Qualis, ubi abruptis fugit praesepia vinc’lis,
  Tandem liber equus, campoque potitus aperto;
  Aut ille in pastus armentaque tendit equarum,
  Aut assuetus aquae perfundi flumine noto
  Emicat; arrectisque fremit cervicibus alte
  Luxurians, luduntque jubae per colla, per armos.

DRYDEN.

  Freed from his keepers, thus with broken reins,
  The wanton courser prances o’er the plains: 
  Or in the pride of youth, o’erleaps the mounds,
  And snuffs the females in forbidden grounds. 
  Or seeks his wat’ring in the well-known flood,
  To quench his thirst, and cool his fiery blood: 
  He swims luxuriant in the liquid plain;
  And o’er his shoulders flows his waving main. 
  He neighs, he snorts, he bears his head on high;
  Before his ample chest, the frothy waters fly.

PITT.

  So the gay pamper’d steed with loosen’d reins,
  Breaks from the stall, and pours along the plains;
  With large smooth strokes he rushes to the flood,
  Bathes his bright sides, and cools his fiery blood;
  Neighs as he flies, and tossing high his head,
  Snuffs the fair females in the distant mead;
  At every motion o’er his neck reclin’d,
  Plays his redundant main, and dances in the wind.

From the above specimens, our readers may determine for themselves to whose translation they would give the preference.  Critics, like historians, should divest themselves of prejudice:  they should never be misguided by the authority of a great name, nor yield that tribute to prescription, which is only due to merit.  Mr. Pitt, no doubt, had many advantages above Dryden in this arduous province:  As he was later in the attempt, he had consequently the version of Dryden to improve upon.  He saw the errors of that great poet, and avoided them; he discovered his beauties, and improved upon them; and as he was not impelled by necessity, he had leisure to revise, correct, and finish his excellent work.

The Revd. and ingenious Mr. Joseph Warton has given to the world a compleat edition of Virgil’s works made English.  The Aeneid by Mr. Pitt:  The Eclogues, Georgics, and notes on the whole, by himself; with some new observations by Mr. Holdsworth, Mr. Spence, and others.  This is the compleatest English dress, in which Virgil ever appeared.  It is enriched with a dissertation on the VIth Book of the Aeneid, by Warburton.  On the Shield of Aeneas, by Mr. William Whitehead.  On the Character of Japis, by the late Dr. Atterbury bishop of Rochester; and three Essays on Pastoral, Didactic, and Epic Poetry, by Mr. Warton.

* * * * *

Mr. HAMMOND.