[138] Art. Poet. ℣ 309.
[139] See the Preface to Monsieur _Boileau_'s Works.
[140] Act 1. Sc. 1.
[141] Æn. II. 554.
[142] Lib. VII.
[143] Anthol. Poem. Ital.
[144] _Boileau_.
[145] Lib. VIII. Epig. 21.
[146] Lib. IV. Od. 5.
[147] Lib. XI. Epig. 92.
[148] Περι ὑψους, ℣ 43.
[149] Virg. Eclog. II. ℣ 46.
[150] ℣ 54.
[151] Περι ὑψους, ℣ 8.
[152] Geor. II. 475.
[153] Περι ὑψους, ℣ 8.
[154] ℣ 45.
[155] ℣ 77.
[156] ℣ 98.
[157] Ovid. Epist. II. ℣ 49.
[158] Met. L. VII. ℣ 9.
[159] ℣ 9.
[160] ℣ 20.
[161] ℣ 25.
[162] ℣ 305.
[163] ℣ 362.
[164] ℣ 412.
[165] ℣ 419.
[166] ℣ 373.
[167] ℣ 425.
[168] ℣ 380.
[169] ℣ 492.
[170] Περι ὑψους, § 15.
[171] Ibid.
[172] Ibid.
[173] Æn. IV. 469.
[174] ℣ 465.
[175] Il. VI. 466.
[176] See his Note on the Place, ℣ 595.
[177] Æn. VIII. 630.
[178] ℣ 8.
[179] L. IV. ℣ 93.
[180] Met. L. III. ℣ 654.
[181] Æn. L. IV. ℣ 663.
[182] ℣ 456.
[183] Lib. II. Epig. 58.
[184] P. 56.
[185] ℣ 407.
[186] Sat. III. 236.
[187] Sat. X. 218.
[188] ℣ 387.
[189] See, more especially, Mr. _Waller_'s Poems.
[190] Περι ὑψους, § 32.
[191] Ovid. Ep. IV. 1.
[192] Metam. IX. 529.
[193] Ep. XIX. 97.
[194] Lib. II. Epist. 1.
[195] Æn. XII. 435.
[196] Lib. XI. ℣ 419.
[197] Geor. IV. 488.
[198] ℣ 354.
[199] ℣ 47.
[200] Ovid. Ep. XV. 39.
[201] Lib. de Spect. Epig. 3.
[202] Ep. III. 7.
[203] Lib. VIII. Epig. 19.
[204] Andr. I. 3.
[205] Sat. X. 122.
[206] Metam. L. II. ℣ 627.
[207] De Art. Poet ℣ 270.
[208] Περι ὑψους, § 35.
[209] Lucret. Lib. I. ℣ 73.
[210] Æn. III. 571.
[211] Æn. XII. 634.
[212] ℣ 861.
[213] ℣ 867.
[214] De Art. Poet. ℣ 9.
LECTURE XII.
_Of Epigram, and other lighter Species of Poetry._
Designing to treat of the several Species of Poetry, I thought proper to
begin with the lowest, and so gradually proceed to others of a higher
Kind, till at last I come to the Epic or Heroic Poem.
Epigram shall be the chief Subject of this Discourse. But as there are
other small Poems, which will scarce deserve a distinct one, I shall
here make such Observations upon them as may be necessary.
The Account we have of Epigram, both of the Name and Thing, is this:
It was usual, it seems, among the Ancients, to cut short Inscriptions
under the Statues of their Gods, which they call'd επιγραφαι,
and επιγραμματα. These Inscriptions serv'd as _Lemmata_, or
Subjects for little poetical Conceits, which were afterwards themselves
term'd Epigrams. That upon the Statue of _Venus_ made by _Praxiteles_,
is well known.
Γυμνην οιδε Παρις με, και Αγκισης, και Αδονις.
Τους τρεις οιδα μονους, Πραξιτελες δε ποθεν?
And what, said she, does this bold Painter mean?
When was I bathing thus, and naked seen?
_Prior._
In Course of Time, other Poems of like Nature, whatever their Subject
was, went by the Name of Epigrams, on account of their Affinity with
those to which that Title was first appropriated. Epigrams are divided
into various Heads; the greater, the less, the equal[215], the simple,
the compound, the digressive, _&c._ But so minute a Distinction is
needless, since they may be made upon any Subject. Some are satirical,
as that of _Martial_,
_Quem recitas meus est, O Fidentine, Libellus;
Sed male cum recitas, incipit esse tuus._
'Tis true, in Print I own my humble Muse;
But when the Laureat shall my Lines traduce,
_Tartuffe_ in _England_ justly I disown;
_The Food was mine, the Excrement's his own._
and in another Place:
_Quid Te, Tucca, juvat vetulo miscere Falerno
In Vaticanis condita musta cadis?
Quid tantum fecere boni tibi pessima vina?
Aut quid fecerunt optima vina mali?
De nobis facile est; scelus est jugulare Falernum,
Et dare Campano toxica sæva mero.
Convivæ meruere tui fortasse perire;
Amphora non meruit tam pretiosa mori._
What mean'st thou, _Tucca_, with Tocay to join
The vapid Refuse of dull Rhenish Wine?
Do you the cordial Juice such Treach'ry owe,
Prepost'rous Charity the Cut-throat show?
To spoil Tocay, however fare your Guest,
Is Murder, without Benefit of Priest.
Poison allow the Merit of your Friend;
But the poor Cask deserv'd a better End.
This, I should think, is the best kind of Epigram; for if the Nature
of it in general consists in being acute, whatever is satirical, must
always be so. Not but that there are other proper Subjects of it. Some
panegyrical, directly contrary to the former; many of which we have in
_Martial_ upon the Emperor _Domitian_, and in others. That of _Virgil_
is famous.
_Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula mane;
Divisum imperium cum Jove Cæsar habet._
The Show'rs brought on the Night, the Shews the Day:
Thus _Jove_ and _Cæsar_ bear an equal Sway.
And the Inscription by a Modern design'd for the Palace of the late King
of _France_:
_Non orbis gentem, non urbem gens habet ullam,
Urbsve domum, dominum nec domus ulla, parem._
The world no Realm, no Realm a City sees,
No City House, no House a Lord like this.
In which, tho' there is not that witty Turn which is usually reckon'd
essential to Epigram; yet the Climax is so finely work'd up, that it
well deserves the great Praises that have been given it. There are other
Epigrams of the Love Kind; as the following one in the Anthology of
_Italian_ Poets:
_Me lætis Leonilla oculis, me Lydia torvis
Aspicit; hæc noctem nuntiat, illa diem.
Has Cytherea meo stellas præfecit amori;
Hæc meus est Vesper, Lucifer illa meus._
One with a sleepy, one a smirking Ray,
_Fusca_ the Night foretels, _Lucy_ the Day.
_Venus_ ordain'd, that each by Turns shou'd move,
The Morning, and the Ev'ning Star of Love.
Here, indeed, we have the true _Form_ and _Shape_ of an Epigram, it has
all the _Appearance_ of Wit and Elegance; but I fear it offends against
right Reason and Nature. Some there are, upon various Circumstances or
Events, which are scarce reducible to any Class. As this of _Martial_,
upon the City _Ravenna_, where there is a great Scarcity of Water:
_Callidus imposuit nuper mihi caupo Ravennæ;
Cum peterem mixtum, vendidit ille merum._
By a _Ravenna_ Vintner once betray'd,
So much for Wine and Water mixt I paid.
But when I thought the purchas'd Liquor mine,
The Rascal fob'd me off with only Wine.
_Addison._
And upon the Boy whose Throat was cut with an Icicle.
_Quid non sæva sibi voluit Fortuna licere?
Aut ubi mors non est, si jugulatis, aquæ?_
What various Deaths are we decreed to feel,
If Waters poignard like the stubborn Steel?[220]
And this _Greek_ Epigram:
Χρυσον ανηρ ἑυρων ελιπε βροχον, αυταρ ὁ χρυσον
Ον λιπεν ουχ ἑυρων, ἡψευ ον ἑυρε βροχον.
The Noose just tying, _Cotta_ found a Purse, }
The Rope serv'd _Strephon_, who, by Fate's Reverse, }
Had lost the Gold,--_to one a Blessing, one a Curse_. }
Here, again, the true Spirit of Epigram seems wanting; we have no
Point of Wit, but only a plain Narration of Fact. But still, the Words
are so elegantly opposed to each other, and in so short a Compass,
that we shall scarce meet with any Thing which exceeds it. While I am
speaking of the different Subjects of Epigram, I would observe, that
Religion is sometimes one. And as nothing is so suitable to Poetry
as the _Marvellous_, nothing can afford more Matter for it than the
_Christian_ Religion, which so much abounds with Miracles. I shall shew,
perhaps, hereafter, how well adapted it is for Poems of the highest
Kind, when I come to speak of _sacred Poetry_; but how proper a Subject
it is for Epigram, is self-evident. For tho' these sort of Verses are
often ludicrous, and trifling; yet they sometimes breathe a Spirit of
Sublimity, every way becoming them. There are many of _Martial_ of this
Kind. That, for Instance, to the Emperor _Domitian_, upon his erecting
to himself a triumphal Arch, and a Temple to Fortune:
_Hic, ubi Fortunæ Reducis fulgentia late
Templa nitent, felix area nuper erat.
Hic stetit, Arctoi formosus pulvere belli,
Purpureum fundens Cæsar ab ore jubar.
Hic lauro redimita comas, & candida cultu,
Roma salutavit voce, manuque, ducem.
Grande loci meritum testantur & altera dona;
Stat sacer, edomitis gentibus, arcus ovans.
Hic gemini currus numerant elephanta frequentem;
Sufficit immensis aureas ipse jugis.
Hæc est digna tuis, Germanice, porta triumphis;
Hos aditus urbem Martis habere decet._
Here late a happy Plain, where shines the Dome
Sacred to _Fortune safe conducting home_.
Here stopt great _Cæsar_, in his ruddy Car,
With Dust resplendent of the northern War;
While _Rome_ with White bedeck'd, and Laurels crown'd,
With eager Voice and Hand her Genius own'd.
Here stands (for such the Merit of the Place)
An Arch Triumphant o'er the _Dacian_ Race.
Two Chariots, drawn by Elephants, proclaim
His double Conquest, and their double Shame.
In Gold both Teams he reins with equal Hand,
Alone sufficient for the wide Command.
Portals like this, great _Cæsar_, well become
The Mistress of the World, and Lord of _Rome_.
And in another Place, upon _Pompey_ and his Sons:
_Pompeios juvenes Asia atque Europa, sed ipsum
Terra tegit Libyes, si tamen ulla tegit:
Quid mirum, toto si spargitur orbe? jacere
Uno nun potuit tanta ruina loco._
_Asia_ and _Europe_ _Pompey_'s Sons contain,
Himself, if buried, lies in _Afric_'s Plain.
Nor wonder, if throughout the Globe are hurl'd
The mighty Ruins which once shook the World.
If it be ask'd in what the Nature of Epigram in general consists; I
reply, Acuteness and Facetiousness are its chief Characteristicks. It
ought not to be mix'd, but uniform; to tend only to one Point, which is
always to be express'd with Strength and Poignancy in the last Verse.
This is above all to be regarded: If the last Verse be flat and languid,
or faulty in any Respect, it spoils the whole, how beautiful soever the
several Parts are.
This, I say, is, in general, the Nature of Epigrams; to which, however,
there are, perhaps, some few Exceptions, that are not so remarkable for
their Acuteness and Facetiousness, as for their Softness and Delicacy,
or some other Elegance. I have given Instances of one or two already;
whether they are to be look'd upon as Epigrams, or to be class'd under
some other Species of Poetry, I am little sollicitous. It is certain,
there are some short beautiful Poems which cannot come within this
Denomination; several in _Martial_, particularly, and many which
you, Gentlemen, compose for your Lent Exercises upon philosophical
Subjects; which, as they have already gain'd you great Reputation, so
would they farther extend it, if a judicious Collection of them were
publish'd[223]. The greatest Part of these are true Epigrams, witty
and facetious. Some are Descriptions, Allusions, or poetical Fictions,
elegant and beautiful, by whatever Name they are call'd, matters not.
No one, I think, could justly object to you, that you affected a barren
Subject for Poetry, the better to shew the Strength of your Parts, and
Liveliness of your Invention; like a certain Monarch, who industriously
chose a Place for his stately Fountains, incapable of having Water
brought to it but at a prodigious Expense, only that he might leave
a Monument of the Greatness of his Power and Magnificence: For as
different as Poetry and Philosophy may seem to be, the one affords
abundant Matter for the other, by furnishing the Mind with a Variety of
Ideas, and diverting it continually into new Channels.
_Elogiums_ and _Inscriptions_ are to be reduced to this Head, and
_Epitaphs_ likewise; the Elegance of which chiefly consists in an
expressive Brevity. They should not have so much as one Epithet,
properly so called; nor two Words synonymous. Some of these are true
Metre, others are something between Prose and Verse, without any set
Measure, but the Words perfectly poetical[224].
These little Compositions are often very beautiful: And I might add
to them _Emblems_, or _Symbols_; by which I mean certain Figures,
painted or cut, metaphorically expressing some Action, with an imperfect
Sentence at Bottom, which in some measure explains the Sense of the
Device, but leaves the Reader to supply the rest. The Painting is
call'd the Body of the Emblem, the Sentence at Bottom, the Soul of it.
These are Compositions purely poetical, and are often full of Thought
and Elegance, I may add, of poetical Action too. A certain _French_
Writer[225] (and among the _French_ this Invention is in most Esteem)
has writ a long and accurate Dissertation upon Emblems; wherein he has
precisely defin'd their Nature, explain'd their different Species,
laid down Rules for their Composition, and for distinguishing the true
from the false; and, lastly, has produc'd Variety of Examples of them.
I shall lay before you one Instance from him, that you may the better
judge both of their Nature and Elegance. To express the Secresy of the
King of _France_'s Counsels, as well as the terrible Effects of them
to his Enemies, the Sun was represented behind a Cloud, with this half
Verse at Bottom:
----_Tegiturque, parat dum fulmina._----
Conceal'd while he prepares his Bolts.
This is an Invention which I take to be modern, entirely unknown to the
Ancients. And tho' the _French_ Author I just mention'd may (according
to the Genius of his Nation) attribute, perhaps, more to it than it
deserves; yet it certainly deserves its Praise, for Elegance and
Ingenuity.
But to return to Epigrams: Whatever you write, _be short_. Those,
perhaps, are the best, which don't exceed eight Lines; for the rest,
they cannot be too short. This Rule, however, I don't propose as a
general one. Some Epigrams may be beautiful, tho' longer; one of which I
have already cited in this Discourse.
As to the Verse; in _Latin_ (for of that Language I here principally
speak) Hexameter and Pentameter are the most proper, tho' others are not
to be excluded; for Iambics and Hendecasyllables are frequently made use
of.
Many of the Hendecasyllable Poems are rather Odes than Epigrams: Some
seem to be of a mix'd Nature; and Poetry has nothing more beautiful than
both. _Catullus_ is reckon'd the Prince in this Kind of Writing, whom
others, both Ancients and Moderns, have very happily imitated, and some,
perhaps, excell'd. The Nature of them consists in being lax and free, in
chusing light Subjects, especially those of Love; and sometimes serious
ones, as Epitaphs, and the like. It is always soft and sweet, full of
tender Diminutives, and of Repetitions of the same Verse at proper
Distances.
Whether the Ancients or Moderns have deserv'd best of these light Kinds
of Poetry, but especially of Epigram, is hard to say. It is certain,
the latter have a Turn of Wit which the former were Strangers to; but
still I dare not decide the Preference. But leaving that Dispute, we
shall all agree in this common Maxim, _Inest sua gratia parvis_; Little
Things have their Beauty; and sometimes not a little Beauty. Tho' they
are small in Bulk, yet they are great in Value; and not only Wit and
Ingenuity are requir'd in the Composition of them, but true Reason, and
solid Judgment:
_In tenui labor, at tenuis non gloria._----
Slight is the Subject, but not so the Praise.
_Pope._
Sometimes the Pains requir'd in this Kind of Composition is very great;
but then they are always repaid by it. To which we may often apply what
_Virgil_ says of the Bees:
_Ingentes animos augusto in pectore versant._
Their little Bodies mighty Souls inform.