1775 ANOTHER LETTER ON POETRY 283 



that fanciful commentators have over-refined on this power, 

 and have found numberless beauties of this kind, which the 

 authors neither perceived or intended. 



The English language is very capable of being conducted 

 to this perfection : and Pope in particular in his translation 

 of the Iliad has frequently imitated the original most 

 happily in this way. That gentleman in his Essay on 

 criticism, which he published, as I remember, at sixteen 

 years of age, has given several instances of this sort of 

 power: as, 



" And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows," &c., &c. 



But the finest instance that I remember in our own 

 language, for several lines together, is in old John Dryden's 

 translation of a simile in Virgil which, though I have not 

 seen for these twenty years, I shall never forget on account 

 of its singular elegance. 



" As when a dove her rocky hold forsakes, 

 Rous'd in a fright her sounding wings she shakes^ 

 The cavern rings with clattering : out she flies, 

 And leaves her callow care, and cleaves the skies : 

 At first she flutter's : but at length she springs 

 To smoother flight, and shoots upon her wings." 



"... mox aere lapsa quieto^ 

 Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas." 



In short, John Dryden is, to me, much the greatest master 

 of numbers of any of our English bards : but then, contrary 

 to most men, he never arrived at perfection 'til he was very 

 old. 



Rhime is in itself barbarous and Gothic, and unknown to 

 the ancients, who would have despised such a jingle ; but 

 then it must be remembered that modern languages, being 

 destitute of the beauties derived from termination and in- 

 flection, require some substitute. Besides some of our best 

 poets have conducted rhime with such address, that it seems 



