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Letters Concerning Poetical Translations - And Virgil's and Milton's Arts of Verse, &c. by William Benson
page 84 of 91 (92%)
After short blush of Morn.--

Now to put this Passage into _French_ all the following Particles must
be added.

_Le_, _La_, _Des_, _Les_, _Les_, _Le_, _Le_, _Un_, _Du_. Of which
there is not one in the _English_: And what an Effect this would have
in Heroick Verse, you will easily judge.

Upon the whole, _Vossius_ was very little acquainted with _English_
Heroic Poetry. _Hudibras_ was the favourite Bard in his time, and
therefore he does us the Honour to say, the _English_ is extremely fit
for that sort of Poetry which the _Italians_ call _Sdruccioli_, that
is, Doggrel Verse.

Thus much for _Vossius_, and his _French_ and _English_ Poetry. I will
now shew you a very different Opinion of another learned Foreigner,
referr'd to more than once already, and I will give it you in his own
Words.

"_Sane in Epico Carminum genere_; Joh. Miltoni _insigne poema_, The
Paradise Lost, _Gallos omnes in epicis inseliciores longo post se
intervallo reliquit_.
Morhosius Polyhistor.

This judicious Critick gave the same Opinion of Mr. _Cowley_ above 50
Years ago, which Mr. _Pope_ has given of him lately in one of his
_Horatian_ Epistles.

"Abr. Cowley _seu Coulejus poemata scripsit_, &c. _Quæ ad genium
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