We may now quote two FRAGMENTS from the pages of Dr. Warton, illustrative of Akenside's thing of the clinquant of Tasso: and the magic of this word, like the report of Astolfo's horn in Ariosto, oveṛturned at once the solid and well-built reputation of the Italian poetry. "It is not, perhaps, strange, that this potent word should do its business in France. What was less to be expected, it put us into a fright on this side the water. Mr. Addison, who gave the law in taste here, took it up, and sent it about the kingdom in his polite and popular Essays*. It became a sort of watchword among the critics; and, on the sudden, nothing was heard, on all sides, but the clinquant of Tasso.” It is curious to observe the presumption of some men, even eminent men-as BOILEAU must certainly be allowed to have been; though not a great one. MAFFEI lets out a secret, in respect to him; for he assures us, that Racine's elder son told him, that Boileau had not only never read Tasso, but that he knew scarcely one word of Italian. I cannot but say, that I think Akenside was in some degree deficient in that language also. Had he dipt deeply into that holy fountain, he would, perhaps, in common with Milton, have discovered that Tasso's metal was not tinsel, but solid gold. He would, also, I think, out of regard to so excellent a man, and so lofty a genius, have passed over that part of the poet's life, wherein "his poverty, rather than his will," consented. "Pardone," said he, in a letter to a friend, a me quest ardimento di lodar me stesso, poichè ïo agevolmente lo perdonata l'importunita d'aver lodati molti contra mia voglia, e contra il proprio giudicio." * Spectator, vol. i. No. 5. ; vol. v. No. 369. opinions in regard to correctness of writing; and the inadequacy of the French language to the expression of poetical ideas. Warton seems to have quoted from the conversation of Akenside. At least, I do not recollect in what book or paper, except in his edition of Pope, the following sentiments are to be found. " 'Tis hard," said AKENSIDE, "to conceive by what means the French acquired the character of superior correctness. We have classic authors in English, older than in any modern language, except the Italian; and Spenser and Sidney wrote with the truest taste, when the French had not one great poet they can bear to read. Milton and Chapelin were contemporaries; the Pucelle In a book, printed in black-letter, 1588, entitled The Householder's Philosophie, and said to be translated from the Italian of that "excellent orator and poet, SIGNIOR TORQUATO TASSO," we have these words: 66 Many are servants by fortune, that are free by nature. And it is not to be marvailled at, that many cruell conflicts and daungerous warres are caused and continued by such as these. Howbeit it is a great argument of baseness, that seruile fortune can engender seruile euils in a gentle mind.” Fol. 15. This book I take to be an imposition. I see nothing, assimilating with the subject, in any of the general collections of Tasso's works; but the coincidence of sentiment is remarkable. and Paradise Lost were in hand, perhaps frequently, at the self-same hour. One of them was executed in such a manner, that an Athenian of Menander's age would have turned his eyes from the Minerva of Phidias, or the Venus of Apelles, to obtain more perfect conceptions of beauty from the English poet; the other, though fostered by the French court for twenty years with the utmost indulgence, does honour to the Leonine and the Runic poetry. It was too great an attention to French criticism, that hindered her poets, in Charles the Second's time, from comprehending the genius and acknowledging the authority of Milton; else, without looking abroad, they might have acquired a manner more correct and perfect, than French authors could, or can teach them." "Were I a Frenchman," said AKENSIDE, "concerned for the poetical glory of my country, I should lament its unmusical language, and the impossibility of forming it to numbers or harmony. The French ode is an uncertain mixture of different feet, changing at random the rhythmus or movement of the verse, and disappointing one's ear, just as if a dancer in the midst of a minuet should fall a capering in the harlequin step, or break out into a Lancashire hornpipe. Their Alexandrine measure, which they call heroic, has its pause or cæsura in every line in the same place; so that two hammers make just as much music as Racine or Boileau. If this be without remedy in the French language, their language is very unfortunate for Poetry; but it is diverting to hear these finished critics and masters "of correctness valuing themselves upon this wretched, unmusical poverty in their verse, and blaming the licentiousness of English poetry; because it allows a variation of the pause, and a suspension of the period from one verse into any part of another; without which poetry has less harmony than prose." We may now introduce Akenside's confession of the love and admiration, he always entertained for Greek learning, manners, and sentiments; and, for the greater variety, we shall adopt the version of the Italian translator. "Genio di Grecia, se non tardo i' tenni Di Natura, e Scienza alme nudrici Dal loro infesto piè non tocche ancora. Mazza, I. 721. Akenside seems to have been a great friend to Dodsley's Miscellany; for he occasionally recommended papers for insertion in it. Among those, thus recommended, was Welsted's Ode on the Duke of Marlborough *. Welsted was an acquaintance of Akenside; but in what estimation he was held, we are not informed. He had a place in the Ordnance office, and a house in the Tower. His great patron was the Duke of Newcastle, and Warburton asserts, that he received five hundred pounds from the secret service fund for writing anonymously in behalf of the ministry, of which his grace was a member. He was author of a comedy, acted in 1726 in Lincoln'sInn-Fields, with some success, entitled "The Dissembled Woman; or, My Son get Money +.” He wrote, also, in early life, a satire against Pope, called "The Triumvirate;" for which that poet punished him with a parody in the Dunciad. "Flow, WELSTED, flow! like thine inspirer, Beer, Though stale, not ripe; though thin, yet never clear; * Warton. + This comedy is supposed to be alluded to in No. 182 of the Tatler. |