Certainly no body can imagine but these two celebrated Authors understood their own Tongue better, than the scrupulous Grammarians of After-ages, who are too dogmatical and self-sufficient, when they presume to censure either of them for not attending strictly enough to Syntax, and the Measure of Verse. The Latin Tongue is a dead Language, and none can decide with Confidence on the Harmony or Dissonance of the Numbers of these Times, unless they were thoroughly acquainted with their Pauses and Cadence. They may indeed pronounce with much more Assurance on their Diction; and distinguish where they have been negligent, and where more finish'd. There are certainly many Lines in Ovid, where he has been downright lazy, and where he might have avoided the Appearance of being obviously so by a very little Application. In recording the Succession of the Alban Kings, thus,
Epitus ex illo est, post hunc Capetusque, Capysque,
Sed Capys ante fuit———
There are also several Lines in Virgil, which are not altogether tunable to a modern Ear, and which appear unfinish'd.
Scilicet omnibus est labor impendendus, & omnes
Cogendæ in sulcum——— G. 2. l. 61.
Præsertim si tempestas a vertice sylvis
Incubuit——— G. 2. l. 310.
