IMITATIONS.
Ver. 59. Ergo alacris sylvas et cetera rura voluptas.
Panaque pastoresque tenet, Dryadasque puellas.
Ver. 61. Nec lupus insidias pecori, &c.
Ver. 63. Jam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna.
Ver. 78. Tale tuum carmen nobis, divine Poeta,
Quale sopor sessis in gramine.
Ver. 106. Sis bonus; O! felixque tuis—
Ver. 107. Pocula bina novo spumantia lacte quot—annis
Craterasque duo statuam tibi.
Ver. 109. Vina novum fundum calathis Arvisia nectar.
Ver. 114. Cantabunt mihi Damætas et Lictius Ægon.
Saltantes Satyros imitabitur Alphæsibæus.
Ver. 121. Dum juga montis aper, &c.
Semper honos, nomenque tuum, laudesque manebunt.
Ver. 130. At tu sume pedurn, quod cum me sæpe rogaret
Non tulit Antigenes, et erat turn dignus amari.
Ver. 134. Est mihi—
Fistula, Damætas dono mini quam dedit olim,
Et dixit moriens, “Te nunc, habet ista secundum.”
ECL. II.
NOTES.
Ver. 46. half—a crown!—Literally so.
Ver. 63, 64. It is rearkable that these are the only lines which our Poet has imitated from the IVth Eclogue (or the Pollio) of Virgil. Perhaps the direct and obvious application of that whole Eclogue appeared to our author to be an undertaking too easy for the exercise of his superior talents; or perhaps he felt himself too well anticipated by a similar imitation of Pope’s Messiah, which was inserted some time since in one of the public papers. If the author will favour us with a corrected copy, adapted rather to the Pollio than the Messiah, we shall be happy to give it a place in our subsequent editions, of which we doubt not the good taste of the town will demand as many as of the rest of our celebrated bard’s immortal compositions.
Ver. 119. The public alarm expressed upon the event which is the subject of this Pastoral, was certainly a very proper token of affection to a Monarch, every action of whose reign denotes him to be the father of his people. Whether it has sufficiently subsided to admit of a calm enquiry into facts, is a matter of some doubt, as the addresses were not finished in some late Gazettes. If ever that time should arrive, the world will be very well pleased to hear that the miserable woman whom the Privy Council have judiciously confined in Bedlam for her life, never even aimed a blow at his August Person.
Ver. 127. This Book, &c. Essay on Woman.
Ver. 130. No gift can better suit thy——throat. The ungrateful people of England, we have too much reason to fear, may be of a different opinion.
* * * * *
CHARLES JENKINSON.
ARGUMENT.
The following is a very close Translation of VIRGIL’s SILENUS; so close indeed that many Readers may be surprised at such a Deviation from our Authur’s usual Mode of imitating the Ancients. But we are to consider that VIRGIL is revered by his Countrymen, not only as a Poet, but likewise as a Prophet and Magician; and our incomparable Translator, who was not ignorant of this Circumstance, was convinced, that VIRGIL in his SILENUS had really and bonâ fide meant to allude to the Wonders of the present Reign, and consequently that it became his Duty to adhere most strictly to his Original, and to convey the true Meaning of this hitherto inexplicable Eclogue.