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HERO and LEANDER.[1]
Queen of the plaintive voice, the Torch resound
Witness of secret Loves, the Lover sing
On midnight billows borne to rapt'rous joys,
Veil'd from Aurora's eye; the realms relate,
By Ocean fever'd, join'd by Love.———I hear
B
Leander
- ↑ Geographical doubts have arisen, relatively to the situation of Sestos and Abydos. Critical doubts have likewise arisen, with respect to the probability of Leander's 'watry excursion'—The latter must be determined by the distance. However practicable the Knight, or rather Night Errantry, I am contented to admire the Fable, as a sacrifice to the prevalence of Love, which is well known to remove (at least to attempt it) obstacles of the most forbiding aspect. Those, who wish to give the same air of ease to the present, which has been more recently experienced to attend Love-expeditions, may reduce at will the limits of the Hellespont to those of the Tweed;
Magno de flumine mallem,
Quàm ex hoc fonticulo tantundem sumere.———Hor. Sat. I. B. i.The piece itself, like its subject, exhibits the art of swimming, no less than that of sinking—in Poetry.
