I need say no more in justification of our hero's courage, and am
much deceived if he ever be attacked on this side of his character
again. But he is arraigned with more show of reason by the ladies,
who will make a numerous party against him, for being false to love
in forsaking Dido; and I cannot much blame them, for, to say the
truth, it is an ill precedent for their gallants to follow. Yet if
I can bring him off with flying colours, they may learn experience
at her cost; and for her sake avoid a cave as the worse shelter they
can choose from a shower of rain, especially when they have a lover
in their company.
In the first place, Segrais observes with much acuteness that they
who blame AEneas for his insensibility of love when he left
Carthage, contradict their former accusation of him for being always
crying, compassionate, and effeminately sensible of those
misfortunes which befell others. They give him two contrary
characters; but Virgil makes him of a piece, always grateful, always
tender-hearted.
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