תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

THE following Latin poems are, in their kind, excellent. They are the better worth reading, as they shew with what care our young author had studied the prince of the Latin poets; and from what source he afterwards derived, what a certain writer calls, a little whimsically indeed, but, I think, not unhappily, his sweet Virgilian prose. This Virgilianism, if I may so speak, consists in opening a subject by degrees; in presenting it, first, in few and simple terms, and then enlarging and brightening it by a more distinct and exquisite expression, till the description becomes, as it were full-blown, and is set before us in all its grace and beauty. With this gradual extension of a sentiment, or image, is joined an improvement in the rythm. The ear is consulted, as well as the imagination; and the harmony of numbers keeps pace with the energy of expression. It is remarkable that Mr. Addison's studious imitation of Virgil's manner, hurt his English poetry sometimes, though it always improved his English prose. The reason was, he had no facility in rhyming; and so was obliged many times to take up with a weaker word or phrase, than its place in his verse required. Hence, the frequent redundancies in his rhymed poetry, which were intended by him, as amplifications. In his prose, he was under no such restraint; and his exact taste always led him to perfection. That this observation is just, we may see from his Cato, where the freedom of blank verse, as it is called, secured him from this mischance; and from these Latin poems, in which the Virgilian gradation is every where observed, and nicely imitated.

HONORATISSIMO VIRO

CAROLO MONTAGU,

ARMIGERO,

SCACCHARII CANCELLARIO, ERARII PRÆFECTO,

REGI A SECRETIORIBUS CONSILIIS, &c.

CUM tanta auribus tuis obstrepat vatum nequissimorum turba, nihil est cur queraris aliquid inusitatum tibi contigisse, ubi præclarum hoc argumentum meis etiam numeris violatum conspexeris. Quantum virtute bellica præstent Bri- . tanni, recens ex rebus gestis testatur gloria; quam vero in humanioribus pacis studiis non emineamus, indicio sunt quos nuper in lucem emisimus versiculi. Quod si CONGREVIUS ille tuus divino, quo solet, furore correptus materiam hanc non exornasset, vix tanti esset ipsa pax, ut illa lætaremur tot perditissimis poetis tam misere decantata. At, dum alios insector, mei ipsius oblitus fuisse videor, qui haud minores forsan ex Latinis tibi molestias allaturus sum, quam quas illi ex vernaculis suis carminibus attulerunt; nisi quod inter

ipsos cruciatus lenimentum aliquod dolori tribuat tormenti varietas. Nec quidem unquam adduci possem, ut poema patrio sermone conscriptum oculis tuis subjicerem, qui ab istis conatibus cæteros omnes scribendo non minus deterres, quam favendo excitaveris.

Humanitatis Tuæ

Cultor devotissimus,

JOSEPHUS ADDISON.

POEMATA.

PAX GULIELMI AUSPICIIS EUROPE REDDITA, 1697.

POSTQUAM ingens clamorque virum, strepitusque tubarum,

Atque omnis belli cecidit fragor; aspice, Cæsar,
Quæ tibi soliciti, turba importuna, poetæ
Munera deducunt: generosa a pectore flammæ,
Diræque armorum effigies, simulachraque belli
Tristia diffugiant: O tandem absiste triumphis
Expletus, penitusque animo totum excute Martem.
Non ultra ante oculos numeroso milite campi
Miscentur, solito nec fervent arva tumultu;
Stat circum alta quies, curvoque innixus aratro
Desertas fossas, et castra minantia castris
Rusticus invertit, tacita formidine lustrans
Horroremque loci, et funestos stragibus agros.
Jamque super vallum et munimina longa virescit
Expectata seges, jam propugnacula rident
Vere novo; insuetos mirabitur incola culmos,
Luxuriemque soli, et turgentem a sanguine messem.
Aspicis ut toto excitus venit advena mundo
Bellorum invisens sedem, et confusa ruinis
Oppida, et eversos flammarum turbine muros !
Ut trepidos rerum Annales, tristemque laborum
Inquirit seriem, attonitis ut spectat ocellis
Semirutas turres, et adhuc polluta cruore
Flumina, famososque Ormondi volnere campos!

Hic, ubi saxa jacent disperso infecta cerebro, Atque interruptis hiscunt divortia muris, Vexillum intrepidus fixit, cui tempora dudum Budenses palmæ, peregrinaque laurus obumbrat. Ille ruens aciem in mediam, qua ferrea grando Sparsa furit circum, et plumbi densissimus imber, Sulphuream noctem, tetrasque bitumine nubes Ingreditur, crebroque rubentem fulgure fumum. Ut vario anfractu, et disjectis undique saxis Mænia discedunt, scopulisque immane minantur Desuper horrificis, et formidabile pendent !

Hic pestem occultam, et fœcundas sulphure moles Cernere erat, magno quas inter mota tumultu Prælia fervebant; subito cum claustra fragore Horrendum disrupta tonant, semiustaque membra, Fumantesque artus, laniataque corpora lethum Corripit informe, et rotat ater in æthere turbo. Sic, postquam Enceladi dejecit fulmine fratres Coelicolum pater, et vetuit contemnere divos : Divulsam terræ faciem, ingentesque ruinas Mortales stupuere; altum hinc mirantur abesse Pelion, invertique imis radicibus Ossam Hic fluvium moles inter confusaque saxa Reptare, atque aliis discentem currere ripis. Stant dubii, et notos montes umbrasque requirunt, Errore ambiguo elusi, et novitate locorum. Nempe hic Auriaci nuper vexilla secutæ Confluxere acies, hic, aspera corda, Britanni, Germanusque ferox, et juncto fœdere Belga; Quique truci Boreæ, et cœlo damnatus iniquo Vitam agit in tenebris; et qui dudum ore perusto Decolor admoti prodit vestigia Phœbi :

;

Undique conveniunt, totum conscripta per orbem Agmina, Nassovi que latus socialibus armis Circumfusa tegunt, fremitusque et murmura miscent, Tam vario disjuncta situ, tot dissona linguis.

b

Te tamen e mediis, Ductor Fortissime, turmis

* Honoratissimus D. Dominus CUTTS. Baro de Gowran, &c.

Insig. Dom. Christoph. Codrington, unus ex Regii Satellitii Præ

fectis.

« הקודםהמשך »