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The Iliad of Homer - Get a Free Blog

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that harmony which makes us confess he<br />

had not only the richest head, but the<br />

finest ear in the world. This is so great<br />

[pg a truth, that whoever will but consult the<br />

xxxvii]<br />

tune <strong>of</strong> his verses, even without understanding<br />

them (with the same sort <strong>of</strong> diligence<br />

as we daily see practised in the<br />

case <strong>of</strong> Italian operas), will find more<br />

sweetness, variety, and majesty <strong>of</strong> sound,<br />

than in any other language <strong>of</strong> poetry. <strong>The</strong><br />

beauty <strong>of</strong> his numbers is allowed by the<br />

critics to be copied but faintly by Virgil<br />

himself, though they are so just as to<br />

ascribe it to the nature <strong>of</strong> the Latin<br />

tongue: indeed the Greek has some advantages<br />

both from the natural sound <strong>of</strong><br />

its words, and the turn and cadence <strong>of</strong> its<br />

verse, which agree with the genius <strong>of</strong> no<br />

other language. Virgil was very sensible<br />

<strong>of</strong> this, and used the utmost diligence in<br />

working up a more intractable language<br />

to whatsoever graces it was capable <strong>of</strong>,<br />

and, in particular, never failed to bring

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