212 THEORr of the 



the expreflion by the common, or what we may call the natural 

 mood, is as clear and intelligible as the circumlocution, or fup- 

 pofed refblution of it, and much fhorter, and more animated 

 and forcible, and of courfe more agreeable and proper. 



It muft be owned, however, that fometimes there is a great 

 and manifeft beauty and advantage, not only in point of vari- 

 ety, but in force and animation of expreflion, obtained by 

 ufing a mood of the verb, and a form of fpeech different from 

 what might be termed the natural one, and what would exprefs 

 the literal meaning of the fpeaker. Thus, in the ode of Ho- 

 race, already quoted, the ufe of the imperative mood inftead 

 of the fubjunclive, which would exprefs the literal meaning, ap- 

 pears to me advantageous, even putting all regard to verfe 

 out of the queftion. Pone me pigris, &c. Pone fub curru, 

 &c. is furely more forcible and animated than Si ponerer, or 

 Si ejfem pofitus^ or fimply pofitns, though the general meaning 

 be the fame. And Gay's lines, in imitation of thefe two 

 ftanzas of Horace, 



Were I laid on Greenland's coajl^ 

 Were I fold on India's foil, 



though highly beautiful, and in one refpecl, I mean the bold- 

 nefs of the imagery introduced, fuperior both to Horace's 

 own lines, and to thofe of his tranflator, are lefs animated 

 than either the original or the tranflation, 



Place me where never fwnmer breeze 

 Unbinds the earth or fans the trees; 

 Place me beneath the burning ray. 

 Where rolls the rapid car of day. 



All fuch applications of the imperative mood I confider as 

 metaphorical > underftanding by the term metaphor, the trans- 

 ferring 



