Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

that these writers had availed themselves, of the opportunities which were presented to them, of studying the Scriptures; and had, like the great, English poet, drank in much of their inspiration, from these wells of life, these more than mortal strains, dictated by divine spirit. I shall have occasion, in the progress of my notes on Apollonius, to point out particular passages, which favour this supposition. Such are the exalted notions of the Deity, the grand conceptions, the sublime ideas, and the bold and magnificent figures, which we meet in the Scriptures, particularly in the poetical parts of them. Such an awful stamp do they bear of mysterious truth, that we may easily perceive with what force, and commanding interest, they must apply themselves to the feelings, and to the imagination, of the real poet. We know the effect they produced, on the serious and religious mind, and the pure and dignified genius of Milton, ever aspiring to high and holy conceptions.-The coincidence, in point of time, also, is worthy of notice; and furnishes an additional reason for supposing, that the Alexandrine writers, particularly Callimachus, and Apollonius Rhodius, could not have been unacquainted with the Greek translation of the Scriptures.-That work was executed by the interpreters, in the reign of Philadelphus, and at his desire, and was placed by 'him in the Alexandrian library. Callimachus, therefore, who flourished in the reign of that prince, and still more Apollonius, who was by some years his junior, must have seen this work.- -Apollonius could not but have seen and read it, since it was deposited, in the library of which he was the keeper; and it is not to be supposed, that a man of his learning could have overlooked such a literary curiosity.

We have seen, what advantages of art and education were offered to Apollonius Rhodius, for the improvement

of

[ocr errors]

of his natural endowments, by the being set in the fair and fertile soil of Egypt: nor were these advantages offered in vain.--In the work of this admirable poet, we every where trace the hand of a master. Every thing marks the presence of care and taste, the union of science, and the graces; and shows the learning of genius, and the genius of learning.-Domus tota residet.Much is great and noble, yet all around is laboured and polished, with as much diligence, as if every thing were little. The language and expressions of Apollonius are always chosen, elegant, and happy. His epithets are uncommon, yet apt; studied, yet not pedantic; poetical, yet not obscure.* He delineates in a phrase; he paints and colours, in a single expression. At the same time, Apollonius possesses in versification a regulated march, a most learned and studied rhythm. He employs the artful cesura, the varying pause, the judicious selection of smooth and well-sounding polysyllables, with peculiar care; and produces a sweetness, elaborated with more than chymical subtlety; a majesty and harmony of numbers, exquisitely attuned, and adapted to captivate the ear of feeling; such dulcet and harmonious sounds, as take the prisoned soul, and lap it in Elysium. The censurers of our poet might discover, that his desire of correctness, sometimes, but surely it is seldom, betrays him into affectation in his language; his love of splendour, into fastidious pomp; and florid ornament, into a multiplicity of epithets, and a luxuriant and plethoric redundancy of language--a certain pleonastic copiousness. And, while the charms and artifice of his versification are felt and confest by all, the severe critic may haply discover, that the pomp of his numbers is

* Some exceptions there may be; but this is, in general, strictly true.

rather

rather too uniform; that voluptuous and unvaried sweetness palls on our ear; that the mind is recreated, and the attention relieved, by contrast; that, to be duly tasted, sweetness should be varied, by occasional roughness; and dignity and grace set off by judicious sinkings, and artful deflexions, from the common rules of composition.

The peculiar genius of Apollonius; the great, appropriate, and characteristic attribute; the circumstance, in which he surpasses most writers, consists, particularly, in a certain graphical delineation; a picturesque distinctness, of imagination, and conception; a natural display of circumstances and actions, clearly arranged and combined in the mind, and fully and perspicuously pourtrayed, in narration, with apt and appropriate incidents, in select and expressive terms. The graphical and picturesque talent, of our poet, appears, in the same kind of excellence, which has been ever admired in the author of The Seasons, and is also observable in the writings of Sterne. He catches the exhibition of the moment. He views the scene, or the transaction, which he means to introduce, with an accurate and circumstantial internal vision, clearly and distinctly laid out, in the true colours, if I may so say, on the retina of the mind's eye, as if they had been grouped and depicted by a skilful painter of portraits, history, or landscape. He gives us an accurate and natural selection, and accumulates, and groupes together, more than are commonly found united, though they are presented to us, in the face of nature, and daily occur to the observer in real existence, of local circumstances.-A lively and interesting detail of appropriate incidents, of looks, and gestures, makes you fancy, that you are on the spot.— You partake in the transaction. You have the several actors before your eyes. It is not mere narration, it is

action and reality.The Argonauts are seen launching their vessel.--We assist at their sacrifice.--We join their banquet. We hear the solemn strains of Orpheus. -We share in the dance around the altar, to the music of the lyre.We feel, how justly the strokes of the oars, in accord with the strains of the divine musician, are compared to the steps of the dancers, beating the ground, in measure and cadence.--What a noble and animating picture is presented to us, by the first ship proceeding majestically under sail-the gods and goddesses looking down with admiration from heaven-the mountains crouded with wood nymphs, assembled to enjoy that rare spectacle, and Chiron with his wife advancing into the surf, and presenting the young Achilles to his father Peleus!-+We see the fishes thronging after the vessel, allured by the harp of Orpheus.-‡We are present in the assembly of Lemnian women, when the aged Polyxo advances to speak. The battle with the giant race, near mount Dindymus; the account of their appearance, as they lay slain on the beach; the combat between Amycus and Pollux, are perfect reality.-We enter the mansion of blind Phineus; we sit beside his hearth. We feel the relation of the sufferings, and the miserable appearance, of the unfortunate prophet.-We see the onset of the harpies; and the long pursuit of the winged brothers.-**The representation of the justling rocks, in all their terrors, and the perilous transit of the Argonauts between them.

--

* See Book I. v. 365 to v. 538. + See Book I. v. 569 to v. 669.

See Book I. v. 989 to v. 1011.

See Book II. from the beginning to v. 100.
See Book II. v. 178 to 295.

** See Book II. v. 555 to 605.

The

[ocr errors]

*The death of Idmon.-†The Acherusian promontory. -The court and palace of Æetes.-The exquisite and well-known picture of night, in the third book.

The meeting of Medea and Jason, at the fane of Hecate.-**The nocturnal rites of Jason, and the tremendous apparition of Brimo.++The splendid and majestic appearance of Eetes.-The preparations for the appointed trial.-The dreadful forms of the bulls breathing flame.-The conflict of Jason with the monsters. Their subjection.-The operation of ploughing the allotted space, and sowing the dragon's teeth. The growth of men in arms from the furrows.-Their destruction in various forms, set before our eyes in living colours.The departure of Medea, from the palace of her father, in the beginning of the fourth book. Her passage through the city, by night.-Her reception at the ship, are exquisite paintings.-The whole account of the nuptials of Jason and Medea.— The sacred cave.-The assemblage of rural nymphs.— The heroes listening to the delightful strains of Orpheus, and guarding with their brandished spears, the entrance of the cavern consecrated to love.-The admiration of the nymphs at the golden fleece.-That fleece spread over the lovers, and fragrant veils extended round

* See Book II. v. 817.

See Book II. v. 730 to v. 747.
See Book III. v. 220, et seq.
See Book III. v. 743.

f See Book III. v. 966, &c.

** See Book III. v. 1200 to v. 1222.

++ See Book III. v. 1270, &c.

‡‡ See Book IV.

See Book IV. v. 1762, &c.

them.

« ZurückWeiter »