of a Sentence are both governed by the fame Prepofition, it may be more elegantly omitted in the former of them, than in the latter. Thus Virgil : Quas ego te terras, et quanta per æquora vectum And Statius: Stat medius campis etiam nunc cufpide ficcâ 2 Exfomnis.] All the Critics (except Dacier) feem agreed to difcard this innocent Word, without knowing what to give us inftead of it. Bentley has difplayed a great deal of Reading to fhow, ift, That exfomnis is always used in the fame Senfe as infomnis, or pervigil (fleepless, or vigilant); and, zdly, to prove that Senfe of it to be improper in this Place. Allowing the first Point; let us confider the Reafons he offers for rejecting that Senfe of it. No Perfon (fays he) can be faid to be fleepless, who does not pafs the Day and Night, or at least the whole Night, without Sleep.' Agreed. But (fays he) the Orgies, here mentioned, were celebrated in the Day-time; and therefore this Prieftefs could not be ftyled exfomnis. On the contrary, it is well known, that thefe Rites were frequently held in the Night: It may therefore be juftly expected, that he thould prove this Affertion. Accordingly, he thus attempts it: This is plain from the Words immediately following, where the (the Priestess). is faid profpicere, to behold the River Hebrus, Thrace white with Snow, and Rhodope; which it was impoffble for her to do but in open Day.' This is fo far from being true, that much fmaller Objects than Rivers and Mountains may be feen by Moon-light, or even by the Rays of the Stars; especially when joined to the Light reflected from the Snow: And it may be proved from the allowed Senfe of exfomnis, (which Word is warranted by all the Manufcripts and old Copies) that thefe Orgies were kept in the Night-time. This is alo confirmed by the general Cuftom. Befides, Horace fpeaks of the Priefte's as actually in her enthufiaftic Fit, and not as just awakened in a calm State from a profound Sleep, as Dacier interprets exfomnis. In that Senfe, the Simile will lofe its true Strength and Beauty. Bentley Bentley (without the Authority of any Copy) reads Edonis (Thracian) for Exfomnis; but is doubtful whe. ther it should be joined with Evias or jugis; yet neither of them feems elegant : e. g. The Thracian Prieftefs-beholding Thrace; or, the Prieftefs on the Thracian Hills beholding Thrace: And Sanadon reads E fomnis: But there feems to be no Occafion for either of them. D. 3 The Hebrus is a River of Thrace: It rifes from Mount Rhodopé, not far from Adrianople, and falls into the Egéan Sea, against the Isle of Samothrace, rolling ❝ver golden Sands. 4 Rhodope.] This Mountain was the common Rendezvous of the Thracian Bacchanals. 5 Ut mibi.] Cruquius and Bentley for ut read ac, (though ac is ufed jult before, ac pede Barbaro) and connect this Line with the foregoing Sentence in this Manner: Non fecus fupet (miratur) Evias, ac ego nunc miror. On which Dacier remarks; They who can relifh fuch an Interpretation, are very far from feeling the Enthufiafm of this fine Verfe, which depends upon the Par ticle of Admiration, ut.' 6 Ripas et vacuum nemus Mirari libet.] All the Manufcripts and old Editions give ripas here. Muret, it is faid, firft introduced rupes; which many have fince followed. Bentley fays, there is no Inftance where ripas is ufed abfolutely, without the mention of a River or Waters. He therefore reads rivas, instead of rupes. Rivos and nemus, it is certain, agree very well together. Thus our Author: Ego laudo ruris amœni Rivos, et mufco circumlita faxa, nemuïque. Ep. i. v. 10. He adds, that rivos and ripas have been frequently confounded by the Tranfcribers and Printers. This Reading feems the more proper, as Bacchus is here ftyled potens Naïadum, King of the Naïades, or of the WaterNymphs. If the Word rivos fhould be preferred, the Tranflation ought to run thus: While near limpid Streams I rove. 7 Cingentem viridi tempora pampino.] Thus, in the 8th Ode of the fourth Book, he describes Bacchus with a Vine-leaf Chaplet on his Head : Örnatus viridi tempora pampino. The SAME ODE Imitated. By Mr. J. DUNCOMBE. To the Rev. Mr. HIRST, F.R. S. Chaplain to his Majesty's Ship the Lenox. WH HITHER on the Mufe's Pinion, Through old Neptune's wide Dominion, Sportive Fancy now pursues you, Round the Cape, to Southern Skies; Now beneath the Line fhe views you, Galileo's Eyes, With your Pointing the bright Path of Venus Your Companions, crown'd with Glory, France, France, who late, with Grief and Wonder, Canada's dire Lofs beheld, Sees her Sons, by Britain's Thunder, Now from India's Coafts expell'd. How entranc'd are all your Senfes If Philofophy your Labours With deferv'd Succefs fhall crown, Let not Foes nor Storms alarm you, Think, and let th' Example charm you, 1761. r F O DE XXVI, To VENU S. IT for the Girls, in Venus' Caufe But now her Eastern Wall shall bear My ufelefs Arms, and Harp, discharg'd from War. My My dreaded Axe, whose sturdy Stroke 2 My Torch and Bow, here place on high, As Trophies of thy Champion's Victory. Goddefs! who with indulgent Smile And 3 Memphis, free from Snow, command; 4 Once tap proud Chloë with up-lifted Wand.' NOTES. This Ode was written after the 23d of the first, and the 9th of this Book. Horace might then be about 41, or 42 Years old. 1 When the Ancients quitted any Trade or Art, they used to confecrate the Inftruments of it to fome God; especially to him, who prefided over the Profeffion they forfook. Ib. Barbiton hic paries habebit, Lavum marine qui Veneris latus Cuftodit.] This Wall fhall hold my Harp, which guards the left Side of Sea-born Venus:' That is, fays Dacier, the Eafiern Wall of the Temple; for the Images of the Gods were placed on the North Side, which was therefore called the Seat of the Gods. Thus Varro : A Deorum fede cùm in Meridiem spectes, ad finiftram funt partes mundi exorientes, ad dextram occidentes. 'When you look from the Seat of the Gods towards the South, the Eafern Parts of the World are on your left Hand, and the Wefern on your right.' 2 Et vectes, et arcus, Oppofitis foribus minaces.] Bentley makes an Objection against the Word arcus here. Of what Ufe, fays he, would Bows be in breaking open of Gates? He would therefore have us read fecurefque; because Axes were very proper for that Purpose, and |