"of bending a stubborn language to sweetness "and harmony, we think that Racine joins to fo "many folid talents the charm of the finest "verses that could poffibly be written, we cannot fufficiently admire or praise him."

σε

σε

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Hear him speak of Longinus.

"This matchless writer at once gives the precept and example *. He read with enthusiasm, "he wrote with enthusiasm, and he conveys en"thufiafm into the foul of his reader. Other cri"tics will make you fee the beauties of a poet : "he makes you feel them; he does not demonftrate, he does not perfuade, he entrances, he elevates, and, like the fublime which he paints, "he fubdues the foul, and transports it whither he pleases. Woe to the reader, who, while he reads Longinus, can ftop to judge him! But after"wards, when in cool blood he analyfes his "ideas, he there discovers the refined and exqui"fite touch of Horace, the fure and folid judg“ment of Boileau, the vigour and fenfibility of "the citizen of Geneva. Such are his leading "features. Some one has well entitled his book, "The book of Gold. It is the most valuable of all "the treatises that are in being. It has only one fault, that of being too fhort. Learn him there"fore by heart, all Mæcenafes and poets.

ye

* His own example strengthens all his laws,

And is himself the great fublime he draws. POPE.

7

. Hic

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PREFACE.

ix

"Hie murus abeneus efto! Learn him also, ye who "endeavour to read with fentiment and feeling, "and, if I may so fay, with judgement. Ye ad"mirers of Dantè and Ariofto, read him not. Longinus, the Homer of critics, is all good fenfe; he will break your idols. A lover of "truth, and of bold but judicious fallies, he fuf"fers not the starts of a difordered imagination. But this great man, who would have condemn"ed to the flames that

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"Monftrum horrendum, informe, ingens,

"the Divina Comedia, would have read fome of "its verses with tranfport. On perusing the "canto of Count Ugolino *, the fentimental foul "of Longinus would have exclaimed, Homer "has nothing fo fublime;' and his infallible judgement would afterwards have confirmed the decree. When I ftyled Longinus a great man, "it was with reafon. To fuperior talents he ad" ded an elevated heart. He was a man of learn'ing, and at once poffeffed (what are very fel“dom united) genius and tafte. As a statesinan, "he maintained with a noble spirit the glory of "his queen. To the enlightened understanding "of a philofopher he added the conftancy of a “hero; and, if he had not composed his divine "treatife, his death alone would have immorta

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*This flocking but picturesque fubject now speaks to all nations in the univerfal language of Sir Joshua Reynolds. English Tranflater. "lized

"lized him; a death as glorious to him as "it was infamous to Zenobia and Aurelian.'

The following paffage is a farther striking proof of the taste and impartiality of Mr. Sherlock:

"If I have not named the great Corneille, it is "not that I by any means deny his claim to that "title. I did not propose to discuss the French "literature, but only to point out the models of good tafte; and Corneille does not belong to "this clafs. The tafte must be formed before he "is read: but here you ask me, muft Shakspeare therefore be studied as a model of good "tafte?' The question is severe, and I will not "answer it-But, O Truth, thou art my only "idol. I facrifice on thy altar my darling poet, " and I anfwer, No.

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The ftyle of this little work will please fome, and will displease others. Such as it is, it is the author's, and not mine. I have not only confidered it as my duty to tranflate his thoughts with the utmost exactnefs; but I have carried my fcruples fo far as to preferve, as far as the difference of languages would allow it, the arrangement of his words, the turn of his phrase, and, if I may fo exprefs it, the phyfiognomy of his ftyle *. Thus, whatever opinion may be formed of it, I ought to have no share either in the praises or in the cenfures. If the object reflected by a faith

The English translator may strictly say the same.

ful

1

PREFAC E.

xi

ful mirrour appear beautiful, or if it appear deformed, the mirrour ought neither to be praised nor blamed. It does not make the object; it only fhews it.

It was my first intention to have given a complete tranflation of Advice to a young poet. I have fince found, that the author has foreftalled me by inferting in his Letters feveral extracts from his Italian book. It would be an impofition on the public to offer them as new what they already know. The digreffion on Shakspeare and the paffages which I have juft quoted are the only interesting parts of this little work, which Mr. Sherlock has not introduced in his Letters.

* Volume II; of which an English translation was printed, for the author, by Mr. Nichols.

A FRAG