It must be confessed, that this maxim, though conformable to experience, may, at first sight, be
esteemed contrary to reason. If the natural genius of mankind be the same in all ages, and in
almost all countries, (as seems to be the truth) it must very much forward and cultivate this
genius, to be possessed of patterns in every art, which may regulate the taste, and fix the objects
of imitation. The models left us by the ancients gave birth to all the arts about 200 years ago, and
have mightily advanced their progress in every country of EUROPE: Why had they not a like
effect during the reign of TRAJAN and his successors; when they were much more entire, and
were still admired and studied by the whole world? So late as the emperor JUSTINIAN,*58 the
POET, by way of distinction, was understood, among the GREEKS, to be HOMER; among the
ROMANS, VIRGIL. Such admiration still remained for these divine geniuses; though no poet
had appeared for many centuries, who could justly pretend to have imitated them.
I.
XIV.45
It must be confessed, that this maxim, though conformable to experience, may, at first sight, beesteemed contrary to reason. If the natural genius of mankind be the same in all ages, and inalmost all countries, (as seems to be the truth) it must very much forward and cultivate thisgenius, to be possessed of patterns in every art, which may regulate the taste, and fix the objectsof imitation. The models left us by the ancients gave birth to all the arts about 200 years ago, andhave mightily advanced their progress in every country of EUROPE: Why had they not a likeeffect during the reign of TRAJAN and his successors; when they were much more entire, andwere still admired and studied by the whole world? So late as the emperor JUSTINIAN,*58 thePOET, by way of distinction, was understood, among the GREEKS, to be HOMER; among theROMANS, VIRGIL. Such admiration still remained for these divine geniuses; though no poethad appeared for many centuries, who could justly pretend to have imitated them.I.XIV.45
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