1807.] The 
their mythology allowed, and of which 
Homer has fo largely availed himfelf, 
there are fome incidents in the Iliad ra- 
ther too marvellous even for the poet’s 
own age, and which have too ludicrous 
an effect for the gravity of the epopcea. 
It may be fufficient to mention the mira- 
culous gift of {peech conferred on the 
horfes of Achilles. Perhaps the undif- 
tinguifhing admirers of Homer will fa- 
tisfy themfelves by refolving the whole 
into a fupernatural incident, and juftify 
it by a miracle of a fimilar nature re- 
corded in the facred writings. But the 
caufes of fuch a phenomenon were by 
no means fimilar, flor cai we admit it in 
the former cafe as a fuilicient reafon for 
‘breaking through the order of nature, 
and encroaching upon the prerogative of 
the human fpecies. The paflage in the 
2ift book, where the river Scamander 
attacks Achilles, and threatens to over- 
whelm him with his waves, till Vulcan, 
at the inftigation of Juno, comes down 
frem heaven to chaftife the infolence of 
Scamander, whote waters he fcorches 
and dries up with fire, is another inci-. 
dent equally ludicrous, as exceeding the 
utmoft boundary of fiction. But thele 
extravagancies mutt be attributed to that 
wildnefs and irregularity of imagination 
whieh have diftinguifhed every great genius 
from Homer to Shakefpeare, and deferve 
the fame epithet of /plendida -peccata 
which the ancient Fathers of the Chriftian 
church beitowed on the virtues of the 
heathen. Indeed, moft of the faults of 
Homer muft be afcribed to this exube- 
tance of fancy, and may be compared 
to the apoftate angels in Milton, who, 
though with “faded fplendour wan,” 
ftill exhibited “ excefs of glory obfcur- 
ed,” 
Under the third and laft heat in which 
we are to confider the Iliad, we mutt 
notice the narration, the wnagery, and 
the fentiments. In his narrative of 
events, we have already remarked that 
Homer is concife, fpirited, and rapid. 
In his fpeeches he muft be admitted to 
be tedious. But they fhould be confi- 
dered as flowing frem the characters, as 
perfeét or defective in proportion as they 
agree or difagree with the manners of 
thofe who utter them, There is much 
more dialogue in Homer than in Virgil. 
“What Virgil informs us of by two tvords 
of narration, Homer brings. about by a 
fpéech. Such a ityle as this is the moft 
fimple and artlefs form of writing, and 
muit therefore undoubtedly have been 
“the meft ancient. It is copying directly 
Montusy Mac. No. 155. 
Mads 
from nature, giving a plain rehearfal of 
what paffed, or was {uppofed to pafs, in 
converiation between the perions of 
whom the author treats. In progrefs ef 
time, when the art of writing was more 
ftudied, it was thought more elegant ta 
comprefs the fubftance of converfation 
into thort diftinét narrative, made by the 
poet or hiftorian in his own perfon, and 
toreferve direét fpeeches for folemn oc 
eafions only. The fpeeches of Homer 
are however, upon the whole, charac- 
teriftic and lively; and to them we owe, 
in a great meafure, that admirable dif- 
play which he has given of human na- 
ture. Butit isin the defcriptive parts 
of. his narrative that he more particularly 
excels. They are fometimes reprefenta- 
tions of fach fcenes as we ourfelves may 
have beheld. At others, they are mere- 
ly fictitious, but always pleafing. The 
defcription of the light anfing from the 
fires of the Grecian camp, in the eighth 
bok, beginuing with this line, 
229 
Qo Nr” ey ovgaya aren Paewny aes TEACIVKYy 
exhibits as beautiful and exquifite a night 
fcene as is to be met with im ancient or 
modern poetry. The celebrated trantla- 
tion, or rather imitation, of Pope is too 
well known to be tranfcribed, but it vies 
with the original in fplendoar of diction 
and poetical ornament. Of fiéiitious 
feenery there 13 a ftriking fpecimen in . 
the fame book, in the fublime and pic- 
turefque defcription of the almighty 
thunderer fcaling the heavens, dartmg 
through the fkies with the rapidity of 
lightning, and feating himfelf at lait on 
his throne, in awful majeity, while the 
heavens and the earth tremble under his 
feet. There is alfo a remarkable exam- 
ple of vivacity and firength of deferip- 
tion in the lamentations of Achilles, 
when brooding over the injury done him 
by Agamemnon in depriving him of his 
fair captive. Indignation, grief, and 
difdain rend his heart, which feems ready 
to burft with the conflict of impetuous 
paiions. 
durag A ytAAEug 
Aaneucac Erapav apap eles yards Acacteig 
@iv ED Aros TOAINS, OgocV Emre OvoTA TovTOR, 
[loAAa os punter dirn nengaro ysieas ogeyuus. 
Libs i. 1, Fae 
Not fo his lofs the great Achilies bors ; 
But fad, retiring to the foundirg fhore, 
Over the broad margin of the deep he hung, 
That kindred deep from whence his mother 
fprung 5 ; . 
There, bathed in tears of anger and difdain, 
Thus loud lamented te the fiormy main, ° 
Gg The 
