Inhuman Love th' unnat'ral Mother taught To dip her Hands in her own Children's Blood: Cruel indeed the Mother; was she then More cruel? or more impious that dire Boy?
You see what a beautiful Effect this Repetition of the Words and Thoughts has; and how much Melancholy it adds to the Complaint. It is obvious from hence to observe, that Virgil could have far excell'd Ovid in these lighter Conceits, if he had not chose to let his Genius soar to much higher Flights. Under this Head we may add the following Passage from Ovid:
[200] Si, nisi quæ facie poterit te digna videri, Nulla futura tua est; nulla futura tua est.
If to no Charms thou wilt thy Heart resign, But such as merit, such as equal thine; By none, alas! by none thou canst be mov'd, Phaon alone by Phaon must be lov'd. Pope.
The Elegance of these Lines consists in giving a new Sense to the same Words; they reverberate, as it were, the Motions of the Mind, and by that Means affect it with Surprize and Admiration. But there are many who love to be sporting thus with Words, that are even without Meaning, and have no Thought in them to be reflected. They are a sort of nominal Turns, that our Youth are wonderfully studious of, especially in their Prose Writings, and which conduce not a little to the Corruption of their Taste.
There are Thoughts, likewise, of near Affinity with these, that consist in Contraries, and are sometimes beautiful, often ridiculous. Of the beautiful Kind, is that of Martial to Cæsar:
[201] Vox diversa sonat, populorum est vox tamen una; Cum verus patriæ diceris esse Pater.
While you their Country's Guardian they proclaim, Their Tongues are diff'rent, but their Voice the same.
Ovid with less Success:
[202] Non ego poscenti quod sum cito tradita Regi, Culpa tua est; quamvis hoc quoque culpa tua est.