' 5}3

LECTURE XLIII.

:ii

si

i tbl

■ ifc

sir

HOMER ’s ILIAD AND ODYSSEY. — 4 *

ViRGIL’s iENElD, at

££u$

A • . ? d :

- e c t. _c\.S the Epic Poem is univerfally allowed toXL1JI. polfefs the highefl rank among Poetical Works, *4’it merits a particular difcuflion. Having treated ^ol the nature of this Compofition, and the prin- a ^ (cipal rules relating to it, I proceed to make forac 31obfervations on' the moll diftinguilhed Epic - “VPoems, Ancient and Modern.

Homer claims, on every account, our firft '? anattention, as the father not only of Epic , but in * c {fome meafure, of Poetry in general. Whoever asfits down to read Homer , mull: confider that he i? pris going to read the moll ancient book in theWorld, next to the Bible . Without making this ‘tbreflection, he cannot enter into the fpirit, nor Hireliflr the Compofition of the Author. He is^iot 'p®to look for the correctnefs , and elegance of the stAugullan Age. He muff divert; himfelf of our mo- saddcrn ideas of dignity and refinement; and tranfport -tvhis imagination almoll three thoufand years back <e;,in the hiftory of mankind. What he is to expect, ; -1