Now when the Winters keener breath began
To Crystallize, the Baltick Ocean,
To glaze the Lakes, to bridle up the Floods,
And periwig with Snow the bald pate woods.
I take it, the other Verses are somewhat of Kin to These, and shall leave them to Mr. Dryden's Reflection.Spanish Fryar. Ep. Ded.[62] But then as for Soothing Softness, Sinking Ease, Wasting Air, thrilling Fears, and incessant scalding Rain; It puts me to another stand. For to talk a little in the way of the Stage. This Litter of Epithetes makes the Poem look like a Bitch overstock'd with Puppies, and sucks the Sence almost to skin and Bone. But all this may pass in a Playhouse: False Rhetorick and false Jewells, do well together. To return to Euripides. Cassandra in reporting the Misfortunes of the Greeks stops at the Adulteries of Clytemnestra and Ægiala And gives this handsome reason for making a Halt.
Σιγᾶν ἄμεινον τἀισχρὰ, μηδέ μοῦσα μοῖTroad. p. 146.[63]
Γένοιτ ἀοιδὸς ἥτις ὑμνήσει κακὰ.
Foul Things are best unsaid, I am for no Muse,
That loves to flourish on Debauchery.
Some Things are dangerous in report, as well as practise, and many times a Disease in the Description. This Euripides was aware of and manag'd accordingly, and was remarkably regular both in stile, and Manners. How wretchedly do we fall short of the Decencies of Heathenism! There's nothing more ridiculous than Modesty on our Stage.Plain Dealer. p. 21.[64] 'Tis counted an ill bred Quality, and almost sham'd out of Use. One would think Mankind were not the same, that Reason was to be read Backward, and Vertue and Vice had changed Place.Provok'd Wife. p. 41.[65]