Shore, who is always seen and heard with pity. Alicia is a
character of empty noise, with no resemblance to real sorrow or to
natural madness.

Whence, then, has Rowe his reputation? From the reasonableness and
propriety of some of his scenes, from the elegance of his diction,
and the suavity of his verse. He seldom moves either pity or
terror, but he often elevates the sentiments; he seldom pierces the
breast, but he always delights the ear, and often improves the
understanding. His translation of the "Golden Verses," and of the
first book of Quillet's poem, have nothing in them remarkable. The
"Golden Verses" are tedious.

The version of Lucan is one of the greatest productions of English
poetry, for there is perhaps none that so completely exhibits the
genius and spirit of the original. Lucan is distinguished by a kind
of dictatorial or philosophic dignity, rather, as Quintilian
observes, declamatory than poetical; full of ambitious morality and
pointed sentences, comprised in vigorous and animated lines. This
character Rowe has very diligently and successfully preserved. His
versification, which is such as his contemporaries practised,
without any attempt at innovation or improvement, seldom wants
either melody or force. His author's sense is sometimes a little
diluted by additional infusions, and sometimes weakened by too much
expansion. But such faults are to be expected in all translations,
from the constraint of measures and dissimilitude of languages. The
"Pharsalia" of Rowe deserves more notice than it obtains, and as it
is more read will be more esteemed.