each other; and the other for each particular state, confidered as they were in time of peace, without the former circumftances and the neceffity of being united.

As for the first fort of government, in the union or rather in the confederacy of many independent states; experience has always made it appear, "That nothing "fo much caufes fuccefs as a due fubordination, and "a right understanding among the chief commanders "And on the other hand, the inevitable ruin of fuch "confederacies proceeds from the heats, jealoufies, "and ambition of the different leaders, and the dif❝contents of fubmitting to a fingle general." All forts of states, and in particular the Grecians, had dearly experienced this truth. So that the most useful and neceflary inftruction that could be given them, was, to lay before their eyes the lofs which both the people and the princes muft of neceffity fuffer, by the ambition, difcord, and obftinacy of the latter.

Homer then has taken for the foundation of his fable this great truth; That a mifunderstanding between princes is the ruin of their own states. "I fing

(fays he) the anger of Achilles, fo pernicious to "the Grecians, and the caufe of fo many heroes "deaths, occafioned by the difcord and feparation "of Agamemnon and that prince."

But that this truth may be completely and fully known, there is need of a fecond to fupport it. It is neceffary in fuch a defign, not only to reprefent the confederate state at firft difagreeing among themfelves,

and from thence unfortunate; but to fhow the fame ftates afterwards reconciled and united, and of confequence victorious.

Let us now fee how he has joined all thefe in one general action.

"Several princes independent on one another were "united against a common enemy. The perfon whom they had elected their general, offers an affront to "the most valiant of all the confederates. This "offended prince is fo far provoked, as to relinquish "the union, and obftinately refufe to fight for the

common caufe. This mifunderstanding gives the "enemy fuch an advantage, that the allies are very

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near quitting their defign with difhonour. He him"felf who made the feparation, is not exempt from "fharing the misfortune which he brought upon his "party. For having permitted his intimate friend to "fuccour them in a great neceffity, this friend is kil"led by the enemy's general. Thus the contending "princes, being both made wifer at their own coft, are "reconciled, and unite again: then this valiant prince "not only obtains the victory in the public caufe, but "revenges his private wrongs, by killing with his own "hands the author of the death of his friend."

This is the first platform of the Poem, and the fiction which reduces into one important and univerfal action all the particulars upon which it turns.

In the next place it must be rendered probable by the circumstances of times, places, and perfons: fome perfons must be found out, already known by hiftory or

otherwife,

otherwife, whom we may with probability make the actors and perfonages of this fable. Homer has made choice of the fiege of Troy, and feigned that this action happened there. To a phantom of his brain, whom he would paint valiant and cholerick, he has given the name of Achilles; that of Agamemnon to his general; that of Hector to the enemy's commander, and fo to the reft.

Befides, he was obliged to accommodate himself to the manners, customs, and genius of the Greeks his auditors, the better to make them attend to the inftruction of his Poem: and to gain their approbation by praising them; fo that they might the better forgive him the representation of their own faults in fome of his chief perfonages. He admirably discharges all thefe duties, by making thefe brave princes and those victorious people all Grecians, and the fathers of those he had a mind to commend.

But not being content, in a work of fuch a length, to propose only the principal point of the moral, and to fill up the reft with useless ornaments and foreign incidents, he extends this moral by all its neceffary confequences. As for inftance, in the fubject before us, it is not enough to know that a good understanding ought always to be maintained among confederates : it is likewife of equal importance that, if there happens any divifion, care must be taken to keep it fecret from the enemy, that their ignorance of this advantage may prevent their making use of it. And in the fecond place, when their concord is but counterfeit and only in appearance,

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pearance, one should never press the enemy for this would difcover the weakness whi to conceal from them.

The epifode of Patroclus moft admira us with these two inftructions. For whe in the arms of Achilles, the Trojans, v for that prince now reconciled and united derates, immediately gave ground, and quit tages they had before over the Greeks. B who fhould have been contented with preffes upon Hector too boldly, and, by ol fight, foon difcovers that it was not the who was clad in his amour, but a inferior prowess. So that Hector ki!

regains thofe advantages which the Troj on the opinion that Achilles was reconci

SECT. III.

THE FABLE OF THE ODYSS

"HE Odyssey was not defigned, like

one body, but for each ftate in particula is composed of two parts; the head whic and the members which obey; there ar requifite to both, to teach the one to go others to fubmit to government.

There are two virtues neceffary to on prudence to order, and care to fee his or

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y other place; but his reed against his will. This Ives us of it. His hero te ifland, fitting upon the 1 tears in his eyes, he looks had fo long oppofed his from revifiting his own dear

orced delay might more nato fuch as make voyages iciously made choice of a s in an island.

has feigned all this action, in years, because years are in prudence and policy. obliged to forfake his native an army of his fubjects in a Having glorioufly performed › marching home again, and is to his own state. But fpite ith which the eagernels to re, he was ftopt by the way by cars, and caft upon feveral om each other in manners and fe dangers, his companions, his orders, perifhed through he grandees of his country fence, and raife no final difey confume his eftate, confpire

Odyffey V.

6 to