212 Epigrams^ Fragments^ i^c.from the Greek. [08:. I, 



ments of Vier mind, fo peiliaps it is harHIy On tiie fame authorify (and on that, I 



fair to judge her by the common ftanHard believe, alone) has tlie perfon of Sappho 



of female propriety.* On thefe grounds been injuiioofly ftigmatized. Let us fee 



we may admit the probability and palliate what a Grecian poet fjvs of her piflure, 



the extravagance of this unfortunate at- which may at leaft be fufiicient to coun- 



tachment ; but I think it impoilible to al- 

 low, without unqueUionable proofs, the 

 •utter depravity of a foul fo noble. 



The remonftrances wliich Sappho made 

 to her brotlier Charaxu> on a difgraceful 

 and ruinous conneiiicn he had formed 

 with an Egyptian courtezan, are ftrcngly 

 demonlfrative of the ftrength of her afFec- 

 fion for him, and of the purity of her own 

 he;<rf and underrtanding. It is cuftomary 

 vvi h thole who take an unnatural delight 

 in blackening the human char-ifter, tc 

 «iwe!l on aits of hypociily and duolicity, 

 ?.nd to renrelent it as a comm'^n thing in 

 men to tunceal in ihemfelve^, by feverely 

 reprehenHing in others, the very vices to 

 which they are cnCcious of bi-ing moft 

 addifted. But whatever we may lead or 

 hear of i'uch men, iliey are (to the honour 

 of our "ature) very feldom to he inet wjih 

 in real life, efpecially sinong thofs whofe 

 minds have bien enjaiped by 1 bcral pur- 

 fuilR, or wh >fe hearts :-ire expanded by the 

 jiowers of their fancy and the vviirin.h of 

 tiieir iinagmation. Sap-ho is all fiie and 

 enthufiafm : her whole 1 ul is bie^'^hed 

 cut in every (tiain (he fings. She calh on 

 Venus herltif to adminilter wine to her 

 aflociafes, and thus addrefi'cs the heavenly 

 cup beaier : 



Come, fmiling Venus I hand ai'^und 

 The golden cup vvi' h nedtjr crown'd j 

 prefent thy goblet from above 

 To all who hivf! the f iil to love ; — 

 Come — and the draught thy hands fupply 

 Infpire with thy aivinity. 



I> it poflible that fucla a woman wis a 

 hypocrite, trthat, while (lie was reprov- 

 ing the vice and folly of a I eloved hi other, 

 flie was confcious to herfeif of being the 

 moft diffolute and ab indcned of her lex ? 

 I am not aware of any author ear'ier than 

 the Augi'.lfan age who alludts to fhofe in- 

 Jamoiib ftorie." which ihe writ;ngs of Ovid 

 have circulated to her prejudice. Mull 

 the charafter of this divine poetefs be 

 loaded with every fpecies of obloquy and 

 reproach on fo fligh' a f imda:ion as the 

 weak fancy of a pofiiga'e Roman .' 



* It is thus, in a little fragment, (he de- 

 fcribes her own mind, and the influence that 

 paffion had acquired over it ; — 



My foul was formed for love's delight ; 



Yet, fuel) is my unhappy fate, 

 The flame which burns fo gloiious bright 

 is fpent upon a proud injjrate. 



terhalance the other 



AuTJi ff-Of 7iXa{-Eif« <f'ua-i?. DemochABIS. 

 Whoe'er he was whofe art this piflurc 



plann'd, 

 'Twas plaftic Nature led his (kilful hand. 

 The glittering moirture of the ey is feen-— 

 As if the power of Fancy dwelt within ; 

 The warm carnation of the features glows 

 With Nature's rofes — (hines with Nature's 



fiiows, 

 While the bright fmiies and lips^ neftareous 



dews 

 Tremble with Love and gliften with the 



Mufe. 



Of the fublime ode preferved byLon?i- 

 nus, Am'i.tofe Piulips's beautiful tranlla, 

 tinn will never bu equalhd by anv future 

 attempts. Yc-t it hu be^-n veryjuftly ob- 

 (ei ved, that that exquifite little poem fails 

 in giving an adequate idea of ihf (ire of 

 theorigiml. Tii-ie is as much difFerenre 

 between them a' b' tweeii tiie foul of Sap. 

 pho and ihat of a tender Enropean lover. 

 I will theietore venure to prefent a traiil"- 

 htion which appears to nie more literal, 

 retaining the four (iilt linrs of Philips, 

 which it feems impofTihle to render more 

 exaftly.* 



C>a(V£T£!i i-'oi Kivc; I roc Bsoinv, 

 " Rleft as th' immortal Gods is he. 

 The youth who fondly fits by thee, 

 Ani hears and fcrs thee all the while 

 Softly fpeak and fiveitly fmilc " 

 'Tis this has ftt my heart on fire, 

 i*nd thriird my bofoni with dtiire; 

 For when I fee thy form arife. 

 All voice and found that inftant dies ; 

 My trembling tongue has loft i:s pow'r ; 

 Slow fubile (ires my flcin devour ; 

 My fieht is fled ; around me fwim 

 Lowjizzy tnurn'urs ; every llnnb 

 Cold creeping dews o'erlprcad ; I feel 

 A (hivering tremor o'er me ttcal j 

 Fjler tlian grafs I grow ^ my breath 

 Pants in (Iiart gafps ; I feen, like death. 



I will conclude thefe obfervations on 

 the Myiilenian poetefs with the following 

 epigram : 



'EXSete Tfti ri/ii;i;. 

 Come, Lelbian Maids, to [ur-o's royal dome, 

 Vviih (teps that hardly prefs the pavement, 

 come ; 



* I do not m.ean that even thefe are faith- 

 ful repreientatio: s of the Greek ; but the 

 particular force of the exprefhons cVi? 6''«i'~i''- 

 io-oi and the j/£Xai'j 4/x£fo'=v abfolulely baffle 

 all uttempts at imilatioii. 



Let 



