LINE 2. Where the pale philtre Pallentia Philtra. We read in the Argon. of ORPHEUS, V. 477. LINE 23. OVID. IYNX, O force him, by thy myflic charms! This bird is fuppofed by fome to be the Wry-neck: Though the original word has been variously tranflated-pafferculus, frutilla, regulus. It was much valued by enchanters. Its tongue was most efteemed, and was fuppofed to have a sovereign virtue in love potions. Sometimes the whole bird was fastened to a wheel of wax, which was turned over the fire, till both were confumed. POTTER. LINE 34. But, in revenge, I give this laurel-bough. DAPHNIS me malus urit―ego hanc in DAPHNIDE laurum. PLINY fays, that by its crackling noise the laurel was thought to exprefs a deteftation of fire. From the noife it makes in burning, fome tell us, it derived its name-Aaçın, i. e. Da Qwvn. Mr. GAY hath happily imitated this paffage. Two hazel-nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a fweetheart's name : LINE 41. Ev'n as this wax evaporates in fume, May Myndian DELPHIS, fcorch'd by love, confume! As As the image confumed, fo did the perfon it reprefented!" Such was the common opinion in the days of THEOCRITUS and VIRGIL; nor was it lefs prevalent in this country, in the reigns of ELIZABETH and of JAMES. Dr. MARTYN observes, that in the beginning of the last century, many perfons were convicted of this practice, and were executed accordingly; as it was deemed to be attempting the lives of others. The burning in effigy' is often accompanied with the like malignity. LINE 48. Hell's adamantine gates. Kimoais g'adauana-not rhadamanthus, according to the vulgar reading, but adamant. LINE 49. Hark-the dogs howling-to the cymbals fly ! Thus VIRGIL, Tinnitufque cie, et matris quate Cymbala circum. Among the Swedish Laplanders, there is, in every family, a drum-for confulting the devil. : LINE 53. See fmooth'd in calms the filent waves repose! At this folemn fcene, Mr, WARTON introduces a beautiful Night-Piece from APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, which has been thus finely tranflated: Night on the earth pour'd darkness; on the fea, The wakefome failor to ORION's ftar And HELICE turn'd heedful. Sunk to rest VOL. II. G Had Had ceas'd his troublous bay: Each busy tumult Was bufb'd at this dead hour; and darkness flept, 'Lock'd in the arms of filence. She alone, MEDEA fept not. LINE 67. Fir'd by the Arcadian plant. HIPPOMANES here fignifies a plant, defcribed as having the fruit of the wild cucumber, and the leaves of the prickly poppy; perhaps a kind of mullein. In VIRGIL, Georg. iii. 280, it means a poison. The reader see a learned Differtation on the Hippomanes, at the end of Bayle's Dictionary. may LINE 81. Now, at his threshold, &c. It was usual (fays POTTER) to fprinkle enchanted medicaments on fome part of the house where the perfon refided. Drugs have been, in all ages, very neceffary to the support of the magical art. LINE 89. What time her offerings, &c. The following paffage from PLAUTUS is very fimilar to SiMOETHA's narration. Quo is homo infinuavit pacto fe ad te S. per DIONYSIA. At these exhibitions, which were very frequent among the Greeks, there were fuch opportunities for love-intrigues as feldom occurred on ordinary occafions. It was not ufual to meet with young women of character any where but in their own houses. There There, indeed, they were not commonly acceffible to their gal lants, having apartments appropriated to themselves. LINE 89. Partly WARTON. What time her offerings fair AN AXO paid. The Athenian virgins were prefented to DIANA, before it was lawful for them to marry. On this occafion they offered baskets full of little curiofities to that Goddess, to gain permiffion to depart out of her train, and change their state of life. LINE 97. I went-in CLEARISTA's garments drest. POTTER. A good fatirical stroke on the vulgar vanity of those women 'who borrow cloaths to fee the show.' Ut spectet ludos conducit Ogulnia veftem. CASAUBON. LINE 104. O Moon, his bofom as thy filver orb. A point of beauty not very familiar to us, who drefs fo differ ently from the ancients. Cervicem rofeam, et cerea Telephi LINE 119. like Thapfus, dead. WARTON. Oxos-a Scythian wood, of a boxen or golden color: fome take it to be the Indian Guiacum. The women who chose to look pale, tinged their cheeks with it. Thus PETRONIUS; Cum languidus Aufter Non patitur glaciem refoluta vivere terra, LINE 142. -What fudden tremors fhook my frame. Very fimilar to SAPPHO's defcription of the effects of Love, in her Ode Eis Tny Egwuery, fo finely tranflated by PHILIPS. LINE 159. Thy poplar wreath with purple ribbons drest. Whenever a young man was fmitten with the beauty of any lady, (especially a courtezan) he wrote her name in a place appointed for the purpose, with fome encomium on her. Having thus acknowledged his paffion, he fixed on the day following for a festival, wgos Tny avaồn Civ, to crown her head with a wreath of flowers and ribbons. Thus in PLATO, ALCIBIADES, at a feftival, reforts to AGATHO, with a crown and ribbons to adorn his head. Lovers ufed alfo to decorate with flowers the doors of their miftreffes. Hence the prefent cuftom of the Greeks to adorn the doors of the perfons they love, on the first of May, is derived. They fing and walk before the houses of their fair mistresses, to draw them to their windows; and fuch were the gallantries they practifed in the days of HORACE. The young maidens dreffed their heads with natural flowers, with which, too, they made themfelves garlands; and the young men, who wished to be thought gallant, did the fame. See Sentimental Journey through Greece, by Mr. GUYS. LINE 170. And many a flashing torch had turn'd thee pale. Hic-hic ponite lucida HORACE, |