of them in this Translation as in any _English_ Poem of an equal Length; which is all I shall say upon This Article.

The Other is the _Elision of Vowels_: Upon which, in my Opinion, the Criticks have ran into Extremes on both Sides. Mr. _Dryden_ declares for it as a general Rule which he has observed without Exception, in his Translation of the _Æneis_;[22] and is utterly against _a Vowel gaping after another for want of a Cesura_, as he expresses himself. Another great Master and Refiner of our Language[23] is for very little, or no Abbreviation; if I do not mistake his Meaning. It is true, in the Letter, to which I refer, he instances only in cutting off the Vowel E at the End of our Participles ending in _ed_; but I presume his Argument is equally designed against the Elision of a Vowel before a Vowel in two different Words: And, if I do not forget, he has declared himself of That Opinion, when I have had the Honour and Pleasure of his most agreeable and instructive Conversation. But with humble Submission to both these great Men, the Elision seems sometimes proper, and sometimes not, in the Particle _The_; for upon That, and the Particle _To_, the Question chiefly turns; _He_, and _She_ being but very rarely abbreviated by any tolerable Writer: And therefore Mr. _Dryden_ expresses himself too much at large, when he speaks of Vowels in general. And when this Elision is proper, and when not, the Ear is a sufficient Judge. The _French_, we know, continually use it in their _Le_, and that in Prose, and common Discourse, as well as in Verse: _L'Amour_, _L'Eternel_, _L'Invincible_, &c. As also in their Pronouns, _me_, _te_, and _se_. In our _English_ Poetry, I think it may be either, _Th' Eternal_, _Th' Almighty_; or _The Eternal_, _The Almighty_; but rather the former: It should be always, _The Army_, _The Enemy_; never _Th' Army_, or _Th' Enemy_. And so in other Instances: Of which the Ear (which by the way will never endure the Sound of _Th' Ear_) is always to be Judge. But of these Things too much.

The Kind of Verse therefore, which I have chosen, distinguishes this Translation from Those of Others, who have gone before me in this bold Undertaking: For I had never heard of Dr. _Brady_'s Design, 'till long after This was in a great Forwardness. And His being not yet executed; He is not to be reckoned among my Predecessors: of whom I presume it is expected that I should now give some Account. When I say my Translation is thus distinguished from Those of Others, I speak of our own Countrymen; because _Hannibal Caro_'s _Italian Æneis_ is in Blank Verse, such as it is: For [24]Mr. _Dryden_'s Character of it is a very true one; and I need not add any thing to it. Few Persons were ever more familiarly acquainted with the _Æneis_, had a truer Gust, and Relish of it's Beauties, or enter'd more deeply into the Sentiments, into the very Soul, and Spirit of it's Author, than Monsieur _Segrais_. His Preface is altogether admirable; and his Translation perhaps almost as good as the _French_ Language will allow; which is just as fit for an Epic Poem, as an ambling Nag is for a War-Horse. It is indeed my Opinion of the _French_; that none write better _of_ Poetry, and few (as to _Metre_) worse _in_ it. Their Language is excellent for Prose; but quite otherwise for Verse, especially Heroic. And therefore tho' the Translating of Poems into Prose is a strange, modern Invention; yet the _French_ Transposers are in the right; because their Language will not bear Verse. The Translation of the _Æneis_ into _Scotish_ Metre by _Gawin Douglas_ Bishop of _Donkeld_, is said to be a very extraordinary Work by Those who understand it better than I do: There being added to it a long List of great Men, who give him a wonderful Character, both as an excellent Poet, and a most pious Prelate. What Mr. _Pope_ says of _Ogilby's Homer_, may as well be apply'd to his _Virgil_, that his Poetry is too mean for Criticism. Mr. _Dryden_ tells us, that no Man understood _Virgil_ better than the Earl of _Lauderdale_; and I believe few did. His Translation is pretty near to the Original; tho' not so close, as it's Brevity would make one imagine; and it sufficiently appears that he had a right Taste of Poetry in general, and of _Virgil_'s in particular. He shews a true Spirit; and in many Places is very beautiful. But we should certainly have seen _Virgil_ far better translated by a Noble Hand; had the Earl of _Lauderdale_ been the Earl of _Roscommon_; or had the _Scotish_ Peer followed all the Precepts, and been animated with the Genius of the _Irish_.

But the most difficult, and invidious Part of my prefacing Task is yet to come. How could I have the Confidence to attempt a Translation of _Virgil_, after Mr. _Dryden_? At least to publish it; after Mr. _Pope_ has in effect given us his Opinion before-hand, that such a Work must be unsuccessful to any Undertaker (much more to so mean a one, as I am) by declaring that _He_ would never undertake it _Himself_? I do not say he makes That Inference; but if his _Modesty_ would not suffer him to do it, his _Merit_ must oblige others to do it for him. I so far agree with That most ingenious Gentleman, that Mr. _Dryden_'s is, in many Parts, a noble, and spirited Translation; and yet I cannot, upon the Whole, think it a good one; at least, for Mr. _Dryden_. Not but that I think his Performance is prodigious, and exceedingly for his Honour, considering the little time he allowed himself for so mighty a Work; having translated not the _Æneis_ only, but all _Virgil_'s Poems in the Compass of three Years. Nobody can have a truer Respect for That great Man, than I have; or be more ready to defend him against his unreasonable Accusers; who (as Mr. _Pope_ justly observes) envy, and calumniate him. But I hope I shall not be thought guilty of either (I am sure they are the Things of the World which I abhor) if I presume to say that his Writings have their dark, as well as their bright Side; and that what was said of somebody else may be as well applied to Him: _Ubi bene, nemo melius; Ubi male, nemo pejus_.

This may be affirmed of his Works in general; but I am now obliged to consider his Translation of the _Æneis_ in particular. As he was the great Refiner of our _English_ Poetry, and the best Marshaller of Words that our Nation had then, at least, produced; and all, who have followed him, are extremely indebted to him, as such: his Versification here, as every where else, is generally flowing, and harmonious; and a multitude of Beauties of all kinds are scattered through the Whole. But then, besides his often grosly mistaking his Author's Sense; as a Translator, he is extremely licentious. Whatever he alledges to the contrary in his Preface; he makes no Scruple of adding, or retrenching, as his Turn is best served by either. In many Places, where he shines most as a Poet, he is least a Translator; And where you most admire Mr. _Dryden_, you see least of _Virgil_. Then whereas my Lord _Roscommon_ lays down this just Rule to be observed by a Translator with regard to his Author,

_Fall, as he falls; and as he rises, rise:_

Nothing being more absurd than for those two Counter-parts to be like a Pair of Scales, one mounting as the other sinks; Mr. _Dryden_ frequently acts contrary to this Precept, at least to the latter Part of it: Where his _Author_ soars, and towers in the Air, _He_ often grovels, and flutters upon the Ground. Instances of all these Kinds are numerous. If I produce a few, it is not to detract from his Translation, in order to recommend my own: I detest That base Principle of little, and envious Spirits: And besides, I am sensible that it would be as foolish, as ungenerous: For of Mine, the World _will_, and _ought to be_ judge, whatever I say, or think; and it's Judgment in these Matters is never erroneous. It is not therefore that I am acted by the Spirit of _malevolent_ Criticism, or Criticism _commonly so called_; which is nothing but the Art of finding Fault: But I do it, partly to _justify_ my _Undertaking_ (tho' of a different Kind from His, which is what I _chiefly_ insist upon) not to _recommend_ my _Performance_; partly for the Instruction, and Improvement of my self, and others; for the sake of Truth, and _true Criticism_; that is, right, and impartial Judgment, joined with good Nature, and good Manners; prone to _excuse_, but not to _falsify_; and _delighting_ to dwell upon _Beauties_, tho' _daring_ to remark upon _Faults_.

Were we to make a few scattered Strictures upon the First Book only; we should observe that he leaves out a very material Word in the very _first_ Line: And That too happens to be the Word _First_: As if That stood for Nothing, in _Virgil_'s Verse; and as if _First_ would not have stood as well as _Forc'd_ in his own. Especially, since there are two Adjectives more of the same Signification [_Expell'd_, and _Exil'd_ in the next Verse but one] agreeing with the same Substantive, all three to express the single Epithet _Profugus_: Which, by the way, is Tautology, and utterly unlike _Virgil_'s Manner; who never says any thing in vain, and whose chief Beauty is Brevity. In the very next two Lines, _Italiam_, _Lavinaque Littora_ are left out; tho' necessary to the Design of the Poem: Not to mention his strange Transposing of _sævæ memorem Junonis ob iram_. V. 28. _Long cited by the People of the Sky_, is entirely added. As is, V. 41. _Electra's Glories, and her injur'd Bed_; and the two following Lines. The Addition of three Verses together is too much in all Reason. V. 66. _Then as an Eagle grasps the trembling Game_, is wholly his own. And so is V. 107, 108. _The charming Daughters of the Main Around my Person wait, and bear my Train._ V. 144, 145.----_Whose dismember'd Hands yet bear The Dart aloft, and clench the pointed Spear_. As there is no Hint of This in _Virgil_; so I doubt it is not Sense in it self. For how the Hand of a Body, which has been dead seven Years, can hold a Spear aloft, I cannot imagine. V. 220. _And quenches their innate Desire of Blood_. This is not only added; but too gross, and horrid for _Virgil_'s Meaning in that Place. V. 233. After, _Two Rows of Rocks_ (which, by the way, is no Translation of _geminique minantur in coelum scopuli_) the next Words are totally omitted; _Quorum sub vertice late Æquora tuta silent_. V. 459. _Then on your Name shall wretched Mortals call_, is not included in _Multa tibi ante aras nostra cadet hostia dextra_. He is speaking of _himself_, and his _Friends_ in particular; not of _wretched Mortals_ in general; of _Thanksgiving_, not of _Prayer_. V. 886.----_You shall find, If not a costly Welcome, yet a kind_, is no more in _Virgil_, than it is like his Stile. But as for the _Flatnesses_, and low _prosaick_ Expressions, which are not a few, and which even the Rhime neither covers, nor excuses; I will for several Reasons forbear to transcribe any of them. These _Errata_ which I have mentioned in the First Book only, (and there are in it many more such, which I have not mentioned) are either in _adding to_, or _curtailing_, or _mistaking_ the Sense of the Original.