whofe ftudies are made fubfervient to a refined and elegant fpecies of amufement; but he also esteems it as of particular ufe to the critic, as it tends to illuftrate fome obfcure paffages both in the Greek and Latin poets. To evince its utility in this view, the Editor refers to three examples which spontaneously offered themselves, without any particular search for the purpose of finding out inftances to prove his affertion. The first is from Catullus, de Nupt. Pel. & Thet. 281. Aura parit flores tepidi fecunda Favonî, Vulpius cenfures the metaphor in the laft line, and fays, that "it is too far fetched." [longius petitum.] But the learned Editor produces a paffage from the beginning of this hymn, as the fource from whence this mode of expreffion was derived. [Ecce fontem unde venuftum illud loquendi genus fluxerit, in hymno noftro, verf. 13.] Κνώδει δ' οδμη πας δ' ἄρανος ευρυς ὑπερθεν Γαια τε πας' ΕΓΕΛΑΣΣΕ και αλμυρον οίδμα θαλασσης. i. e. The wide circuit of Heaven above, all Earth below, and the fwell of Ocean's briny wave, laughed [i. e. were cheared or refreshed] with the delicious odour of the Narciffus. It is, however, by no means clear to us, that Catullus borrowed either the thought or the expreffion from this poem. Metaphors of the fame import, and. equally bold, and, as fome would call them, unwarrantable and far-fetched, may be found in almoft all the ancient poets. As to this particular metaphor, it may be traced up to Siloa's brook that flow'd as well as to the lefs hallowed fountain of Hippocrene. Several examples of a fimilar mode of expreffion will readily occur to those who have been converfant with the Holy Scriptures, and particularly the Pfalms of David. A hafty critic, in his eagerness to trace out the origin of a poet's idea, might have been ready to have charged Milton with borrowing one of the most admired paffages of the Paradise Loft, from the lines juft quoted, if the Hymn to Ceres had been publifhed in his day. oft at fea, North-eaft winds blow and many a league Chear'd with the grateful smell, old Ocean SMILES. B. IV. Laughter is here most elegantly foftened into a smile; else the laft line is almoft a literal tranflation of Κηωδει δ' οδμη εγελασσε και αλμυρον οιδμα θαλασσης. The Editor clofes his Preface with obferving, that, content with the honour of publishing this Hymn, he leaves the farther comparison of it with the other poets of antiquity, for the fake of mutual illuftration, to the skill and induftry of other critics. It will be expected by our Readers, that we fhould give some account of the Hymn itself; and we know not how we can more effectually gratify them, than by presenting them with the general scope and argument of it; referving our remarks on fome of its more ftriking and beautiful paffages, together with an extract from the original, by way of specimen, for the close of this Article. A general View of the HYMN TO CERES. The Poet first recites the manner in which Proferpine was earried off by Pluto, as fhe was innocently indulging herself, with the daughters of Oceanus, in gathering flowers of various kinds, in the meads of Nyfia. As the plucked, with eager hands, a beautiful Narciffus (produced by Jove's own decree on purpose to entice her), the earth inftantly opened in the deJufive fpot, and Pluto rushing forth, feized the helpless virgin, and hurried her away, regardless of her cries, to his gloomy palace in hell. Ceres, though the hears her daughter's voice, is ignorant of the' caufe of her diftrefs. To gain fome intelligence refpecting her fate, the goddefs wanders about for nine days, in a state of wild diftraction. On the tenth the meets Hecate, who informs her that fhe alfo heard the cries of Próferpine, but was not certain who her ravifher was. This unfatisfactory account ferves but to aggravate the distress, and increase the apprehenfions of Ceres. Mingled anxiety and indignation could find no utterance in words. She makes no re ply to Hecate, but inftantly haftens to Sol, to enquire into the fate of her daughter. Approaching his flaming chariot, fhe claimed that refpect which was due to her rank among the immortals. The chariot ftops, and the hath audience of Sol, to whom the relates the cause of her errand, and folicits him to inform her where the might find her daughter, and whether the had been bereaved of her by any one of divine, or human race. Sol informs her, that Pluto was the ravisher; and, by the counsel of Jove, had married Proferpine, and carried her to his gloomy palace. In order to affuage the grief, and foften the indignation of the goddess, he urges the diftinguished rank that Pluto held among the immortals; but this doth not reconcile her to the lofs of her daughter; fhe continues relentlefs, and particularly conceives a fevere refentment against the Father of the Gods, for having counfelled Pluto to carry off her daughter. With mingled indignation indignation and anxiety, the feparates herself from the af fembly of the immortals, leaves Olympus, and defcends to earth, in order to indulge her forrow among men. Affuming the form of a woman advanced in years, difguifed in the habit of a nurse, and paffing under the feigned name of Doris, the meets the daughters of Celeus Prince of Eleufis, who, with their urns of polished brafs, were going to draw water from a fountain near the fpot. To them the relates a fictitious story of her adventure with a crew of pirates, who had taken her, as fhe pretended, in order to fell her for a flave; but having made her efcape from them whilft they were regaling themselves at fupper on the fhore, fhe had ftrayed to the place where the then was. She calls herfelf a forlorn wanderer, among ftrange people, and in an unknown region; implores their compaffion, and folicits fome menial employment in their house, to preferve her from perishing through want. They are affected with her ftory, and haften home to give an account of the diftreffed ftranger to their mother Metanira. On the recital of it, fhe orders them inftantly to return, and bring the woman to her house, as the intended to employ her in the quality of a nurse to her fon. The daughters, with eager joy, run to execute the commands of their parent; and finding the difconfolate stranger fitting by the highway-fide, they deliver the meffage they were charged with, and gladly conduct her to the houfe of Celeus. As Ceres enters the porch, the whole ftructure is illumined with an extraordinary radiance, betokening the approach of a goddess. Metanira herfelf feels an inexplicable impreffion of awe and reverence, and, rifing with a deference due to a fuperior being, offers her feat to the unknown gueft. Ceres modeftly refufes the honour, and looking on the ground, as if unconscious of her dignity, the remains filent, in a state of delicate confufion. At last, when feated, Metanira relates to her the extraordinary bleffing of the gods, in giving her a fon (the darling and fond hope of the house of Celeus), at a period of life when human nature could have formed no expectation of so singular a favour. As the outward appearance of Ceres favoured her fuit to the daughters to be employed in fome domeftic concern, where the caution of mature years was requifite, Metanira is defirous to commit to her care this darling child; and to encourage her to undertake the charge, and at the fame time to engage her to tenderness and fidelity, the affures her, that if her fon fhould live, he would have it in his power to repay her tendernefs and care to the utmost extent of her wishes. Ceres readily accepts the charge, and engages to protect the child from the evils * An employment not beneath the daughters of perfons of rank in the ages of primitive fimplicity. Vid. Gen. xxiv. 15. Exod. ii, 16. of malignant incantation, and all the mifchiefs which arife from unskilful nurfes. Demophon (for that is the name of the royal infant) flourishes with moft aftonishing quickness under the care of Ceres; for nurfed by a goddefs, he is treated like a child of the gods. He is anointed with ambrofia, and refined by fire, that he might acquire an immortal fubftance. All this was tranfacted in private, nor were his parents confcious of the honour that was intended for their fon. But Metanira, impelled by the foolish curiofity that hath been proverbially incident to her fex, watches to fee in what manner her child is treated; and obferving him thrust into the fire by his nurse, her natural feelings are awakened, and the alarms the whole houfe with her loud and bitter exclamations. The goddess is highly provoked at this intrufion and frantic behaviour of the mother of Demophon, and haftily fnatching the child from the myftic fire, that was prepared to endue him with the powers of divinity, the laments the precipitance of mortals, and their blindnefs to approaching fate, whether good or ill; and then addreffing Metanira, the goddefs informs her, that her rashness and folly had rendered her purposes towards the child for ever abortive;-that the immortal fubftance into which he was paffing, under the operations of her divine power, could not now be perfected; and that, brought back to the state of mortals, he muft share their fate. Nevertheless, the affures Metanira, that her fon's honour would be incorruptible, though his body would perish, because, nursed in the bosom of a goddess, he had imbibed fome qualities of a divine principle. After having foretold a civil war amongst the Eleufinians, Ceres announces her divinity, and, dropping the form fhe had affumed, breaks forth into all the radiance of an immortal being, diffufing around her the odours of a goddefs. Metanira is overwhelmed with aftonifhment and horror. Her daughters hearing her cries, haften to her affiftance, and find the child caft on the ground. They divide their attention between him and their mother; till difcovering the cause of the confufion, they are ftruck with awe and dread, and employ the whole night in efforts to appease the incenfed goddess. In the morning Celeus becomes acquainted with all the circumftances of this ftrange event: on this he confults the most diftinguished and experienced perfons in the country, as to the moft proper means of appeafing Ceres. By their counsel, he orders a temple to be erected, and an altar confecrated to the goddefs. This being accomplished, Ceres vouchfafes to make it her refidence, in a total feparation from the fociety of the gods. Here the indulgeth herself in deep distress for the loss of her daughter, and meditates revenge on the author of her calamity. She makes the earth barren for a whole year, and thus reftraining ance. reftraining its fertility, the gods are deprived of their wonted offerings. Jupiter revolving in his mind the fatal confequences of Ceres' revenge, if fhe fhould obftinately perfift in her refolution to deprive the earth of its accuftomed produce, difpatches Iris to foften her refentment, and invite her to refume her feat among the immortals. But Ceres is inflexible. The other gods are fent to the temple of Eleufis, to mediate between the goddess and Jupiter; but not one could effect the purpose of their meffage; and he declares that he will never afcend Olympus, till the beholds her beautiful daughter. On this Jupiter difpatches Mercury to Pluto, to inform him of the diftraction of Ceres, and her fatal refolution, and to folicit him to yield up Proferpine, that he might carry her to her mother. His eloquence fooths the grim monarch of hell into compliPluto endeavours to fix in her mind a deep impreffion of his authority, in order to engage her to return, and be reconciled to her connection with him. He promifes her high honours among the immortals, and the fatisfaction of feeing those punished for ever, who fhould impiously deny her those oblations which were her appointed tribute. After he had given her a part of a pomegranate, to secure her return, he prepares his golden chariot, and seating Proferpine in it, Mercury performs the office of charioteer, and rapidly conveys her to the temple of Eleufis, where Ceres once more beholds her daughter with rapture; and rusheth forward, as the approaches the temple, to embrace her in her arms. After thefe endearments, Proferpine relates to her mother the circumftances of her ravishment; enumerates her companions when it happened, and their amufements in the fields. In the midft of their converfation, Hecate approaches and joins them. After this, Jupiter fends Rhea, the mother of Ceres, to invite her to mix again with the celestials, engaging, on her confent, to permit Proferpine to divide the year between Erebus and Olympus ;-fix months to refide with Pluto, and the remaining fix with Ceres and the other immortals. The goddess is delighted with the prefence of her mother; her refentment yields to parental authority and entreaties; the confents to the decifion of Jupiter; and revoking her refolution, the earth resumes its ufual fertility, and the gods have their offerings reftored. Then, having given fuch inftructions as were proper for the direction of her votaries at Eleufis, in the celebration of her sacred rites, fhe afcends Olympus, and joins the gods. In the Conclufion, the Poet invokes Ceres and Proferpine, and folicits them to accept his Hymn, and reward the Author with a pleasant life. We have thus given a general view of this ancient and curious hymn; which, though it will by no means fatisfy the |