I say, not only suffered her, but
consented to it; for it is plain he knew her by these words:-
"O soror, et dudum agnovi, cum prima per artem
Faedera turbasti, teque haec in bella dedisti;
Et tunc necquicquam fallis dea."
I have dwelt so long on this subject that I must contract what I
have to say in reference to my translation, unless I would swell my
preface into a volume, and make it formidable to your lordship, when
you see so many pages yet behind. And, indeed, what I have already
written, either in justification or praise of Virgil, is against
myself for presuming to copy in my coarse English the thoughts and
beautiful expressions of this inimitable poet, who flourished in an
age when his language was brought to its last perfection, for which
it was particularly owing to him and Horace. I will give your
lordship my opinion that those two friends had consulted each
other's judgment wherein they should endeavour to excel; and they
seem to have pitched on propriety of thought, elegance of words, and
harmony of numbers.
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