385 



bably meant to convey a compliment to such 

 a shade in the epithet; such as its delightful, 

 or its excellent shade. Now as rarus, like the 

 correspondent words in our own and other 

 languages, has that meaning, and as none can 

 more perfectly accord with the sense and spirit 

 of the passage, there seems to be some reason- 

 able ground for supposing it to be that of 

 Virgil. We find in Stevens's explanation of 

 the word, rarum quod non ubique reperitur 

 wide pro prcestanti sumitur ; and in that sense 

 Ovid seems to have used it in a passage very 

 opposite to the present subject, 



Patulis rarissima ramis 

 Sacra Jovi quercus. 



Where, if rarissima be interpreted very thin, 

 or letting in the light at many intervals, it 

 would as ill agree with patulis, as rara in the 

 same sense would with tegit. Another verse 

 in Ovid, 



Rara quidem facie, sed rarior arte canendi, 



And one in Statius, 



Laudati Juvenis rarissima conjux, 



clearly shew that the word was used simply 

 as excellent; and I hope may be thought suf- 

 ficient to justify me in having ventured to 

 propose an interpretation of mine, in opposi- 

 tion to that of so eminent a critic. 



