( vr m ) 
TMi wkhtaothtf ^tB^mh Od^s, the. famous Jalhi 
eyy.&di^^inUi Tra^ife B4 Fmic^ ilk. 6. makei 
choice otxo fecotBmend afeove aU t\w rc^ft, anJ givf $ it a 
moft extravagant declaring he would rather be 
ite'irue Author 01 this little Poem.than abfolutefting of A- 
fo high an opinioji he had of its matchlefs Excellency, 
"And thet^elebrated Monfcur D'Acter in his Commentary 
npmi this Ode, feys, he believes one cannot find either a- 
mans the Greeior the Latm Poets, any thing more correft 
and elaborate than this, fo' delicate and.naturaJ, fays he, arc 
in ; 1 hoiights, and the turn of its Expreffionsr carry with 
tiieaifiach a noble loftinefs and vivacity. 
Hov/ever, after all thefe extraordinary recommendations 
the Griticks'have been pleafed.to beftow upon this perfor- 
nmnce, of certainly the beft tho the firft of the Romau Ly- 
nck^Qti% 5, yet one of fchemoft beaatiiu! paflages, and fur- 
prizing fancies of . the O^e, feems to.m:e, and I lhould be 
glad to know yourLordfhips opinion in the point, to have 
been fo overlookt by them, that neither they nor any of 
the Commentators, I have hitherto had an opportunity to 
confult, and I have examined the moft chief of them, as Lam- 
hin, Memlim, Bond, Deffres, Menr Dacier, See have fully 
comprehended the meaning of the Poet, or the whole fcope 
of his fence, which he. expreffes in thefe Words, 
0 Tefiudints aims 
Dulcem, qH£ flrepitum^ Fieri, temperiU I 
Omutk quoqtieVifiihus^ 
Don^itHra Cjgm (i libeat formm j 
I : muft freely own, my Lord, when firft I refleifted on ' 
thefe Lines, and obferved fi?r^t;e's great Heat and Vehemen- 
.yviahis repeated exclamatic)!!, upon admiring his Mufe's 
power 
