Page:Virgil's Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis - Dryden (1709) - volume 2.djvu/56

 had indeed the Story from common Fame, as Homer had his from the Egyptian Priestess. Æneadum Genetrix was no more unknown to Lucretius than to him. But Lucretius taught him not to form his Heroe; to give him Piety or Valour for his Man­ners; and both in so eminent a degree, that having done what was possible for Man, to save his King and Country; his Mother was forc'd to appear to him and restrain his Fury, which hurried him to Death in their Revenge. But the Poet made his Piety more successful; he brought off his Father and his Son; and his Gods witness'd to his Devotion, by putting themselves under his Protection; to be re-placed by him, in their promis'd Italy. Neither the Invention, nor the Con­duct of this great Action, were owing to Homer or any other Poet. Tis one thing to Copy, and another thing to imitate from Nature. The Copyer is that servile Imitator, to whom Horace gives no better a Name than that of Animal; he will not so much as allow him to be a Man. Raphael imitated Nature: They who Copy one of Raphael's Pie­ces, imitate but him, for his Work is their Original. They Translate him as I do Virgil; and fall as short of him, as I of Virgil. There is a kind of Invention in the Imitation of Raphael; for though the thing was in Nature, yet the Idea of it was his own. Ulysses Travell'd, so did Æneas; but neither of them were the first Travellers; for Cain went into the Land of Nod, before they were born: and neither of the Poets ever heard of such a Man. If Ulysses had been kill'd at Troy, yet Æneas must have gone to Sea, or he cou'd never have arriv'd in Italy. But the Designs of the two Poets, were as different as the Cour­ses of their Heroes; one went Home, and the other sought a Home. To return to my first Similitude. Suppose Apelles and Raphael had each of them Painted a Burning Troy; might not the Modern Painter have succeeded as well as the