3. Of the fcanning conclufive Rhyme the following are Inftances. "Sylveftrem tenui mufam medi-taris ā-venā. "Nudus in ignota pali-nure ja-cebis ā-renā. From whence it appears that Virgil's Poetry is almost all Rhyme of one kind or other; and it is evident beyond Difpute that he generally concludes his ftrong, founding, majestick Paragraphs with a full Rhyme, for which I refer to that fine Line already more than once mentioned, which fums up the Praises of Italy. "Totaque thuriferis Panchaia pinguis arenis. 66 And to the Conclufion of his fineft work. "Hic vero fubitum, ac dictu mirabile monftrum And to this I will add the laft Line of the Epilogue to the Georgicks. "Tytyre te patula cecini fub tegmine fagi. Where the two feveral Hemifticks or Parts of the Verse Rhyme each to itself. I would obferve here that both Ovid and Lucan, for want of Judgment, begin with a full Rhyme; the confequence of which is, that the Conclufion of the Paragraph is lefs fonorous than the Beginning, which muft needs have a bad Effect. " In "In nova fert animus mutatas difcere formas. Ovid, "Bella per Emathios plus quam Civilia Campos. Lucan. But a modern Writer, and a much better Compofer of Latin Verfes than either Ovid or Lucan, has with great Judgment taken care to follow Virgil's Example in this and many other Particulars. I mean Vanerius. There are a great Number of Lines in his Prædium Rufticum which are worthy of Virgil himself: I fhall entertain you with fome of them. In his Kitchen-Garden, the following Paffage is a Description of all the numerous Family of Colworts, or the Cabbage-kind. Quid dicam quanta jactat fe Braffica laude? "Sive volubilibus redit in fe frondibus, Orbefque "Orbibus agglomerans, capitis fub mole laborat; "Tornato fimiles Ebori feu candida Flores "Ediderit, feu Coniacas imitata Cupreffus, 66 66 Seque fuas plicat in frondes, & acumen in album Definit, & tenui venit baud ingloria Menfæ. "Sive bieme in media cum cætera frigore torpent "Læta viret, Boreamque trucem, Caurofque malignos "Defpiciens, vacuis ultro Dominatur in bortis." In his Description of the Farm-yard, he paints the following several Sorts of Fowls in this Manner: "Se picta cervicis Anas & Garrulus Anfer 66 And I cannot omit this moft charming Verfe which defcribes the Courtship of a Pigeon. "Sæpe folum verrens Penná pendente rotatur." "Oft with his trailing Wing the wanton Dove "Brushes the Ground, and wheels about his Love. Such Verse as this must please in all Ages, and in all Countries, where the Readers have any Taste and Delicacy of Ear. All the Beauties of Virgil's Poetry are in these Lines; and you may observe in the four last mentioned, 1. How curiously the Paufe is varied. In the first Line it is upon the first Syllable of the fourth Foot. In the second Line it is upon the first Syllable of the third Foot. In the third Line it is upon the firft Syllable of the fecond Foot. In the fourth Line it is upon the laft Syllable of the first Foot. 2. Obferve the initial Alliteration in the firft, fecond and third Lines. In the first, Anas and Anfer. In the fecond, Mole, Movent, and Modefto. The mixt Alliteration in the firft Line where Garrulus is placed betwixt Anser and Anas, makes the Verse very fonorous; but the mixt Alliteration in the last Line where the Vowel i is repeated eight times in seven Words, is a very masterly Stroke; «Erigit, & motis sibi plaudit lætior alis.” -Ille Ille binc concentus in omni Carmine Divini vatis. Which extempore Remark is itself an Inftance of what I am taking notice of as imitated from Virgil. 3. You will perceive the Allufio Verborum to have a very good Effect in the second Line. "Tarda mole movent, habitu gallina modefto." 4. The mixing the fingular and plural Numbers in the third Line is very judicious. "Caudam Criftafque rubentes. Ovid would have faid, "Caudam Criftamque Laftly, The full Rhyme in the fourth Line makes the whole Paragraph very harmonious. It is not improper to produce here the Conclufion of the Defcription of Eolus's Cave, which is one of the finest Paffages in the Æneid. "Sed pater omnipotens fpeluncis abdidit atris Hoc metuens, molemque & montis infuper altos "Et premere, & laxas fciret dare juffus habenas. Would not any body think that Vanerius intended to vie with Virgil in this Place? October 2. 1736. D 3 I am, SIR, &c. The TH P. S. HE Examples I have given in this Letter of plain direct Rhyme are only in long or heroic Verfe, but I might have inftanc'd in Lyric Lines. Horace abounds in Rhyme. In the first Ode we find Metaque fervidis and feveral others. In two of his finest Odes the following Lines are as full Rhymes as can poffibly be made, Nec venenatis Heliconis Oris Aut fuper Pindo Gelidove in Hamo. The two laft are doubly rhym'd. LET |