LECTURE XXXV. COMPARATIVE MERIT OF THE ANTIENTS I WRITING. XXXV. HAVE now finished that part of the Courfe LECT. which refpected Oratory or Public Speaking, and which, as far as the fubject allowed, I have endeavoured to form into fome fort of system. It remains, that I enter on the confideration of the most distinguished kinds of Compofition both in Profe and Verfe, and point out the principles of Criticism relating to them. This part of the work might eafily be drawn out to a great length; but I am fenfible that critical difcuffions, when they are pursued too far, become both trifling and tedious. I fhall ftudy, therefore, to avoid unneceffary prolixity; and hope, at the fame time, to omit nothing that is very material under the feveral heads. I SHALL follow the fame method here which I have all along purfued, and without which these Lectures could not be entitled to any attention; that is, I fhall freely deliver my own opinion on VOL. III. B every LEC T. every fubject; regarding authority no farther, XXXV. than as it appears to me founded on good fenfe and reafon. In former Lectures, as I have often quoted feveral of the antient Claffics for their beauties, fo I have alfo, fometimes, pointed out their defects. Hereafter, I fhall have occafion to do the fame, when treating of their writings under more general heads. It may be fit, therefore, that, before I proceed farther, I make fome obfervations on the comparative. merit of the Antients and the Moderns; in order that we may be able to afcertain, rationally, upon what foundation that deference refts, which has fo generally been paid to the Antients. Thefe obfervations are the more neceffary, as this fubject has given rife to no small controverfy in the Republic of Letters; and they may, with propriety, be made now, as they will serve to throw light on fome things I have afterwards to deliver, concerning different kinds of Composition. Irisa remarkable phænomenon, and one which has often employed the fpeculations of curious men, that Writers and Artifts, moft diftinguished for their parts and genius, have generally appeared in confiderable numbers at a time. Some ages have been remarkably barren in them; while, at other periods, Nature feems to have exerted herself with a more than ordinary effort, and to have poured them forth with a profufe fertility. Various reasons have been affigned for this. Some of the moral caufes lie obvious; fuch |