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The Art of poetry of Horace, with tr. in prose and verse by D. Bagot
The Art of poetry of Horace with tr in prose and verse by D Bagot Author:Quintus Horatius Flaccus Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE AKT OF POETRY. If some mad painter, by his fancy led, Should join a horse's neck and human head, And upon limbs from various beasts should bring ... more »Plumage from birds of every coloured wing, So that a handsome female face should grow Down to a fish of hideous form below, Could you, this picture if allowed to see, Gaze on the sight from boisterous laughter free ? Yet, trust me, Pisos, such a sketch as this Supplies the emblem of a book that is 10 Filled with absurd fantastic thoughts that seem Like the vain spectres of a sick man's dream, So that the critic cannot judge nor scan A work like this as one consistent plan. A Poem should have Quidlibet audendi semper fuit asqua potestas. 10 Scimus, et hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim; Sed non ut placidis coeant immitia ; non ut Serpentes avibus geminentur, tigribus agni. Inceptis gravibus plerumque, et magna professis, Purpureus, late qui splendeat, unus et alter 15 Assuitur pannus ; cum lucus et ara Dianse, Et properantis aquse per amcenos ambitus agros, Aut flumen Ehenum, aut pluvius describitur arcus. Sed nunc non erat his locus. Et fortasse cupressum Scis simulare ; quid hoc si fractis enatat exspes 20 Navibus, sere dato qui pingitur ? amphora coepit Institui; currente rota, cur urceus exit ? has always been conceded an equal privilege of adventuring anything bold and daring. We are aware of this, and we both seek for this indulgence for ourselves when we write, and grant it to others in their turn when we act as critics, but not to the extent that what are savage should coalesce with what are mild, not to the extent that serpents should be coupled with birds, or lambs with tigers. It generally happens that to lofty and pompous commencements, and such as make ...« less