Page:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Vol. 1) - tr Garth, Dryden, et. al. (1727).djvu/62

xliv they'll find, that as the Tyranny of Rhyme never impos'd on the Perspicuity of the Sense; so a languid Sense never wanted to be set off by the Harmony of Rhyme. And as his earlier Works wanted no Maturity; so his latter wanted no Force or Spirit. The falling off of his Hair, had no other Consequence, than to make his Lawrels be seen the more.

As a Translator he was just; as an Inventer he was rich. His Versions of some Parts of Lucretius, Horace, Homer, and Virgil throughout, gave him a just Pretence to that Compliment which was made to Monsieur d'Albancourt, a celebrated French Translater; It is uncertain who have the greatest Obligations to Him, the Dead or the Living.

With all these wondrous Talents, he was libell'd in his Life-time by the very Men, who had no other Excellencies, but as they were his Imitators. Where he was allow'd to have Sentiments superior to all others, they charged him with Theft: But how did he steal? no otherwise, than like those, that steal Beggars Children, only to cloath them the better.

'Tis to be lamented, that Gentlemen still continue this unfair Behaviour, and treat one another every Day with most injurious Libels. The Muses should be Ladies of a chaste and fair Behaviour: When they are otherwise, they are Furies. 'Tis certain that Parnassus is at best but a barren Mountain, and its Inhabitants contrive to make it more so by their unneighbourly portment;