The Poetical Works of Edward Young Part 39

FOOTNOTES

1 The Duke of Marlborough.

2 Westminster Abbey.

3 Founders of New College, Corpus Christi, and All Souls, in Oxford; of all which the author was a member.

4 Here she embraces them.

5 Val. Max.

6 Horace.

7 A famous statue.

8 A famous tailor.

9 This refers to the first satire.

10 The name of a tulip.

11 Letters sent to the author, signed Marcus.

12 Milton.

13 A Danish dog of the Duke of Argyle.

14 Lap-dog.

15 Shakespeare.

16 --Solem quis dicere falsum Audeat?

Virg.

17 Shakespeare.

18 Milton.

19 Amphitryon.

20 The king in danger by sea.

21 Hom. Il. lib. I.

22 Ecce Deus ramum Lethaeo rore madentem, &c.

Virg.

23 A new fund for Greenwich hospital, recommended from the throne.

24 Written soon after King George the First's accession.

25 It is disputed amongst the critics who was the author of the book of Job; some give it to Moses, some to others. As I was engaged in this little performance, some arguments occurred to me which favour the former of those opinions; which arguments I have flung into the following notes, where little else is to be expected.

26 The Almighty's speech, chapter x.x.xviii. &c. which is what I paraphrase in this little work, is by much the finest part of the n.o.blest and most ancient poem in the world. Bishop Patrick says, its grandeur is as much above all other poetry, as thunder is louder than a whisper. In order to set this distinguished part of the poem in a fuller light, and give the reader a clearer conception of it, I have abridged the preceding and subsequent parts of the poem, and joined them to it; so that this piece is a sort of an epitome of the whole book of Job.

I use the word paraphrase, because I want another which might better answer to the uncommon liberties I have taken. I have omitted, added, and transposed. The mountain, the comet, the sun, and other parts, are entirely added: those upon the peac.o.c.k, the lion, &c. are much enlarged; and I have thrown the whole into a method more suited to our notions of regularity. The judicious, if they compare this piece with the original, will, I flatter myself, find the reasons for the great liberties I have indulged myself in through the whole.

Longinus has a chapter on interrogations, which shows that they contribute much to the sublime. This speech of the Almighty is made up of them. Interrogation seems indeed the proper style of majesty incensed. It differs from other manner of reproof, as bidding a person execute himself does from a common execution; for he that asks the guilty a proper question, makes him, in effect, pa.s.s sentence on himself.

27 The book of Job is well known to be dramatic, and, like the tragedies of old Greece, is fiction built on truth. Probably this most n.o.ble part of it, the Almighty speaking out of the whirlwind, (so suitable to the after-practice of the Greek stage, when there happened _dignus vindice nodus_,) is fict.i.tious; but is a fiction more agreeable to the time in which Job lived, than to any since.

Frequent before the law were the appearances of the Almighty after this manner, Exod. c. xix. Ezek. c. i. &c. Hence is he said to "dwell in thick darkness: and have his way in the whirlwind."

28 There is a very great air in all that precedes, but this is signally sublime. We are struck with admiration to see the vast and ungovernable ocean receiving commands, and punctually obeying them; to find it like a managed horse, raging, tossing, and foaming, but by the rule and direction of its master. This pa.s.sage yields in sublimity to that of "Let there be light," &c., so much only as the absolute government of nature yields to the creation of it.

29 Another argument that Moses was the author, is, that most of the creatures here mentioned are Egyptian. The reason given why the raven is particularly mentioned as an object of the care of Providence, is, because by her clamorous and importunate voice, she particularly seems always calling upon it; thence [Greek: kora.s.so, a korax], aelian. l. ii. c. 48, is "to ask earnestly." And since there were ravens on the bank of the Nile more clamorous than the rest of that species, those probably are meant in that place.

30 There are many instances of this bird's stupidity: let two suffice.

First, it covers its head in the reeds, and thinks itself all out of sight,

Stat lumine clauso Ridendum revoluta caput, creditque latere Quae non ipsa videt.

Claud.

Secondly, they that go in pursuit of them, draw the skin of an ostrich's neck on one hand, which proves a sufficient lure to take them with the other.

They have so little brain, that Heliogabalus had six hundred heads for his supper.

Here we may observe, that our judicious as well as sublime author, just touches the great points of distinction in each creature, and then hastens to another. A description is exact when you cannot add, but what is common to another thing; nor withdraw, but something peculiarly belonging to the thing described. A likeness is lost in too much description, as a meaning often in too much ill.u.s.tration.

31 Here is marked another peculiar quality of this creature, which neither flies nor runs directly, but has a motion composed of both, and, using its wings as sails, makes great speed.

Vasta velut Libyae venantum vocibus ales c.u.m premitur, calidas cursu transmitt.i.t arenas, Inque modum veli sinuatis flamine pennis Pulverulenta volat.

Claud. in Eutr.

32 Xenophon says, Cyrus had horses that could overtake the goat and the wild a.s.s; but none that could reach this creature. A thousand golden ducats, or a hundred camels, was the stated price of a horse that could equal their speed.

33 Though this bird is but just mentioned in my author, I could not forbear going a little farther, and spreading those beautiful plumes (which are there shut up) in half a dozen lines. The circ.u.mstance I have marked of his opening his plumes to the sun is true. Expandit colores adverso maxime sole, quia sic fulgentius radiant. Plin. l.

x. c. 20.

34 Thya.n.u.s (de Re Accip.) mentions a hawk that flew from Paris to London in a night.