any impression upon a mind either imbued with religion, or familiar with the progress of philosophy and science. He, therefore, who should refrain from a perusal of the poet, under the apprehension of becoming a convert to his religious opinions, would, in the present period of scientific improvement, be considered as either naturally imbecile in intellect, or, verging towards a state of insanity. Futile, however, as the data, on which the peculiar system of Lucretius is built, may justly be deemed, his work abounds with a vast variety of philosophical doctrines, perhaps including every sect among the ancients. The subtile hypotheses of Epicurus, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Anaxagoras and Democritus, of Anaximander, Pythagoras, Anaximenes, Thales, Pherecydes, Aristotle and Plato, pass in review before him, and it affords some astonishment, and much curious speculation to the reflecting mind, that, probably, not a system of philosophy exists among the moderns,which has not had its foundation laid upon some one opinion or other of these ancient theorists, and the outlines of which may not be found in the pages of Lucretius. Even the Newtonian doctrine of Gravitation was not unknown to our poet, for, in his first book, he attempts to refute the idea, that the universe has a centre to which all things tend by their natural gravity. That the central spot had the strongest power of attraction was equally an hypothesis of Sir Isaac Newton and the ancient Stoics. It is not a little extraordinary, therefore, that an ancient composition, pregnant with such exquisite poetry, and unfolding such a curious mass of philosophical conception, should not have been more generally studied. Men of poetic genius, indeed, have frequently had recourse to these materials, and have drawn, from the splendid creations of the Roman, many of their most brilliant and beautiful designs, and with the greater air of originality, as the model from whence they sketched, had, comparatively, attracted but a small portion of the attention of the mere classical scholar. It is only, indeed, within these few years, that in our island, as a writer at once elegant, interesting, and sublime, Lucretius has been honoured with due notice. Dr. Warton, with much taste, pointed out many of the noble images so thickly sown throughout the poem, and the Tate magnificent edition by Gilbert Wakefield, who to great critical acumen adds all that sensibility and enthusiasm so essential to a just relish of the higher beauties of poetry, together with the elegant Translation we are about to give some specimens of, will ensure the reputation, and familiarise the excellencies of our hitherto neglected Bard. To translate with harmony and fidelity such an author as Lucretius, is an enterprise of no small difficulty, and requires the utmost command of language, not only to transfer the glowing scenery of the poem, but to transmit, with melody and precision, the diction of the schools. Few, therefore, have been the attempts, in England, to naturalize this poet, and of these few, the greater part has been preeminently unfortunate. Mr. Evelyn, with the utmost admiration of his original, and with every wish to excel, commenced the arduous task, exclaiming, I saw a fruitful soil, by none yet trod, *Lines addressed to Mr. Creech. but, after struggling through the first book, he relinquished the undertaking in despair. Creech, however, had more perseverance, and has given us an entire version, but so little has he preserved of the dignity, of the sublimity, and descriptive powers of the poet, that it is impossible to form any idea of the beautiful original from his coarse and ill-executed copy. Some couplets which have merit, might be selected from the volume, and a few passages which attempt the delineation of rural ease and happiness; but take it as a whole, it is utterly deficient in one of the most striking characteristics of the Roman, grandeur and felicity of expression. Dryden has rather paraphrased than translated, and though in the small portion he has favoured us with, his versification be, as usual, spirited and easy, it wants the majesty and solemn colouring of Lucretius; and towards the conclusion of the fourth book he is more licentious, broad and open, than the text, faulty as it undoubtedly is, in this respect, will warrant. Toward the middle of the last century, a version in profe was published, together with the original, and with plates, engraved by Guernier it is evident that an attempt of this kind can have few pretensions to any other merit than that which arises from a literal adherence to the sense of the original; in this view, it appears not to be deficient, and, as Lucretius, from the nature of his subject, is, occasionally, intricate, may have its use." These being the only efforts hitherto made to clothe in a British dress the first, perhaps, of Roman Poets, a translation, which to elegance and energy of diction, should add the charms of versification, and a fidelity as well with regard to the manner, as matter of the poet, has become a desideratum in english literature, and I feel peculiar pleasure in being able to inform the literary world that a version, which appears to me, as far as I am able to estimate its merits, fully capable of supplying the deficiency, is in preparation for the public. Mr. Good, of London,* has, for some years, devoted his leisure hours to this elaborate undertaking, and, if friendship hath not biassed my judgment, with the happiest success. That my readers, however, may be enabled to form an opinion for themselves, I shall place before * Caroline Place, Guildford Street. |