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The genuine history of the Britons asserted against Mr. Macpherson ...

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THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 195<br />

"^ which <strong>the</strong>y lurejled to <strong>the</strong>ir purp<strong>of</strong>e'* (p. 1 10).<br />

But, inftead <strong>of</strong> proving that <strong>the</strong> palTages are<br />

wrefled, he " ventures to affirm, that <strong>the</strong>re is<br />

** nothing in *' <strong>the</strong> former " paflage conckifivc"<br />

againfl him, and begs leave to iupp<strong>of</strong>e that<br />

<strong>the</strong> latter is full <strong>of</strong> "^ invention, exaggeration,<br />

" and flattery." And, if tlii^ wbuld be as readily<br />

granted a^ it is eafily affirmed and fuppoled,<br />

<strong>the</strong> Gordiari knot would be untied at once. Butj<br />

if it is denied, <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon is juft where He<br />

was before, and <strong>the</strong> two palTages ftill bear di-<br />

reftly againft his Hypo<strong>the</strong>fisi<br />

<strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon however argues, that becaufe<br />

Virgil did <strong>the</strong>refore Claudian might invent,<br />

t^iaggcrate, and flatter. But <strong>the</strong> two cafes are<br />

very unlike. What Virgil fays was entirely pro-<br />

J)hctic in its defignatloh, arid was a little pro-<br />

phetic in reality. Placing himfelf many cehtu-<br />

ries before <strong>the</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Auguflus, he predic-*<br />

tively delineates <strong>the</strong> glories <strong>of</strong> that Emperor.<br />

And, as his career <strong>of</strong> honour was not )ct run,<br />

Virgil adds imaginary to real victories, arid anti-<br />

cipates <strong>the</strong> conquefts which he might atrd'^Vards<br />

make. But Claudian's fituatiun was widely dif-<br />

ferent. He compliments his Emperor u} on Ia(5is<br />

onlyj that were a}rea;dy performed and had<br />

recently happened. And if, in a poem fo imi.e-<br />

diately retr<strong>of</strong>pe^live, he had fpecified any parti^<br />

cular tranfadions that had not happened, iiis com-<br />

pliment muft have been fpoiied by his folly,<br />

O and

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