Horace
, but a great deal of it in
Ovid
, and scarce any thing else in
Martial
.
Out of the innumerable Branches of
mixt Wit
, I shall choose one Instance which may be met with in all the Writers of this Class. The Passion of Love in its Nature has been thought to resemble Fire; for which Reason the Words Fire and Flame are made use of to signify Love. The witty Poets therefore have taken an Advantage from the doubtful Meaning of the Word Fire, to make an infinite Number of Witticisms.
Cowley