Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/46

40 Th' umbrageous shadow, and the verdant green, The running current, and odorous fragrance, Cheer my lone solitude with joyous gladness.

Or in pretty drawling words like these,

All men his tomb, all men his sons adore, And his sons sons, till there shall be no more. The rising sun our grief did see, The setting sun did see the same; While wretched we remember'd thee, O Sion, Sion, lovely name.

are as generally coupled, as a lean rabbit with a fat one; nor is it a wonder, the superfluity of words, and vacuity of sense, being just the same thing. I am pleased to see one of our greatest adversaries employ this figure.

The growth of meadows, and the pride of fields, The food of armies and support of wars, Refuse of swords, and gleanings of a fight, Lessen his numbers and contract his host, Where'er his friends retire, or foes succeed, Cover'd with tempests, and in oceans drown'd.

Of all which the perfection is

Break through the billows, and — divide the main. In smoother numbers, and — in softer verse. Divide — and part — the sever'd world — in two.

With ten thousand others equally musical, and plentifully flowing through most of our celebrated modern poems.

CHAP.