Then with a plenteous Draught refresh his Soul,
And draw new Spirits from the generous Bowl.
Again for Wine:
For Strength consists in Spirits and in Blood,
And those are ow'd to generous Wine and Food.
And the Translator's Observation, that the moderate Use of Wine does not raise the Spirits, is not the truer, because it is said by Hector, the Son of Priam. Father Sirmond, a sober reverend as well as learned Priest says quite another Thing:
Si bene commemini causæ sint quinque bibendi,
Hospitis Adventus, præsens Sitis, atque futura,
Et Vini bonitas, & quælibet altera Causa.
If all be true, &c.
Whoever reads an Author with Exactness cannot fail of meeting with several Passages, where Self-love, Humour, Party, or Complexion, are uppermost. Thus a good Catholick will never have a good Word for a Heretick, nor a Puritan for a Papist. Dr. Ch—— will never speak well of Punch, nor Dr. Mand—— of Watergruel. He who writes well is jealous of him who judges well, and he who judges well envies him who writes well. The Swifts turn every Thing into Grimace, the Whistons into Mathematicks, and whatever touches an Author's own Taste, he is always recommending to his Reader.
We all remember how the Duke of Malborough was treated by the blessed Peace-makers for beating their Friends the French. Delight in War was a Mark set upon him in a most solemn Manner, and a memorable Instance of our Wisdom and Gratitude. There is a Paraphrase upon it in the Version of Homer; and when the Application is made will turn the Epick into Satyr.
Curs'd is the Man, and void of Law and Right,
Unworthy Property, unworthy Light;
Unfit for publick Rule or private Care,
That Wretch, that Monster who delights in War;
Whose Lust is Murder, and whose horrid Joy
To tear his Country, &c.
To tear a Country is very much in Heroicks. The Image of Discord has good Lines in it; but methinks they would not have been the Worse, if they had been heated a little in Milton's Furnace: