there is not, that I know of, any treatise now extant; thofe written upon this subject by fome of the Ancients being all loft, and not being fupplied by any learned Modern, at least not fo fully as might have been done, and as fo confiderable an article of the Grecian Antiquities feemed to demand. As I flatter myfelf that even the learned Reader will in this Differtation meet with many points which have hitherto efcaped his notice, and much light reflected from thence upon the Odes of Pindar in particular, as well as upon many passages in other Greek Writers, I shall rather defire him to excufe thofe errors and defects which he may happen to discover in it, than apologize for the length of it. Having now removed the chief prejudices and objections which have been too long and too generally entertained against the Writings of Pindar, I need fay but little of his real character, as the principal parts of it may be collected from the very faults imputed to him; which are indeed no other than the exceffes of great and acknowledged beauties, fuch as a poetical imagination, a warm and enthusiastic genius, a bold and figurative expreffion, and a concife and fententious file. These are the characteristical beauties of Pindar; and to these his greatest blemishes, generally fpeaking, are fo near allied, that they have fometimes been mistaken for each other. I cannot however help obferving, that he is fo entirely free from any thing like the far-fetched thoughts, the witty extravagances, and and puerile concetti of Mr. Cowley and the reft of his Imitators, that I cannot recollect fo much as even a fingle antithefis in all his Odes. Longinus indeed confeffes, that Pindar's flame is fometimes extinguished, and that he now and then finks unexpectedly and unaccountably; but he prefers him, with all his faults, to a Poet who keeps on in one constant tenour of mediocrity, and who, though he feldom falls very low, yet never rises to those astonishing heights, which fometimes make the head even of a great Poet giddy, and occafion thofe flips which they at the fame time excufe. But, notwithstanding all that has or can be faid in favour of Pindar, he must still appear, as I before obferved, under great difadvantages, especially to the English Reader. Much of this fire, which formerly warmed and dazzled all Greece, muft neceffarily be loft even in the best Translation. Befides, to say nothing of many Beauties peculiar to the Greek, which cannot be expreffed in English, and perhaps not in any other language, there are in thefe Odes fo many references to fecret history, so many allufions to perfons, things, and places, now altogether unknown, and which, were they known, would very little interest or affect the Reader, and withal fuch a mixture of Mythology and Antiquity, that I almoft defpair of their being relifhed by any, but those who have, if not a great deal of claffical learning, yet fomewhat at least of an antique and classical tafte, Every Reader, however, may ftill find in Pindar fomething to make amends for the lofs of those beauties, which have been fet at too great a distance, and in fome places worn off and obliterated by time; namely, a great deal of good fenfe, many wife reflections, and many moral fentences, together with a due regard to religion; and from hence he may be able to form to himself fome idea of Pindar as a Man, though he should be obliged to take his character as a Poct from others. But that he may not for this rely altogether upon my opinion, I fhall here produce the teftimonies of two great Poets, whofe excellent writings are fufficient evidences both of their taste and judgment. The first was long and univerfally admired, and is ftill as much regretted, by the prefent age: the latter, who wrote about seventeen hundred years ago, was the delight and ornament of the politeft and most learned age of Rome. And though even to him, Pindar, who lived fome centuries before him, must have appeared under some of the disadvantages above-mentioned, yet he had the opportunity of seeing all his works which were extant in his time, and of which he hath given a fort of catalogue, together with their feveral characters: an advantage which the former wanted, who must therefore be understood to speak only of those Odes which are now remaining. And indeed he alludes to those only, in the following paffage of his " Temple of Fame." Pope's Works, fmall Edit. Vol. III. p. 17. ver. 210. "Four 2 Four Swans * sustain a car of filver bright, With heads advanc'd, and pinions ftretch'd for flight: Here, like fome furious prophet, Pindar rode, "And feem'd to labour with th' inspiring God. "Across the harp a careless hand he flings, "And boldly finks into the founding strings. "The figur'd Games of Greece the column grace, 66 Neptune and Jove furvey the rapid race: "The youths hang o'er their chariots as they run; "The fiery steeds seem starting from the ftone: The champions in distorted poftures threat; "And all appear'd irregularly great.” The other Paffage is from Horace, lib. IV. Ode ii. viz. "Pindarum quifquis ftudet æmulari, &c." which, for the benefit of the English Reader, I have thus tranflated: He, who afpires to reach the towering height Pre *Four Swans fufiain, &c.] Pindar, being feated in a Chariot, alludes to the Horfe-races he celebrated in the Grecian Games. The fwans are emblems of poetry; their foaring pofture intimates the fublimity and activity of his genius. Neptune prefided over the Ifthmian, and Jupiter over the Olympian Games. This note is of the fame Author. Prefumptuous youth! to tempt forbidden skies! And hope above the clouds on waxen plumes to rife! Pindar, like fome fierce torrent fwoln with flowers, Or fudden cataracts of melting fnow, Which from the Alps its headlong deluge pours, Rolls his impetuous, vast, unfathomable fong. To Gods and Sons of Gods his lyre he ftrings, The valiant champion and the rapid fteed; And from their Bard receive the tuneful boon, With Dorian strains to deck th' untimely bier Through the black gloom of death with ftar-like radiance blaze. When |