1792. Ttahan literature. 199 
fection in the AZneid of Virgil, began from that period 
gradually to decline, it happened likewise that the 
Italian poetry, having attained its full beauties 
in Tafso, afterwards declined very much from its 
dignity, even in his own life time. His imitators, 
making a bad use of his elegancies, began to dif- 
seminate in their works the seeds of a particu- 
lar manner of thinking, which approached too much 
to reflection; and, as it very often happens, every one 
Was striving to introduce some novelty, and endea- 
vouring not to be surpafsed in merit by those who 
had anticipated themin time. Upon astrict examina- 
tion of Ta/so’s own works, it will appear that traces 
are to be found in them of the comcettz and over- 
streached metaphors, in one word, of the corrupt- 
ed stile which became so universal in the seventeenth 
century. It may be added to this that the idiom of 
the Spanifh language, Spain at that time domineering 
over the greatest part of Italy, admitted of such a 
turn of thought, and such a kind of phraseology, as 
somewhat approaches to the above mentioned man- 
ner; so true it is that nations become easily recon- 
ciled to the customs of those who govern them ; 
as likewise that what may be admitted as an orna- 
ment in one language, not only will not be proper, 
lout even will be a fault in another. 
To be continued. 
ps SEE 
uf @ * D a 
