fault; but he has by no means reprefented the dignity or the fimplicity of Homer. He is fometimes paraphraftic and redundant, but more frequently retrenches or impoverishes what he could not feel and exprefs. In the mean time, he labours with the inconvenience ofan aukward, inharmonious, and unheroic measure, impofed by cuftom, but difguftful to modern ears. Yet he is not always without strength or spirit. He has enriched our language with many compound epithets, fo much in the manner of Homer, fuch as the filver-footed Thetis, the filverthroned Juno, the triple-feathered helme, the bigh-walled Thebes, the faire-haired boy, the filverflowing floods, the hugely peopled towns, the Grecians navy-bound, the ftrong-winged lance, and many more which might be collected. Dryden reports, that Waller never could read Chapman's Homerwithout a degree of transport. Pope is of opinion, that Chapman covers his defects " by a daring "fiery fpirit that animates his "tranflation, which is fomething "like what one might imagine "Homer himself to have writ "before he arrived to years of "difcretion." But his fire is too frequently darkened, by that fort of fuftian which now disfigured the diction of our tragedy." Chapman alfo, in the year 1614,
published the Odyea, which he dedicated to Carr Earl of Somerset.
In addition to the antient authors of Greece and Rome, tranflations of most of the Italian poets into English took place towards the clofe of this century. Ariofto, the tales of Boccafe, Bandello, and of other Italian authors, were tranflated into our language, and became the foundation of many of the works of Shakespear, Dryden and others. Whatever could enrich, or furnifh with matter our future poets, was now fhowered down upon them with uncommon exuberance. Our language was confiderably improved, the beauties of antient literature were ftudied and copied with fuccefs, the works of the modern claffics, if I may fo call them, were laid open to our ancestors et in medium proferuntur, and finally our poetry was arrived at that point, when fhe had neither contracted the feverity of age, nor was fo much a child as to be pleafed most with what was most strange and unnatural.
As a confiderable part of the laft fection of this volume, containing a general view and character of the poetry of Queen Elizabeth's age, is inferted in another part of our Regifter for this year*, we shall not touch upon it here.
*See p. 141. of this last part,
Connecticut Farms. Springfield. Unexpected effect produced by
the reduction of Charles Town, in renewing and exciting the fpirit of
union and refiftance in America. Great hopes founded on the ex-
pected co-operation of a French fleet and army in the reduction of
"New York, and the final expulfion of the British forces from that
continent. Marquis de la Fayette arrives from France. M. de
Ternay, and the Count de Rochambeau, arrive with a French fqua-
dron, and a body of land forces, and are put into poffeffion of the
fortifications and harbour of Rhode Island. Admiral Arbuthnot
blocks up the French fquadron. Difpofitions made by Sir Henry
Clinton for attacking the French auxiliaries. Gen. Washington
paffes the North River, with a view of attempting New York.
Expedition to Rhode Island laid afide. Great difficulties experienced
by Don Bernard de Galvez, in his expedition to West Florida.
Befieges and takes the fort at Mobille. Great land and naval force
fent out from Spain, in order to join M. de Guichen in the West Indies.
Function of the hoftile fleets, notwithstanding the efforts of Admiral
Sir George Rodney, to intercept the Spanish fquadron and convoy.
Sickness and mortality in the Spanish fleet and army, with fome other
caufes, preferve the British islands from the imminent danger to which
they were apparently expofed by the great fuperiority of the enemy.
Thefe caufes operate fill farther in their confequences; which affect
the whole face and nature of the war in the new world, and entirely
fruftrate the grand views formed by France and America, for the
remainder of the campaign. Spanish fleet and army proceed to the
Havannah; and M. de Guichen returns from St. Domingo, with
a convoy, to Europe. Great preparations made by the Americans
for effectually co-operating with the French forces on the arrival of
M. de Guichen. Washington's army increafed for that purpose, to
20,000 men. Invafion of Canada intended, and preparatory pro-
clamations iffed by the Marquis de la Fayette. Caufes which pre-
vented M. de Guichen from proceeding to North America. Sir
George Rodney arrives, with a fquadron, at New York.
Dreadful hurricane in the West Indies. Deftruction and calamity in: Barbadoes, St. Lucia, Granada, St. Vincent. Great loffes fuftained and dangers encountered, by the British naval force in thofe feas. French iflands. Humanity of the Marquis de Bouille. Hurricane in Jamaica. Town of Savanna la Mar overwhelmed. Large tract of rich country, in a great measure deftroyed. Diftreffes and great loffes of the Inhabitants. Bounty of the crown and parlia- ment. Liberal benefactions of individuals. New-York. Nego- ciation, between Sir Henry Clinton and the American Gen. Arnold. Major André employed in the completion of the fcheme. Is taken VOL. XXIV.
War in South Carolina. State of affairs after the battle of Camden.
Inaction caused by the fickly feafon. Sequestration of Eftates. Col.
Furgufon defeated and killed on the King's Mountain. General
Sumpter routed by Col. Tarleton. Brig. Gen. Leflie fent on an
expedition from New York to the Chesapeak, Proceeds to Charles
Town, and joins Lord Cornwallis. Gen. Greene arrives in North
Carolina, and takes the command of the Southern American army.
Colonel Tarleton difpatched to oppofe Gen. Morgan, who advances
on the fide of Ninety-Six. Tarleton defeated with great loss. Un-
fortunate confequences of the deftruction of the light troops under
Ferguson and Tarleton. Lord Cornwallis enters North Carolina
by the upper roads. Leaves Lord Rawdon with a confiderable
force at Camden, to refrain the commotions in South Carolina. Vi-
gorous, but ineffectual pursuit of Morgan. Deftruction of the bag-
gage in the British army. Admirable temper of the troops. Ma-
herly movements by Lord Cornwallis for paffing the Catawba.
General Williamfon killed, and his party routed. Militia furprizeď
and routed by Tarleton. Rapid purfuit of Morgan, who notwith-
Atanding paffes the Yadkin, and fecures the boats on the other fide.
British army marches to Salisbury; from whence Lord Cornwallis
proceeds with the utmost expedition to feize the fords on the river
Dan, and thereby cut Greene off from Virginia. Succeeds in gain-
ing the fords. Rapid purfuit of the American army. Their escape
by unexpectedly paffing the Roanoke. Extraordinary exertions and
hardships of the British army. Proceeds to Hillsborough. Expe-
dition from Charles Town to Cape Fear River. Wilmington
taken, and made a place of arms and fupply. Gen. Greene, being
reinforced, returns from Virginia; and the British army marches
Expedition to Virginia under General Arnold. State of grievances
which led to the mutiny in the American army. Penfylvania line,
after a fcuffle with their officers, march off from the camp, and
chufe a ferjeant to be their leader. Meffage, and flag of truce, pro-
duce no fatisfactory answer from the infurgents, who proceed first
to Middle Brook, and then to Prince Town. Measures used by
Sir Henry Clinton to profit of this defection. He paffes over to
Staten Island, and fends agents to make advantageous proposals to
the mutineers. Proposals for an accommodation, founded on a
redress of grievances, made by Gen. Reed, and favourably received
by the infurgents; who march from Prince Town to Trenton upon
the Delaware, and deliver up the agents from Sir Henry Clinton.
Grievances redreffed, and matters finally fettled by a committee of the
congrefs. Ravages made by Arnold in Virginia, draw the atten-
tion of the French, as well as the Americans, to that country. Gen.
Washington dispatches the Marquis de la Fayette with forces to its
relief. Expedition to the Chesapeak, concerted by M. de Ternay,
and the Count Rochambeau, at Rhode Island, for the fame purpofe,
and to cut off Gen. Arnold's retreat. Admirals Arbuthnot and
Graves encounter the French fleet, and overthrow all their defigns
in the Chefapeak. Lord Cornwallis's departure to Wilmington,
enables Gen. Greene to direct his operations to South Carolina. Si-
tuation of Lord Rawdon at Camden. American army appears
before that place. Greene attacked in his camp, and defeated. Ge-
neral revolt in the interior country of South Carolina. Difficulties
of Lord Rawdon's fituation, notwithstanding his victory. Obliged
to abandon Camden, and retire to Nelfon's Ferry, where he paffes
the Santee. British posts taken, and general hoftility of the province.
Great havock made by the Generals Phillips and Arnold in Vir-
ginia. Extreme difficulties of Lord Cornwallis's fituation at Wil-
mington. Undertakes a long march to Virginia; arrives at Pe-
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