y in the form
of poetry, scholastic discussion of the theory of translation has led
first to despair, and next from despair to the scientific and
unaesthetic principle of rendering into exact prose all forms of
literature alike. The twentieth century has thus opened again and
settled in opposite manner the old dispute of the French D'Alembert and
the Italian Salvini in the seventeen-hundreds, which was resolved by
actual results in favor of D'Alembert and fidelity to spirit as opposed
to Salvini and fidelity to letter.

In what we have said thus far of the dynamic power of Horace in literary
creation, we have dealt with visible results. We should not be misled,
however, by the satisfaction of seeing plainly in imitation, adaptation,
translation, quotation, or real creation, the mark of Horatian
influence. The discipline of the literary ideal in the individual, and
the moulding of character in literature as an organism, are effects less
clearly visible, but, after all, of greater value. If the bread and meat
of human sustenance should appear in the body as recognizable bread and
meat, it would hardly be a sign of health. Its value is in the strength
conferred by assimilation. With all respect and gratitude for creation
manifestly due to Horace, we must also realize that this is but a
superficial result as compared with the chastening restraint of
expression and the health and vigor of content that have been encouraged
by allegiance to him, but are known by no special marks. It is no bad
sign when we turn the pages of the _Oxford Selections of Verse_ in the
various modern languages and find but few examples of the visible sort
of Horatian influence. To detect the more invisible sort requires the
keen eye and the sensitive spirit of the poet-scholar, but the reader
not so specially qualified may have faith that it exists. With Goethe
writing of Horace as a "great, glowing, noble poet, full of heart, who
with the power of his song sweeps us along, lifts us, and inspires us,"
with Menendez y Pelayo in Spain defining the Horatian lyric, whether
Christian or pagan, by "sobriety of thought, rhythmic lightness, the
absence of artificial adornment, unlimited care in execution, and
brevity," and holding this ideal aloft as the influence needed by the
modern lyric, and with no countries or periods without leaders in poetry
and criticism uttering similar sentiments and exhortations, it would be
difficult not to believe in a substant