the dissuasive Speech of
Andromache, which he hath put into the Mouth of Tecmessa. And yet Sophocles was
the greatest Genius who ever wrote Tragedy, nor have any of his Successors in
that Art, that is to say, neither Euripides nor Seneca the Tragedian been able
to come near him. As to his Sentiments and Diction, I need say nothing; the
former are particularly remarkable for the utmost Perfection on that Head,
namely Propriety; and as to the latter, Aristotle, whom doubtless you have read
over and over, is very diffuse. I shall mention but one thing more, which that
great Critic in his Division of Tragedy calls Opsis, or the Scenery, and which
is as proper to the Epic as to the Drama, with this difference, that in the
former it falls to the share of the Poet, and in the latter to that of the
Painter. But did ever Painter imagine a Scene like that in the 13th and 14th
Iliads? where the Reader sees at one View the Prospect of Troy, with the Army
drawn up before it; the Grecian Army, Camp, and Fleet, Jupiter sitting on Mount
Ida, with his Head wrapt in a Cloud, and a Thunderbolt in his Hand looking
towards Thrace; Neptune driving through the Sea, which divides on each side to
permit his Passage, and then seating himself on Mount Samos: The Heavens opened,
and the Deities all seated on their Thrones. This is Sublime! This is Poetry!«
Adams then rapt out a hundred Greek Verses, and with such a Voice, Emphasis and
Action, that he almost frighten'd the Women; and as for the Gentleman, he was so
far from entertaining any further suspicion of Adams, that he now doubted
whether he had not a Bishop in his House. He ran into the most extravagant
Encomiums on his Learning, and the Goodness of his Heart began to dilate to all
the Strangers. He said he had great Compassion for the poor young Woman, who
looked pale and faint with her Journey; and in truth he conceived a much higher
Opinion of her Quality than it deserved. He said, he was sorry he could not
accommodate them all: But if they were contented with his Fire-side, he would
sit up with the Men, and the young Woman might, if she pleased, partake his
Wife's Bed, which he advis'd her to; for that they must walk upwards of a Mile
to any House of Entertainment, and that not very good neither. Adams, who liked
his Seat, his Ale, his Tobacco and his Company