Æneid the 9th. Lines 853, 854.At the full stretch of both his Hands, he drew;
And almost join'd the Horns of the tough Eugh.
The first of these Lines, is all of Monosyllables; and both Verses are very rough: But of choice; for it had been easie for me to have smooth'd them. But either my Ear deceives me, or they express the thing which I intended in their Sound: For the stress of a Bow which is drawn to the full extent, is express'd in the harshness of the first Verse, clogg'd not only with Monosyllables, but with Consonants; and these words, the tough Eugh, which conclude the second line, seem as forceful, as they are Unharmonious. Homer and Virgil are both frequent in their adapting Sounds to the thing they signifie. One Example will serve for both; because Virgil borrow'd the following Verses from Homer's Odysses.
Unà Eurusque Notusque ruunt creberque procellis
Africus, & vastos volvunt ad litora fluctus.
Σὑν δ᾽ Ε_ροςε, Νότοςε ἒπεσεν, Ζεφυροςε δυσαὴς;
Και Βερεης αι ζιθρiγενε_ης, μέγα χῦμα χυλίνδων.
Our Language is not often capable of these Beauties: though sometimes I have copied them, of which these Verses are an instance.
Line 1095.His ample Shield———
Is falsify'd; and round with Jav'lins fill'd.
