If we would live, within our proper Sphere, EPIST. IV. Ad ALBIUM TIBULLUM. LBI, noftrorum fermonum candide judex, Quid nunc te dicam facere in regione Pedanâ?ˆ Curantem quidquid dignum fapiente bonoque eft ? 5 Qui: This Letter is written in the true Epiftolary Tafte; with an easy Chearfulness and Vivacity, fuch as Friendship permits between Perfons of the fame Age, or rather demands. Our Poet here diftributes his Praises, Morality and Raillery with a delicate Hand, nor have we any thing to regret but the Shortenefs of his Letter. We may fix the Date of it in 720, when Tibullus was about thirty Years of Age, and Horace one Year older. SAN. Verfe 1. Albi.] The Reader may find the Character of this Poet in the Notes on the three and thirtieth Ode of the firft Book. 3. Cafsi opufcula vincat.] Tibulles too well knew the Value of Poetry, not to understand the Raillery of Horace, when he propofes Caffius as an Example for his Imitation. This Caffius was a Verfificator, rather than a Poet. Perfuaded, that a great Number of Werfes made a good Poem, he abandoned himself to this miferable Facility, and deluged the Public with his Writings. SAN.. 4. Sylvas inter reptare falubres.] Mr. Dacier thinks, that this Expreffion is to be figuratively understood, for the Study of Philofophy, and the Authors of the Academic Sect. The Word reptare, which fignifies to walk flowly and with Difficulty, and which confequently cannot be applied to an agreeable, eafy fauntering in a Wood, feems in Mr. Sanadon's Judgement to fupport this Opinion. If this be the Sense of the Paffage, Tibullus is re prefented, EPIST. IV. To ALBIUS TIBULLUS. A LBIUS, in whom my Satires find A candid Critic, and a kind, Do you, while at your Country-Seat, Can a fond Nurse one Bleffing more- With prefented, advancing in his philofophical Meditations, as it were Step by Step, from one Propofition to another. It 7. Divitias dederunt.] Mr. Dacier tells us, that Tibullus was an Extravagant, who had reduced himself to the laft Diftreffes, and had now retired to the Country to repair his broken Fortune. is not unpleasant to fee the Critic labouring through the Difficulties himself hath raifed; painfully accounting for the Riches, here given to Tibullus, and aukwardly explaining away the Compliment of that Art, which the Gods had given him of enjoying them. Let it however be fome Honour to Mr. Dacier, that nothing less than his critical Sagacity could have found fuch Abfurdities; no thing less than his great Learning could have fupported them; and nothing less than his own Art could have palliated them in fuch a Manner as to impofe on his own Judgement, 10 Qui fapere, & fari poffit quæ fentiat, & cui 15 EPIST. 9. Qui fapere, &c.] They, who read quam fapere & fari, have thrown a Perplexity into the Text, which they can never explain but by fubftituting their own Meaning to that of the Poet, and adding ut, which neither appears in the Copies, nor ancient Impreffions. nus. 11. Non deficiente Camenâ.] This Correction is of Claudius BoiviTo fee the Neceffity of it, let us confider the whole Sentence. A Man, fays Horace, who hath good Senfe, Reputation, Health, and an elegant Table, what can he wish for more? According to the common Editions, he wishes that his Wealth may never fail. But can it fail, while we fuppofe it affords him an elegant Table? Befides, Vidus may fignify all the Conveniencies of Life, which Money can purchase. Or does Horace, like a Nurfe, childishly repeat this firft of Wishes, Wealth, for his favourite Boy? But this was a Bleffing Tibullus already poffeffed, although in lefs Abundance, than before he fuffered for the Caufe of Liberty. Could we expect, that Horace, while he wrote to one of the beft Poets of his Time, would have forgotten this Part of his Character when he had fo easy, and obliging an Opportunity of remembering it? Poets usually better understand the Value of their poetical Talents. Indeed, this was the only Happiness, that could be added to his Circum ftances, and is Part of our Author's own Prayer to Apollo, Give me to ftrike the tuneful Lyre, And Thou my lateft Song infpire. 12. Inter fpem curamque.] We may only read Tibullus his Elegies to be convinced, that Horace here means thofe Paffions of Hope and Fear, which fucceffively actuated his Breast in the Course of his Amours. Our Poet propofes to him, as a Remedy, the grand Maxim, with which he used to regulate his own Paffions, and prevent the Disorders, to which we are expofed by our Pursuit of Pleasure. An Epicurean, who confiders every Day as his laft, will enjoy the Pleafure, that laft Day brings. He bounds all his Hopes, Fears, Cares and Projects in this little Compass, without difquieting himself for what With Senfe and clear Expreffion bleft, And a poetic, easy Vein ? By Hope infpir'd, depreft with Fear, what may happen To-morrow, which neither depends upon him, nor he upon it. Such is the Doctrine to which Horace attributes his own joyous Plight of Body, his Good-humour, and easy Careleffnefs of Life. SAN. 14. Grata fuperveniet.] Hope fometimes takes from us more Pleasure, than it gives us. An unexpected Bleffing is always best received, because the Heart, not having wafted itself in defiring, feizes its Pleasure with its whole Force. Even the Surprize is a new Pleafure. SAN. EPIST. A |