Ancient Epic Poem, . \ 103 



noblest triumph of genius to be adorned witli 

 the spoils of this illustrious Grrecian. 



It is not, however, my intention, to di^uss 

 the general question of the superiority of tHe 

 ancient poetry above that of the modern; but 

 only,' as the genus comprehends the species, to 

 introduce the particular discussion, which is the 

 professed subject of this essay by some men- 

 tion of, and some opinion on the general 

 question. The mythology of the ancients, whidi 

 was the popular belief of their day, and on 

 which the machinery of their epic' poem is 

 founded, is supposed to derive to it its special 

 advantage ; as this advantage is not allowed to 

 the modern, because with a change of the 

 popular creed no sympathy can be extended to 

 him in the use of such fabulous machinery. I 

 mean therefore to shew, that in its own nature, 

 and with every allowance of belief,' it is a 

 miserable machinery ; puerile ; with no con- 

 sistency and unity of character; beneath human 

 nature ; and, having no dignity in itself, inca- 

 pable of conferring a dignity on the poem, 

 which uses it and uses it as a principal sub- 

 stratum of the poem. I might, without any 

 circumlocution, appeal immediately to the 

 sense of every one present, and expect a ge- 

 neral verdict in my favour.. But, since the time 

 of the ancients the question has a;>sumed a new 

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