Page:George Chapman, a critical essay (IA georgechapmancri00swin).pdf/146

 be said to have unbound his fettered virgin; and in answer to this not unnatural inquiry Chapman had the audacious innocence to affirm—and I doubt not in all truth and simplicity—that the inevitable application of this happy and appropriate symbol had never so much as crossed his innocent mind. As if, he exclaims indignantly, the word "barren" could be applied to a man!—was it ever said a man was barren? or was the burden of bearing fruit ever laid on man?

Whether this vindication was likely under the circumstances to mend matters much "the prejudicate and peremptory reader" will judge for himself. One rumour however the poet repudiates in passing with some violence of language; to the effect, we may gather, that he had been waylaid and assaulted as was Dryden by Rochester's ruffians, but at whose instigation we can only conjecture. He will omit, he says, "as struck dumb with the disdain of it, their most unmanly lie both of my baffling and wounding, saying, 'Take this for your Andromeda;' not being so much as touched, I witness God, nor one syllable suffering."