The Portland daily press., 1884-11-24
vIR GHL's "ENETD."
Third Lecture i'm Rev. uHr. Dalton's Course

Another large audience greeted Mr.. Dalton
last Saturday, as he began the third lecture of
his course The subject was the "d1ueidn of
Virgil. As in the preceding lecture, it was
divided into two parts, one of them being a
brief description of the poem itself, and the
other comparison of its merits with the
"Iliad" and Odyssey"
The Ancient Greeks, said the lecturer. used
to compare the Iliad with the rising, and the
Odyssey with the setting, sun. Both poems
are closely related to each other, and yet each
stands upon its own merits. Following their
method, we would compare the Eneid with
the moon, a glorious object in itself, yet shin
ing by borrowed light. As the moon gets its
glory from the sun, SO the Rueid derives its
glory from the Iliad. But in order to Judge of
the merits Of books, we must find true stand
ard OF comparison. We cannot take our ind.
vidual opinion as the standard, because no two
persons think alike. We must also remember
tnat we are considering, not the moral quail
ties OF a book, but the genius and originality
of the writer. Therefore, in the present book,
we must allow the moral qualities to sink out
OF sight. What then, is true test? 1t is
this. The great works of human genius have
sprung from the Minds of their authors, The
Raphael was the greatest painter; Phidias the
greatest sculptor. The test, then, is brains. If
We apply this test. We will find that in origi.
nality OF design and in beauty of expression,
the Odyssey stands at the head. It is work
more admired, more read, translated into more
tongues, and likely to outlast all other works
of mankind. Perhaps the next on the list
would be "Don Quixote." Among English
works, Robinson CIusoe," and the Vicar of
Wakefield" stand pre-emiDeHt. Nov, let US
nIx I'M in
with the Iliad and Odyssey. The Eneid con-
sists OF twelve books, capable of subdivision
into two parts of six books each. The first six
relate the adventures of -Aneid before reach
ing Italy, and the last six his landing on the
shores OF Italy and the adventures which led
to the founding of the Latin race. In the first
book, Virgil planges at ONCE into the middle of
the story, and dscloses his hero in the seventh
year OF his wanderlngs, approaching the shores
OF Italy. a tempest scatters his feet, and
drives them over the Mediterranean to the
shore of Africa, near the city of Carthage,
There he is kindly received by Dido, queen of
the Carthag1nians, and in obedience to her re-
quest narrates his adventures from the time he
left Troy. He stays in Carthage for some
time, marries Dido, and then suddenIv, in obe-
dience to the command of Jupiter, leaves the
city and again starts for Italy, which he reach
es after somewhat prolonged stav on the
coast of Sicily. Then follows bis descent into
the lower world, the founding of Layinum,
LIS WdI6 WIN tAo AdbIFo pIluCes, AbloEG over
thrown, and the founding of the Roman ma
tion. Comparing the Iliad with the works of
Homer, we at once detect strong resem-
blance. The first six books, in relating the
wanderings of Eneas, are but a repetition of
the adventures of Ulysses, as told In the Odys-
sey. The battles described in the last six
books are but a repetition of the battles before
Troy. In this fact we at once detect Homer's
superiority over Virgil. Homer was an origi-
nator; Virgil only an imitator. The adven-
lures OF Aneas are the same as those of Ulys-
ses, and IN the same order. The battles are
the same, the gods are the same, Hneas is
Achilles, Turnus Is Hector, Aohates is Patro-
cus, Dido is Helen. In all this we see the diff
erence between imitation and originality Com
pare the heroes of Homer with those of Virgil.
There is the difference between an original
work of genius and comparatively good COPY
Homer's characters are as familiar as the
friends we meet on the street. The names of
his heroes are today symbolical, Achilles is
the synonym of war, Hector of bravery, Patroy
clus of friendship, Helen of beauty, Priam of
all that is great and venerable in king. But
there is no individuality in the heroes of the
AGaeid. Aneas is no more than the 'spious
d1ness," 2nd none of the characters impress
themselves upon our minds. The difference
is due TO the fact that in Homer we have life,
IN Virgil the picture of life; the greater brains,
the greater genius was Homer's, not Virgil's
Virgil uses very beautiful descriptions, bat
they fail to give as any vivid piotnre OF his
heroes. Homer doesn't attempt to describe
his, and yet each one stands out with marked
individuality. We follow their adventures
with great interest, with anxiety even. 1t is
not thus the case with Alneids The language