The Works of the English Poets: Virgil, trans. by Dryden

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H. Hughs, 1779
 

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Page 303 - But every man cannot distinguish between pedantry and poetry: every man, therefore, is not fit to innovate. Upon the whole matter, a poet must first be certain that the word he would introduce is beautiful in the Latin, and is to consider, in the next place, whether it will agree with the English idiom: after this, he ought to take the opinion of judicious friends, such as are learned in both languages: and, lastly, since no man...
Page 217 - I had the honour to converse, and that almost daily, for so many years together. Heaven knows, if I have heartily forgiven you this deceit. You extorted a praise which I should willingly have given had I known you. Nothing had been more easy than to commend a patron of a long standing. The world would join with me, if...
Page 312 - From whence the race of Alban fathers come, And the long glories of majestic Rome.
Page 143 - Or, stript for wrestling, smears his limbs with oil, And watches with a trip his foe to foil. Such was the life the frugal Sabines led; So Remus and his brother god were bred: From whom th' austere Etrurian virtue rose, And this rude life our homely fathers chose.
Page 300 - What had become of me, if Virgil had taxed me with another book ? I had certainly been reduced to pay the public in hammered money, for want of milled...
Page 208 - Bossu has well observed, was ambitious of trying his strength with his master, Virgil, as Virgil had before tried his with Homer. The Grecian gave the two Romans an example, in the games which were celebrated at the funerals of Patroclus. Virgil imitated the invention of Homer, but changed the sports.
Page 302 - ... shall hinder me to import them from a foreign country? I carry not out the treasure of the nation, which is never to return; but what I bring from Italy, I spend in England: here it remains, and here it circulates; for, if the coin be good, it will pass from one hand to another. I trade both with the living and the dead, for the enrichment of our native language.
Page 292 - I could never have been able to have done any thing at this age, when the fire of poetry is commonly extinguished in other men. Yet Virgil has given me the example of Entellus for my encouragement : when he was well heated, the younger champion could not stand before him. And we find the elder contended not for the gift, but for the honour — nee dona moror...
Page 21 - ARGUMENT. The occasion of the First Pastoral was this : When Augustus had settled himself in the Roman empire, that he might reward his veteran troops for their past service, he distributed among them all the lands that lay about Cremona and Mantua ; turning out the right owners for having sided with his enemies.
Page 346 - Works in the pliant bosom of the fair ; And moulds her heart anew, and blots her former care. The dead is to the living love resigned, And all ^Eneas enters in her mind.

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