Strata calent; fupraque torum niger efflat anhela Lib. 10. Thebi Beyond the confines of the western Moors, Thefe These the gay shape of flatt'ring pleasures wear, Some true, fome falfe, in various forms appear. } Tr3. UPON the whole, we may conclude STATIUS to be among Epic Poets, what Alexander is faid to have been among Heroes; he had great virtue, and as great vices; and this work has fome egregious faults, as well as many remarkable beauties, of each of which a fuller account has, I think, been given in the course of these observations, than what has been hitherto done by any of the Critics. STRADA, in his Prolufions, has placed STATIUS on the higheft top of Parnaffus; thereby intimating the ftrength of his Genius, and the lofty Spirit of his Style ; which indeed is generally fupported by a bold and lively expreffion, and full flowing numbers. His manner therefore resembles rather the martial ftrut of a general, and the magnificence of a triumph, than the majeftick port and true grandeur of a Prince, which better fuits the inimitable character of Virgil's Style. As a Soldier cannot eafily lay afide the roughness of his character, neither can STATIUS defcend from the pomp of language and loftiness of numbers, when his fubject requires it. His Heroes know no pity, as they know no fear; and tho' Æneas and his Fleet feared Polyphemus, the undaunted Tydeus makes nothing of fifty the braveft fellows of the Theban Troops, that fall on him at once. Indeed it is our Poet's fault, to ftretch the marvellous fometimes to the improbable, making his Heroes act on fome occafions like Knight Er rants. SETTING this afide, we find the Paffions painted in the strongest and trueft colours; the fpeeches vehement and pathetick; the defcriptions full and exact; the comparifons lively and well drawn; and the Metaphors bold and fhining. Your attention is always kept awake; nay, rather the many furprizing circumftances croud in fo thick upon the mind, that it finds itself almoft at a lofs how how to take them all in, as he represents them; so far is the Poet from letting the subject grow dull and tiresome in his hands: In fhort, it is evident STATIUS wanted neither genius, elevation of thought, copiousness of invention, nor force of fancy: Yet the Thebaid wants those most amiable graces, which are so much the more difficult to attain, as they seem natural and unaffected, and are the characteristick beauties of fine writing. For though an Author, like Prometheus, may fteal fire from Heaven to animate his works, as he did his clay; if he cannot with Juno borrow Venus's girdle to give them a graceful luftre, they will in the end, like Prometheus's man, though extraordinary and beautiful, prove both faulty and mortal. BUT before we conclude STATIUS's life, it may be expected, that fome mention fhould be made of the Achil leid, though an imperfect work. I THINK it will fuffice, to obferve of it in general, that by what can be guessed from the two remaining Books of this Poem, the design seems to have been but indifferently laid, and the Reader was in danger of being led through a long hiftorical narration from the beginning to the end of Achilles's life. He was fure of great helps from Homer on this fubject; but that perhaps might rather turn to his disadvantage upon the comparison. After all, it is impoffible to judge how he would have executed the whole from the beginning of it which we have; only we can perceive a greater smoothnefs in the numbers, and an ease in the Style, which the Thebaid fometimes wanted. Indeed that Poem, with all its defects, was enough to exhauft a Poet of a greater Genius than STATIUS was mafter of; and he doubtlefs would have acted more advisedly to fit down and correct and polish that work, rather than undertake a fecond Poem, fuch as the Achilleid ought to have been, if he had lived to finif it, and been able to go through the Task. FINI S THE IN DE X. Bftract of the Platonic Philofophy. Page 101 A Accuracy of style, by whom attained. Intr. p. 47. Achilles's Character inferior to that of Æneas. Address remarkable in Horace. In Virgil. 80, &c. 74 Admiration, the proper object of Epic Poetry, how raised by Virgil. Eneas, his character. Auguftus fhadowed under that character. 82 95 79 Eneas juftified from the imputation of Cowardice. 91, &c. Why Virgil would have burnt the Copy. By whom preferved and published. Examined. 54 56 Ib. 77, 110 Agrippa's advice to Auguftus preferred to Mecænas's. 53 Agave, a Tragedy of Statius's. 265 Albinovanus Pedo, an Elegiac Poet, of what Age. Intr.18. Alcæus. Anchyfes inftructs his Son concerning future ages. Ambition, Lucan's. 135 101 84 226 213 Antients, not always to be preferred to the Moderns. Antiquity of Poetry. Intr. 2. &c. Anniversary of Virgil's birth, celebrated by whom, and on Apollo's Speech to Daphne. 267 201 Arts Arts, the offspring of peace and plenty. When began to flourish among the Romans. Introd. 3 ibid. 6 ibid. 19 When decaying. ibid. 21 When revived in the Western World. ibid. 35 By whom, and under whofe encouragement. ibid. 36 Art and Nature both necessary to form a great Poet. ibid. 32 Art of Poetry, Horace's, its character. 180 Athens, the Seat of Learning. Aftronomics, a poem of Manilius's, its character. Of its climate and government. Atticus, turns Epicurean. B. Bacchus introduced by Statius in his Thebaid. Banishment, Memmius's. How refented by Lucretius. 189 ibid. 190 Baffus, the Poet, of what time, and by whom mentioned. Intr. 18 Battiades, one of Callimachus the Greek Elegiac Poet's Boileau's character of Virgil and the Æneid. Cæfar Auguftus, the Patron of Learning, fets up an Aca- demy in the Temple of Apollo. Calliope, her Speech to Propertius. Caffius Parmenfis, an Elegiac Writer, his character. Julius Cæfar, his Character. |