his candour (t), and his piety (u). Propertius ce lebrates the writings of our Poet, declares that his verfes are worthy of Apollo, and fhews the great expectation, that there was of the Aeneis, by faying that Virgil was about a work, which was to exceed the Iliad (w). Ovid alfo, fpeaking to Auguftus, Fufcus, et haec utinam Vifcorum laudet uterque ; Pollio; te Meffala tuo cum fratre; fimulque Sat. lib. I. 10. (t) Plotius, et Varius Sinueffae, Virgiliufque (u) Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit: Tu fruftra pius, heu non ita creditum Sat. lib. 1. 5. Lib. 1. Ode 24. (w) Me juvet hefternis pofitum languere corollis, Year of 735. 735. Year of guftus, calls Virgil his happy author of the Aeneis (x): Rome In another place, he calls that poem the brightest work of all Italy (y); and in a third, he declares, that the Paftorals, Georgicks, and Aeneids of Virgil will be read as long as Rome fhall continue fovereign of the world (2); which prophecy has been abundantly verified; for the works of Virgil ftill maintain their fuperiority; though the Roman Empire has been diffolved above a thousand years. I fhall conclude the life of our great Poet with the following lines of the celebrated Vida ; Extulit os facrum foboles certiffima Phoebi Felix, qui viles pomis mercatus amores: Lib. 2. Eleg. 34. (x) Et tamen ille tuae felix Aeneidos auctor Trift. 1. 2. (y) Et profugum Aenean, altae primordia Romae, Art. amat lib. 3. (z) Tityrus, et fegetes, Aeneiaque arma legentur Amorum, lib. 1. Vocem animumque deo fimilis: date lilia, plenis, Year of Pierides, calathis, tantoque affurgite alumno. Unus hic ingenio praeftanti gentis Achivae Divinos vates longe fuperavit, et arte, Aureus, immortale fonans: ftupet ipfe, pavetque Chelfey, 5 June, 1749. Rome 735. PUBLII VIRGILII MARONIS BUCOLICORUM MEL. ECLOGA PRIM A. TITYR U S. MELIBOEUS, TITYRUS. TIT ITYRE, tu patulae recubans fub Mt. You, Tityrus, lying NOTES. the inhabitants, both old and young, to flock in great numbers to Rome to feek for redrefs. We may gather, from a paffage in the ninth Eclogue, that Cremona was one of the cities given to the foldiers, and that Mantua, happening to be fitu ated near Cremona, the inhabitants of that territory were involved in the calamity of their unhappy neighbours. It is faid that among the reft, Virgil being difpoffeffed of his eftate, went to Rome, where being prefented to Auguftus he was gra A ciously |