ART. X. Q. Horatii Flacci Epiftola ad Pifones, de Arte Poetica. Poetry: An Epifle to the Pifos. Tranflated from Horace; with Notes. Colman. 4to. 75. 6d. Cadell. FEW of the remains of antiquity have been more frequently tranflated than Horace's Art of Poetry. It has appeared in every modern language, and exercifed the genius and abilities of the learned in every country. Many and various have been the fentiments of the commentators, concerning its defign, and the ftructure of its parts. It feems, however, to have been the prevailing opinion, that Horace, in this epiftle, intended to lay down feveral rules for poetical compofition, without any determinate plan, until Dr. Hurd, the prefent Bishop of Worcester, published a new edition of it, accompanied with a commentary and notes, in which he endeavoured to prove, I. That the ART OF POETRY at large was not the peculiar fubject of this piece, but that it was a fyftem and not a collection, and that it was written folely and fimply to criticize the RoMAN DRAMA: and that to this end every fingle precept of it ultimately refers. II. The falfe opinions, with refpect to this poem, have arifen from a mifconception, not only of the SUBJECT but alfo from an inattention to the METHOD of it. The Bishop then attempts to prove that the fubject is fingly, the ftate of the Roman Drama, and that a regular plan is adopted in the profecution of this fubject. He then diftinguishes the epiftle into three parts. L From verfe to v. 89. Some general rules and reflexions preparatory to the main fubject of the epiftle. II. From v. 89 to v. 295. Regulations for the Roman ftage, particularly rules for tragedy. III. From v. 295 to the end. Exhortations to correctnefs in writing, efpecially of the dramatic kind. Such is the fummary of the learned, and, indeed, elegant Hurd, bred and nurtured in the refined school of Warburton. From his laws Mr. Colman very ingeniously appeals, in his letter to the Mr. Wartons, prefixed to this tranflation. The Art of We have often had occafion to admire the nice tafte and claffic knowledge of our modern Terence; but he never before gave us fo fplendid an opportunity of praifing his judgement and acumen. His fentiments are thefe: "The original epiftle confifts of four hundred and feventy-fix lines; and it appears, from the above numerical analyfis, that not half of thofe lines, only two hundred and fix verfes [from v. 89 to 295] are employed on the fubject of the Roman ftage. The firft of the three parts above delineated [from v. 1 to 89] certainly contains general rules and reflections on poetry, but furely with no particular reference to the drama. As to the fecond part, the critick, I think, might fairly have extended the poet's confideration of the drama to the 365th line," feventy lines farther than he has carried it: but the laft hundred and eleven lines of the epiftle fo little allude to the drama, that the only paffage in which a mention of the ftage has been fuppofed to be implied, [ludufque repertus, &c.] is, by the learned and ingenious critick himself, particularly diftinguished with a very different interpretation. Nor can this portion of the epiftle be confidered, by the impartial and intelligent reader, as a mere exhortation " to correctnefs in writing; taken up partly in removing the caufes that prevented it; and partly in directing to the ufe of fuch means, as might ferve to promote it." Correctnefs is indeed here, as in many other parts of Horace's Satires and Epiftles, occafionally inculcated; but furely the main fcope of this animated conclufion is to deter thofe who are not bleft with genius from attempting the walks of poetry." Mr. Colman then informs us, that he agrees with the Bishop, as to the unity of fubject, of beauty, of method obferved in this work, but that he cannot agree that the main intention was the regulation of the Roman ftage. His idea is as follows: He imagines, that one of the Pifos had written, or meditated, a poetical work, probably a tragedy, which piece or intention did not meet with the approbation of Horace. In order to diffuade the youth from publication, the poet with a very characteristic and courtly delicacy, dedicates this epiftle to the father and the two fons. Horace, continues the tranflator, 'begins with general reflections, addreffed to his three friends, and with preliminary rules calculted for poets of every denomination. After this view of poetry, on the canvass of Ariftotle, but after his own manner, he gives the rules and history of the drama, adverting principally to tragedy, and its conftituent appendages. In this part of the Epiftle, he writes entirely to the two young men, and points out the difficulties and excellencies of the Dramatic art. The poet having exhaufted this part of his fubject, fuddenly drops a fecond, or difmiffes at once no lefs than two of the three perfons, to whom he originally addreffed this Epiftleand earneftly conjures the ELDER PISO, O Major Juvenam, to reflect on the danger of precipitate publication, and to avoid the ridicule which purfues bad poetry. From v. 366, therefore, to the end of the poem, almost a fourth part of the whole, the plural number is difcarded, and the fingular is invariably retained. The arguments are equally personal, fhewing what conftitutes a good poet, and defcribing an infatuated fcribbler. "To conclude (fays Mr. Colman) If I have not contemplated my fyftem, till I am become blind to its imperfections, this view of the Epiftle not only preferves to it all that unity of fubject, and elegance of method, fo much infifted on by the excellent critick, to whom I have fo often referred; but by adding to his judicious general abftract the familiarities of perfonal addrefs, fo ftrongly marked by the writer, not a line appears idle or mifplaced: while the order and difpofition of the Epittle to the Pifos appears as evident and unembarraffed, as that of the Epiftle to Auguftus; in which laft, the actual ftate of the Roman Drama feems to have been more manifeftly the object of Horace's attention, than in the work now under confideration. "Before I leave you to the further exLOND. MAG. July 1783. amination of the original of Horace, and fubmit to you the tranflation, with the notes that accompany it, I cannot help obferving, that the fyftem, which I have here laid down, is not fo entirely new as it may perhaps at firft appear to the reader, or as I myself originally fuppofed it. No critick indeed has, to my knowledge, directly confidered the whole Epiftle in the fame light that I have now taken it; but yet particular paffages feem fo ftrongly to enforce fuch an interpretation, that the editors, tranflators, and commentators, have been occafionally driven to explanations of a fimilar tendency; of which the notes, annexed will exhibit feveral striking inftances." Such is Mr. Colman's opinion of this celebrated epiftle, and it is entirely original, if we except the notion of the uniformity and regularity, which Hurd firft promulgated. The manner in which our translator points out the particular paffages in which he differs from the Bishop deferves high commendation. It is li beral, and worthy of the gentleman and the fcholar. It may, indeed, ferve as a model to all literary difputants, who commonly mingle more acidity than fweetnefs with their remarks. The tranflation is next to be confidered, and, on the whole, it is eminently fuccefsful. Eafe and ftrength are correctly blended, and the curiofa felicitas, which Petronius very acutely remarked in the writings of Horace, may be traced in feveral paffages of this verfion. It is not fo clofe as metaphrafe, nor fo free as paraphrafe; while in exactnefs and poetical merit it far excels any former attempt. Many parts of this Epiftle, particu larly thofe refpecting the flute, the mufic of the ancients, and the formation of the Iambic verfe, Mr. Colman has not only faithfully translated, but even put into an elegant English drefs, although every author has ranked them among thofe defcriptions which no modern language can exprefs. Many of the lines of the original, likewife, which are derived from proverbial expreffions, Mr. Colman has rendered with equal ability and happiness. L The The notes are partly original and partly felected. Many of the opinions of former commentators are controvert ed, many of their mistakes are corrected, and feveral obfcurities are explained. So that this collection may be confidered as a very ufeful, as well as ornamental appendage to the tranflation, and merits the attentive perufal of every fcholar. Upon the whole, we think this verfion, and the notes which accompany it, a real acquifition to the literary world, and at the fame time, that this work will add a fresh laurel to the claffic wreathe that has fo long adorned the brow of the English Terence. We cannot difmifs this work, without giving our readers an opportunity of judging for themselves of the merit of this Tranflation. The first paffage which we fhall felect will be the defence of poetry: "The barb'rous natives of the thaggy wood From horrible repafts, and acts of blood, ORPHEUS, a priest, and heav'nly teacher, brought, And all the charities of nature taught: That flones were faid to move, and at his call, The following paffage poffeffes fo much elegant eafe, that we can venture to affert, that it will please every reader of talte and difcernment: "As the fly hawker, who a fale prepares, Collects a croud of bidders for his wares, The poet, warm in land, and rich in cafh, But if he keeps a table, drinks good wine, If he difcern the flatterer from the friend. fül As mummers, at a funeral hir'd to weep, One paffage more, and we have done. The defcription of the ages has fo Charm'd to his purpofe, form'd the Theban wall. often been admired in the original, that "The love of moral wifdom to infufe These were the labours of THE ANCIENT MUSE, To mark the limits, where the barriers flood wixt private int'reft, and the publick good; To raife a pale, and firmly to maintain The bound that fever'd facred from profane; To thew the ills promifcuous love should dread, And teach the laws of the connubial bed; Mankind difpers'd, to focial towns to draw; And on the facred tablet grave the law.' Thus fame and honour crown'd the poet's line; His work immortal, and him elf divine! "Next Jotty HOMER, and TYRTEUS ftrung Their epic harps, and fongs of glory fung; In verfe the oracles their fenfe make known, And leads the Mules to the throne of Kings; Verfe rou, the varied fcene and iports prepares, Brings rest to toil, and balm to all our cares. DEEM THEN WITH RAV'RENCE OF THE GLORIOUS FIRE, BREATH'D BY THE MUSE, THE MISTRESS OF THE LYRE! BLUSH NOT TO OWN HER POW'R, HER GLORIOUS FLAME; NOR THINK APOLLO, LORD OF SONG, THY SHAMI?" we cannot withhold the translation of it, and the note on the paffage, from our readers "Man's feveral ages with attention view, His flying years, and changing nature too. "The boy who now his words can freely found, And with a steadier footstep prints the ground, Places in playfellows his chief delight, Quarrels, Thakes hands, and cares not wrong or right: Sway'd by each fav'rite bauble's fhort-liv'd pow'r, In fmiles, in tears, all humours ev'ry hour. "The beardless youth, at length from tutor free, Loves horfes, hounds, the field, and liberty: Pliant as wax to vice his eafy foul, Marble to wholesome counfel and controul; Improvident of good, of wealth profufe; High; fond, yet fickle; generous yet loofe. "To graver ftudies, new purfuits inclin'd, Manhood, with growing years, brings change of mind: Seeks riches, friends; with thirst of honour glows; "Evil in various shapes old age furrounds; Timid and cold in all he undertakes, Hope makes him tedious, fond of dull delay; rious times! Unlike the prefent age, that teems with crimes! "Thus years advancing many comforts bring, And, flying, bear off many on their wing: Confound not youth with age, nor age with youth, But mark their feveral characters with truth!" Man's feveral ages, &c.] Etatis cujufque, &c. Jafon Denores takes notice of the particular stress, that Horace lays on the due difcrimination of the feveral ages, by the folemnity with which he introduces the mention of them: the fame critick fubjoins a note alfo, which I fhall tranfcribe, as it ferves to illuftrate a popular paffage in the As you Like It of ShakeSpeare. "All the world's a stage And all the men and women merely players; Even in the cannon's mouth. And then, the juftice And fo he plays his par The fixth age fhifts fcenâ induci poffit, quòd ipfas rerum de JUVENTUTE autem & ADOLESCEN DAMODO INFANTIE RESPONDET: accommodatâ. "It "Before Shakespeare's time, fays L 2 262. 66262. Thus YEARS ADVANCING many comforts bring; "And, FLYING, bear off many on their wing. "Multa ferunt ANNIVENIENTES commoda fecum, "Multa RECEDENTES adimunt. "Ariftotle confiders the powers of the body in a state of advancement till the 35th year, and the faculties of the mind progreffively improving till the 49th; from which periods they feverally decline. On which circumftance, applied to this paffage of Horace, Jafon de Nores elegantly remarks - Vita enim noftra videtur ad VIRILITATEM ufque, quò IN STATU pofita eft, QUENDAM QUASI PONTEM ætatis ASCENDERE, ab eaque inde DESCENDERE.-Whether Addison ever met with the commentary of De Nores, it is perhaps impoñible to difcover. But this idea of the ASCENT and DECLIVITY of the BRIDGE OF HUMAN LIFE, frongly reminds us of the delightful Vifion of Mirza." As the notes on the chorus are eminently ingenious, we fhall lay them before our readers. 66 Though it is not my intention to agitate, in this place, the long difputed question concerning the expediency, or inexpediency, of the CHORUS *; yet I cannot difmifs the above note without fome further obfervation. In the first place then I cannot think that the judge ment of two fuch critics as Ariftotle and Horace can be decifively quoted, as concurring with the practice of wife antiquity, TO ESTABLISH THE CHORUS. Neither of thefe two critics have taken up the question, each of them giving directions for the proper conduct of the CHORUS, confidered as an eftablifhed and received part of tragedy, and indeed originally, as they both tell us, the whole of it. Ariftotle, in his Poetics, has not faid much on the fubject; and from the little he has faid, more arguments might perhaps be drawn in favour of the emillion, than for the introduction of the Chorus. It is true that he fays, in his 4th chapter,that Tragedy, after many changes, paufed, having gained its natural form.' This might, at irft fight, feem to include his approbation of the Chorus, as well as of all the other parts of tra gedy then in ufe: but he himself exprefsly tells us in the very fame chapter, that he had no fuch meaning, faying, that to enquire whether tragedy be perfect in its parts, either confidered in itself, or with relation to the thentre, was foreign to his prefent purpose.' In the paffage from which Horace has, in the verfes now before us, defcribed the office, and laid down the duties of the Chorus, the paffage referred to by the learned critic, the words of Ariftotle are not particularly favourable to the institution, or much calculated to recommend the ufe of it. For Ariftotle there informs us, that Sophocles alone, of all the Grecian writers, made the Chorus conducive to the progress of the fable: not only even Euripides being culpable in this inftance; but other writers, after the example of Agathon, introducing odes as little to the purpofe as if they had borrowed whole fcenes from another play.' "On the whole, therefore, whatever may be the merits or advantages of the Chorus, I cannot think that the judgement of Ariftotle or Horace can be adduced in recommendation of it. As to the probability given to the reprefentation, by the Chorus interpofing and bearing a part in the action, the public, who have lately feen a troop of fingers affembled on the ftage, as a Chorus, during the whole reprefentations of ELFRIDA and CARACTACUS, are competent to decide for themselves, how far fach an expedient gives a more ftriking refemblance of human life than the common ufage of our drama. As to its importance in a moral view, to correct the evil impreffion of vicious fentiments, imputed to the speakers; the ftory told, to enforce its ufe for this purpofe, conveys a proof of its inefficacy. To give due force to fentiments, as well as to direct their proper tendency, depends on the fkill and addrefs of the poet, independent of the Chorus. "Monfieur Dacier, as well as the author of the above note, cenfures the modern ftage for having rejected the Chorus, and having loft thereby at least half its probability, and its greateft or |
