ESSAY ON THE FIFTH BOOK OF VIRGIL'S ENE ID. HE more descriptive character of THE VIRGIL remains to be confidered a character diftinguishable in his management of the Games.-The different excellencies will be traced, and the fuperiority ascertained, on a view of thofe parts of VIRGIL'S, and of HOMER's epics, wherein these martial paftimes are celebrated. It It may be premised, that the opinions here advanced in favour of the Roman, are not designed to reflect the least difcredit upon Grecian excellence. The partiality feemingly fhewn for the former is fupported by reasons, and founded upon truth: the literary reputation of the latter is established beyond the reach of cenfure. We may allow to HOMER the preroga. tive of invention; the preeminence of VIRGIL in judgement has been as genePolona rally .wid *The judgement of our poet, though familiarly noticed by critics, has been called in queftion in one particular, which at prefent occurs. The paffage is in Ecl. ii. V. 25. and is efteemed by Mr. HURD an imitation from THEOCRITUS, where that poet defcribes POLY PHEMUS viewing himself in the ocean. The critic's words are thefe: "Nothing can be better fancy'd, than to make this enormous fon® of NEPTUNE ufe the fea for his looking-glafs; but is orally allotted over HOMER himfelf. The inventive faculty, if it fhone with more ndazzling hiftre in the one, required alfo a -ftronger exertion than in the other. HoMER, though not the origin of epic, reduced -ils bent nga sd bma en the is VIRGIL fo happy when his little landman fays, "Non fum adeò informis: nuper me in littore His wonderful judgement for once deferted him." This I deny. CORYDON is in love with ALEXIS; a paffion of a ftrange and inhuman nature; but we will fuppofe an Amaryllis (more properly fubftituted) in his ftead. CORYDON begins with complimenting his mistress upon her figure, which ought in none to be too much valued. Oh! formofa-nimiùm ne crede colorit to "Alba ligura cadunt." ཐཱནྟི He then changes to the defpondent ftrain: Next |