Page:Virgil's Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis - Dryden (1709) - volume 2.djvu/89

 shun'd Hemysticks: Not being willing to imitate Virgil to a Fault; like Alexander's Courtiers, who affected to hold their Necks awry, because he cou'd not help it: I am confident your Lordship is by this time of my Opinion; and that you will look on those half lines hereafter, as the imperfect products of a hasty Muse: Like the Frogs and Serpents in the Nile; part of them kindled into Life; and part a lump of un­form'd unanimated Mudd.

I am sensible that many of my whole Verses, are as imperfect as those halves; for want of time to digest them better: But give me leave to make the Excuse of Boccace: Who when he was upbraided, that some of his Novels had not the Spirit of the rest, return'd this Answer, that Charlemain who made the Paladins; was never able to raise an Army of them. The Leaders may be Heroes, but the mul­titude must consist of Common Men.

I am also bound to tell your Lordship, in my own defence: That from the beginning of the first Georgick to the end of the last Aeneid; I found the difficulty of Translation growing on me in every succeeding Book. For Virgil, above all Poets, had a stock, which I may call almost in­exhaustible of figurative, Elegant, and sounding Words. I who in­herit but a small portion of his Genius, and write in a Language so much inferiour to the Latin, have found it very painful to vary Phra­ses, when the same sense returns upon me. Even he himself, whether out of necessity or choice, has often express'd the same thing in the same words; and often repeated two or three whole Verses, which he had us'd before. Words are not so easily Coyn'd as Money: And yet we see that the Credit not only of Banks, but of Exchequers cracks, when little comes in, and much goes out. Virgil call'd upon me in every line for some new word: And I paid so long, that