The Lyon and fierce Tyger glar'd aloof. Following, as feem'd, the Quest of fome fray Ew, Durft ever, who return'd, and dropt not here His Carcass, pin'd with Hunger and with Drought. For that to me thou seem'ft the Man, whom late Our new baptizing Prophet at the Ford Of Jordan honour'd fo, and called thee SON of GOD; I saw and heard: For we fometimes Who dwell this wilde, conftrain'd by Want, come forth To Town or Village nigh, (nigheft is far) Where ought we hear, and curious are to hear What happens new; Fame also finds us out. To whom the SON of GOD, who brought me hither By Miracle he may, replied the Swain, (For [60] (For I difcern thee other than thou feem'ft) &c. WE muft obferve, That, in all this Story, we have no Intimation from the Poet, that Satan was concealed under this Appearance; which adds to our Pleasure, by an agreeable Surprise upon the Discovery. In the firft Book of the Æneid, Æneas being driven by a Storm upon an unknown Coast, and going in Company with Achates to take a Survey of the Country, is met in a thick Wood by a Lady, in the Habit of a Huntress: She enquires at them, if they had feen two Sisters of her's, in a like Dress, employed in the Chace. Eneas addreffes her as Diana, or one of her Nymphs, and begs the would tell him the Name and State of the Country the Tempests had thrown him upon. She declines his Compliment, informs him, she was no Goddess, but only a Tyrian Maid, gives an Account of the Place, and a full Relation of Dido's History and Settlement there. IN RETURN, Eneas acquaints her with his Story, and particularly the Lofs of great Part of his Fleet in the late Storm. Storm. Upon which, fhe affures him, from an Omen which appeared to them, that his Ships were fafe, bids him expect a kind Reception from the Queen; and then turning to go away, Æneas difcovers her to be his Mother, the Goddefs of Love. If VIRGIL had not informed us of her being Venus, till this Time, and in this Manner, it would have had an agreeable Effect in surprising the Reader, as much as fhe did Æneas but his Conduct has been quite the Reverse, for, in the Beginning of the Story, he lets the Reader into the Secret, and takes Care, every now and then, to re-mind him. Cui mater media fex tulit obvia fylva, &c. HOWEVER this Piece of Art HOMER feems as much to be a Stranger to, as VIRThere's also a fine Inftance of it, in the Discovery of Uriel, in the 3d Book of Paradife Loft. How artful is his Excufe for coming into our SAVIOUR'S Prefence. Hard are the Ways of Truth, and rough to walk, What Wonder then if I delight to hear Her Dictates from thy Mouth? Moft Men admire Το To hear thee when I come (fince no Man comes) Infpir'd; difdain nat fuch Access to me. THE firft Book concludes with the fol Into thin Air diffus'd: For now began Night with her fullen Wings to double-shade The Defart, Fowls in their Clay-nefts were couch'd; I SHALL only recommend the Defcription of the Entertainment set before our SAV IOUR in the next Book; that of the Parthian Army in the Third; the fine Map of Italy, the glorious View of Rome, far excelling the noblest Descriptions the Roman Wits ever gave of their Capital; and that of Athens in the Fourth. FINI S. 1 |