Nor is it fufficient for an Epic Poem to be filled with fuch Thoughts as are Natural, unless it abound also with such as are Sublime. Virgil in this Particular falls fhort of Homer. He has not indeed so many Thoughts that are Low and Vulgar; but at the fame time has not fo many Thoughts that are Sublime and Noble. The truth of it is, Virgil feldom rifes into very aftonishing Sentiments, where he is not fired by the Iliad. He every where charms and pleases us by the force of his own Genius; but feldom elevates and transports us where he does not fetch his Hints from Homer. Milton's chief Talent, and indeed his diftinguishing Excellence, lies in the Sublimity of his Thoughts. There are others of the Moderns who rival him in every other part of Poetry; but in the greatness of his Sentiments he triumphs over all the Poets both Modern and Ancient, Homer only excepted. It is impoffible for the Imagination of Man to diftend it felf with greater Ideas, than those which he has laid together in his firft, [fecond,] and fixth* [tenth] Book[s]. The feventh, which defcribes the Creation of the World, is likewife wonderfully Sublime, tho' not fo apt to stir up Emotion in the Mind of the Reader, nor confequently fo perfect in the Epic way of Writing, because it is filled with lefs Action. Let the Reader compare what Longinus has observed on several Paffages of Homer, and he will find Parallels for most of them in the Paradife Loft. From what has been faid we may infer, that as there are two kinds of Sentiments, the Natural and the Sublime, which are always to be pursued in an Heroic Poem, there are also two kinds of Thoughts which are carefully to be avoided. The first are fuch as are affected and unnatural; the second such as are mean and vulgar. As for the first kind of Thoughts we meet with little or nothing that is like them in Virgil: He has none of those little Points and Puerilities that are so often to be met with in Ovid, none of the LOW THOUGHTS ARE TO BE AVOIDED. 29 Epigrammatick Turns of Lucan, none of those swelling Sentiments which are fo frequent[ly] in Statius and Claudian, none of those mixed Embellishments of Taffo. Everything is just and natural. His Sentiments shew that he had a perfect Insight into Human Nature, and that he knew every thing which was the most proper to affect it. *I remember but one Line in him which has been objected against, by the, Criticks, as a point of Wit. It is in his ninth Book, where Func speaking of the Trojans, how they furvived the Ruins of their City, expresses her felf in the following Words ; Num capti potuere capi, num incenfa cremarunt Pergama ? Were the Trojans taken even after they were Captives, or did Troy burn even when it was in Flames? Mr. Dryden has in fome Places, which I may hereafter take notice of, mifreprefented Virgil's way of thinking as to this Particular, in the Translation he has given us of the Æneid. I do not remember that Homer any where falls into the Faults above mentioned, which were indeed the falfe Refinements of later Ages. Milton, it must be confeft, has sometimes erred in this Respect, as I fhall fhew more at large in another Paper; tho' confidering how all the Poets of the Age in which he writ, were infected with this wrong way of thinking, he is rather to be admired that he did not give more into it, than that he did sometimes comply with that [the] vicious Taste which prevails fo much among Modern Writers. But since several Thoughts may be natural which are low and groveling, an Epic Poet fhould not only avoid fuch Sentiments as are unnatural or affected, but also fuch as are low and vulgar. Homer has opened a great Field of Raillery to Men of more Delicacy than Greatness of Genius, by the Homeliness of some of his Sentiments. But, as I have before said, these · * From I remember' to Flames?' omitted in second edition. 30 SENTIMENTS EXCITING LAUGHTER SHOULD BE EXCLUDED. are rather to be imputed to the Simplicity of the Age in which he lived, to which I may also add, of that which he described, than to any Imperfection in that Divine Poet. Zoilus, among the Ancients, and Monfieur Perrault, among the Moderns, pushed their Ridicule very far upon him, on account of fome fuch Sentiments. There is no Blemish to be observed in Virgil under this Head, and but very few in Milton. I shall give but one Inftance of this Impropriety of Sentiments in Homer, and at the fame time compare it with an Instance of the fame nature, both in Virgil and Milton. Sentiments which raife Laughter, can very feldom be admitted with any decency into an Heroic Poem, whose Business it* is to excite Paffions of a much nobler Nature. Homer, however, in his Characters of Vulcan and Therfites, in his Story of Mars and Venus, in his Behaviour of Irus, and in other Pasfages, has been observed to have lapsed into the Burlefque Character, and to have departed from that ferious Air which feems effential to the Magnificence of an Epic Poem. I remember but one Laugh in the whole Eneid, which rifes in the Fifth Book upon Monates, where he is represented as thrown overboard, and drying himself upon a Rock. But this Piece of Mirth is fo well timed, that the fevereft Critick can have nothing to say against it, for it is in the Book of Games and Diversions, where the Reader's Mind may be supposed to be fufficiently relaxed for fuch an Entertainment. The only Piece of Pleasantry in Paradife Loft, is where the Evil Spirits are described as rallying the Angels upon the Success of their new invented Artillery. This Paffage I look upon to be the fillieft [moft exceptionable] in the whole Poem, as being nothing else but a string of Punns, and those too very indifferent ones. -Satan beheld their Plight, And to his Mates thus in derifion call'd. O Friends, why come not on thefe Victors proud! THE ONLY PIECE OF PLEASANTRY IN PARADISE LOST.' 31 And Breaft, (what could we more) propounded terms As they would dance, yet for a Dance they feem'd To whom thus Belial in like gamefome mood. The SPECTATOR. Ne quicunque Deus, quicunque adhibebitur heros, Hor. {But then they did not wrong themfelves fo much, Nor (to avoid fuch Meannefs) foaring high, Rofcommon.} Saturday, January 26. 1712. AVING already treated of the Fable, the Characters, and Sentiments in the Paradife Loft, we are in the last place to confider the Language; and as the learned World is very much divided upon Milton as to this Point, I hope they will excufe me if I appear particular in any of my Opinions, and encline to those who judge the most advantagiously of the Author. It is requifite that the Language of an Heroic Poem should be both Perfpicuous and Sublime. In proportion as either of these two Qualities are wanting, the Language is imperfect. Perfpicuity is the first and most neceffary Qualification; infomuch, that a good-natured Reader fometimes overlooks a little Slip even in the Grammar or Syntax, where it is impoffible for him to mistake the Poet's Senfe. Of this kind is that Paffage in Milton, wherein he speaks of Satan. |