"in view but to show, that he understood his author, with "so little regard to the grandeur of his diction, or the volu"bility of his numbers, that his metres can hardly be called "verses; they cannot be read without reluctance, nor will "the labor always be rewarded by understanding them."*

Dryden, with several coadjutors, having translated the satires of Juvenal, undertook alone the translation of Persius to be published in the same volume. Dr. Johnson has given his opinion of this version in a single paragraph; and, though consisting of but one sentence, he has been guilty of at least a seeming contradiction. "This work," he remarks, "though, "like all other productions of Dryden, it may have shining

parts, seems to have been written for wages, in an uniform "mediocrity, without any eager endeavor after excellence, or "laborious effort of the mind." It certainly has "shining "parts;" but to assert, that "it is written in an uniform "mediocrity,” is neither true in itself, nor does it comport with that occasional brilliancy which, the Doctor allows the work exhibits. Were we to hazard a general opinion, we should say, that Dryden in this performance is very unequal; and, to use the language of calculation, the average quality may be that of mediocrity.

Dryden has artfully interdicted criticism on the merit of his work, considered merely as a translation, if his design be always kept in view; for he professed neither to translate, nor paraphrase, nor imitate; but aimed at something "be"twixt a paraphrase and imitation." What this something is he has not explained. Those passages, which resemble, but do not give the meaning of the original, must be classed among imitations, or conjectural interpretations; for he acknowledges, that "Persius is not merely sometimes, but generally obscure." The general character of Dryden's ver"makes on his author." Holyday was humble enough to think there might be defects in his work; but the expression of it is singular. "To have com"mitted no faults," says he, " in this translation would have been to translate "myself, and put off man." Wood calls this contemptible pun" an elegant "turn."

* Johnson's Life of Dryden.

sion is paraphrase; and as far, as he was confident of his author's meaning, he has commonly embraced it.

How much soever Dryden has abridged the right of criticism, relative to the exactness of his version in its sentiment, by the vague manner, in which he proposes his design, we enjoy the liberty of detecting any perverse departure from the elegance and grandeur of his model, and any defects in the beauty or correctness of his versification.

Gravity and even austerity of manner are distinguishing characteristics of Persius. He has none of the levity and colloquial trifling of Horace. "Dulce est desipere in loco" was not his maxim, for he was always a stoic. But the imagination of Dryden was restless, and would not always be confined. The evenness and severity of Persius were not kindred virtues.

We shall now quote a few passages, in which Dryden has departed from the manner of Persius, and made the stern young Roman appear boyish and trifling.

Tunc, tunc, ignoscite. Nolo.

Quid faciam? Sed sum petulanti splene cachinno."
Dryden.

Persius. "Then, then I say, or would say, if I durst;
"But thus provoked I must speak out, or burst.”

Monitor. "Once more forbear."

Persius. "I cannot rule my spleen;

"My scorn rebels, and tickles me within."

This translation represents justly enough the pretended hesitancy of Persius to proceed in his satire on the scribblers of the day. He asks pardon for his design, which his friend denies him. He doubts ironically whether to proceed; but as he was "cachinno petulanti splene," naturally disposed to ridicule folly and vice, he resolves to apply the lash. What we intended chiefly to remark is the ludicrous turn, which is given to the concluding words of Persius, who surely did not mean to expose himself to ridicule. "Sed sum petulanti ca"chinno," though it does not admit a literal translation, is Vol. II. No. 3.

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made into contemptible English, by being rendered " I must "speak out, or burst." But, not contented with this jesting trick, Dryden dilates these four Latin words, which he finds it difficult enough to manage, into another line, where they are metamorphosed into "scorn," who becomes a rébels" and a rebel, that " tickles within."

¢

Another instance of a similar departure from the manner of Persius we select from the third satire.

« And yet thou snor'st; thou draw'st thy drunken breath,
"Sour with debauch; and sleep'st the sleep of death.

"Thy chaps are fallen," &c.

To say nothing of the harsh and grating sound of the second person singular of the verb, abbreviated, and so often introduced, we cannot but observe the needless vulgarity of the language. Stertis adhuc ? may be rendered literally dost thou yet snore? But Dryden was fearful of an occasional periphrasis, and he might without much effort have avoided this coarse and offensive phraseology. With respect to the remainder of this quotation it may be remarked, that Dryden has not been much shackled by the original; and, having taken considerable liberty with the text, his commentary ought to have been more delicate and pleasing. "Thou draw'st thy “ drunken breath” is a miserable description of the yawning stupidity, subsequent to intemperance and excess; and “ thy "chaps are fallen" is a phrase far too groveling to express the "mala dissuta," which Persius uses for the sensualist, he describes.

Looking a little below the lines, just quoted, we were amused with the following translation of " atque ex tempore vi"vis; and liv'st extempore." If this conveys any meaning, it is certainly very vague and indeterminate. Casaubon applies the words of Persius to those," qui ultra præsentem diem cogitationes suas non extendunt.” Accordingly it is rendered

by Drummond,

"Who pass existence in a dream away."

In the following line Dryden exhibits another instance of unjustifiable freedom with his author.

"Dammee, whate'er those booklearned blockheads say."

This is too much like the interpolated gibberish of intoxicated players, and is wholly unprovoked.

One passage more occurs to us, which is singular in itself, and which Dryden's eccentricity would not allow him to reduce to his usual metre, It is part of the description of the mixed character of the intemperate man and miser in the fourth satire.

"Then bids fall on; himself for saving charges

"A peel'd, slic'd onion eats, and tipples verjuice."

There is a colorable pretence for this translation, but the manner is wholly Dryden's.

Examples might be greatly multiplied, in which Dryden has departed far from the manner of Persius. And it may be doubted in such instances, whether he "makes him speak "that kind of English, which he would have spoken, had he "lived in England."

Dryden's versification in the work before us is extremely defective, and his rhymes are often imperfect. The frequent recurrence of the verb in the second person singular abbreviated is grating to the ear, and destroys the harmony of many of his lines. Tak'st, cheat'st, yawn'st, mutter'st, &c. are very ill sounding words in poetic composition, and are selected from a numerous list of similar examples.

The instances of false rhyme in this translation are frcquent, and sometimes ludicrous. In the first satire "throw" is made to rhyme with "plough," "try" with "poetry," and "sea" with "misery," &c. Who would suspect, I do not say Dryden, but a poet of Dryden's celebrity of negligence, like this?

We frequently meet with Alexandrine lines in Dryden's Persius, and they are not always offensive. But the prosaic lines, which occur in every page, interrupt that flowing pleas ure, which poetry is designed to impart. is designed to impart. We select two examples, which will certainly amuse the reader.

"What says the world of me and of my muse?"

I do not know what the "world says," but I should say,

that Dryden was dreaming, and that his muse had taken her flight.

“ Y'are in a very hopeful way to starve.”

We are prompted on this occasion to say with Johnson, that Dryden wrote for wages, and are almost tempted to add, for bread.

We will not add to the catalogue of Dryden's " scabrous " and hobbling" lines. Amid all the blemishes of his versif ication we can frequently cull a small flower; but, having so long traversed the rough ground, we are too much fatigued to seek for bouquets. One specimen however, among his more fortunate passages, we offer our readers, before we take leave of him.

Persius Sat. 1. 63.

"Quis populi sermo est ? Quis enim? Nisi carmina molli
"Nunc demum numero fluere, ut per lêve severos
"Effundat junctura ungues; scit tendere versum
"Non secus, ac si oculo rubricam dirigat uno ;
"Sive opus in mores, in luxum, in prandia regum,
"Dicere res grandes nostro dat musa poeta."

"The verse in fashion is, when numbers flow
"Soft without sense, and without spirit slow;
"Is smooth and equal, that no sight can find
« The rivet, where the polished piece was join'd.
"So even all, with such a steady view,

"As if he shut one eye to level true.
"Whether the vulgar vice his satire stings,
"The people's riots, or the rage of kings,

"The gentle poet is alike in all,

"His reader hopes no rise, and fears no fall."

The versification in this passage is pleasing, though by no means faultless. The translation is liberal and lively, and tolerably just. The obscurity of the clause" ut per lêve se"veros effundat junctura ungues" prompted the willing spirit of Dryden to qualify the "molli numero" of the satirist with terms of greater severity, than the original will justify; and "the rage of kings" conveys a different meaning from "pran❝dia regum."

We might furnish other specimens, in which Dryden has