ASIS

TC. Inven27

MBitraher's delinct

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OF THE
NATURE OF THINGS,

In Six BOOKS,
Translated into English VERSE;
By THO. CREECH, A. M. late Fellow of

Wadham College in OXFOR D.

In Two Volume S.
Explain'd and Illustrated with Notes and

ANIMADVERSIONS ;
Being a compleat System of the Epicurean Philosophy.

MINERVA LONDINENSIS.

LONDON:
Printed by J. MATTHEW s for G. SAWBRIDGE, at the

Three Golden Flower de Luces in Little Britain; and fold by
F. Churchill and w. Taylor in Pater-Nofter-Rodo; F. Wyat, and
R. Knaplock in St. Paul's Church Yard; R. Parker, G. Straban,
and F. Phillips near the Royal Exchange'; B. Tooke and R. Gosin
in Fleetstreet; 7. Bromon without Temple Bar; 7. Tonson in the
Strand ; W. Lewis in Covent-Garden"; F. Harding in St. Mar.
tin's Lane ; and F. Graves, next Door to White's Chocolate
House, St. James's. MDCCXIV.

:: SEAS HE Poems of the Antients, transated

into modern Languages, are juftly compard to Flowers, of the Growtb of warmer Regions, transplanted thence in to our colder Climates : They often die in the Raising ; but, if with Difficulty

they are brought to bear, the Flowers they produce, wanting the indulgent Warmth of their native Sun, degenerate from their antient Stock ; they impair in Liveliness of Colour, and lose their Fragrancy of Smell, or retain at best but a faint Odour. Verse in like manner, when transplanted from the Language of one Countrey into that of another, participates of all the Defects of the Air and Soil : and when antient Wit comes to be taught and confin'd in modern Numbers, the noble Spirit, for want of the Warmth with which the Original was written, evaporates in Tranfusing, and often becomes little better than a dead and senseless Image. Hence we see, that, tho? Composing be indeed the nobler Part of Poetry, yet to translate well is scarce a les difficult Task. The Materials, Igrant, are found to the Translator's Hands; but then his Fansy is bound

up, and confin'd; for be must build according to bis Model : and tho’ bis Invention toil the leß, bis Fudgment must labour the more ; otherwise he will never copy bis Original, nor do Justice to his Aut bour,

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