ODE VII. This Ode, to which, on the title, I have given the epithet of IR REGULAR, is the only one of the kind which Mr. Gray ever wrote; and its being written occasionally, and for music, is a sufficient apology for the defect. Exclusive of this, (for a defect it certainly is) it appears to me, in point of lyrical arrangement and expression, to be equal to most of his other Odes. It is remarkable that, amongst the many irregular Odes which have been written in our own language, Dryden's and Pope's, on St. Cecilia's Day, are the only ones that may properly be said to have lived. The reason is (as it is hinted in a note on Let. 20. sect. 4. of the Memoirs) that this mode of composition is so extremely easy, that it gives the writer an opening to every kind of poetical licentiousness: whereas the regularly repeated stanza, and still more the regular succession of strophe, antistrophe, and epode, put so strong a curb on the wayward imagination, that when she has once paced in it, she seldom chooses to submit to it a second time. 'Tis therefore greatly to be wished, in order to stifle in their birth a quantity of composi tions, which are at the same time wild and jejune, that regular Odes, and these only, should be deemed legitimate amongst us. The Cambridge edition (published at the expense of the University) is here followed; but I have added at the bottom of the page a number of explanatory notes, which this Ode seemed to want, still more than that which preceded it; especially when given not to the University only, but the Public in general, who may be reasonably supposed to know little of the particular founders of different Colleges and their history here alluded to. For the sake of uniformity in the page, I have divided the Ode into stanzas, and discarded the musical divisions of Recitative, Air, and Chorus; but shall here insert them in order, according as the different stanzas were set by Dr. Randal, Professor of Music. Stanza 1. The first eight lines " Air," the four last "Chorus." "Recitative" throughout, but accompanied at the sixth Stanza 2. line. Stanza 3. "Air." This stanza, being supposed to be sung by Milton, is very judiciously written in the metre which he fixed upon for the stanza of his Christmas-hymn. Stanza 4. 'Twas in the winter wild, &c. "Recitative" throughout, the last nine lines accom panied. Stanza 5. "Air Quartetto." The musical reader will easily see and admire how well this stanza is suited to that species of music. Stanza 6. First six lines "Recitative;" the rest of the stanza, beginning at "thy liberal heart," " Air." Stanza 8. "Grand Chorus," and well suited for that purpose. ODE VIII. 1. The occasion of Mr. Gray's writing (for it may be rather called so than versifying this and the three following Odes, however closely he has done them) is given in the beginning of the 5th section of the Memoirs, and his reason for first publishing them in the 57th letter of the 4th. Their best comment, since it is the best illustration of their excellency, will be to insert here the Latin versions of the originals from whence they were taken; as it is probable that many readers, who have hitherto admired them as compositions, have not compared them with those literal versions for want of having the books (which are not common ones) at hand. 2. Ex Orcadibus Thormodi Torfæi. Hafniæ, 1697. LATE diffunditur Ante stragem futuram Sagittarum nubes: Depluit sanguis: Jam hastis applicatur Cineracea Tela virorum, Quam amicæ texunt Rubro subtegmine Randveri mortis. Texitur hæc Tela Intestinis humanis, Staminique strictè alligantur Capita humana, Sunt sanguine roratæ Hastæ pro Insilibus, Textoria Instrumenta ferrea, Ac Sagittæ pro Radiis: Densabimus Gladiis Hanc Victoria Telam. Prodeunt ad texendum Hilda, Et Hiorthrimula, Sangrida, & Swipula; Cum strictis Gladiis; Hastile frangetur, Scutum diffindetur, Ensisque Clypeo illidetur. Texamus, texamus Telam Darradar! Hunc (Gladium) Rex Juvenis Prius possidebat. Prodeamus, Et Cohortes intremus, Ubi nostri Amici Armis dimicant! Texamus, texamus Telam Darradi; Et Regi deinde Deinde adhæreamus! Ibi videbant Sanguine rorata Scuta Gunna & Gondula, Quæ Regem tutabantur. Texamus, texamus Telam Darradi! Ubi Arma concrepant Bellacium Virorum, Non sinamus eum Vitâ privari: Habent Valkyriæ Cadis potestatem. Illi Populi terras regent, Qui deserta Promontoria * So Thormodus interprets it, as though Darradar were the Name of the Person who saw this vision; but in reality it signifies a Range of Spears, from Daur Hasta, and Radir Ordo. G. |