6o 
Dr. Barnes on Poetry. 
With refpett to himfelf, and to Lucilius, he tells 
us, that if you take away the order and the 
meajure , their verfes would become “ fermo 
merus,” mere proje . Not fo, if you take irj 
pieces that line of Ennius, 
“ Poftquam difcordia tetra 
Belli ferratos poftes, portafque refregit.” 
For then, he exclaims, 
“ Invenias etiam disjecti membra poet.® !** 
The true poetic efience, then confifts in eleva¬ 
tion, imagery, and grandeur ; to which modu~ 
lation is no more than an adjunft; neceflary in¬ 
deed, becaufe it, in fome degree, neceffarily 
accompanies animated and poetic Jentiment 
To thefe arguments, it may be replied : 
Cl That the modefty of Horace, in excepting him- 
felf from the rank and honours of poetic character, 
will not be admitted, even with refpedt to thofe 
verfes, as to which alone , he made the exception. 
For, who has not in every age claffed the Epijlles 
and Satires of Horace, in the number of poetic 
compofitions , though, as he fays, his ftile only 
“ Pede certo 
Differt fermoni: fermo merus. 
ft If we adhere rigoroufly to this definition; {hall 
we not exclude many candidates, from whom 
we fhould be forry to pluck the well-earned 
wreath of poetic fame ? All verfes, where the 
fubjeft is low or ridiculous, as the Hudieras of 
PuTLER i 
