Page:Proofs of the Enquiry into Homer's Life and Writings.pdf/58

Rh Homer'j Life and Writings,

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hances its Value, and the Light of a Picture is Sect. increased by the Shade. That natural Faculty VIII. of the human Soul which Plato says is always pregnant with Wisdom and Thought ; that pro ductive Power out of which our Lord Bacon says Invention streams more divinely into the Minds of young Men, was called by the ancient Poets an Inspirationfrom Heaven. The Effects of it in their Works were so delightful and strange, that the Pretension was admitted by the Public ; and it was universally allowed, That their Versa were the Dictates ofDivinity. When the cautious and couragious Ulyjses af ter much wandering had at length reached his native Isle, he heard that during his long Ab sence the young Men in Ithaca, and from all the neighbouring Coasts, had come in great Numbers as Suitors to his Lady ; and taken Pos session of his House ; and at last were grown so arrogant, confiding in their Numbers and the Probability of his Death, as to command like Masters his Possessions, and consume their Pro duce ; feasting every Day at his Expence, and killing his Sheep and Oxen, and drinking his Wine at their Pleasure. As all the Troops he had carried with him to Troy, were either killed in the War or had perished at Sea, he did not think it advisable to discover himself, at his first Landing, to such a Band of rude Inmates as were then revelling in his Rh