This brilliant passage of Pope is quoted in this place by the author of
that English Commentary, who has also subjoined many excellent remarks on
_the revival of old words_, worthy the particular attention of those
who cultivate prose as well as poetry, and shewing at large, that "the
riches of a language are actually increased by retaining its old words:
and besides, they have often _a greater real weight and dignity_, than
those of a more _fashionable_ cast, which succeed to them. This needs
no proof to such as are versed in the earlier writings of any
language."--"_The growing prevalency of a very different humour_, first
catched, as it should seem, from our commerce with the French Models,
_and countenanced by the too scrupulous delicacy of some good writers
amongst ourselves, bad gone far towards unnerving the noblest modern
language, and effeminating the public taste_."--"The rejection of _old
words_, as _barbarous_, and of many modern ones, as unpolite," had so
exhausted the _strength_ and _stores_ of our language, that it was high
time for some master-hand to interpose, and send us for supplies to _our
old poets_; which there is the highest authority for saying, no one ever
despised, but for a reason, not very consistent with his credit to avow:
_rudem esse omnino in nostris poetis, aut inertissimae nequitiae est,
aut fastidii delicatissimi.-- Cic. de fin._ 1. i. c. 2.
[As woods endure, &c.] _Ut silvae foliis_, &c. Mr. Duncombe, in his
translation of our Author, concurs with Monsieur Dacier in observing
that "Horace seems here to have had in view that fine similitude of
Homer in the sixth book of the Iliad, comparing the generations of men
to the annual succession of leaves.
[Greek:
Oipaeer phyllon genehn, toiaede ch ahndron.
phylla ta mehn t anemohs chamahdis cheei, ahllah de thula
Taeletheasa phyei, earos depigigyel(*)ai orae
Oz andron genen. aemen phnei, aeh dahpolaegei.]
"Like leaves on trees the race of man is found,
Now green in youth, now withering on the ground;
Another race the following spring supplies,
They fall successive, and successive rise:
So generations in their turns decay;
So flourish these, when those are past away."
The translator of Homer has himself compared words to leaves, but in
another view, in his Essay on Criticism.
Words are like leaves; and where they most abound,
Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found.
In another part of the Essay he persues the same train of thought with
Horace, and rises, I think, above his Master.
Short is the date, alas, of modern rhymes,
And 'tis but just to let them live betimes.
No longer now that golden age appears,
When Patriarch-wits surviv'd a thousand years;
Now length of Fame (our second life) is lost,
And bare threescore is all ev'n that can boast;
Our sons their father's failing language see,
And such as Chaucer is, shall Dryden be.
So when the faithful pencil has design'd
Some bright idea of the Master's mind,
Where a new world leaps out at his command,
And ready Nature waits upon his hand;
When the ripe colours soften and unite,
And sweetly melt into just shade and light;
When mellowing years their full perfection give,
And each bold figure just begins to live;
The treach'rous colours the fair art betray,
And all the bright creation fades away!
_Essay an Criticism._