Page:Johnson - Rambler 2.djvu/242

 

 

Νύμφας δ' εκ θαλάμων, δαίδων, ὑπολαμ πομενάων, Ηγίνεον ἀνὰ άστυ, πολυς δ' ὑμέναιος ορώρει;
Here sacred pomp, and genial feast delight,  And solemn dance, and hymeneal rite;  Along the street the new-made brides are led,  With torches flaming to the nuptial bed;  The youthful dancers in a circle bound  To the soft flute, and cittern's silver sound.	Pope.

 

that Vida was merely fanciful, when he supposed Virgil endeavouring to represent by uncommon sweetness of numbers the adventitious beauty of Æneas;

 

Os, humerosque Deo similis: namque ipse decoram Cæsariem nato genetrix, lumenque juventæ Purpureum, et lætos oculis afflârat honores.
The Trojan chief appeared in open sight,  August in visage, and serenely bright.  His mother goddess, with her hands divine,  Had form'd his curling locks, and made his temples shine;  And giv'n his rolling eyes a sparkling grace,  And breath'd a youthful vigour on his face	Dryden.

 

Or that Milton did not intend to exemplify the harmony which he mentions:

 

Fountains! and ye that warble as ye flow,  Melodious murmurs; warbling tune his praise.

 

That Milton understood the force of sounds well adjusted, and knew the compass and variety of the ancient measures, cannot be doubted, since he was both a musician and a critick; but he seems to have considered these conformities of cadence, as either not often attainable in our language, or as petty excellencies unworthy of his ambition; for