It appears that Persius wrote seldom and slowly. His Satires were much valued by his cotemporaries. The poet Lucan particularly admired them. He is said to have died of a stomach complaint. He forms one of the few examples of a young man, during the course of a short life, having acquired immortality for his name by his virtues, his talents, and his learning. THE TRANSLATOR'S PROLOGUE. POET AND FRIEND. V. I-12. POET. NAY, spare your censures, nor condemn the lays: The town the town may yet accord its praise.Enlighten'd Warton may approve the style; And classic Giffard nod the head and smile. F. have I not told you o'er and o'er again, P. As time speeds on, and years revolve, my friend, While yet a youth, my pure descriptive lays The learn'd could suffer, and the partial praise. Her brilliant tints Imagination threw O'er the wild scenes my artless pencil drew; And Love desponding threw his torch away. 'Twas then, when sickness and when sorrow drew P. And yet for me the Muses still have charms, Their light yet guides me, and their fire yet warms. For me the silvan world has beauties still, The shaded valley, or the sun-clad hill. Nor yet unwelcome does the hour draw nigh, Its infant joys in yonder Gothic hall; Where still the legendary tale goes round, Of charms and spells, of treasures lost and found, Of fearful goblins, and malicious sprites, Enchanted damsels, and enamour'd knights: Or led by fancy back to ancient times, To fairer regions, and to milder climes, And, veil'd by darkness, was no longer coy ; |