_Ille Deum vitam accipiet, divisque videbit_ _Permistos heroas, et ipse videbitur illis--_ _Pacatumque reget patriis virtutibus orbem._ The sons shall lead the lives of gods, and be By gods and heroes seen, and gods and heroes see. The jarring nations he in peace shall bind, And with paternal virtues rule mankind. --DRYDEN. I meet with many of these simple, elegant, and affecting passages in the three beautiful books of the "Æneid." All the fourth book is filled with touching verses, which move those who have any ear or sentiment at all, even to tears, and to point out all the beauties of this book it would be necessary to transcribe the whole of it. And in the sombre picture of hell, how this noble and affecting tenderness breathes through every line. It is well known how many tears were shed by the emperor Augustus, by Livia, and all the palace, at hearing this half line alone: "_Tu Marcellus eris."_--A new Marcellus will in thee arise. Homer never produces tears. The true poet, according to my idea, is he who touches the soul and softens it, others are only fine speakers. I am far from proposing this opinion as a rule. "I give my opinion," says Montaigne, "not as being good, but as being my own." _Of Lucan._ If you look for unity of time and action in Lucan you will lose your labor, but where else will you find it? If you expect to feel any emotion or any interest you will not experience it in the long details of a war, the subject of which is very dry and the expressions bombastic, but if you would have bold ideas, an eloquent expatiation on sublime and philosophical courage, Lucan is the only one among the ancients in whom you will meet with it. There is nothing finer than the speech of Labienus to Cato at the gates of the temple of Jupiter Ammon, if we except the answer of Cato itself: _Hœremus cuncti superis? temploque tacente_ _Nil facimus non sponte Dei_ _.... Steriles num legit arenas._ _Ut caneret paucis; mersit ne hoc pulvere verum!_ _Estne Dei sedes nisi terra et pontus et aer,_ _Et cœlum et virtus? Superos quid quærimus ultra?_ _Jupiter est quodcumque vides quocumque moveris._ And though our priests are mutes, and temples still, We act the dictates of his mighty will; Canst thou believe, the vast eternal mind, Was e'er to Syrts and Libyan sands confined? That he would choose this waste, this barren ground, To teach the thin inhabitants around? Is there a place that God would choose to love Beyond this earth, the seas, yon heaven above, And virtuous minds, the noblest throne of Jove? Why seek we farther, then? Behold around; How all thou seest doth with the God abound, Jove is seen everywhere, and always to be found. --ROWE.