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The hiatus, also, in the words Phrygia Agmina, is observable, as adding to the expressive effect of this admirable verse. And, I am persuaded, no impartial reader can suppose, that all these circumstances of departure, from the received mode of versification, are merely fortuitous.

If we now proceed to compare Virgil and Apollonius, with respect to language and diction, we shall find there a resemblance equally strong. The same curious feli city, and elegant choice of words, which steers a happy medium, in avoiding at once colloquial and prosaic phrases and expressions, and those which are bombastic and pedantic. They have shown an exquisite knowledge of their respective languages, their powers, and capabilities. They have wielded, with equal mastery, in their immortal works, the poetical instruments which were put into their hands. They were able to penetrate to the hidden wealth of the Greek and Roman tongues; to search for it, in the rich mines of the learned writers, who had preceded them, and to mould and fashion the ore into the best forms, for the embellishment of their poems. Their poetical art and skill, with respect to phrase, construction, and single words, were exerted for two purposes-the attainment of superior harmony, and musical expression, in versification; and the improvement of poetical diction, the attainment of a certain nobleness, and unaffected elevation; a certain graphical distinctness, a picturesque precision of apposite epithet and nomenclature, in speaking of external things, and the objects of sense; together with a more forcible, pointed, and heart-felt expression, of sentiments and passions. In this they have succeeded, beyond all degree and probability of competition, from poets, either ancient or modern. A full discussion of

this

this branch of comparison, would necessarily lead to a minute examination, of the phraseology and diction of Apollonius Rhodius and Virgil. This is a subject, which, in itself, would require a volume-and highly instructive and interesting; and a most acceptable present, to the literary world, would such a volume prove, from the pen of a critic adequate to the task. Such an undertaking would give an intimate knowledge, a complete mastery of the Greek and Roman languages; and a perfect and familiar acquaintance, with the productions of the two admirable poets of whom I speak. `Many of the most important secrets of composition would be revealed, in the progress of such a work.-Many of the most delicate and fugitive graces of composition, would be caught and fixed. I am far, very far, indeed, from possessing the requisite information, and learning, had I the leisure requisite for such an attempt-the task is worthy of the erudition of an accomplished scholar, like Dr. Parr. I proceed to remark some few of the many expedients, which were employed by these consummate masters in their art, to raise their language above common speech, to render it more expressive, more forcible, more picturesque. The first expedient, employed by them, consists in the happy contrivance, and frequent use, of epithets-which furnished them with a choice of noble and well-sounding words, gave a poetical richness, a state and majesty to their language, and enabled them to produce the picturesque in a high degree. Among other similarities, in the artifice of their composition, the reader will observe, the frequent reduplication, or accumulation, of two epithets in the same line. This practice, under the management of unskilful and injudicious writers, would produce a florid and plethotic luxuriance. By the poets before us, it is

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so judiciously employed, that it is productive neither of weakness nor redundancy.

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« Γηθυςυνοι φορεολο παρα ποσίδηιον ἀκρην
σε Ριγιση παεσσιν όπιδνδάλη τε λελυκλα

66 Μειότερο λευκησιν ελίσσεται εις άλα δίναις
σε Ζηνα ευξείνοιο γενεταιην υπερ άκρην.”

"Dives opum studiisque asperrima belli-
"Populum late regem belloque superbum-
"Summâ placidum caput extulit undâ—
Scylleam rabiem, penitusque sonantes.
"Classem in convexo nemorum sub rupe cavatâ,
Ambrosiæque divinum vertice odorem-

66

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Another means of elevating their language, and removing it from the tame familiarity of colloquial use, is the employment of adjectives in a substantive sense, and applying substantives as epithets.--Use of adjective to signify substantively both the substratum and its attribute-ras, παλα δαίδαλα χαλκευεν—ήθειαι τις δευρο νοικ κομίζει δηναίας αυτως-Κυπρις-εφεςιον αθανατοισιν άφατον xanov (a wicked devil)-Inλlegat, feminæpulchrum mori succurrit in armis. Ignaros loci passim et formidine ·captos sternimas-armates vident stantes—calicola, for deities. The patronymic used as a substantive-Tyndaridis facies invisa Lacena. -Σκοπιην όρεω, speculum montis, pro monte aerio-wagde in, virgo Hellé En avax, Jovi regi-wara wegamn Jenixins, populum late

regem.

This is done, for the most part, by turning the noun adjective into a substantive, denoting the accident or quality positively, and making it govern, in the genitive case, the substantive, which denotes the substratum, or

subject

subject matter.Or, again, this practice may be reversed, and the noun substantive, denoting attribute,' quality, origin, proprietorship, is converted into an adjective of corresponding number, which is made to agree with the noun, denoting the substratum, or subject matter. And this is the more frequently practised, particularly with Apollonius; and it has generally the advantage, of increasing the number of syllables, in one of the words, and is thus subservient to the harmony and facility of versification.- -Thus, too, circumlocution is often avoided-άρλεμις πολιηοχ χειμερινη άλμη ευρυνομη ωκεανις κλαιον στεγηγενεες κυκλωπες κλίτεα παλληναια-κρηλαιον άκρον Scyllaa rabies - Argolica tela -Pelopea mania-stuppea vincula—priameia virgo— Iliaci cineres--plangoribus ædes fœmineis ululant—ædibus in mediis-Dardanium litus- deos in Dardana suscitat arma.-Another circumstance, in which the grace and art of composition may be observed, is a certain happy boldness, in the application of verbs in a new and unusual sense-so, that by applying actions, functions, and passions, to subjects, which do not seem, at first glance, to admit of them—a simile, a metaphorical allusion, or an allegory, is, in fact, conveyed in a single word. Thus βιολον ηγηλαζει θρεπτήρια πίσσω ψυχήν επεδέδρομε λήθη-λευκησιν επιχνούσαι εθείραις Λημνον παισιν εσανδωση ―adire labores-sic volvere parcas-ponto nox incubuit atra-oscula libavit nata—obscuro gradientes aere sepsit fervet opus-miseris succurere disco-in athera purgat apertum-pleno se proluit auro-nox humida cælo pracipitat. -But these examples must suffice, for the present-enough has been said, to show my admiration of the noble poets before us-though by no means enough to do justice to their merit.

I feel, that the present essay has swelled to a bulk, scarcely compatible with the nature of my present un

dertaking,

dertaking. It is time to dismiss the present subject, however agreeable, and hasten forward to the goal.

Ιλάι αρίστων μακάρων γενῶ ἀιδε δ' αοιδαν
Εις ετΘ εξ ετεθ γλυκερώτεραι ειεν αείδειν
Ανθρώπους.

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