"_Sylvestrem tenui musam medi--taris [=a]--ven[=a]_.
"_Nudus in ignota pali--nure j[=a]--cebis [=a]--ren[=a]_.
From whence it appears that _Virgil_'s Poetry is almost all Rhyme of
one kind or other; and it is evident beyond Dispute that he generally
concludes his strong, sounding, majestick Paragraphs with a full
Rhyme, for which I refer to that fine Line already more than once
mentioned, which sums up the Praises of _Italy_.
"_Totaque thuriferis Panchaia pinguis arenis._
And to the Conclusion of his finest work.
"_Hic vero subitum, ac dictu mirabile monstrum
Aspiciunt: liquefacta boum per viscera toto
Stridere apes utero, & ruptis effervere costis,
Immensasque trahi nubes; jamque arbore summa
Confluere, & lentis uvam demittere ramis._
And to this I will add the last Line of the Epilogue to the
_Georgicks_.
"_Tytyre te patulæ cecini sub tegmine fagi._
Where the two several Hemisticks or Parts of the Verse Rhyme each to
itself.
I would observe here that both _Ovid_ and _Lucan_, for want of
Judgment, begin with a full Rhyme; the consequence of which is, that
the Conclusion of the Paragraph is less sonorous than the Beginning,
which must needs have a bad Effect.
"_In nova fert animus muta_tas _discere for_mas.
Ovid.
"_Bella per Æmath_ios _plus quam Civilia Cam_pos.
Lucan.
But a modern Writer, and a much better Composer of _Latin_ Verses than
either _Ovid_ or _Lucan_, has with great Judgment taken care to follow
_Virgil_'s Example in this and many other Particulars. I mean
_Vanerius_. There are a great Number of Lines in his _Prædium
Rusticum_ which are worthy of _Virgil_ himself: I shall entertain you
with some of them.
In his Kitchen-Garden, the following Passage is a Description of all
the numerous Family of Colworts, or the Cabbage-kind.
"_Quid dicam quanta jactat se Brassica laude?
Sive volubilibus redit in se frondibus, Orbesque
Orbibus agglomerans, capitis sub mole laborat;
Tornato similes Ebori seu candida Flores
Ediderit, seu Coniacas imitata Cupressus,
Seque suas plicat in frondes, & acumen in album
Desinit, & tenui venit haud ingloria Mensæ.
Sive hieme in media cum cætera frigore torpent
Loeta viret, Boreamque trucem, Caurosque malignos
Despiciens, vacuis ultro Dominatur in hortis._"
In his Description of the Farm-yard, he paints the following several
Sorts of Fowls in this Manner:
"_Se pictæ cervicis_ Anas | _& Garulus_ Anser
_Tarda mole movent: | habitu_ Gallina _modesto
Progreditur: | Caudam_ Gallus _Cristasque rubentes
Erigit, | & motis sibi plaudit Lætior alis_."
And I cannot omit this most charming Verse which describes the
Courtship of a Pigeon.
"_Sæpe solum verrens Pennâ pendente rotatur._"
"Oft with his trailing Wing the wanton Dove
Brushes the Ground, and wheels about his Love.
Such Verse as this must please in all Ages, and in all Countries,
where the Readers have any Taste and Delicacy of Ear. All the Beauties
of _Virgil_'s Poetry are in these Lines; and you may observe in the
four last mentioned,