Tho' the last Line is not expressed in the Original, yet it is in some measure imply'd; and it is in it self so exceedingly beautiful, that the whole Passage can never be too much admired. These are Excellencies indeed; This is truly Mr. _Dryden_. _Si sic omnia dixisset_, tho' he had approached no nearer to the Original than This; my other Criticisms upon his Translation had been spared. And after all, I desire that Mine, being in a different sort of Verse, may be considered as an Undertaking of _another kind_, rather than as an Attempt to _excel His_. For tho' I think even That may very well _be done_; yet I am too sensible of my own Imperfection, to presume to say it can be done by _Me_. I have nothing to plead, besides what I have already alledged, in Excuse of my many, and great Faults, in the Execution of This bold Design; but that I was drawn into it, not by any Opinion of my Abilities to perform it, but by the inexpressible Passion which I have always had for this incomparable Poet. With a View to whom, I will here insert a noble Stroke out of my Lord _Roscommon_'s excellent _Essay on Translated Verse_: Which, I think, is proper to stand in This Place, both as a Conclusion of my Preface, and as a Kind of Poetical Invocation to my Work: _Hail mighty_ MARO! _May That sacred Name Kindle my Breast with Thy celestial Flame; Sublime Ideas, and apt Words infuse: The Muse instruct my Voice, and THOU inspire the Muse._ FOOTNOTES TO THE PREFACE: [1] _Prælectiones Poeticæ._ [2] _Merchant of Venice._ [3] _De tous les Ouvrages dont l'Esprit de l'Homme est capable, le Poem Epique est sans doute le plus accompli._ [4] _For so it should certainly be read; tho' both in the Folio and Octavo Editions, 'tis_ Aristotle. [5] _Preface to his Fables._ [6] Elogia Virgilii Cap. IV Major _Homero_. [7] _The Word was originally applied to Dramatic Poetry, and from thence transferred to Epic._ Aristotle _uses it in more Senses than one; which seem not to be rightly distinguished by his Interpreters. However we are for that Reason more at Liberty to apply it, as we think most proper._ [8] _For he mentions several Episodes, which he allows to be truly such; which yet are only convenient, not necessary. And besides, he says, p. 100, and in other Places_, Une Episode est une partie necessaire de l'Action: _And yet, p. 102_, Le premier plan de l'Action contient _seulement ce qui est propre & necessaire_ à la Fable; _& n'a aucune Episode. By which he_ seems at least _to allow that an Episode may not be necessary._ [9] Τὸ μεν οὖν ἰδιον τοὖτο, τὰ δ' ἄλλα ἐπεισόδια. Poetic. Cap XVII. [10] _The one is ἴδιον, the other is οἰκεῖον. The former is of a more_ close, restrained, _and_ peculiar _Signification, than the latter: The former relating_ most properly _to a Man_'s Person; _the latter to his_ Possessions. [11] _Preface to_ Homer. [12] _Dedication of the Æneis._ [13] _See_ Bossu, _Chap. IX._