THE PLAN OF AN EPIC PO E M. As S ENEAS was famed for his piety, fo his grandfon's characteristic was benevolence; this first predominant principle of his character, prompted his endeavours to redeem the remains of his countrymen, the defcendants from Troy, then captives in Greece, and to establish their freedom and felicity in a just form of government. He goes to Epirus; from thence he travels all over Greece; collects all the scattered Trojans; and redeems them with the treasures he brought from Italy. Having collected his scattered countrymen, he confults the oracle of Dodona, and is promised a fettlement in an Island, which, from the description, appears to have been Britain. He then puts to fea, and enters the Atlantic Ocean. The The First Book was intended to open with the appearance of Brutus at the Straits of Calpe, in fight of the Pillars of Hercules (the ne plus ultra). He was to have been introduced debating in council with his captains, whether it was advisable to launch into the great Ocean, on an enterprise bold and hazard. ous as that of the great Columbus, One reason, among others, affigned by Brutus, for attempting the great Ocean in search of a new country was, that he entertained no prospect of introducing pure manners in any part of the then known world; but that he might do it among a people uncorrupt in their manners, worthy to be made happy, and wanting only arts and laws to that purpose. A debate enfues. Pifander, an old Trojan, is rather for fettling in Betica, a rich country near the Straits, within the Mediterranean, of whose wealth they had heard great fame at Carthage, Brutus apprehends that the softness of the climate, and the gold found there, would corrupt their manners; befides, that the Tyrians, who had eftablished great commerce there, had introduced their fuperftitions among the natives, and made them unapt to receive the inftructions he was defirous to give, Cloanthes, one of his captains, out of avarice and effeminacy, nevertheless defires to fettle in a rich and fertile country, rather than to tempt the dangers of the Ocean, out of a romantic notion of heroifm. |