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ARTICLE the SECOND.

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Of Thoughts.

HOUGHT is a very vague and general word, having many different fignifications like the Latin word fententia. It is evident enough that the thoughts we are examining in this place are those which are introduced into works of genius, and are one of their chief beauties.

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This properly forms the foundation and body of a difcourfe; for elocution is only its drefs and ornament. We must then inculcate this grand principle into young people very early, which is fo often repeated by Cicero and Quintilian, viz. that words are made only for things; that they are intended for no other end but to display, or at most to embellish our thoughts; that the choiceft and brightest expreffions, uniformed with good fenfe, must be looked upon as empty and contemptible founds, altogether ridiculous and foolifh. That on the contrary, we muft efteem folid thoughts and reafons, though unadorned, because truth alone, in whatsoever manner it appears, is always eftimable; in fine, that an orator may bestow fome care upon words, but muft apply his chief attention to things.

We muft likewife make youth obferve, that the thoughts with which good authors embellish their difcourses, are plain, natural and intelligible; that they are neither affected nor far-fetched, and, as it were,

Y Quorundam elocutio res ipfas effeminat, quæ illo verborum ha bitu veftiuntur. Quintil. Procem. 1.8.

z Sit cura elocutionis quàm maxima, dum fciamus tamen nihil verborum caufa effe faciendum, cum verba ipfa rerum gratia fint reperta. Quint. Procem. 1. 8.

Quibus (verbis, folum à natura

fit officium attributum, fervire fenfibus. Quint. 1. 12. c. 10.

a Quid eft tam furiofum quam verborum vel optimorum arque or natiffimorum fonitus inanis, nulla fubjecta fententia nec fcientia. I de Orat. n. 51.

Curam ergo verborum, rerum volo effe folicitudinem. Quintil. Prom. 1. 8. forced

forced in, in order to difplay wit; but that they always rife out of the fubject to be treated of, from which they seem fo infeparable, that we cannot fee how the things could have been otherwife expreffed, whilft every one imagines he should exprefs them the fame way himself. But thefe obfervations will be more obvious by examples.

The combat of the Horatii and the Curiatii.

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The defcription of this combat is, certainly, one of the most beautiful paffages in Livy, and the most proper to teach youth how to adorn a narration with natural and ingenious thoughts. In order to know the art and delicacy of this fine paffage, we need only reduce it to a fimple relation, by divesting it of all its ornaments, without however omitting any effential circumftance. I fhall mark the different parts by dif ferent figures, in order the better to diftinguish, and compare them afterwards, with the narrative itself as we find it in Livy.

1. Foedere icto trigemini, ficut convenerat, arma capiunt. 2. Statim in medium inter duas acies procedunt.

3. Confederant utrinque pro caftris duo exercitus, in hoc Spectaculum totis animis intenti.

4. Datur fignum, infeftifque armis terni juvenes con

currunt.

5. Cum aliquandiu inter fe æquis viribus pugnassent; duo Romani, fuper alium alius, vulneratis tribus Albanis, expirantes corruerunt. 6. Illi fuperftitem Romanum circumfiftunt. Forte is integer fuit. Ergo, ut fegregaret pugnam eorum, capeffit fugam, ita ratus fecuturos, ut quemque vulnere affectum corpus fineret.

7. Jam aliquantum fpatii ex eo loco, ubi pugnatum eft, aufugerat, cum refpiciens videt magnis intervallis fequentes: unum haud procul ab fefe abeffe; in eum magno impetu redit, eumque interficit.

Lib. I.

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8. Mox properat ad fecundum, eumque pariter neci dat. 9. Fam aquato marte finguli fupererant, numero pares, fed longe viribus diverfi.

10. Romanus exultans, Duos, inquit, fratrum manibus dedi, tertium caufæ belli hujufce ut Romanis Albano imperet, dabo. Tum gladium fuperne illius jugulo defigit: jacentem fpoliat.

11. Romani ovantes ac gratulantes Horatium accipiunt. 12. Inde ex utraque parte fuos fepeliunt.

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The bufinefs is to enlarge upon this narration, and to enrich it with thoughts and images which may engage and ftrike the reader in a lively manner, and reprefent this action to him in such a manner as he may imagine he does not read, but fee it, in which the greatest power of eloquence confifts. To effect this, we need only confult nature, by carefully ftudying the emotions, and examining attentively what must have paffed in the hearts of the Horatii and Curiatii, of the Romans and Albani upon the occafion, and to paint every circumftance in fuch lively, and at the fame time fuch natural colours, that we imagine we are fpectators of the combat. This Livy performs in a furprising manner.

1. Fœdere icto trigemini, ficut convenerat, arma capiunt.

e 2, Cum fui utrofque adbortarentur, Deos patrios, patriam, ac parentes, quicquid civium domi, quicquid in exercitu fit, illorum tunc arma, illorum intueri manus ; feroces & fuopte ingenio, & pleni adhortantium vocibus, in medium inter duas acies procedunt.

It was natural for each party to exhort their own champions, and reprefent to them, that all their coun

1. The treaty being concluded, the three brothers on each fide take arms according to agreement.

* 2. While each party are exhorting their respective champions to do their duty, by reprefenting that their Gods, their country, their fathers and mothers; the

whole city and army had their eyes fixed on their words and actions; thofe generous combatants, brave of themselves, and ftill more invigorated by fuch preffing exhortations, advance between the two armies.

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try had their eyes upon their combat. This is a fine thought, but it is very much improved by the manner of turning it an exhortation more at length would be cold and languid. In reading the laft words, we imagine we fee thofe generous combatants advancing between the two armies with a noble, intrepid air of defiance.

£ 3. Confederant utrinque pro caftris duo exercitus, pe riculi magis præfentis quam curæ expertes: quippe imperium agebatur, in tam paucorum virtute atque fortuna pofitum. Itaque ergo erecti fufpenfique in minime gratum Spectaculum animo intenduntur.

Nothing was more fuitable here than this thought, periculi magis præfentis quam curæ expertes; and Livy immediately affigns the reafon of it. What image do thefe two words, erecti fufpenfique paint in our minds!

4. Datur fignum, infeftifque armis, velut acies, terni juvenes, magnorum exercituum animos gerentes, concurrunt. Nec his, nec illis periculum fuum, publicum imperium fervitiumque obverfatur animo, futuraque ea deinde patria fortuna quam ipfi feciffent. Ut primo ftatim concurfu increpuere arma, micantefque fulfere gladii, horror ingens fpectantes perftringit; & neutro inclinata Spe, terpebat vox fpiritufque.

Nothing can be added to the noble idea which Livy gives us of thefe combatants in this place. The three brothers were on each fide like whole armies, and had

f 3. They were ranged on both fides round the field of battle, being more uneafy on account of the confequences to the ftate, than of the danger to which themfelves were expofed, because the combat was to determine which of the two nations fhould govern the other, and fo being agitated with thefe reflections, and folicitous about the event, they gave their whole attention to a fight which could not but alarm them.

4. The fignal is given; the champions march three and three against each other; themselves a

lone infpired with the courage of armies. Both fides infenfible of their own danger, have nothing before their eyes, but the flavery or liberty of their cuntry, whofe future deftiny depends wholly upon their valour. The moment the clafhing of their weapons is heard, and the glitter of their fwords is feen, the fpectators feized with fear and alarm, (while hope of fuccefs inclined to neither fide) continued motionless,fo that one would have faid, they had loft, the use of their fpeech, and even of breath.

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the courage of armies; infenfible of their own danger, they thought of nothing but the fate of the publick, confided entirely to their perfonal valour. Two noble thoughts, and founded in truth! But can any one read what follows, and not be feized with equal horror and trembling with the fpectators of the fight? The expreffions are all poetical in this place, and youth must be told, that poetical expreffions, which are to be used feldom and very fparingly, were requifite from the grandeur of the fubject, and the neceffity there was to defcribe fo glorious a fpectacle in a fuitable pomp of words.

The mournful filence which kept both fides in a manner fufpended and immoveable, turned immediately into acclamations of joy, on the fide of the Albani, when they faw two of the Horatii killed. The Romans, on the other hand, loft all hope, and were in the utmost anxiety. Alarmed and trembling for the furviving Horatius, who was to combat three antagonifts, they had no thoughts but of the danger he was in. Was not this the real fenfe of both armies, after the fall of the two Horatii; and is not the picture which Livy has given us of it very natural?

h 5. Confertis deinde manibus, cum jam non motus tantum corporum, agitatioque anceps telorum armorumque, fed vulnera quoque & fanguis fpectaculo effent; duo Romani fuper alium alius, vulneratis tribus Albanis, expirantes corruerunt. Ad quorum cafum cum conclamafset gaudio Albanus exercitus, Romanas legiones jam fpes tota, nondum tamen cura deferuerat, exanimes vice unius quem tres Curiatii circumfteterant.

I fhall give the remainder of this quotation with little or no reflection, to avoid a tedious prolixity. I must only obferve to the reader, that the chief beauty of

5. Afterwards when they began to engage, not only the motion of their hands, and the brandifhing of their weapons drew the eyes of the fpectators, but the wounds, and blood running down; two Romans falling dead at the feet of the AlVol. II.

bani, who were all wounded. Up-
on their falling, the Alban army
fhouted aloud, whilft the Roman
legions remained without hope,
but not anxiety, trembling for the
furviving Roman, furrounded by
the three Albani.
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