Early turn'd gray to Paffion quickly rais'd, END of the FIRST BOOK of EPISTLES. G 4 THE Q. HORATII FLACCI EPISTOLARUM LIBER SECUNDUS. EPIST. I. Ad AUGUSTUM. UUM tot fuftineas ac tanta negotia folus, Legibus emendes: in publica commoda peccem, Romulus, Auguftus had written to Horace reproaching him for not having addreffed any Part of his Works to him. Know, says he, that I am angry with You or are you apprehenfive it shall injure your Repu tation with Pofterity, that You have been one of my Friends? These Reproaches, probably, occafioned this Epiftle, which is justly ranked among the best Performances of our Author, and not unworthy of a Prince of fuperior Genius, delicate Tafte, and more than common Frudition. It may be divided into four Parts. In the first, the Poet examines the Comparison between Ancients and Moderns, which hath been Matter of Difpute in almost all Ages. He then fhews, that Novelty is the Mother of all polite Arts, efpecially of Poetry, that divine Art, which deferves, the greatest Praises, and greatest Rewards. In the third Part, he treats of the Theatre, and the Difficulty of fucceeding there. In the laft, he would inform Princes, how much they are interested to animate an Emulation among Epic and Lyric Poets, who have it in their Power to make them immortal. These different Parts are enlivened by a continual Criticism upon the Manner in which the Romans judged THE SECOND BOOK OF THE EPISTLES of HORACE. W EPIST. I. To AUGUSTUS. great: HILE You alone fuftain th' important Weight Rome's judged of Poets, and by many Reflexions, equally useful and agreeable, upon the Origin and Progrefs of Poetry. The Date of this Epiftle is determined by fo many Facts, and fo ftrongly marked, that it is unaccountable how it hath been mistaken. It mentions the divine Honours paid to Auguftus in 726: the Sove reign Authority, which he received from the Senate in 727: the Reduction of the Parthians in 734: the Laws, which he made for the Reformation of Manners in 737: the Conquefts of Tiberius and Drufus in 739,742, 743, and his fhutting the Temple of Janus in 744, when this Letter was written, and when Horace was in his fifty-fecond Year, about two Years before his Death, DAC, SAN. Verfe 4. Si longo fermone morer.] As these Words have been ge nerally understood, they make our Poet contradict himself, andfall G 5 inte 4 Q. HORATII FLACCI EPISTOLARUM LIBER SECUNDUS. Q EPIST. I. Ad AUGUSTUM. UUM tot fuftineas ac tanta negotia folus, Res Italas armis tuteris, moribus ornes, Legibus emendes: in publica commoda peccem, Si longo fermone morer tua tempora, Cæfar. Romulus, Auguftus had written to Horace reproaching him for not having addreffed any Part of his Works to him. Know, fays he, that I am angry with You; or are you apprehenfive it shall injure your Reputation with Pofterity, that You have been one of my Friends? Thefe Reproaches, probably, occafioned this Epiftle, which is justly ranked among the best Performances of our Author, and not unworthy of a Prince of fuperior Genius, delicate Tafte, and more than common Frudition. It may be divided into four Parts. In the firft, the Poet examines the Comparison between Ancients and Moderns, which hath been Matter of Difpute in almost all Ages. He then fhews, that Novelty is the Mother of all polite Arts, especially of Poetry, that divine Art, which deferves, the greatest Praises, and greatest Rewards. In the third Part, he treats of the Theatre, and the Difficulty of fucceeding there. In the last, he would inform Princes, how much they are interested to animate an Emulation among Epic and Lyric Poets, who have it in their Power to make them immortal. Thefe different Parts are enlivened by a continual Criticism upon the Manner in which the Romans judged THE SECOND BOOK OF THE EPISTLES of HORACE. EPIST. I. TO AUGUSTUS. WH HILE You alone fuftain th' important Weight Of Rome's Affairs, fo various and so great : While You the public Weal with Arms defend, Adorn with Morals, and with Laws amend : Shall not the tedious Letter prove a Crime, That fteals one Moment of our Cæfar's Time? Rome's judged of Poets, and by many Reflexions, equally ufeful and agreeable, upon the Origin and Progrefs of Poetry. The Date of this Epiftle is determined by fo many Facts, and fo ftrongly marked, that it is unaccountable how it hath been mistaken. It mentions the divine Honours paid to Auguftus in 726: the Sove reign Authority, which he received from the Senate in 727: the Reduction of the Parthians in 734: the Laws, which he made for the Reformation of Manners in 737: the Conquefts of Tiberius and Drufus in 739,742, 743, and his fhutting the Temple of Janus in 744, when this Letter was written, and when Horace was in his fifty-fecond Year, about two Years before his Death. DAC, SAN. Verfe 4. Si longo fermone morer.] As thefe Words have been ge nerally understood, they make our Poet contradict himself, andfall G 5 inte |