Homer in a Nutshell, or, His War Between the Frogs and the Mice (Parker)/Preface
THE
PREFACE.
In the first place the Translator wou'd have thee know he never pretended to the Character of a Poet, and as he desires to 'scape the Scandal of the Name, so he will not value himself the more for any good Success, or the less for any Disappointment; seeing after all, in Things of this Nature, every Man will be his own Critick, and the People of nice Rule and quaint Observation, betray the vanity of their Maxims, while scarce a Couple in the whole Pack agree about the suitableness of any one Ingredient, but that which is most incompatible with the true Scope of the Art, the Recommendation and Encouragement of Immorality and Irreligion: However, finding himself dispos'd now and then to try his Skill, and observing the Canto-cut has of late carry'd the Day, he thought good to bestow a few Hours upon the Translation of a Poem which, and very deservedly, has been celebrated for many Ages; a Poem, which for neatness of Wit, liveliness of Description and regularity of Conduct, equals any part of the Iliads, perhaps excells any part of the Odysses.
And yet as just and regular as I found this Poem, I perceiv'd it wou'd never jump in English with the Humour of the Age, till I had spoild it by some unwarrantable Alterations, which being printed in a smaller Character, the Reader may observe without the trouble of Comparing. The two most material of 'em are these; first, That whereas, according to my Author, the Frog seems not out of a treacherous Principle to have serv'd the Mouse as he did, I have made him design the worst all along, very consonantly too, if I mistake not, to the Character the Poet fixes afterwards upon him, where he makes him vindicate himself by that egregious Falsity, v. 146. Ωφίλοτ οὐκ ἔκτεινον ἐγα, &c. And not injuriously neither to the Series of the Story: Then again, that almost upon the same Inducements I have made him improve or rather explain the Stratagem, by which, in the Conclusion of that Speech, the Frog proposes to defeat the Mice. Beside these many slighter Alterations will occur, and here and there an Addition of my own,[1] but which I hope he can as readily forgive as discern.
For what relates to the Scope and Import of the Fable, I am not persuaded with Aristobulus, that Homer compos'd it only for the Diversion and Exercise of School-Boys; the Design appears to have been more momentous, it carries a Face of Instruction upon the Matter of Civil Government, and the Moral is plainly Political. In the occasion of the War between the Frogs and the Mice, we see with what miserable Consequences the generous Credulity of a Prince on one hand abus'd by the Craftiness and Treachery of a Neighbour on the other, is like to be attended. On the part of the Mouse, 'twas imprudent to repose so great Confidence in a Politician of a distinct or rather opposite Interest and Temper, tho' on the part of the Frog 'twas not only a bold Violation of Divine and Humane Laws to play such a Game, but still more impolitick to stir up so Potent an Adversary, and dare the Vengeance not of Heaven alone (for he seems to have troubled his Head little enough about that) but withal of so many well-disciplined resolute Cavaliers, of which Commotions the Issue will ever be fatal to their Author, how much soever Things may succeed to his Wishes for a Season. The great Distributer of Dues loves to defer his Inflictions as long as his Justice will permit; but when that Period's once expir'd, he sends down both Principal and Interest upon the Heads of the Incorrigible. I confess, the Poet has not intimated so much; nay, has describ'd Jupiter as a malicious Enemy to the Mice. But then we must remember he had represented him before in a State of Indifference, resolv'd with his Family not to interpose in behalf of this Party or that, nor to concern himself otherwise than as an idle Spectator. Indeed, the freedom the Poet took with his Gods, was, in respect of himself, an unpardonable Presumption, and nothing ought to be built upon it, or inferr'd from it. Agen, the Consummation of the Fray gives us to understand, That Superiority and Dominion are the most slippery Things in the World, and have their Vicissitudes of Rising and Sinking as necessarily as two Buckets in a Well. The Mice at first are too hard for the Frogs, and 'twas but Reason to imagine 'em so 'till they had taken their just Revenge: But then the Crabs came upon the Mice in the very Pride of their Victory, and by a course kind of Argument, convinc'd 'em in their turn of the Instability of Human Affairs. Nay, there's yet a further meaning in the Close of the Allegory; for 'though the Frogs deserv'd ten times more than what they suffer'd from the Mice; yet we know, the Mice hod been as little remarkable for strict Morals as the most profligate Animals that e'r mov'd upon all Four. The Temptation of a mouldy Crust cou'd prevail with 'em at any time to break thro' all Obligations of Religion and Honour. The Suggestions of their Appetites they made the Rule of their Duty, and pretended a Privilege, under the Notion of Natural Freedom, to plunder their Landlords and One another as often as they pleas'd: How then were the Caitiffs rigorously dealt with? What reason had they to expect more favour than the Frogs? In good earnest, I think they had too much shew'd 'em before; and 'twas an Act of special Condescension in Jupiter to lay the Frogs at the Mercy of the Mice, and not the Mice rather at the Mercy of the Frogs. And so much by way of Interpretation.
If the Criticks shou'd be displeas'd at any Grammatical or Poetical Liberties I have taken, they'd highly oblige me. And the longer Bill they prefer, the better: Though let 'em distort Words, mangle Periods, and misapply Aristotle, Horace, and Bossu, till they're out of breath, I'll lay 'em a Wager at last they cann't discover so many Faults in the Performance as their humble Servant. I earnestly beg of 'em to honour me with a Hiss, and shall be most proud of their Condemnation, well-knowing their Sentence is always to be constru'd, like O———ts's Depositions, backward. Ever since I caught some termagant Ones in a Club, undervaluing our new Translation of Virgil, I've known both what Opinion I ought to harbour, and what use to make of 'em, and since the Opportunity of a Digression so luckily presents it self, I shall make bold to ask the Gentlemen their Sentiments of two or three Lines (to pass over a thousand other Instances) which they may meet with in that Work. The fourth Æneid says of Dido, after certain Effects of her taking Shelter with Æneas in the Cave appear,
Conjugium vocat, hoc prætexit nomine culpam.v. 172.
Which Mr. Dryden renders thus,
To veil the Crime and sanctifie the Shame.
Nor had he before less happlily render'd the 39th Verse of the second Æneid,
With noise say nothing, and in Parts divide.
If these are the Lines which they call Flat and Spiritless, I wish mine cou'd be Flat and Spiritless too! And therefore to make short work, I shall only beg Mr. Dryden's leave to congratulate him upon his admirable Flatness and Dulness in a Rapture of Poetical Indignation,
The [2]puny Brats of Momus threaten War?
And cann't the proud perverse Arachne's Fate
Deter the [2]Mungrils e'r it prove too late?
In vain, alass! we warn the [2]harden'd Brood:
In vain expect they'll ever come to good.
No: They'd conceive more Venom if they cou'd.
But let each [2]Viper at his Peril bite,
While you defie the most ingenious Spite.
So Parian Columns rais'd with costly care
[2]Vile Snails and Worms may dawb, yet not impaire,
While the tough Titles and obdurate Rime
Fateague the busie Grinders of old Time.
Not but your Maro justly may complain,
Since your Translation ends his ancient Reign,
And but by your officious Muse outvy'd,
That vast Immortal Name had never dy'd.
But asking my Reader's Pardon for my Impertinences, I have now no more to add, but desire him to fall to, and much good may't do him.