tion; fome effays were then made upon the Italian Poets which deserve the praise and gratitude of Pofterity. BUT the old practice was not fuddenly forfaken; Holland filled the nation with literal Translation, and, what is yet more ftrange, the fame exactness was obftinately practifed in the verfions of the Poets. This abfurd labour of conftruing into rhyme was countenanced by Johnson in his verfion of Horace; and whether it be that more men have learning than genius, or that the endeavours of that time were more directed towards knowledge than delight, the accuracy of Johnfon found more imitators than the elegance of Fairfax; and May, Sandys, and Holiday confined themselves to the toil of rendering line for line, not indeed with equal felicity, for May and Sandys were Poets, and Holiday only a scholar and a critick. FELTHAM appears to confider it as the eftablished law of Poetical Tranflation, that the lines fhould be neither more nor fewer than those of the original; and fo long had this prejudice prevailed, that Denham praises Fanfhaw's verfion of Guarini as the example of a new new and noble way, as the first attempt to break the boundaries of cuftom and affert the natural freedom of the Mufe. IN the general emulation of wit and genius which the festivity of the Restoration produced, the Poets fhook off their constraint, and confidered Tranflation as no longer confined to fervile closeness. But reformation is feldom the work of pure virtue or unaffifted reason. Translation was improved more by accident than conviction. The writers of the foregoing age had at least learning equal to their genius, and being often more able to explain the fentiments or illuftrate the allufions of the Ancients, than to exhibit their graces and transfufe their fpirit, were perhaps willing fometimes to conceal their want of Poetry by profusion of Literature, and therefore tranflated literally, that their fidelity might shelter their infipidity or harfhnefs. The Wits of Charles's time had seldom more than flight and fuperficial views, and their care was to hide their want of learning behind the colours of a gay imagination; they therefore translated always with freedom, fometimes with licentiousness, and perhaps expected that their readers readers fhould accept fpritelinefs for knowledge, and confider ignorance and mistake as the impatience and negligence of a mind too rapid to stop at difficulties, and too elevated to defcend to minuteness. THUS was Translation made more easy to the Writer, and more delightful to the Reader; and there is no wonder if ease and pleasure have found their advocates. The paraphraftic liberties have been almost universally admitted; and Sherbourn, whofe learning was eminent, and who had no need of any excuse to pass flightly over obfcurities, is the only Writer who in later times has attempted to justify or revive the ancient severity. THERE is undoubtedly a mean to be obferved. Dryden saw very early that closeness best preserved an Author's fenfe, and that freedom best exhibited his spirit; he therefore will deserve the highest praife who can give a representation at once faithful and pleasing, who can convey the fame thoughts with the fame graces, and who when he tranflates changes nothing but the language. N° 70. Saturday, August 18. EW faults of ftyle, whether real or ima FE ginary, excite the malignity of a more numerous clafs of readers, than the use of hard words. If an Author be supposed to involve his thoughts in voluntary obfcurity, and to obftruct, by unneceffary difficulties, a mind eager in pursuit of truth; if he writes not to make others learned, but to boast the learning which he poffeffes himself, and wifhes to be admired rather than understood, he counteracts the firft end of writing, and justly fuffers the utmost severity of cenfure, or the more afflictive severity of neglect. BUT words are only hard to those who do not understand them, and the Critick ought always to enquire, whether he is incommoded by the fault of the Writer, or by his own. EVERY Author does not write for every Reader; many questions are such as the illiterate part part of mankind can have neither intereft nor pleasure in difcuffing, and which therefore it would be an ufelefs endeavour to level with common minds, by tiresome circumlocutions or laborious explanations; and many fubjects of general use may be treated in a different manner, as the book is intended for the learned or the ignorant. Diffufion and explication are neceffary to the instruction of those who, being neither able nor accustomed to think for themselves, can learn only what is expressly taught; but they who can form parallels, discover confequences, and multiply conclufions, are best pleafed with involution of argument and compreffion of thought; they defire only to receive the feeds of knowledge which they may branch out by their own power, to have the way to truth pointed out which they can then follow without a guide. THE Guardian directs one of his pupils to think with the wife, but speak with the vulgar. This is a precept fpecious enough, but not always practicable. Difference of thoughts will produce difference of language. He that thinks with more extent than another will want words of larger meaning; he that thinks with more VOL. II. fubtilty F |