TRANSLATED. Venus coming to a nuptial ceremony, and entering the room, sees the bride and her mother sitting together, &c. on whieb occasion Claudian makes the following description. THE HE goddess paus'd; and, held in deep amaze, Its leaves full-blown, and boldly meets the day; A beauteous bud, nor yet admits the skies. 10 14 DIALOGUE DE L'AMOUR ET DU POETE. LE POETE. AMOUR, je ne veux plus aimer; A résolu de se calmer. L'AM. Contre moi, qui peut t'animer; Iris, dans ses bras te rapelle. LE P. Non, Iris est une infidelle; Amour, je ne veux plus aimer. L'AM. Pour toi, j'ai pris soin d' enflamer Le cœur d'une beauté nouvelle; Daphne.---LE P. Non, Daphné n'est que belle; Amour, je ne veux plus aimer. L'AM. D'un soupir, tu peux desarmer 5 10 Dirce, jusqu'ici si sauvage. LE P. Elle n'est plus dans le bel age; Amour, je ne veux plus aimer. 15 L'AM. Mais si je t' aidois a charmer 20 LE P. Non, Dieu charmant ! daigne former Pour nous une chaine eternelle; Mais pour tout ce qui n'est point elle, Amour, je ne veux plus aimer. 24 DIALOGUE FROM THE FRENCH OF M. DE LA MOTTE.' POET. No, Love---I ne'er will love again; Its wounds, and ease the raging pain. LOVE. Fool! canst thou fly my happy reign? Iris recalls thee to her arms. POET. She's false---I hate her perjur'd charms. No, Love---I ne'er will love again. LOVE. But know, for thee I'ave toil'd to gain Daphne, the bright, the reigning toast. POET. Daphne but common eyes can boast. No, Love---I ne'er will love again. LOVE. She who before scorn'd ev'ry swain, Dirce, shall for one sigh be thine. POET. Age makes her rays too faintly shine. 15 No, Love--I ne'er will love again. LOVE. But should I give thee charms t' obtain Flora, the young, the bright, the gay! I see thee blush---now, Rebel! say POET. NO, charming God! prepare a chain Yet still know every fair but she Volume II, 20 24 .N THAT the praises of the Author of Nature, which is the fittest subject for the sublime way of writing, was the most ancient use of poetry, cannot be learned from a more proper instance (next to examples of Holy Writ) than from the Greek fragments of Orpheus, a relict of great antiquity: they contain several verses concerning God, and his making and governing the universe; which, though imperfect, bave many noble hints and lofty expressions. Yet whether these verses were indeed written by that celebrated father of poetry and music who preceded Homer, or by Onomacritus, who lived about the time of Pisistratus, and only contain some of the doctrines of Orpheus, is a question of little use or importance. A large paraphrase of these, in French verse, has been pres fixed to the translation of Phocylides, but in a flat style, much inferior to the design. The following Ode, with many alterations and additions proper to a modern poem, is attempted upon the same model, in a language which, having stronger sinews than the French, is, by the confession of their best critic Rapin, more capable of sustaining great subjects. I. O MUSE unfeign'd! O true celestial fire! Brighter than that which rules the day, To sing some great immortal lay: Begin, and strike aloud the consecrated lyre. 5 Hence, ye profane! be far away; Hence, all ye impious Slaves that bow To idol lusts, or altars raise, And to false heroes give fantastic praise! [ings owe And hence, ye Gods! who to a crime your spurious beBut hear, O heaven and earth, and seas profound! +1 Hear, ye unfathom'd deeps below! And let your echoing vaults repeat the sound; Let Nature, trembling all around. Attend her Master's awful name, 15 From whom heaven, earth, and seas, and all the wide II. [creation, came. He spoke the great command, and Light, Heaven's eldest-born and fairest child, Flash'd in the low'ring face of ancient Night, 20 |