Page:Hero and Leander; a poem (IA heroleanderpoem00musa).pdf/35



author:Henri Estienne has exhibited the word in all its meanings, and particularly introduces the above line.—See his Thesaur. Ling. Græc. He observes, that the construction would be harsh (dura conftructio) if turn'd otherwise than 'I hear the Sound of Leander swimming,' which would be a wretched version, particularly when we reflect that Sound cannot be applied to the Torch; for that must necessarily be an object to the Eye. To obviate this great impropriety, I would construe 'fando accipio'—I hear by report—I relate the received tale of Leander and the Torch. This last interpretation is illustrated by Henry Stephens from a verse in Homer Il. ω.

If any severer Critic is dissatisfy'd with the above, let him substitute ; and the passage will be clear, and unforc'd—Indeed the spirit of the phrase will be augmented by this Prosopopeïa, which consequently enforces the history related, by bringing it immediately to the Sight.

This verse is superfluous—the second and third words have a barbarous jingle, and a tautology of expression; and has too near a vicinity to  in the line preceding. The whole is a meer repetition of in the fourth line, and for the worse; add to this, that it breaks the force of  in the ensuing line, which seems to require an union with the sixth: