An Essay on Epic Poetry; In Five Epistles to the Revd. Mr. Mason. with Notes (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1782 Excerpt: ...race; They in their native Mantua liv'd and dy'd: I liv'd at Rome, rich in a monarch's grace, Beneath the good Augustus' letter'd reign, While fabled Gods were scrv'd with worship base. A Bard I was: the subject of my strain That just and pious Chief who sail'd from Troy, Sinking in ashes on the sanguine plain. But thou, whom these.portentous fights annoy, Why dost thou turn? why not ascend the mount, Source of all good, and summit of all joy --Art thou that Virgil? thou that copious fount Of richest eloquence, so clear, so bright? I answer'd, blushing at his kind account; O thou of Poets the pure guide and light Now let me profit by that fond esteem Which kept thy song for ever in my sight Thou art my Master thou my Bard supreme, From whom alone my fond ambition drew That purer style which I my glory deem O from this Beast, so hideous to the view, Save me O save me thou much-honour'd Saee For growing terrors all my power subdue.--A different road must lead thee from her rage, (He said, observant of my starting tears) And from this wild thy spirit disengage; For that terrific Beast, which caus'd thy fears, Worries each wretch that in her road she spies, Till death at length, his sole relief, appears. So keen her nature, sleep ne'er seals her eyes; Her ravenous hunger no repast can sate; Food only serves to make its fury rise, A a 2 She Molti son gli animali, a cui s'ammoglia; E piu saranno ancora, infin che '1 veltro Verra, che la fara morir di doglia. Questi non cibera terra, ne peltro, Ma sapienza, e amore, e virtute, E sua nazion sara tra Feltro e Feltro: Di quell' umile Italia sia salute, Per cui mono la Vergine Cammilla, Eurialo, e Turno, e Niso di ferute: Questi la caccera per ogni villa, Fin che l'avr&#224...