The Sun.
London, England, 1817-10-08 00:00:00

LITER.;RY REVIEW.

The ZNEIS of VIRGIL. Translated by CHARLES SlormoNi,
D. D. of Jesus College, Oxford.--R. HUNTER, Si. Paul's
Church-yard; J. PoluElt, Pall Mall.

Having made two copious Extract& froth the
Ninth Book of this Poem, as it is presented to us
by the Ttanslations of DRYDEN, and our contem-
porary Bard, we shall now close our noticcs of it
by giving to our Readers the-fitse passage with
which it terminat
es. The- citation front DRYDEN
will he allowed to pbssess no small portion of tioet
tiled:. it May he regarded, indeed, as a speci-
men of his happiest execution. But when -wie
confront it with its correspondent from the page
of the later Translator, weleel Confident that our
Critical Readers will admit its inferiority, not

merely with respect to accuracy, but in power of
expression, , and in general poetic energy.--Par
Extracts will began at 1. 788 of the orignal.

_ .
• 64 Talihus adcensi firmantur,'&c."
"' This just-reproach their virtue does excite t
They stand, they join, they thicken to the fight. •
-Now TuaNtis doubts; and 7et disdains to Yield;
That with slow-pac "measures back the.field;
And inches to the Tiher's tide,
Washing the cans,defends the weaker side.
The more he loSes, they advance the more;.
And tread i:i every step he'iroditefore.
Tl4•yfattit‘i.,,i."4, by
They cannot conquer, they oppress with weight.
As com`pased with'a wood of spears around,
The lordly lion st'sll maintains his ground;
Grins hoiiible, retires, and turns again ;
Threats his distended paws, and shakes his mane.
He loses wtrte in vain he presses on ;
Nur will his courage let him dare-,to run.
So TVRNUS. fares, and.uhresolved of fight,
Mores tardy buelq and lasi recedes from fight. ,
Vet loged; the combat he renews ; •
Twice hi:_kzlis; and twice his britken foes pursues.
Brit now they swarm ;- and, with fresh troops supplied,
Coinc'rolling on, and rusts front,erery side.
Nor 'Jingo, Rho sustaiii'd his arms before,
Dares svitt r ew strehgth suffice the exhausted store.
For Jovt,,Avii h soar commands, sent lass down,
.To force the iusader from the affrighted town.
With labour spent, no longer can he wield
The heavy faichion, or sustain the shield.
(Yerwheldd with darts Which front afar they flings
The weapous,round his hbilow temples ring.
His golden helm gives way, with stony blows, -
Batter'd and .I:Vat ; and beaten to his brows.
His crest is rash-'d away: his ample shield
Is falsified, and round with javelins fill'd. .
The foe now faint, the Trojans overwhelm ;
And NI NESTII Ens lays hard lead upon his helm. • • ,
Sick swear succeeds ; he drops at every pore,
With driving dust his cheeks are pasted o'er.
Shorter and.shurter every gasp he takes;
And vain efforts and hurtles blows he makes.
Anted as he Was, at length he leajt'ci from high;
Plunged in the flood and nude the waleisjiy.
The yellow gsd the welcome burden bore;
And wiped the sweat, and' wash'd away the gore.
';'hen gently wafts him to the further coast ;
And sends him safe to cheer his anxious hose!"
• DRYDEN.

"Thus fired, they rally, and condense in lines;
While Tv aNUS slowly from the war declines ; -
And draws to where the river's ambient tide
Guards with its broad expanse the rampart's side•
w ith fiercer confidence the Trojans glow ; •
And press with arms and shouts the shrinking foe.
As when the crowd, with Spears athirst for blood,
Assa;! the roaring Monarch of the wood ;
Alarru'd, yet grim and- glaring ruddy fires,
Scarce he gives back and sullenly retires.,
Valor and rage his Hight alike restrain :
Spears flame in front and make his onset
Thus, while his breast with boiling fury beats, .
TurtNus with proud and pausing foot retreats.
,•
Yet twice he burst upon the foes array;
And twice along the Walls he drove the scatter'd
But from the tents auxiliar forces run;
,And bend in multitudes their might on one.
Nor longer Juno durst his powers supply :
. For Jove sent lars from the ethereal sky
To threat his sister queen, if Tu FIN vs more
Persist to float the Trojan camp in gores
Then fails his shield the battle to withstand;
• And death no longer rushes front his band.•
So thick the o'erwhelming shower of steel descends,
His ringing helmet on his temple kends :
The stubborn brass gives way;' plumage.stOops
Shorn from his head; and his faint buckler droops.
Fiercely the Trojans urge the wearied: man r •
And mighty M NESTH EU S thntlflel'S in their ran.
Now alt his body, black with 'dust and blood,
Resolves, and gushes in a briny fhlod.
With lungs, that gasp for air he breathes opprest;
And quick, short pantings shake his lab'ring chest.
At length, resulting with a haughty hound,
Down to the title he plunges from the mound,
In.ail his arms: rsjoicing, in itsfreight,
Tile Tellow river buoys his falling weight;
And softly wafts him, wash'd from slaug.hterls gain,
Safe, and with glory, 'to his friendly ti am."
SYmitailS.