antiquity conferred upon them, and become precedents of indisputable authority. It has, indeed, been advanced by Addison, as one of the characteristicks of a true critick, that he points out beauties rather than faults. But it is rather natural to a man of learning and genius, to apply himself chiefly to the study of writers who have more beauties than faults to be displayed; for the duty of criticism is neither to depre ciate nor dignify by partial representations, but to hold out the light of reason, whatever it may discover; and to promulgate the determinations of truth, whatever she shall dictate. N° 94. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1751, -Bonus atque fidus Explicuit sua victor arma. Perpetual magistrate is he HOR. Who keeps strict justice full in sight; FRANCIS. THE resemblance of poetick numbers, to the subject which they mention or describe, may be considered as general or particular; as consisting in the flow and structure of a whole pas sage taken together, or as comprised in the sound of some emphatical and descriptive words, or in the cadence and harmony of single verses. The general resemblance of the sound to the sense is to be found in every language which admits of poetry, in every author whose force of fancy enables him to impress images strongly on his own mind, and whose choice and variety of language readily supply him with just representations. To such a writer it is natural to change his measure with his subject, even without any effort of the understanding, or intervention of the judgment. To revolve jollity and mirth necessarily tunes the voice of a poet to gay and sprightly notes, as it fires his eye with vivacity; and reflection on gloomy situations and disastrous events, will sadden his numbers, as it will cloud his countenance. But in such passages there is only the similitude of pleasure to pleasure, and of grief to grief, without any immediate application to particular images. The same flow of joyous versification will celebrate the jollity of marriage, and the exultation of triumph; and the same languor of melody will suit the complaints of an absent lover, as of a conquered king. It is scarcely to be doubted, that on many occasions we make the musick which we imagine ourselves to hear; that we modulate the poem by our own disposition, and ascribe to the numbers the effects of the sense. We may observe in life, that it is not easy to deliver a pleasing message in an unpleasing manner, and that we readily associate beauty and deformity with those whom for any reason we love or hate. Yet it would be too daring to declare that all the celebrated adapta tions of harmony are chimerical: that Homer had no extraordinary attention to the melody of his verse when he described a nuptial festivity; Νύμφας δ' εκ θαλαμων, δαίδων υπολαμπομενάων, Here sacred pomp, and genial feast delight, POPE: that Vida was merely fanciful, when he supposed Virgil endeavouring to represent, by uncommon sweetness of numbers, the adventitious beauty of Æneas; Os, humerosque Deo similis ; namque ipse decoram Purpureum, & lætos oculis afflarat bonores. The Trojan chief appear'd in open sight, August in visage, and serenely bright. His mother goddess, with her hands divine, Had formed his curling locks, and made his temples shine ; And giv'n his rolling eyes a sparkling grace, And breath'd a youthful vigour on his face. DRYDIN: or that Milton did not intend to exemplify the harmony which he mentions: Fountains and ye that warble as ye flow, That Milton understood the force of sounds well adjusted, and knew the compass and variety of the ancient measures, cannot be doubted, since he was both a musician and a critick; but he seems to have considered these conformities of cadence, as either not often attainable in our language, or as petty excellencies unworthy of his ambition; for it will not be found that he has always assigned the same cast of numbers to the same objects. He has given in two passages very minute descriptions of angelic beauty; but though the images are nearly the same, the numbers will be found upon comparison very dif ferent. And now a stripling cherub he appears, In curls on either check play'd; wings he wore, re Some of the lines of this description are markably defective in harmony, and therefore by no means correspondent with that symmetrical elegance and easy grace which they are intended to exhibit. The failure, however, is fully compensated by the representation of Raphael, which equally delights the ear and imagination. } A seraph wing'd: six wings he wore to shade Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round The adumbration of particular and distinct images by an exact and perceptible resemblance of sound, is sometimes studied, and sometimes casual. Every language has many words formed in imitation of the noises which they signify. Such are Stridor, Balo, and Beatus in Latin, and in Englif to growl, to buzz, to bif, and to jarr. Words of this kind give to verse the proper similitude of sound, without much labour of the writer, and such happiness is therefore rather to be attributed to fortune than skill; yet they are sometimes combined with great propriety, and undeniably contribute to enforce the impression of the idea. We hear the passing arrow in this line of Virgil; Et fugit horrendum stridens elapsa sagitta ; Th' impetuous arrow whizzes on the wing. and the creaking of hell-gates, in the description by Milton; Open fly With impetuous recoil and jarring sound |