This, I am sensible, will seem a bold Assertion. Many who, upon the Whole, prefer _Virgil_, give him up here: Many, I say; for Some do not. And never was any Author more injured, than he has been, by some Criticks, especially _Modern ones_, in the Article of Genius, and Poetical Fire. What do these Gentlemen call Fire? Or how much Fire would they have? It is impossible to instance in Particulars here; I shall do That in my Notes: I can now only refer to some general Heads, among a Multitude more, which I cannot so much as mention. In the First Book, _Juno_'s Speech, _Æolus_, the Storm, the Beginning of _Dido_'s Passion: Almost the whole Second Book throughout: _Polyphemus_, and _Ætna_ in the Third: The Sports, and the Burning of the Ships, in the Fifth: The Sibyl's Prophetick Enthusiasm, and the Descent into Hell in the Sixth: _Juno_'s Speech again, the Fury _Alecto_, the Occasion of the War, and the Assembling of the Forces in the Seventh: The Story of _Cacus_ in the Eighth, the _Cyclops_, and the Shield: In the Ninth, the Beginning of warlike Action; at _Hic subitam nigro glomerari pulvere nubem Prospiciunt Teucri, & tenebras insurgere campis,_ &c. _Nisus_ and _Euryalus_; and the amazing Exploits of _Turnus_ in the Enemy's City: In the Tenth, the Arrival of _Æneas_ with his Fleet and Forces, at _Ardet apex capiti, cristisque à vertice flamma Funditur, & vastos umbo vomit aureus ignes,_ &c. It is needless, and would be almost endless, to recite the Rapidity of the War in the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Books; _Mezentius_; _Camilla_; the Speeches of _Turnus_, to _Drances_, to _Latinus_, to his Sister _Juturna_; and lastly, the single Combat between _Æneas_ and Him: _At Pater Æneas, audito nomine Turni, Deserit & muros, & summas deserit arces; Præcipitatque moras omnes, opera omnia rumpit, Lætitia exultans, horrendumque intonat armis: Quantus Athos,_ &c.