face, a poem of the myfteries he had revealed in Homer: and perhaps he endeavoured to ftrain the obvious fenfe to this end. His expreffion is involved in fuftian, a fault for which he was remarkable in his original writings, as in the tragedy of Buffy d'Amboife, &c. In a word, the nature of the man may account for his whole performance; for he appears from his preface and remarks to have been of an arrogant turn, and an enthusiast in poetry. His own boast of having finished half the Iliad in lefs than fifteen weeks, fhews with what negligence his verfion was performed. But that which is to be allowed him, and which very much contributed to cover his defects, is a daring fiery fpirit that animates his tranflation, which is fomething like what one might imagine Homer himself would have writ before he arrived at years of discretion. Hobbes has given us a correct explanation of the fense in general; but for particulars and circumstances he continually lops them, and often omits the most beautiful. As for its being esteemed a close transsation, I doubt not many have been led into that error by the shortness of it, which proceeds not from his following the original line by line, but from the contractions abovementioned. He fometimes omits whole fimiles and fentences, and is now and then guilty of mistakes, into which no writer of his learning could have fallen, but through careleffhefs. His poetry, as well as Ogilby's, is too mean for criticism. It is a great lofs to the poetical world that Mr. Dryden did not live to tranflate the Iliad. He has left left us only the first book, and a small part of the fixth; in which if he has in fome places not truly interpreted the fenfe, or preferved the antiquities, it ought to be excufed on account of the hafte he was obliged to write in. He feems to have had too much regard to Chapman, whose words he sometimes copies, and has unhappily followed him in paffages where he wanders from the original. However, had he tranflated the whole work, I would no more have attempted Homer after him than Virgil, his verfion of whom (notwithstanding fome human errors) is the most noble and fpirited tranflation I know in any language. But the fate of great geniuses is like that of great minifters though they are confeffedly the first in the commonwealth of letters, they must be envied and calumniated only for being at the head of it. : That which in my opinion ought to be the endeavour of any one who tranflates Homer, is above all things to keep alive that fpirit and fire which makes his chief character: in particular places, where the sense can bear any doubt, to follow the strongest and most poeti、 cal, as moft agreeing with that character; to copy him in all the variations of his style, and the different modulations of his numbers; to preferve, in the more active or descriptive parts, a warmth and elevation; in the more fedate or narrative, a plainness and folemnity; in the fpeeches, a fullness and perfpicuity; in the fentences, a fhortnefs and gravity: not to neglect even the little figures and turns on the words, nor fometimes the very caft of the periods; neither to emit nor confound any rites or customs of antiquity; perhaps too he ought to include the whole in a shorter compass, than has hitherto been done by any tranflator, who has tolerably preferved either the sense or poetry. What I would farther recommend to him, is to study his author rather from his own text, than from any commentaries, how learned foever, or whatever figure they may make in the eftimation of the world; to confider him attentively in comparison with Virgil above all the ancients, and with Milton above all the moderns. Next thefe, the archbishop of Cambray's Telemachus may give him the trueft idea of the spirit and turn of our author, and Boffu's admirable treatise of the Epic poem the jufteft notion of his design and conduct. But after all, with whatever judgment and study a man may proceed, or with whatever happiness he may perform fuch a work, he must hope to please but a few; thofe only who have at once a taste of poetry, and competent learning. For to fatisfy fuch as want either, is not in the nature of this undertaking; fince a mere modern wit can like nothing that is not modern, and a pedant nothing that is not Greek. What I have done is fubmitted to the Publick, from whofe opinions I am prepared to learn; though I fear no judges fo little as our best poets, who are most fenfible of the weight of this task. As for the worst, whatever they shall please to say, they may give me fome concern as they are unhappy men, but none as they are malignant writers. I was guided in this tranf 1 tranflation by judgments very different from theirs, and by perfons for whom they can have no kindness, if an old obfervation be true, that the strongest antipathy in the world is that of fools to men of wit.. Mr. Addison was the first whofe advice determined me to undertake this task, who was pleased to write to me upon that occafion in fuch terms as I cannot repeat without vanity. I was obliged to Sir Richard Steele for a very early recommendation of my undertaking to the publick. Dr. Swift promoted my intereft with that warmth with which he always ferves his friend. The humanity and frankness of Sir Samuel Garth are what I never knew wanting on any occafion. I must alfo acknowledge, with infinite pleasure, the many friendly offices, as well as fincere criticisms of Mr. Congreve, who had led me the way in tranflating fome parts of Homer; as I wish for the fake of the world he had prevented me in the reft. I must add the names of Mr. Rowe and Dr. Parnell, though I fhall take a farther opportunity of doing juftice to the laft, whofe good-nature (to give it a great panegyrick) is no less extensive than his learning. The favour of these gentlemen is not entirely undeferved by one who bears them fo true an affection. But what can I fay of the honour fo many of the Great have done me, while the first names of the age appear as my fubfcribers, and the most distinguished patrons and ornaments of learning as my chief encouragers? Among these it is a particular pleasure to me to find, that my higheft obligations are to fuch who have done most honour to the name of poet: thất his grace the duke of Buckingham was not displeased I hould undertake the Author to whom he has given (in bis excellent Effay) fo complete a praise : "Read Homer once, and you can read no more; "For all Books else appear so mean, fo poor, "Verse will seem Profe; but ftill perfift to read, "And Homer will be all the Books you need." That the earl of Halifax was one of the first to favour me, of whom it is hard to fay whether the advancement of the polite arts is more owing to his generofity or his example. That such a genius as my lord Bolingbroke, not more diftinguished in the great fcenes of business, than in all the ufeful and entertaining parts of learning, has not refused to be the critick of these fheets, and the patron of their writer. And that fo excellent an imitator of Homer as the noble author of the tragedy of Heroic Love has continued his partiality to me, from my writing paftorals, to my attempting the Iliad. I cannot deny myself the pride of confeffing, that I have had the advantage not only of their advice for the conduct in general, but their correction of feveral particulars of this translation. I could fay a great deal of the pleasure of being diftinguished by the earl of Carnarvon; but it is almost abfurd to particularize any one generous action in a person whose whole life is a continued feries of them. Mr. Stanhope, the prefent fecretary of ftate, will pardon my defire of having it known that he was pleased to promote this affair. The particular zeal of Mr. Harcourt (the fon of the late lord chancellor) gave VOL. I. D me |