— Animum pictura pascit inani. VIRG., AEn. i. 464. And with the shadowy picture feeds his mind. When the weather hinders me from taking my diversions without-doors, I frequently make a little party, with two or three select friends, to visit anything curious that may be seen under cover. My principal entertainments of this nature […]

I was yesterday morning walking with Sir Roger before his house, a country-fellow brought him a huge fish, which, he told him, Mr. William Wimble had caught that very morning; and that he presented it, with his service to him, and intended to come and dine with him. At the same time he delivered a […]

Part One. —Spatio breviSpem longam reseces: dum loquimur, fugerit invidaAEtas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero. HOR., Od. i. 11, 6. Thy lengthen’d hope with prudence bound,Proportion’d to the flying hour:While thus we talk in careless ease,Our envious minutes wing their flight;Then swift the fleeting pleasure seize,Nor trust to-morrow’s doubtful light. FRANCIS. We all of […]

Romulus, et Liber pater, et cum Castore Pollux,Post ingentia facta, deorum in templa recepti;Dum terras hominumque colunt genus, aspera bellaComponunt, agros assignant, oppida condunt;Ploravere suis non respondere favoremSperatum meritis. HOR., Epist. ii. 1, 5. MITATED. Edward and Henry, now the boast of fame,And virtuous Alfred, a more sacred name,After a life of generous toils endured,The […]

Est brevitate opus, ut currat sententia, HOR., Sat. i. 10, 9. Let brevity despatch the rapid thought. I have somewhere read of an eminent person who used in his private offices of devotion to give thanks to Heaven that he was born a Frenchman: for my own part I look upon it as a peculiar […]

—Omnem, quae nunc obducta tuentiMortales hebetat visus tibi, et humida circumCaligat, nubem eripiam.VIRG., AEn. ii. 604. The cloud, which, intercepting the clear light,Hangs o’er thy eyes, and blunts thy mortal sight,I will remove. When I was at Grand Cairo, I picked up several Oriental manuscripts, which I have still by me. Among others I met […]

–Cui mens divinior, atque osMagna sonaturum des nominis hujus honorem.HOR., Sat. i. 4, 43. On him confer the poet’s sacred name,Whose lofty voice declares the heavenly flame. There is no character more frequently given to a writer than that of being a genius. I have heard many a little sonneteer called a fine genius. There […]

Illa; Quis et me, inquit, miseram et te perdidit, Orpheu?—Jamque vale: feror ingenti circumdata nocte,Invalidasque tibi tendens, heu! non tua, palmas.VIRG., Georg., iv. 494. Then thus the bride: “What fury seiz’d on thee,Unhappy man! to lose thyself and me?–And now farewell! involv’d in shades of night,For ever I am ravish’d from thy sight:In vain I […]