Circumftances, arifing naturally out of their Plans, which animates all their Writings, not unlike the amiable Group of Figures in one of POUSSIN's Landscapes, which gives a filent Leffon of Morality unawares to the Beholder, who no more than the Shepherds in the Picture*, imagined to find, in that Arcadian Scene, any thing but shady Groves, clear Foun

* The Picture here hinted at is described by the ingenious ABBE DU Bos above-mentioned, which I will give the Reader in his own Words. After having obferved that it was a Landscape in ancient ARCADIA, he continues; "Le tableau dont je parle répréfente le paysage "d'une contrée riante. Au milieu l'on voit le monument "d'une jeune fille morte a la fleur de fon age: c'eft ce "qu'on connoit par la Statue de cette fille couchée fur "le tombeau a la maniere des anciens. L'infcription Sepulchrale n'eft que quatre mots latins: Je vivois cependant in Arcadie, et in Arcadia ego. Mais cette infcription fi courte fait faire les plus ferieufes reflections a deux jeunes garçons et a deux jeunes filles parées de "guirlandes de fleurs, et qui paroiffent avoir rencontré ce monument fi trifte en des lieux où l'on devine bien "qu'ils ne cherchoient pas un objet affligeant. Un "d'entre eux fait remarquer aux autres cette infcription "en la montrant du doigt, et l'on ne voit plus fur leur vifage, a travers l'affliction qui s'en empare, que les "reftes d'une joye expirante. On s'imagine entendre les "reflections de ces jeunes perfonnes fur la morte qui n'epargne in l'age ni la beauté, et contre laquelle les "plus heureux climats n'ont point d'azile. On se figure ce qu'elles vont fe dire de touchant lorfqu'elles "feront revenues de la premiere furprise, et l'on l'applique à foi-même et a ceux pour qui l'on s'intereffe." Refl. Crit. Sect. VI.

66

66

"

you

tains, verdant Meadows, and other common Affemblages of a rural Profpect.-I am much obliged to you for your ingenious Obfervations upon that ancient Sepulchral Inscription I lately fent you; nor would I have you afhamed if hereafter it should prove the ingenious Imitation of fome Modern; for know the great SCALIGER himself was impofed upon in this manner by MURET, which was acknowledged by all the Learned to be a greater Proof of the Abilities of the latter, than of the want of any critical Acumen in the former. I fhall expect to meet you at the Grand Emporium very foon, therefore fhall add no more than that I am

Four, &c. &c.

LET

LETTER XX.

JOY

TO EUPHEMIUS.

OY to the World, EUPHEMIUS, that a fresh Spring of almost inexhaustible Pleasure is opened, now a mythological Key is given to the Wisdom of the Ancients. But I little thought, when I sent you the ingenious Profeffor's Book*, that I should embarrass myself in a cruel Alternative, either of denying a Requeft of your's on one hand, or of 'expofing my want of Abilities to you in attempting to comply with it on the other. The Reason you affign for defiring me to draw out a Mythological Genealogy of TASTE, in the manner of

* Letters concerning Mythology (written by the Author of the Enquiry into the Life and Writings of HOMER) to which Work, in comparison of the other, we may apply those Words of TULLY, Non eft enim, ut in arce poni poffit, quafi illa Minerva Phidiæ: fed tamen, ut ex eidem officinâ exiffe appareat.

Introd. ad Parad.

the

the Ancients, would hold good that I fhould turn the Tables upon you, and leave the Tafk in far abler Hands: for the ingenious Obfervations you made, whilst we were reading over together the four first Books of DIODORUS SICULUS, convince me I fhould fpend my Time more usefully in reading an entertaining Fable of yours on this Subject, than in attempting to compofe one myself. But as the Friendship fubfifting betwixt us demands that I fhould run the hazard of giving you a disadvantageous Opinion of my Capacity, rather than of my Inclination to fatisfy your Defire, I will endeavour to recall fome Idea of that Philofophical Spirit which discovers itself in all your Reflections upon the Compositions of the Ancients, and entertain you, as Dependents upon great Men do their Patrons, with a Banquet of your own providing.

In a Cave of a Mountain in the Island of CRETE dwelt a Nymph called CONTEMPLATION, fprung, as the Mythologists report, from JUPITER, the greatest of the

Gods,

.

Gods; for, according to their Accounts, she was conceived and leapt forth from the Brain of her Cœleftial Parent, as PALLAS did, whilst he was deeply attentive in beholding the Beauties of the Creation. In this facred Retirement the Nymph had lived many Ages, whither feveral ancient Poets, Heroes, Philofophers, and Legislators frequently reforted, for no one ever left her without receiving the utmost Happinefs from her divine Precepts. As APOLLO was wandering one Day over the Top of this Mountain, he chanced to light upon this heavenly Maid, whilft she was bufied in her ufual Employment of meditating on this stupendous System, and the divine Perfections of the great Creator of the World. Smit with her Charms, he immediately defcended into the Cave, and having enjoyed her, the bore him a Son, whom the God named EUDOXUS, alluding to the noble Ideas which filled the Mother's Mind when he firft beheld her.

"Tis

faid, as the Nymph CONTEMPLATION was one Night counting the Stars, and

4.

defcribing