But now I can't forgive this odious Thing: This Dryden, who, in his State of Innocence, has given my Great-Grandmother Eve the fame Apprehenfion of Annihilation, on a very different Occafion; as Adam pronounces it of himself when he was feized with a pleafing Kind of Stupor and Deadness, Eve fancies her felf falling away, and diffolving in the Hurry of a Rapture. However, the Verfes are very good, and I don't know but it may be natural what the fays. I'll read 'em :

When your kind Eyes look'd languishing on mine,
And wreathing Arms did foft Embraces join ;
A doubtful Trembling feiz'd me first all o'er,
Then Wishes, and a Warmth unknown before:
What follow'd, was all Extafy and Trance,
Immortal Pleasures round my fwimming Eyes did
dance

And Speechless Joys, in whofe Sweet Tumults toft,
I thought my Breath and my New Being loft.

ذ

She went on, and faid a Thousand good Things at Random, but fo ftrangely mixed, that you would be apt to say, All her Wit is meer good Luck, and not the Effect of Reason and Judgment. When I made my Escape hither, I found a Gentleman playing the Critick on Two other great Poets, even Virgil and Homer. He was observing, that Virgil is more judicious than the other in the Epithets he gives his Hero. Homer's ufual Epithet, faid he, is πόδας ὠχύς, or Ποδάρχης, and his Indifcre

tion has been often rallied by the Criticks, for mentioning the Nimbleness of Foot in Achilles, tho' he describes him standing, fitting, lying down, fighting, eating, drinking, or in any other Circumftance, however foreign or repugnant to Speed and Activity. Virgil's common Epithet to Æneas, is, Pius or Pater. I have therefore confidered, faid he, what Paffage there is in any of his Hero's Actions, where either of these Appellations would have been most improper, to fee if I could catch him at the fame Fault with Homer: And this, I think, is his Meeting with Dido in the Cave, where Pius neas would have been Abfurd, and Pater Æneas a Burlesque : The Poet has therefore wifely dropped 'em both for Dux Trojanus.

Speluncam Dido Dux & Trojanus eandem
Deveniunt.

Which he has repeated twice in Juno's Speech, and his own Narration: For he very well knew, a loose Action might be confiftent enough with the ufual Manners of a Soldier, tho' it became neither the Chastity of a Pious Man, nor the Gravity of the Father of a People.

Grecian Coffee-house, April 22.

While other Parts of the Town are amufed with the present Actions, we generally spend the Evening at this Table in Enquiries into

Anti

Antiquity, and think any Thing News which gives us new Knowledge. Thus we are making a very pleasant Entertainment to our felves, in putting the Actions of Homer's Iliad into an exact Journal.

This Poem is introduced by Chryfes, King of Chryfeis, and Priest of Apollo, who comes to redemand his Daughter, who was carried off at the Taking of that City, and given to Agamemnon for his Part of the Booty. The Refufal he receiv'd, enrages Apollo, who for 9 Days showered down Darts upon them, which occafioned the Pestilence.

The 10th Day Achilles affembles the Council, and encourages Calchas to fpeak for the Surrender of Chryfeis to appeafe Apollo. Aga memnon and Achilles ftorm at one another 3 notwithstanding which, Agamemnon will not release his Prisoner, unless he has Brifeis in her Stead. After long Contestations, wherein Agamemnon gives a glorious Character of Achilles's Valour, he determines to restore Brifeis to her Father, and fends Two Heralds to fetch away Chryfeis from Achilles, who abandons himself to Sorrow and Despair. His Mother Thetis came to comfort him under his Affliction, and promises to represent his forrowful Lamentations to Jupiter; but he could not attend it; for the Evening before, he had appointed to divert himself for two Days beyond the Seas with the harmless Ethiopians.

'Twas

'Twas the 21st Day after Chryfeis's Arrival to the Camp, that Thetis went very early to demand an Audience of Jupiter. The Means he uses to fatisfy her were, to perfwade the Greeks to attack the Trojans ; that fo they might perceive the Confequence of contemning Achilles, and the Miseries they suffer if he does not head them. The next Night he orders Agamemnon, in a Dream, to attack them; who was deceived with the Hopes of obtaining a Victory, and alfo taking the City, without sharing the Honour with Achilles.

On the 22d, in the Morning, he assembles the Council, and having made a Feint of raifing the Siege and retiring, he declares to them his Dream; and, together with Neftor and Ulyffes, refolves on an Engagement.

This was the 23d Day, which is full of Incidents, and which continues from almoft the Beginning of the Second Canto to the Eighth. The Armies being then drawn up in View of one another, Hector brings it about, that Menelaus and Paris, the Two Perfons concerned in the Quarrel, fhould decide it by a fingle Combat; which tending to the Advantage of Menelaus, was interrupted by a Cowardice infufed by Minerva: Then both Armies engage, where the Trojans have the Disadvantage; but being afterwards animated by Apollo, they repulfe the Enemy, yet they are once again forced to give Ground; but their Affairs were retrieved by Hector, who has a fingle Combat with Ajax. The Gods E threw

threw themselves into the Battel, Juno and Minerva took the Gracians Part, and Apollo and Mars the Trojans : But Mars and Venus are both wounded by Diomedes.

The Truce for Burying the Slain ended the 23d Day; after which the Greeks threw up a great Intrenchment to fecure their Navy from Danger. Councils are held on both Sides. On the Morning of the 24th Day, the Battel is renewed, but in a very disadvantagious Manner to the Greeks, who were beaten back to their Retrenchments. Agamemnon being in Despair at this ill Succefs, proposes to the Counsel to quit the Enterprize, and retire from Troy. But by the Advice of Neftor, he is perfwaded to regain Achilles, by returning Chryfeis, and fending him confiderable Prefents. Hereupon, Ulyffes and Ajax are sent to that Hero, who continues inflexible in his Anger. Ulyffes, at his Return, joins himself with Diomedes, and goes in the Night to gain Intelligence of the Enemy: They enter into their very Camp, where, finding the Centinels afleep, they made a great Slaughter. Rhefus, who was just then arrived with Recruits from Thrace for the Trojans, was killed in that Action. Here ends the 10th Canto. The Sequel of this Journal will be inserted in the next Article from this Place.

St. James's Coffee-house, April 22:

We hear from Italy, That notwithstanding the Pope has received a Letter from the Duke

of