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dud of Homer in bringing about the death of Hedor ; in tliis 

 he feems to facrifice charader and probabihty to national vanity. 

 The flight of this warrior degrades his charader too far, and 

 much of that glory which would be refleded on his own hero is 

 loft by the contrivance. 



While I am engaged in this part of the fubjed I muft 

 talie the liberty of queftioning one criticifm of Longinus— It is 

 upon that paiTagc of Homer, where Neptune is reprefented as 

 fliaking all the powers of nature, and which clofes with the 

 image of Pluto ftarting from his throne, and fhouting with 

 terror, left the general fhock might difclofe his infernal realms 

 to mortal fight. Longinus beftows full praife upon every thought 

 of the pafTage except the laft ; but involves this in a general 

 ccnfure, that Homer's Gods are Men, and his Men Gods. The 

 general obfervation is frequently too juft, and in my opinion is 

 partly exemplified in the inftance which I have juft now men- 

 tioned ; Achilles there appears arrayed in terrors more than human. 

 Yet I thmk the cafe now before us deferves no cenfure. There 

 is fomething fo inconceivably fublime in the thought, that, even 

 were it not ftridly confiftent with the laws of criticifm, it fliould 

 be pronounced above the reach of art. But I think it can be 

 Vindicated. It was the genius of the Heathen Mythology to afcribe 

 paffions to their Gods ; fo that great latitude was given the 

 poet m the condud of this machinery. Homer has certainly 

 often violated all decorum and probability, yet the prefent occa- 

 fion does not feem to be one of thefe. The fabulous account 

 of Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto having portioned out among them 

 the univerfe according to the rank of each, prepares the mind 

 for the watchful and jealous attention of each to his own pro- 

 vince ; 



