DR. DARWIN. 419 



alfo be termed peerlefs, as a lyric poet, fince 

 he equals Pindar in the dignity of his 

 language, in the fublimity of his imagery, 

 and in the interwoven morality, alternately 

 aweful and tender ; and fmce he chofe fub- 

 jecSs fo much more exalted than the Pin- 

 daric themes, for thofe two great Odes 

 which place him firil at the goal of the 

 Lyric Mufe. Their meafures are magnifi- 

 cent and harmonious to the utmoft power 

 of the Englifh tongue. Pindar could not 

 carry that excellence higher in the Greek 

 language ; therefore if any fuperiority re- 

 mains to the ancient claffic, refpecting his 

 metre, it muft refult from the more fono- 

 rous tones of the Greek, not from tran- 

 fcendence of genius in it's great lyrift, 

 compared with the Britifh poet. What- 

 ever importance the faihion of that period 

 might attach to Pindar's themes, however 

 mythologic and hifloric allufion might give 

 them auxiliar elevation, yet the foot-races 

 2 E 3 Of 



