misnamed. The THEOGONY has little prettinesses in it, not like the great antiquity. The shield of Hercules is taken from Homer's shield of Achilles, and there are several lines exactly the same in both. The 'HMEPON has the truest air of antiquity. Nudus ara, (GEO. i. 299,) is, I think, from the EPTON; but possibly none of it is Hesiod's.

86

Virgil's great judgment appears in putting things together; and in his picking gold out of the dunghills of the old Roman writers.

"He borrowed even from his contemporaries :Perdita, nec sera meminit decedere nocti, from Varius, as, I think, Aulus Gellius tells us."

Mr. Holdsworth remarked to Mr. Spence, (as the latter has mentioned in the same collection,) that "the third Georgick is the most epick of all the Georgicks; and the introduction to it, as well as several passages in it, show that Virgil regarded it as such, himself." See GEO. iii. 291-294.

The same gentleman observed, that "each book of the GEORGICKS is in a different style from all the rest: that of the first, plain; of the second, various; of the third, grand; and of the fourth, pleasing." Ibid.

but of no principles. Vio.ent for the High Church, yet seldom goes to it. Very proud, insolent, and covetous, and takes all advantages. In paying his debts, unwilling; and is neither esteemed, nor beloved: for notwithstanding

nt for the High Church, yet proud, insolent, and covetous,

and takes all advantages. In paying his debts, unwilling ; and is neither esteemed, nor beloved: for notwithstanding his great interest at court, it is certain he has none in

..

is conten

no vulgar rank. But favour and flattery are now at an end: criticism is no longer softened by his beauties, or awed by his splendour; and being able to. take a more steady view, discovers him to be a writer that sometimes glimmers, but rarely shines, feebly laborious, and at best but pretty." Johnson's Life of SHEFFIELD