MISS FOX'S DIARY AT HOLLAND HOUSE 21 



I had a very delightful conversation; we con- 

 versed on divers subjects. The French Revolu- 

 tion and Napoleon's character were at first our 

 chief topics. Papa gave me a sketch of the 

 history of the latter, relating his own interview 

 with him in Paris. Then we went on to speak 

 of Washington, a man of the purest character, 

 as papa said, under very trying circumstances. 

 Papa went on to read me some of Dryden's 

 verses, amongst others his satire on MacFlecknoe, 

 and his lines on Death from Lucretius. Papa 

 is very fond of Dryden, and considers that his 

 satire has a more elevated character than that 

 of Pope. Papa said he admired Pope for never 

 having decried Dryden, on the contrary, he 

 always expressed the sincerest admiration for 

 Dryden's talent.' 



1 Tuesday, March 26, 1823. I talked of 

 the Iliad to papa, and of Mr. Knight's opinion 

 that the Odyssey was not written by the author 

 of the Iliad. Papa spoke of the description of 

 Sisyphus rolling the stone up the hill, in the 

 Odyssey, and of the sudden change of words 

 which pourtray its heavy tedious ascent and its 

 impetuous and rebounding descent.' 



