FOOTNOTES:

This may be affirmed of his Works in general; but I am now obliged to consider his Translation of theÆneisin particular. As he was the great Refiner of ourEnglishPoetry, and the best Marshaller of Words that our Nation had then, at least, produced; and all, who have followed him, are extremely indebted to him, as such: his Versification here, as every where else, is generally flowing, and harmonious; and a multitude of Beauties of all kinds are scattered through the Whole. But then, besides his often grosly mistaking his Author's Sense; as a Translator, he is extremely licentious. Whatever he alledges to thecontrary in his Preface; he makes no Scruple of adding, or retrenching, as his Turn is best served by either. In many Places, where he shines most as a Poet, he is least a Translator; And where you most admire Mr.Dryden, you see least ofVirgil. Then whereas my LordRoscommonlays down this just Rule to be observed by a Translator with regard to his Author,

Fall, as he falls; and as he rises, rise:

Nothing being more absurd than for those two Counter-parts to be like a Pair of Scales, one mounting as the other sinks; Mr.Drydenfrequently acts contrary to this Precept, at least to the latter Part of it: Where hisAuthorsoars, and towers in the Air,Heoften grovels, and flutters upon the Ground. Instances of all these Kinds are numerous. If I produce a few, it is not to detract from his Translation, in order to recommend my own: I detest That base Principle of little, and envious Spirits: And besides, I am sensible that it would be as foolish, as ungenerous: For of Mine, the Worldwill, andought to bejudge, whatever I say, or think; and it's Judgment in these Matters is never erroneous. It is not therefore that I am acted by the Spirit ofmalevolentCriticism, or Criticismcommonly so called; which is nothing but the Art of finding Fault: But I do it, partly tojustifymyUndertaking(tho' of a different Kind from His, which is what Ichieflyinsist upon) not torecommendmyPerformance; partly for the Instruction, and Improvement of my self, and others; for the sake of Truth, andtrue Criticism; that is, right, and impartial Judgment, joined with good Nature, and good Manners; prone toexcuse, but not tofalsify; anddelightingto dwell uponBeauties, tho'daringto remark uponFaults.

Were we to make a few scattered Strictures upon the First Book only; we should observe that he leaves out a very material Word in the veryfirstLine: And That too happens to be the WordFirst: As if That stood for Nothing, inVirgil's Verse; and as ifFirstwould not have stood as well asForc'din his own. Especially, since there are two Adjectives more of the same Signification [Expell'd, andExil'din the next Verse but one] agreeing with the same Substantive, all three to express the single EpithetProfugus: Which, by the way, is Tautology, and utterlyunlikeVirgil's Manner; who never says any thing in vain, and whose chief Beauty is Brevity. In the very next two Lines,Italiam,Lavinaque Littoraare left out; tho' necessary to the Design of the Poem: Not to mention his strange Transposing ofsævæ memorem Junonis ob iram. V. 28.Long cited by the People of the Sky, is entirely added. As is, V. 41.Electra's Glories, and her injur'd Bed; and the two following Lines. The Addition of three Verses together is too much in all Reason. V. 66.Then as an Eagle grasps the trembling Game, is wholly his own. And so is V. 107, 108.The charming Daughters of the Main Around my Person wait, and bear my Train. V. 144, 145.——Whose dismember'd Hands yet bear The Dart aloft, and clench the pointed Spear. As there is no Hint of This inVirgil; so I doubt it is not Sense in it self. For how the Hand of a Body, which has been dead seven Years, can hold a Spear aloft, I cannot imagine. V. 220.And quenches their innate Desire of Blood. This is not only added; but too gross, and horrid forVirgil's Meaning in that Place. V. 233. After,Two Rows of Rocks(which, by the way, is no Translation ofgeminique minantur in cœlum scopuli) the next Words are totally omitted;Quorum sub vertice late Æquora tuta silent. V. 459.Then on your Name shall wretched Mortals call, is not included inMulta tibi ante aras nostra cadet hostia dextra. He is speaking ofhimself, and hisFriendsin particular; not ofwretched Mortalsin general; ofThanksgiving, not ofPrayer. V. 886.——You shall find, If not a costly Welcome, yet a kind, is no more inVirgil, than it is like his Stile. But as for theFlatnesses, and lowprosaickExpressions, which are not a few, and which even the Rhime neither covers, nor excuses; I will for several Reasons forbear to transcribe any of them. TheseErratawhich I have mentioned in the First Book only, (and there are in it many more such, which I have not mentioned) are either inadding to, orcurtailing, ormistakingthe Sense of the Original.

But upon the Article of adding to his Author, and altering his Sense, there is one Fault in Mr.Drydenwhich is not to be pardoned. I mean when he does it directly contrary not only to theSense, but to theTemperandGeniusof his Author; and that too in those Instances which injure him not only as agood Poet, but as agood Man. AsVirgilis the most chaste, and modest of Poets, and has ever thestrictest Regard to Decency; after the Prayer ofIarbastoJupiterin the Fourth Book, he proceeds thus:

Talibus orantem dictis, arasque tenentemAudiit omnipotens; oculosque ad mœnia torsitRegia, &oblitos famæ melioris amantes.

What could be more well-mannered, more delicate, and trulyVirgilian, than the Sweetness, and Softness of that remote, insinuating Expression,oblitos famæ melioris amantes? For this Piece of a Verse Mr.Drydengives us Three entire ones; which I will not transcribe. The two first are totally his own; and to One who is not himselfinsensible of Shame, those fulsom Expressions must be very nauseous. Part of the last Verse indeed isVirgil's; and it comes in strangely, after the odious Stuff that goes before it. IfVirgilcan be said to be remarkable for any one good Quality more than for Modesty, it is for his awful Reverence to Religion. And yet, as Mr.Drydenrepresents him describingApollo's Presence at one of his own Festivals, he speaks Thus; Book iv. V. 210.

Himself, on Cynthus walking, sees belowThe merry Madness of the sacred Show.

Virgilsays, He walks on the Top ofCynthus; That's all: The rest is Mr.Dryden's. And it is exactly of a Piece with a Passage in the Third Georgick; in which, without any sort of Provocation, or the least Hint from his Author, He calls thePriesttheHoly Butcher. If Mr.Drydentook Delight in abusing Priests, and Religion;Virgildid not. It is indeed wonderful that a Man of so fine, and elevated a Genius, and at the same time of so good a Judgment, as Mr.Drydencertainly was, could so much as endure those clumsey Ideas, in which he perpetually rejoices; and that to such a degree, as to thrust them intoTranslations, contrary not only to the Design, and Meaning, but even to the Spirit, and Temper, and most distinguishing Character of his Author. Thus in his Translation of the last Lines ofHomer's First Iliad he describes the Gods, and Goddesses as being drunk; and that in no fewer than three Verses, and in some of the coarsest Expressionsthat our Language will admit of: Whereas the Original gives not the least Intimation of any such thing; but only says that they weresleepy, and wentto bed. And therefore here again I cannot be of Mr.Pope's Opinion,that it is a great Loss to the Poetical World that Mr.Drydendid not live to translate the Iliad. If we may judge of what the Whole would have been by the Specimen which he has left us; I think it was a Gain to the Poetical World that Mr.Dryden's Version did not hinder us from Mr.Pope's. Which may be said, without any great Compliment to the latter.

As to the Instances of Mr.Dryden's sinking, where his Author most remarkably rises, and being flat where his Author is most remarkably elegant; they are many: But I am almost tired with Quotations; quite tired with such invidious ones, as these are; it being (as I said) much more agreeable to my Temper to remark upon Beauties, than upon Faults, and Imperfections; especially in the Works of great Men, who (tho' they may have written many things not capable of being defended, yet) have written many more, which I can only admire, but do not pretend to equal. And That is the present Case. I shall therefore mention but one Example of this Kind; And it is the unutterable Elegancy of these Lines in the Fourth Book, describing the Scrietch-Owl:

Solaque culminibus, ferali carmine buboSæpe queri, & longas in fletum ducere voces.

How is This translated in the following Verses? Or rather is it translated at all?

——With a boding NoteThe solitary Scrietch-Owl strains her Throat;And on a Chimney's Top, or Turret's height,With Songs obscene disturbs the Silence of the Night.

To produce more Instances would be needless; because One general Remark supersedes them all. It is acknowledged by every body that the First Six Books in the Original are the best, and the most perfect; but the Last Six are so in Mr.Dryden's Translation. Not that even in TheseVirgilproperly sinks, or flags in his Genius; but only he did not live to correct them, as he did the former. However, they abound withBeauties in the Original; and so indeed they do in the Translation, more, as I said, than the First Six: Which is visible to any one that reads the Whole with Application.

I observed in the last place, that where Mr.Drydenshines most, we often see least ofVirgil. To omit many other Instances, the Description of theCyclopsforging Thunder forJupiter, and Armour forÆneas, is elegant, and noble to the last degree in theLatin; and it is so to a very great degree in theEnglish. But then is theEnglisha Translation of theLatin?

Hither the Father of the Fire by NightThro' the brown Air precipitates his Flight:On their eternal Anvils here be foundThe Brethren beating, and the Blows go round.

Our Language, I think, will admit of few things more truly Poetical, than those four Lines. But the two first are set to render

Huc tunc Ignipotens cœlo descendit ab alto.

There is nothing ofcœlo ab altoin the Version; nor ofby Night, brown Air, orprecipitates his Flightin the Original. The two last are put in the room of

Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in antro,Brontesque, Steropesque, & nudus membra Pyracmon.

Vasto in antroin the first of these Lines, and the last Line entirely are left out in the Translation. Nor is there any thing ofeternal Anvils(I wish there were) orhere be found, in the Original: Andthe Brethren beating, and the Blows go round, is but a loose Version ofFerrum exercebant. Much the same may be said of the whole Passage throughout; which will appear to Those who compare theLatinwith theEnglish. In the whole Passage Mr.Drydenhas the true Spirit ofVirgil; but he would have had never the less of it, if he had more closely adhered to his Words, and Expressions.

Sometimes he isnear enoughto the Original; And tho' hemight have been nearer, he is altogether admirable, not only as aPoet, but as aTranslator. Thus in the Second Book;

Pars ingentem formidine turpiScandunt rursus equum, & nota conduntur in alvo.And some, oppress'd with more ignoble Fear,Remount the hollow Horse, and pant in secret there.

And in the Twelfth, after the last Speech ofJuturna;

Tantum effata, caput glauco contexit amictu,Multa gemens, & se fluvio Dea condidit alto.She drew a length of Sighs; no more she said,But with her azure Mantle wrap'd her Head;Then plung'd into her Stream with deep Despair,And her last Sobs came bubbling up in Air.

Tho' the last Line is not expressed in the Original, yet it is in some measure imply'd; and it is in it self so exceedingly beautiful, that the whole Passage can never be too much admired. These are Excellencies indeed; This is truly Mr.Dryden.Si sic omnia dixisset, tho' he had approached no nearer to the Original than This; my other Criticisms upon his Translation had been spared. And after all, I desire that Mine, being in a different sort of Verse, may be considered as an Undertaking ofanother kind, rather than as an Attempt toexcel His. For tho' I think even That may very wellbe done; yet I am too sensible of my own Imperfection, to presume to say it can be done byMe. I have nothing to plead, besides what I have already alledged, in Excuse of my many, and great Faults, in the Execution of This bold Design; but that I was drawn into it, not by any Opinion of my Abilities to perform it, but by the inexpressible Passion which I have always had for this incomparable Poet. With a View to whom, I will here insert a noble Stroke out of my LordRoscommon's excellentEssay on Translated Verse: Which, I think, is proper to stand in This Place,both as a Conclusion of my Preface, and as a Kind of Poetical Invocation to my Work:

Hail mightyMARO!May That sacred NameKindle my Breast with Thy celestial Flame;Sublime Ideas, and apt Words infuse:The Muse instruct my Voice, and THOU inspire the Muse.

FOOTNOTES:[1]Prælectiones Poeticæ.[2]Merchant of Venice.[3]De tous les Ouvrages dont l'Esprit de l'Homme est capable, le Poem Epique est sans doute le plus accompli.[4]For so it should certainly be read; tho' both in the Folio and Octavo Editions, 'tisAristotle.[5]Preface to his Fables.[6]Elogia Virgilii Cap. IV MajorHomero.[7]The Word was originally applied to Dramatic Poetry, and from thence transferred to Epic.Aristotleuses it in more Senses than one; which seem not to be rightly distinguished by his Interpreters. However we are for that Reason more at Liberty to apply it, as we think most proper.[8]For he mentions several Episodes, which he allows to be truly such; which yet are only convenient, not necessary. And besides, he says, p. 100, and in other Places, Une Episode est une partie necessaire de l'Action:And yet, p. 102, Le premier plan de l'Action contientseulement ce qui est propre & necessaireà la Fable;& n'a aucune Episode. By which heseems at leastto allow that an Episode may not be necessary.[9]Τὸ μεν οὖν ἰδιον τοὖτο, τὰ δ' ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια. Poetic. Cap XVII.[10]The one is ἴδιον, the other is οἰκεῖον. The former is of a moreclose, restrained,andpeculiarSignification, than the latter: The former relatingmost properlyto a Man's Person;the latter to hisPossessions.[11]Preface toHomer.[12]Dedication of the Æneis.[13]SeeBossu,Chap. IX.[14]Upon the Article ofVirgil'sInvention, see M.Segraisat large in his admirable Preface to his Translation of theÆneis;and from him Mr. Drydenin his Dedication of theÆneis,p. 226, &c.of the Folio Edition.[15]Prefaceto Juvenal.[16]Paradise lost,Book VII.[17]Preface to Mr.Pope's Homer.[18]P. 142.Second Edition.[19]P. 158.[20]Præl. Poet.Vol. I. Præl. 2.[21]Verses before L.Roscommon'sEssay. And Preface to hisVirgil.[22]Preface to it.[23]Dr.Swiftin his Letter to the Earl ofOxford.[24]Preface to hisVirgil.

[1]Prælectiones Poeticæ.

[2]Merchant of Venice.

[3]De tous les Ouvrages dont l'Esprit de l'Homme est capable, le Poem Epique est sans doute le plus accompli.

[4]For so it should certainly be read; tho' both in the Folio and Octavo Editions, 'tisAristotle.

[5]Preface to his Fables.

[6]Elogia Virgilii Cap. IV MajorHomero.

[7]The Word was originally applied to Dramatic Poetry, and from thence transferred to Epic.Aristotleuses it in more Senses than one; which seem not to be rightly distinguished by his Interpreters. However we are for that Reason more at Liberty to apply it, as we think most proper.

[8]For he mentions several Episodes, which he allows to be truly such; which yet are only convenient, not necessary. And besides, he says, p. 100, and in other Places, Une Episode est une partie necessaire de l'Action:And yet, p. 102, Le premier plan de l'Action contientseulement ce qui est propre & necessaireà la Fable;& n'a aucune Episode. By which heseems at leastto allow that an Episode may not be necessary.

[9]Τὸ μεν οὖν ἰδιον τοὖτο, τὰ δ' ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια. Poetic. Cap XVII.

[10]The one is ἴδιον, the other is οἰκεῖον. The former is of a moreclose, restrained,andpeculiarSignification, than the latter: The former relatingmost properlyto a Man's Person;the latter to hisPossessions.

[11]Preface toHomer.

[12]Dedication of the Æneis.

[13]SeeBossu,Chap. IX.

[14]Upon the Article ofVirgil'sInvention, see M.Segraisat large in his admirable Preface to his Translation of theÆneis;and from him Mr. Drydenin his Dedication of theÆneis,p. 226, &c.of the Folio Edition.

[15]Prefaceto Juvenal.

[16]Paradise lost,Book VII.

[17]Preface to Mr.Pope's Homer.

[18]P. 142.Second Edition.

[19]P. 158.

[20]Præl. Poet.Vol. I. Præl. 2.

[21]Verses before L.Roscommon'sEssay. And Preface to hisVirgil.

[22]Preface to it.

[23]Dr.Swiftin his Letter to the Earl ofOxford.

[24]Preface to hisVirgil.

Spelling: English spelling in the 18th century had many differences from present-day spelling, and most of the spelling has therefore been retained without alteration.

The following may also be correct, and have been retained: "Excrescencies" (Preface p. xiii), "it self" (Preface p. xvii), "w'on't" (Preface p. xxvii), "encountring" (Preface p. xliv, a quotation from Milton PL Book 6), "forreign" (Preface p. xlviii), "litteral" (Preface p. xv), "Scotish" (Preface p. xlviii), "grosly" (Preface p. xlix).

The spelling "Aeneid" is standard in the Introduction, and the spelling "Æneid" is standard in the Preface.

The following more obvious typos have been amended: "parishoners" to "parishioners" (Introduction p. iv) "mnch" to "much" (Preface p. xlv line 14) "Transprosers"; to "Transposers"; (Preface p. xlviii line 23)

Missing period has been inserted on the following pages in the Preface: p. xv (after "rest are Episodes"), p. xlii (after "Vertue to break it"), and p. l (after "Erroneous").

Footnotes 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15 in the Preface have been particularly difficult to decipher.

Missing period has been added at the end of footnotes 5, 11, 15 and 19.

Incorrectly placed breathings and diacritics on diphthongs in the Greek text have been correctly placed.

Inconsistent positioning of footnote numbers has been retained.

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