Page:Proofs of the Enquiry into Homer's Life and Writings.pdf/100

This page needs to be proofread.
Homers Life and Writings.
87

Homer'j Life and Writings. The blest Abodes, And Seat unshaken of th' immortal Gods : The happy Land where Tempests never blow. Nor chilling Showers descend, nor steecy Snow ; TV unclouded Sky smiles with perpetual Day, And Light eternal darts a gladd'ning Ray. In the same manner Mohammeds Paradise is free from all the Inconveniencies of a dry, bar ren Country and scorching Sun ; and abounds with cooling Streams, crystalline Fountains, sha dy Groves and delicious Fruits besides the Paradistcal Ladies and beautiful Boys blooming in immortal Youth : while his Hell is terrible for sultry suffocating Winds (dreaded like Death by the Arabs) for burning Garments of Fire, and the Shade of a thick Smoak. ' There the

  • wicked are to eat of the false Fruit of the

' Tree Zakkum, which is fair to the Eye, but ' sills the Mouth with bitter Ashes ; while their

  • Tormenters make them drink scalding Water

' that (hall dissolve their Bowels, and say to

  • them, Taste ye the Pain of Burning'

HOMER's PARADISE (the Elysian Plain) is at the Ends of the Earth, ' where yel* low Rhadamanthus, the Lord of the Shades,

  • bears sway, and where an easy affluent Life is

' enjoyed by Men ; where Snow is never seen, ' nor Rain, and Winter mews.not his hoary [ Face ; but soft Gales ever blowing from the

  • F 4
« Western
‘Western