Page:On translating Homer (1905).djvu/196

 Rivers, that trickle to the sea,   than Jupiter are weaker; So, than the progeny of Jove,   weaker a River's offspring. Yea, if he aught avail'd to help,   behold! a mighty River Beside thee here: but none can fight   with Jove, the child of Saturn. Not royal Acheloïus   with him may play the equal. Nor e'en the amplebosom'd strength   of deeply-flowing Ocean: Tho' from his fulness every Sea   and every River welleth, And all the ever-bubbling springs   and eke their vasty sources. Yet at the lightning-bolt of Jove   doth even Ocean shudder, And at the direful thunder-clap,   when from the sky it crasheth.

Mr Arnold has in some respects attacked me discreetly; I mean, where he has said that which damages me with his readers, and yet leaves me no possible reply. What is easier than for one to call another ignoble? what more damaging? what harder to refute? Then when he speaks of my 'metrical exploits' how can I be offended? to what have I to reply? His words are expressive either of compliment or of contempt; but in either case are untangible. Again: when he would show how tender he has been of my honour, and how unwilling to expose my enormities, he says: p. 57: 'I will by no means search in Mr Newman's version for passages likely to raise a laugh: that search, alas! would be far too easy';