No. 617.
Monday,

Nov. 8,
1714.

begun to play before its Time, being kindled by a Flash
of Lightning The Author hath written his Poem in the
same kind of Style, as that I have already exemplified in
Prose. Every Line in it is a Riddle, and the Reader must
be forced to consider it twice or thrice, before he will
know that the Cynick's Tenement is a Tub, and Bacchus
his Cast-coat a Hogshead, &c.

'Twas Night, and Heav'n, a Cyclops, all the Day,
An Argus now did countless Eyes display
In ev'ry Window Rome her Joy declares,
All bright, and studded with terrestrial Stars.
A blazing Chain of Lights her Roofs entwines,
And round her Neck the mingled Lustre shines,
The Cynick's rowling Tenement conspires,
With Bacchus his Cast-coat, to feed the Fires,

The Pile, still big with undiscover'd Shows,
The Tuscan Pile did last its Freight disclose,
Where the proud Tops of Rome's new Etna rise.
Whence Giants sally, and invade the Skies.

Whilst now the Multitude expect the Time,
And their tir'd Eyes the lofty Mountain climb,
A thousand Iron Mouths their Voices try,
And thunder out a dreadful Harmony:
In treble Notes the small Artill'ry plays,
The deep-mouth'd Cannon bellows in the Bass,
The lab'ring Pile now heaves; and having giv'n
Proofs of its Travail, sighs in Flames to Heav'n.

The Clouds invelop'd Heav'n from Human Sight,
Quench'd every Star, and put out every Light;
New real Thunder grumbles in the Skies,
And in disdainful Murmurs Rome defies;
Nor doth its answer'd Challenge Rome decline,
But whilst both Parties in full Consort join,
While Heav'n and Earth in Rival Peals resound,
The doubtful Cracks the Hearer's Sense confound
Whether the Claps of Thunder-bolts they hear
Or else the Bursts of Cannon wounds their Ear;
Whether Clouds rage'd by struggling Metals rent,
Or struggling Clouds in Roman Metals pent.
But O, my Muse, the whole Adventure tell,
As ev'ry Accident in order fell.

Tall Groves of Trees the Hadrian Tow'r surround,
Fictitious Trees with Paper Garlands crown'd.
These know no Spring, but when their Bodies sprout
In Fire, and shoot their gilded Blossoms out;

When

When blazing Leaves appear above their Head,
And into branching Flames their Bodies spread,
Whilst Real Thunder splits the Firmament,

And Heav'n's whole Roof in one vast Cleft is rent,
The three-fork'd Tongue amidst the Rupture lolls,
Then drops and on the Airy Turret falls.
The Trees now kindle, and the Garland burns,
And thousand Thunderbolts for one returns.
Brigades of burning Archers upward fly,

Bright Spears and shining Spear-men mount on high,
Flash in the Clouds and glitter in the Sky.

A Seven-fold Shield of Spheres doth Heav'n defend,
And back again the blunted Weapons send;
Unwillingly they fall, and dropping down,

Pour out their Souls, their Sulph'rous Souls, and groan.

With Joy, great Sir, we view'd this pompous Show,
While Heav'n, that sate Spectator still till now,
Itself turn'd Actor, proud to Pleasure you.
And so 'tis fit, when Leo's Fires appear,
That Heav'n itself should turn an Engineer;
That Heav'n itself should all its Wonders show,
And Orbs above consent with Orbs below.

No. 618.

Wednesday, November 10,

-Neque enim concludere versum

Dixeris esse satis; neque siquis scríbat, uti nos,
Sermoni propiora, putes hunc esse poetam.-Hor.

'Mr. SPECTATOR

YOU

OU having in your two last Spectators given the Town couple of remarkable Letters, in very different Styles; I take this opportunity to offer to you some Remarks upon the Epistolary way of writing in Verse. This is a Species of Poetry by it self; and has not so much as been hinted at in any of the Arts of Poetry that have ever fallen into my Hands: Neither has it in any Age, or any Nation, been so much cultivated, as the other several Kinds of Poesie, A Man of Genius may, if he pleases, write Letters in Verse upon all manner of Subjects, that are capable of being embellished with Wit and Language, and may render them new and agreeable by giving the proper Turn to them. But in speaking, at present, of Epístolary Poetry, I would be understood to mean only such Writings in this Kind, as have been

No. 618.

Nov. 10,

1714,

in Use amongst the Ancients, and have been copied from Wednes them by some Moderns. These may be reduced into day, two Classes: In the one I shall range Love Letters, Letters of Friendship, and Letters upon mournful Occasions: In the other I shall place such Epistles in Verse, as may properly be called Familiar, Critical, and Moral; to which may be added Letters of Mirth and Humour, Ovid for first, and Horace for the latter, are the best Originals we have left.

He that is ambitious of succeeding in the Ovidian way, should first examine his Heart well, and feel whether his Passions (especially those of the gentler Kind) play easie, since it is not his Wit, but the Delicacy and Tenderness of his Sentiments, that will affect his Readers. His Versification likewise should be soft, and all his Numbers flowing and querulous.

The Qualifications requisite for writing Epistles, after the Model given us by Horace, are of a quite different Nature. He that would excel in this kind must have a good Fund of strong Masculine Sense: To this there must be joined a thorough Knowledge of Mankind, together with an Insight into the Business, and the prevailing Humours of the Age. Our Author must have his Mind well seasoned with the finest Precepts of Morality, and be filled with nice Reflections upon the bright and the dark sides of human Life: He must be a Master of refined Raillery, and understand the Delicacies, as well as the Absurdities of Conversation. He must have a lively Turn of Wit, with an easie and concise manner of Expression; Every thing he says, must be in a free and disengaged manner. He must be guilty of nothing that betrays the Air of a Recluse, but appear a Man of the World throughout. His Illustrations, his Com parisons, and the greatest part of his Images must be drawn from common Life, Strokes of Satyr and Criticism, as well as Panegyrick, judiciously thrown in (and as it were by the by) give a wonderful Life and Ornament to Compositions of this kind. But let our Poet, while he writes Epistles, though never so familiar, still remember that he writes in Verse, and must for that reason have a more than ordinary care not to fall into

Prose

Prose, and a vulgar Diction, excepting where the Nature No. 618. and Humour of the Thing does necessarily require it. Wednes In this Point Horace hath been thought by some Criticks day. Nov. 10, to be sometimes careless, as well as too negligent of his 1714. Versification; of which he seems to have been sensible himself,

All I have to add is, that both these Manners of Writing may be made as entertaining, in their way, as any other Species of Poetry, if undertaken by Persons duly qualify'd; and the latter sort may be managed so as to become in a peculiar manner Instructive. Ï am, &c.'

I shall add an Observation or two to the Remarks of my ingenious Correspondent, and, in the First place, take Notice, that Subjects of the most sublime Nature are often treated in the Epistolary way with Advantage, as in the famous Epistle of Horace to Augustus. The Poet surprizes us with his Pomp, and seems rather be trayed into his Subject, than to have aimed at it by de sign: He appears like the Visit of a King Incognito, with a mixture of Familiarity, and Grandeur. In Works of this kind, when the Dignity of the Subject hurries the Poet into Descriptions and Sentiments, seemingly unpremeditated, by a sort of Inspiration; it is usual for him to Recollect himself, and fall back gracefully into the natural Stile of a Letter,

I might here mention an Epistolary Poem, just Pub lished by Mr. Eusden on the King's Accession to the Throne: Wherein, amongst many other noble and beautiful Strokes of Poetry, his Reader may see this Rule very happily observed,

No. 619.

I

Friday, November 12.
-Dura

Exerce imperia, & ramos compesce fluentes.-Virg.

HAVE often thought, that if the several Letters, which are Written to me under the Character of SPECTATOR, and which I have not made use of, were published in a Volume, they would not be an unentertaining Collection. The Variety of the Subjects, Stiles, Sentiments, and In

formations

No. 619,
Friday,
Nov. 12,
1714.

formations, which are transmitted to me, would lead a very curious, or very idle Reader, insensibly along, through a great many Pages. I know some Authors, who would pick up a Secret History out of such Materials, and make a Bookseller an Alderman by the Copy, I shall therefore carefully preserve the Original Papers in a Room set apart for that Purpose, to the end that they may be of Service to Posterity; but shall at present content my self, with owning the Receipt of several Letters, lately come to my Hands, the Authors whereof are impatient for an Answer,

Charissa, whose Letter is dated from Cornhill, desires to be eased in some Scruples relating to the Skill of Astrologers. Referred to the Dumb Man for an

Answer.

J. C. who proposes a Love-Case, as he calls it, to the Love Casuist, is hereby desired to speak of it to the Minister of the Parish; it being a Case of Conscience,

The poor young Lady, whose Letter is dated October 26, who complains of a harsh Guardian, and an unkind Brother, can only have my good Wishes, unless she pleases to be more particular.

The Petition of a certain Gentleman, whose Name I have forgot, famous for renewing the Curls of decayed Perriwigs, is referred to the Censor of small Wares.

The Remonstrance of T. C. against the Profanation of the Sabbath by Barbers, Shoe-cleaners, &c. had better be offered to the Society of Reformers.

A learned and laborious Treatise upon the Art of Fencing, returned to the Author.

To the Gentleman of Oxford, who desires me to insert a Copy of Latin Verses, which were denied a Place in the University Books. Answer. Nonumque prematur in annum.

To my learned Correspondent who writes against Master's Gowns, and Poke Sleeves, with a Word in Defence of large Scarves. Answer. I resolve not to raise Animosities amongst the Clergy.

To the Lady, who writes with Rage against one of her own Sex, upon the Account of Party Warmth.

Answer