The Sun.
London, England, 1817-06-09 00:00:00

REV!!:

THE /ENE'S'

From the fourth hook of this admirable Poem,
in its Translation by DRY DEN and our contempo-
rary bard) We have been induced to make copious
'extracts, partly under the influence of its rare
beauty, anti partly from the wish of opposing Day-
JEN in his plenitude of strength to the competi-
tor who has entered the lists to contend with him
for the prize. The fourth book we consider as that
part of the Poem with which DRY URN has lahonr-
ed.witli the least questionable success, and our
last citation from it was its very fittest passage.
We might, indeed, make other extracts tram it,
such as the personification of Fame, the descent
of Altsficonv, and some of the preceding speeches
of the impassioned Queen. But in none of these
is' the approach of the old to the modern Poet Sc
close, and in none of them are thepowers
DRYDEN So brilliantly exhibited. We shall now
then take our leave of the fourth hook, and pro-
iceeti to the seventh, which stands next, not in
merit, hut in place, upon the list of his favour-
ites : and front this we shall first cite its opening
passage, as executed on the'whole very happily,
and superior, perhaps, to any whiCh may Occur :o
113 in the subsequent course of the hook:--;-
" And thou, °patron! of immortal fame
Here dying, to the slime hast left thy name.
caliTa still the place is call'd from thee;
The nurse of great &Ness' infancy.
Here rest thy bones in rich HRSPEIRIA's plains;
't by all a ghost can have) remains.
Ni;jerltin the prince her funeral rites had paid,
He plough'd the Tyrrhene seas With sails display'd,
From, land a gentle breeze arose by night :
Serenely shone the stars, the moon was bright ;
And the sea trembled with the silver light.
Now near the shelves of elect:ls shores they run,
(Glace the rich, the daughter of the Sun), '
A dangerous coast, the goddess wastes her days
In joyous songs, the rocks resound her lays
In spinning on the loom, she spends the night;
And cedar brands supply her fatlith's light;
From hence were heard, rebelluwing to the main,
.The roars of liens that refuse the chain :
Tire grunts of bristled boars; and groans of bears ;
And herds of howling wolves that stun the sailors.' ears.
These horn theiecaverns at the close of night,
Fill the sad isle with horror and affright. ‘' .
Darkling they mourn their fate, whom Cremes power,
(That wattled the moon, and planetary hour)
With words and wicked herbs, froin human kind
Had alter'd, and in wicked shapes confined.
Which monsters, lest the Trojans' pious bust
Should hear, or touch upon the indented coast,
Propitious NEPTUNE steer'd their course, by night
/7/ith rising gales, that sped their happy flight.
Supplied with these, they skim the sounding shore;
And hear the swelling surges vainly roar.
.Now ,vhen the rosy morn began ;to rise;
And waved her saffron.streamer through the skies:
When Turns blush'd in purple not her own ;
dad lioos her fare the breathing winds arc Ito 1C72 ;
A sudden silence sate upon the Zen,
And sweeping oars, with struggling urge their u'ay.
The Trojan from the main beheld a wood,
Which thick With Asides and a brown horror stood,
Betwixt the trees the Tiber took his course
With itirlpouis dimpled ; and, with downward force
That drove the land along, he took his way
And rent his rsilow billows to the sed.
About him and above, and round the goody
The birds that haunt the borders of his flood;
That tatbed within, or bask'd upon his side
To tuneful.songs their narrow throats applied.
The Captain giveti command, the joyful train.
Glide through 41ie gloomy shade, and leave the main."

DRYDEN.

--
We wish that we could include in our extract
the invocation, svhich immediately follows, but,
as it would extend beyond our present liMits, the
most. reserve it for a future opportunity. On
the passage'which We have cited we shall nlstain
from making any remarks exceptirag such as
„
may be• intimater' by our -italics. 'to the expres-
sions thus marked, we feel objections more or
less strong ; and what may be the Idea intended
to he conveyed by the '4' breathing winds being
blown from the face of Thetis," we profess our.
selves tm4hle to conjecture.' But the paisa
0.11
the whole, is we have' already observed, is very
,
good ; and- we 'shall ritisv confront it with its
correspondent in,the new translation;' to which the
reader, if we Se not greatly"mistaken, will readily
adjudge the superiority
44 Thou, too, woote loss„ ring VMS ./ENEAROWIed
CAIETA halt by drab our shores renown'd. •
And, where thy resift- - sleep, immortal Fame -
Stands on the ground; and hallows with her name.
In great itesperok'; and in this rejoice
If the cold urn he tot:Wit with glory's voice. •
When each sepulchral rite devoutly paid. • •
The pale, dear ashes iii tomb were laid:
The pious chief, as tranquil seas prevail,'
11,.:leasing from the port, spreads every sail.
Through the still night propitious breezes play;
And the soft moon supplies her guiding ray.
Front wave to wave the trembling splendours glance;
And strew the main-with spangles as they dance;
Now, gently borne upon the wafting titles,
Close by Circatan shores the navy glides; >,
Wherethe rich daughter of the Sun resides;)
Chaunts to I:Le-echoing-groves, by wan untrod,
The lays harmonious of her parent-god:
Or in her palace plies the nightly loom;
While cedar lights breathe odonrs through the Toon/.
Hence,'sfartlitig night, resounds along the mAiir
The roar of lions, struggling' with the chain :
Hoarse groans are heard, and howling:: of lament,
Mutt hoses and hears and wolves in anguish vent.
Forms, which byspelli front man to brute ctitopell'd,
The cruel goddess in her fetters held.
To shun such monstrous fate, nor. touch the port,
Haply too near the. fair magician's Ci3ll7t,
Neptune attends to Troy; and breathes the gales
That speed her vessels with distended sails: •
Bear their swift flight beyond the: billowy sharp;
And safely to the expanded seas restore.
Now blushed the waves, as rosy, on her read,
Aurora, in her golden chariot, glow'd: •
When fell the winds, and, every breeze asleep,
The smooth oar struggles with the glassy deep:
And now ißisteas secs a spreading wood;
Where, arch'd with foliage, Tiber whirls his flood
And, rich with spoils front lands, his waters lave,
Fours into Ocean's breast his.yellow wave.
Around, above, the natives of his plains,
Birds of rare plumage warble•doleet. strains;
And, as the Iturel shades reflect their notes,
Sweetly through air the liquid rapture floats.
Here with delight .IBgeas steers to land,
And in the alvadcd strtsetcn bi.resseig stand."
Slatmotiz.