NOTES ON BIO N. IN nature. IDYLLIUM the FIRST. the Epitaph on ADONIS, we contemplate, with admiration, all the beauties and graces that can adorn a poem of this So impaffioned is its fentiment-fo curious its felicity of elocution-fo delicate the pofition of its melodious words-fo numerous and sweet the variation of its verses, and fo delightful the harmony of its pauses, that our fancy is foothed by pathos the most melting, while our ears are charmed with mufic the moft exquifite!-To this purpofe LONGEPIERRE. For the Tranflator's fentiments, fee Differtation on BION and MOSCHUS. LINE 12. As the black crimson stains his fnowy limbs. HESKIN (the Chrift-Church editor) might poffibly have been juftified in changing λevxw to λuypy in this place, to avoid an affected antithefis, did not expreflions equally abfurd occur in this author, too plainly evincing his fondness for puerilities. LINE 21. His dogs ftand howling round. SENECA, Hyppolit. 1. 1108, reprefents the faithful dog affected in a fimilar manner: Maftaque domini membra veftigant canes. ERIGONE discovered the death of her father ICARUS, by the inceffant barking of the bitch Mera at his tomb. In OSSIAN'S Temora we read, His dogs are howling in their place.'. It is a common ་ a common opinion among the Highlanders to this day, that dogs are fenfible of the death of their master, at whatever diftance it may happen; his ghoft appearing to them, at the moment of his decease, although invisible to human beings. The ancient Greeks entertained the fame notion. In HOMER's Odyffey, the dogs of EUMÆUS perceive the appearance of MINERVA, at the fame time. that the Goddess is invisible to TELEMACHUS. That this species of perception often exists in brute animals, is believed in almost all our villages. If a horse fuddenly stand ftill on the road, without any cause perceivable by his rider, it is immediately attributed to an apparition that obftructs his way. LINE 39. the rivers, as they flow. When the poet makes the rivers moan for VENUS, he very properly calls her Apgodila: But this propriety, perhaps, was merely accidental, as he hath given her the fame appellation, when she wanders the defert. LANGHORNE. Our poet, probably, meant to play upon the word Apgodila. The conceit is quite characteristic. LINE 4I. The flowerets blush, in forrow, at her feet. Paleness being the known effect of grief, we do not, at first fight, accept the expreffion Egubpavela; but when we confider, that the firit emotions of it are attended with blufhes, we are pleased with the obfervation. LANGHORNE. The translator must here alfo diffent from his favorite LANG HORNE. LINE 43. CYTHERA chaunts Doctor LANGHORNE obferves, that the fcholiafts have entirely misunderstood this paffage. They make Kungn VENUS; for which they have neither any authority (the Doric name she borrows from that island being always Kupa) nor the least probability from the connexion, LINE 56. I'll catch the quivering spirit of thy foul. Thus ANNA, DIDO's fifter, in VIRGIL: Extremus fiquis fuper halitus errat, And ALCMENA, in SENECA, Herc. O&. 1. 1339: Ut extremum filiorum fpiritum ore excipere liceret. Thus alfo PETRONIUS, C. 114; Si verè Encolpion dilexifti, age, da ofcula, dum licet, et ultimum boc gaudium fatis properantibus rape. This ufage prevailed among the Greeks as well as Romans. LINE 63. HESKIN. Wretch that I am, to breathe immortal breath O what avails it of immortal feed To been ybred, and never born to die! Far better I it deem to die with speed, Why delays SPENSER'S Fairy Queen. His hand to execute, what his decree Fix'd on this day? Why do I over-live? Why am I mock'd with death, and lengthen'd out MILTON. |