PRESTON’S ARGONAUTICS OF APOLLONiUS RHODIUS. 
. The straining timbers with the whirlwind 
Yes groan’d, 
And through the shrouds the stormy demons 
mioan’d.” 
\ (P. 70.) The style of classical and 
_ Grecian purity and simplicity is violated 
by an imitation of a very modern school 
of poetry. 
“€ To the sweet lyre the silent shores rejoice : 
The list’ning breezes fold the gauzy wing, 
While thee, Laconian son of Jove, they sing.” 
Words which are unnecessary, and 
; scarcely classical, are sometimes found. 
f ‘The translator seems much attached to 
_ words of termination like the following : 
_ heapy, steepy, sweepy, shrilly, paty, 
' er: some of these words may indeed 
‘ e vindicated by obsolete authority, but 
i. few of them are needed. 
4 ~ Expressions feeble, mean, ludicrous, 
_ or aitected, sometimes occur. 
; 
7 
_ “(P. 122.) «* Then with soft smiles that 
my search the heart of heart.” 
_. The author is so much pleased with 
_ this expression, that it occurs again in 
_ page 166. 
*< Po search the secret of the heart of heart.” 
The following is the periphrasis of 
butchers ; 
' ‘Like those that fell stont oxen to the 
A ground.” 
(®. 4.) The property of feeding is 
given to thirst. 
~ Whose tuneful soul the thirst of glory fed.” 
5 
- Ina work published in the metropolis 
he of Ireland, it is unfortunate that such an 
expression as the following should occur. 
‘ 2 Fist Castor slew the slain.” (P. 63.) 
_ These are no wverba ardentia, like the 
same expression in Dryden’s ode, but a 
direct and unaccountable blunder. 
By pin the mecesing quotations we have 
specimens of nearly all the classes 
_ of Mr. Preston’s faults: it remains to 
_ add a few words respecting the merit of 
version, and to furnish some longer 
d more pleasing extracts. 
__ Mr. Preston has himself made it the 
test of the excellence of a version, if it 
read like an original work. This merit 
he has in a considerable degree attained. 
His Style is in general easy and fluent, and 
nany passages may be selected entitled 
9 the praise of all the qualities desirable 
x ma version. Asa whole, after making 
4 
435 
deduction for numerous faults, it may 
still be read with pleasure, and the aue 
thor has done enough to convince us, 
that with more care he could have done 
much better. 
We shall now add a few extracts with- 
out any further remarks. The follows 
ing is the translation of the night-piece 
in the third book. 
<< Now, night o’er earth her ample veil 
display’d ; 
And sailors, from the deep, the stars sur- 
vey'd, 
Orion, and the greater bear; that guide 
The nightly path of vessels, ‘inoueh the tide. 
Sleep on the weary trav'lers’ senses crept. 
Ev’n in the tow’r the careful warder slept. 
Subdued by rest the mother ceas’d to mourn 
Her darling infants, clos’d within their arn. 
The busy hum of crouded streets was still ; 
And still the watch-dog’s larum loud and 
shrill. 
The queen of darkness trod her awful round ; 
Her ears untroubled, by a vagrant sound.— 
Medea’s couch refus'd the soft controul ; 
For love and Jason agoniz’d her soul.— 
* # * * 
“The youth pursuing, with intrepid 
breast, 
And footsteps firm, the path of danger prest. 
With hand unsparing, onward as he past, 
O’er the plough’d Jand the dragon’s teeth he 
cast ; 
And oft he turn’d—oft anxious ey’d the soil ; 
Lest giant harvest should prevent his toil, 
While pressing onward, o’er the stubborn 
plain, : 
The brazen footed bulls their toil sustain.— 
When three full portions of the time were 
spent, e 
From dawn of morning to the sun’s descent’; 
And gladsome now their weary task to leave, 
The workmen hail the sweet approach of eve 5 
Th’ unwearied ploughman triumph’d in his 
toil, ; 
O’er all the large allotted space of sail.— 
Four acres lay upturn’d, the share beneath, 
All fully saturate with dragon’s teeth— 
The ficry monsters from the yoke he freed ; 
And drove them terrified along the mead. 
He gaz’d around.—The furrows still remain 
A blank; unpeopled by the giant train.— 
The ship he sought, and join’d the gallant 
crew 3; } Red 
Then in his helm the cooling beverage drew. 
Gladly the youth indulg’d in transient rest; 
With words of hope his comrades cheer’d 
his breast. 
His heart expanded, with imereasing might, 
Like the fierce boar.impatient for the fight, 
Who whets his tusks, and musters all his 
wrath, 
And foaming waits the hunter in his path, 
FfQ2 
