Ancient Epic Poem, I IT 



bow, to this truth and standard I apptjal, and 

 in despite of the dearest prejudices hope to 

 make it appear, that, inasmuch as the ancient 

 epic poem depends upon its' celestial machi- 

 nery, this macliinery is a puerile and miserable 

 allyi having no consistency, no dignity oi 

 character, serving to no great or good end, 

 exhibiting no sublime or moral lesson, beneath 

 human nature, and, having in itself no Excel- 

 lence or elevation, can administer no aid, re- 

 flect no lustre on the poem, which adopts it. 



I shall examine this machinery of the an?* 

 cient epic in these two views, 

 . I. Whether it contributes to the moral, or 

 morals of the story. -; . . 



II. Whether it contributed td raise the ima- 

 gination, to exalt and excite in a higher and 

 more interesting degree the passions, in whidi 

 the epic peculiarly delights. 



I. If it be admitted, that instruction and 

 moral instruction should be a principal object 

 of the sublimcr epic, this end is not only not 

 promoted, but absolutely perverted by the in- 

 troduction of the heathen deities and the im* 

 portant part, which is assigned to them in the 

 ancient poem. Whether moral instruction be 

 a principal end, or no, yet it is certainly re- 

 quired of poetry in general, and much more 

 of the graver and severer poetry, that it have a 



