^5n ni^
V. X
i5i
( iSs)
ESSAY VII.
On Gray's Ciilrcii-Yard Elegy,
THE Elegy written in a Country
Churcb-Vard, troni the nature (jf
its hibjetfl, anil the merit of its executi-
ons, lias obtained an uncommon ihare of
popularity. Tbe principal refped in
wbicli it has been fuppofed defective, is
a want of plan ; an ingenious \\ ritcr has
obfervcd, * tliat it is thought by fome to
* be no more than a contufed heap of
* fplendid ideas, thrown together with-
* out order, and without proportion.'*
That it is, however, not deilitute of
* Mr. Knox's Efiays, Moral and Literary, Vol. i, p.
92, id. Edit.
plan.
i86 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
plan, the following analylls will fuflicl-
cntlv dciiionftratc : whether the niran;^c-
mcnt miglit not have been in fonie j>ai t^
improved, is another qucftion. The
Poet very graphically delerihes thepro-
cefs of a calm evening, in which he in-
troduces himfelf wandering near a Coun-
try Cluirch-Vard. From the fight of
the place, he takes occafion, by a few
natural and fimplc, but important cir-
cuniQances, to charaderizc the life of a
pcafant; and obferve?, that it need not
be difdaincd by ambition or grandeur,
whofe mofi: dillinguillicd fuperioritics
mull all terminate in the grave. I Ic then
proceeds to intimate, that it was not
from any natural inequality of abilities,
but from want of acquired advantages,
as riches, knowledge, &c. that the
humble race, whofe place of interment
he was furvcying, did not rank with the
mort: celebrated of their cotemporaries.
The fame impediments, however, which
obftrudled their courfe to grcatnefs, he
thinkj
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 1S7
thinks alio prccludcil their pro^rcis iu
vice, and, confcqucntly, th:U what was
lofl in one rcfpcd, was gained in the
other. From this ren;.v:iu)n he not un-
naturally proceeds to remark, on that
univerfality of regard to tlic deceated,
which produces, even for thefe huniMc
villagers, a coinnK'nioratlon of their pall
cxillencc. Tlien turning his attention
on hinifelf, he indulges tlie idea of his
beincr conirnenioratcil in the fuiie n-.an-
o
ner, and introiluces an epita.pli which lie
fuppok'S to he eniployed on tlie t)cca-
fion. The matter here, it mull be al-
lowed, is not ex ten live nor uncommon ;
the poem mufl, therefore, ikpend much
on the manner for its importance :
\', I. Th'.- ciirfcw tolli the k:ic!l <>f ji.Mtiu^' d.iy ;
Thf lov.in;/ licrJ witul Hinvly o'tr tlic Ic.i ;
The pl'uvnan hoiucwartl plods his weary wav,
And Lavc-. t!ic v.orlJ to darkiicf^ aiul tf> ii.e.
Now fude> th'.' ^'liinuicrliij l.uidfcajyj on t.'.c
fi-hr,
And all lYir air a fylema ilJir.cfb ho'.J..,
i83 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Save wh'.rc the birtlc wIkc!^ hi-».Ir.>:i:n/ Hijlht
And tlrowfy tinklin^s lull the il ilunt vA-h j
Save that, from yoiu! r i'. v-m..r.tic,!to\vci.
The- moping o-.vl d>-\.> to ;!iemof»n cornpla';!
Of fu<.h, as waiurriii ' near hs-T ll-crct l>o'.v*r,
M»)lc(l her ancient Military rci^n.
Poetry can alone univcrlally iiitcrcll,
\vhcn it ** brinLis b;u k the memory
of the pad," when it recall?; the objects
we have Teen, and the emotions \vc h;ivc
felt. Every man of ohllrvation, who
has wandered in the fields in an autum-
nal cvcnin:;, will acknowledge Cray's
pi(flure to be drawn from nature. The
circumflanccs which denote tlie pro-
grcfhon of time, are regularly intro-
duced, and finely marked ; as the depar-
ture of day;* the homeward return of the
herd, and of the plowman ; the gradual
fading of the landicape; the fubfequent
filence, broken only by the hum of tho
beetle; the diftant tinkling of the wea-
ther bell, and hooting of the owl ;
• r *ri :' r^ i/.ij \va5 undoubtedly inlcr.dcd for /.';;;ijyi»«.
and
CRITICAL ESSAYS. iS;
and laftly, the riling of the moon, by
which the Church-VarJ, the ohjed of
contemplation, becomes vifiblc.
Parallels between different fubjecls are
feldom natural or jud enough to be
nleafi ng ; they cxifl oftener in the fancy
of the perfon comparing, than In any
actual rcfemMance of the things com-
pared. TI.. c are inflanccs however. In
wlilch tlicy have their advantages : the
fuppofcd tolling of the curfew, jurt. as
the i\in was leaving the horizon, i.s not
whollv dellitute of analo_:jy to the tolling
of what is called the palling bell for the
deccafed. 'liic mention of a knell, na-
turally recalls this Idea, and fpreads a
folemnlty over the mind, which })rc-
pares it for the fentlment.s that loUow.
A Periodical Writer * has objected to
this line.
* The c irft-.v tolls the ktitll of parting day.'
• The Babllr, Vol. i. No. 55.
The
190 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
The vcrh being ufcd In the prefent, In-
ftcndofthc preterite, f art wg in{ic:{d of
fiirtCii, produces (he thinks) a falfe me-
taphor, as the hell is never rung till
the perfon is dead. Among our ancef-
tors, however, the bell was rung while
the party was expiring, in order to ob-
tain the prayers of the neighbourhood
on his behalf.*
There is an anachronifm, in intro-
ducing the curfew, acuflom of a remote
period, in a modern poem, in which
the poet alio introduces himfelf; but tliis
is a venial tranlgrcfiion of propriety, for
which the goodnefs of the poetry am-
ply com pen fates. This ft.;nza has, in-
deed, many beauties: there are, perhapi,
few inftances, wherein the fenfc is more
enforced by corrcfpondcnt found, than
• The very exprcfT.on of pajlng hell accords with tliii
idea. iJecliRANo's cJitiun of Bournl's Antii^uit-i-
tes Vulyares, page 12.
i.i
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 191
in that of the * herd ivinJing Jloivly o'er
* the li'iJt and that of tlic verb * ploti,'
applied to the movement of the plow-
man. The idea of fjlitude, alv.ays
grand, and often pleafing, is flrongly
imprefled by the circumllance of the
cattle, and the peafant relinquKhln^ the
fields to the wandering poet.
The Beetle ^ was introduced in poe-
try by Shakefpeare, but that circum-
Aance is no proof of inutation in Gray;
both poets undoubtedly transferred im-
mediately from nature, an iin:ii;c fo very-
common. Shakefpeare has made the
mod of his defcription ; indeed, far too
much, confidering the occafion :
• The name of beetle points out thc^r?/;, not the
/ptciis of infccL 'Ihat here intended is the l..r£i- black
one, fo common in autumnal anJ mild wintry cvcrv-
ings, as often to fly with confiJerable force again!! ihc
faces of pcrfons walking abroad. This has b<en con-
founded with a fummcx beetle, viz. the- ccimmon ticc
tocLchafcr.
To
192 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
-To black H'jtatc's fununons
The fliarJ-born bccdc with his drowfty hum,
Hjth rung night's yawiiinv: peal. •
Macbeth, ^vho had committed one mur-
der in perfoii, who inteiulcd to com-
mit another by proxy, and was about
to acquaint his wife with his intention,
could not be very likely to talk of Hecate
funnnoning tlie beetle * With his ilro\ify
* bum to ring flight's yiinning peal i
nor to recoiled that fuch beetle had
its place of nativity under a tile fliard.*-
The imagination muft be indeed fer-
tile, which could produce this ill
placed exuberance of imagery. Ihe
Poet, when compofing this padagc,
mufl have had in his mind all the remote
ideas of Hecate, a heathen goddefs, of a
beetle, of night, of a peal of bells, and of
that ad ion of the mufcles, commonly
called a gape or yawn.
• Shakcfpcarc was remarkably fomi of dcfcripuvc mi-
DUtcnef:^ ; his beetle i> yZvrj'-^jr/,', hi^ bat i:, cl'-\ji(r'J,
with many other inrtances of the fame kiiiJ, intioduced
with more or Kf propriety.
Dr.
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 193
Dr. Hill, in his Natural Hii^ory of
Animals, has objci^td to the caufc align-
ed by Gray, for the hollowing of the
owl : the voice of that bird, he thinks,
is not the voice of complaint, but rather
of joy or exultation. Perhaps we arc
not futlicicntly acquainted with the
axonorny of nodurnal fowls, to decide
pofitivcly what is the real occafion of
their clamour. That it is produced by
moleftation, we have no rcafon to be-
lieve, becaufe they are feldcm moleiled,
and often clamorous ; that it is produced
by plcafure, we have no certainty, nor
are we more certain that it proceeds
from hunger. Owls have been noticed
to be more vociferous in the fame places,
in fome years, and in fume fcafons of
the year, than in others. During the
breeding time, when the feathered race
in general are mofl noify, it is remark-
able that this genus is uncommonly
filcnt : two of thele animals often feein
to anfwcr each other's voices ; and a (in-
N glc
194 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
gle one has fomctimcs fcemed to chufe
a fituatlon, wherein its own voice might
be returned by an echo. The paiTagc
in queftion, however, is truly poetical ;
and though it may afiign a wrong caufe,
in a matter where we cannot affign a
right one, few pcrfons perhaps will wiHi
it had been omitted.
V. 13. Beneath thofo rugged c!m«, that yew trcc>
fliade,
Where heaves the turf in many a moulil'rin^
heap,
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid.
The rude forefathers of the hamlet flcc|>.
The brec/.y call of inccnft-brcathing morn.
The fwallow twittering from the ftraw-
built (bed,
The cock's ftirill clarion, or the echoing horn,
No more (ball rouii.- them from their lowly
bed.
For them no more the blazing hearth fliaU
burn,
Or bufy houftwife ply her evening care ;
No children run to lifp their fire's return,
Or climb his kneCi tlicenvy'd kifito (hare.
Oft
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 195
Oft did the hancft to their fickle yield.
Their furrow oft the rtubborn glebe h.ii *
broke :
How jc-cuiid did they drive their team afield f
How bow'd the woods beneath their fturdy
ftroke I
The rural d:iy is here moll bc.iutifully
depided : the images arc Co obvious,
fo natural in themfelves, and fo natu-
rally connetfled, that one is furprized
to find them now hrA placed in this
pleafing point of combination. All the
circumftances, except the morning
breeze, which is perhaps too poetically
made the voice of a profopopoiea, * TLg
* breezy call, C^c' are cxprelfed without
diminution of dignity, in the fimplert;
• The other members of this llanza are finill.ir, with
regard to the notation of time ; the verbi are all in the
fimplc preterite ; and if the meafurc of the verfe would
have allowed the omilfion of the auxlliar lat, this line
would have been of the fame Jlrudurc, and been better.
If any auxlliar were admitted, I think it fliould be the
prcterpluperfeil had, as fpcaking of afti performed pre-
vious to a certain point of pall time, viz. that of the
peafant's deceafe.
N 2 manner
196 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
manner irnaginaMc; cottage life is deli-
neated in the mofl pleafing colours,
every thing amiable is introduced, every
thing difgufling or ridiculous is fup-
prcni'd. There is, however, a love of
order in fomc minds, which would have
been better fatisficd with a dlfTcrcnt
arrangement of thcfe rtan'^^as : the rural
morning, as in nature, might have been
immediately fuccccdcd by the rural mid-
day, and the rural mid-day by the rural
evening. Dy this means alio, the mind
would have repofed on the pleafing and
interedlng idea of the pcafant furround-
ed by his children.
The hrccry call of inccnfo-brcathing morn,
'J'hc fwallovv twittcriiijj from th'.- Hraw-huilt
fhcJ,
The cock's flirill clarion, or the echoing hnrn,
No more (hall ruulc them tVom tlicir lowly bcJ.
Oft (lid the han cfl to their fickle )-:cld.
Their furrow ofi i!ic ftubborn gkbc h;is broke :
How
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 197
IIjw jocunJ did they drive their ttarn afield !
How bov/'d the w.x)ds beneath their fturdy
ftrokc '
For them no more tlic blazing hearth (hall burn,
Or hufy houfewife ply her c\cniir.; care ;
KochilJrcn run tdlilj) their fire'*; return,
Or clinil) his knees the cnvy'd kil's to (hare.
The matter of tranfporitiijii might, in-
deed, have been carried ilill flirther;
the bufiiiefs of the refjieCtive feafons
might have been meiitioncd in regular
progrefilon :
Ofi jocund did tht-y drive their team afield,
Their furrow oft the ftubborn glebe had broke :
How did the harvcfl to their fickle yield I
How bow'd the woods beneath their flurdy
ftroke !
The poetry fecms to fufFer little or no-
thing from this alteration. One objec-
tion may perhaps arife, that by infift-
ing on a multiplicity of diurnal adls,
in driving the team afield, * O/t jocund^
* Ci?c.' inlleadofa multiplicity of annual
N 3 operations.
198 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
operations, in gathering the harvcft, ' Oft
* didt G?r.' we loofc the plcafing idea of
the fuppofed longevity of a runick. It
may alfo be quelHoncJ, whether the ex-
clamatory * }lo\i\ has not more pathos,
when applied to the mental hilarity of
the carter, than when applied to the cor-
poreal energy or agility of the reaper.
V. 29. Let not ambition mock their ufcfiil toil.
Their homely joy.-, and tlcftiny obfcurc ;
Nor grandeur hear, with a difdaiiiful finilc.
The (hort and fimplc annal> of the poor :
The pleonafm and pcriffology, havehccn
already difcriminated as bearing, one a
good fcnfe, the other a bad one ; a^
modes of fpeech, in both of which more
words arc ufed than are abfolutcly nc-
ceflary, but as modes of fpeech, eflen-
tially different in their intention and
effect.* The pleonafm is here beautifully
exemplified ; all, in fid, is faid in the firfl:
two lines of the ftanza, * Let noty &c.' that
is faid in the third and fourth; but theite-
• Sec page 43.
ration
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 199
ration is a climax that iinpreflcs the idea
with additional vigour. Few poetical
images have been more rtrongly drawn,
than this of * Grandeur f mi ling difdain-
* fully at the annals of the poor *
V. 3j. The boaft of heraldry, the ponip of powV,
And all th;it Beauty, all that Wealth e'er
gave,
Awaits* alike the inevitaMe hour;
The paths of glory lead but to ilie grave.
This ftanza is clvaraifterizcd by energy,
and melody, in tlic highcft degree. Poe-
try attains her purpofe by various ways ;
Ibmetimes by fmgle, and fometimes by
combined efforts ; and where variety
docs not produce confufion, it often
adds force. In a hiftory piece well exe-
cuted, a number of perfons, all of dif-
i\T\(X charader, but co-operating to one
general end, will moftly enhance its
• It Ihould have been aivait, the plural, for it includes
a number of circumnanccs.
N 4 value.
2C0 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
value. We have here, fir/l, a group of
abAra(fl idcns, * The boajl of berijlJry,
' &c.' fo forcibly convey 'd, that \vc
ahiioft impcrfonatc ihcni in our own
mind, as * awaiting the approach of the
* inevitable hour :' the fccnc is then chan-
ged, and the fame circumftancc reprc-
fenicd in another manner; we fee the
* paths of glory ^ however different or dift-
ant, all converging to, and concluding
in, one ccntr.il point, they * lead but to
* the Grave.' It is obfervable, that the
poet here properly confines himfelf to
the gifts of fortune, * The bjiijl of heral-
* dry^ isc. one inrt:ancc only, that of
bc;.uty, excepted ; thus artfully prepar-
ing us for his fubfcquent ftanzas, * /Vr-
* haps in this neglected f pot ^ ^c' where
he introduces the gifts of nature as equal-
ly common to the rich and the poor.
If beauty, which, as a gift of nature, is
at leaf! as frequent among the latter as
among the former, had been totally
omitted, the pafTige might have gained in
point of regularity, though it would have
loft
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 201
loft in point of pathos. That even Gray
couUi not unite all advantage:., cnly
proves, that, in all human compoiitions,
there mufl: be impcrfeaion.
V. 37. Nor you, yo prouJ, Impute to thrfi tl: fuilt ^
If memory oVr ihcir lo'.uh no trophicN r;iirc.-.
Where thro' the lon^-t-'rawn ific anJ fretted
va'.ilr.
The |x-a!in^ ^juhem f.vtllb tlic iwteof jir.iiA:.
C.in ftorieJ urn, or uiiim-tecl bud,
Hack to itN in.mfi.)!! call tli- fltetirij.' breath?
C.m n.'iu>ur*> voice provoke the filer.! dult.
Or Flattery i'Xtlh the dull colJ car <»f death?
The phrafc, ' impufe to thefc the faulty"
does not fecm very liappily to exprefs
the poet's idea ; which was obvioufly
this, that the great have no pretence to
defpifc the nuan for the privation of thofe
funeral honours, which can avail nothing
to the dead, of any rank whatever. The
fecond ftanza, * Can (loricd uru^ tfr.' allcs
quellions, which furely need not have been
alked, becaufe they can be anfwercd only
in
202 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
in the negative ; they arc, however, afk-
€d, with fuch dignity and grace, that we
mufl not only pardon, but admire them.
The Author of thcfc EHays has known
fo many inflanccs of a coincidence to-
tally cafual, a rcfemblance of fcnti-
ment or cxprcflion, where there could
be no pofiibility of communication, tliat
he fcarccly dares to fay what he thinks
is, or is not, really a dcfigned or acci-
dental imitation ; or in other words,
where memory has, or has not, been
either confciouHy, or unconfcioufly con-
cerned. When Gray wrote tliefe ftanzas,
he pofilbly might have been reading
Tickcll's beautiful Poem on the Death of
Addifon ; and the Weftrainfter-Abbey
fccnc might confcquently furnifli fome
of his Disjecli Membra Poetce, This
however is by no means certain ; a man
of Gray's difpofition would undoubtedly
fomclimes frcquentour vcnerableGothick
Cathedrals,
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 203
Cathedrals,* and might copy immedi-
ately from the orIglnal>, his * long cfraiim
* il^^i * fretted "juult,' * fcaling anthem^
and * animated J} ntuc' Be this as it
may, it is at leaft worth obfcrving, how
nobly, yet, how varioufly, two great
mailers |{ have touched the Himc fuhjed :
How fiU-nt did his t-lJ companions tread,
I'y midnight lanip>, the nianfions of the dead;
Thro' breathing ltatiif<, then unheeded things.
Thro* ro\v> of warrior?, and thro* walks of
kings !
^Vhat awe did the flow folemn knell infpirc.
The pc:ding or^ran, and the paufirig ch<»ir. —
TlCKELL,
V. 4". Perhaps in this n(:glo»5led fpot is bid
Some heart, once pregnant with cclcftial fire j
Hands, that tiie rod of empire nnght have
fway'd,
Or wak'd to extafy the living lyre.
• We have Gray's own authority for this. See Ma-
son's editionof his Poems, i:c. quarto, p. 260.
jl TiCKtLL, however ncglcfled his works may be, was
really a genuine poet.
.But
204 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
But Kno'AlcJgc to their eyes her ample ju^zc.
Rich '.vith die fpoll>; of Tiiiic, did ne'er unroU ;
Chill I'cnury reprcfs'd th.ir nohle r.i^c-.
And froze t})C genial current of the LuJ.
Full m^ny 2 gem of pureftmy forcnc.
The d^ik uufithomM c;ivcn of oce^n bi-ar;
Full inaiv.' a fl(iWcr is born to blufli unf.cn.
And waftc its fwectnco on t!.c def.ir: air.
The EngliHi language probably cannot
boaft a finer fpeciinen of poetry than
thefc rtanzas. The fuppofition of the
powers pofll-fll'd, of the circumftances
which prevented their exertion, and the
jlluftrative comparilbns, are all commu-
nicated with a grandeur and energy that
have feldom been equalled. The Poet
calls from the graves before him, the
hands that might have wielded the fcep-
tre, or ftruck the lyre, and creates in
our imaginations the allegorical beings,
who reprefled their progrefs to greatnefs ;
Knowledge with-holding the fight of her
roll, and Penury calling on them a look,
which
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 2D5
which might be mct.iphorlcally f;iid to
freeze or congeal their faculties.*
There is in Young's Night Thoughts,
a profopopoica of MiJnight, waving a
lirt of mortality in the llarlled t)e, or
fight of Fancy :
By the lon^ lifl nffwlft :i'o:r.i!:ty.
From Ad.im t]^»\v!lw.'.r'!^ vi :h:« cv'nlng's kncif.
Which Mi(inij:!»: v.'avcs in Fcncy's H.irtlcd eye.
Gray undoubtedly h.ui read the lints, yet
it is qucflionahle whether he tliought of
• The dcfigncr, arJ cr.;;ravcr, have more than cncc
employed their rcfpciti\c arts, in producing an cmbtl-
liihmcnt to this noldc pocni. The poet leaning over 2
tomb-ftonc, given us by one, and the funcr..! poirefTion
by another, arc trite and obvious i.lcas. The llanza in
queAion uouI<i afi'nrd a fcnr picture: tuo of Grav's
Fore-fathers ff the han-.Ict, might be introduced r'-po-
fmg from their labour ; dignity snd grace might be
given to their forms; the eye of one beaniing cdelUal
fire, might ca(l a regretful look at Knowledge turning
from him with her folded roll; the other might indlg-
r ir.ily regard Penury, who at a diilancc IhouIJ, \vi;h
a Culm fe\er;ty of countenance, pf)int out to him a
plojph, or fome other inftrum-.ni of that cultivation,
which it u.n his lot to attend to.
them
2o6 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
them when he produced this not very
diflimilar image of Knowledge with her
ample page. The adion of the perfon
is however properly varied, as the ge-
neral fubjcd required ; Midnight is ex-
pofing the contents of the roll, knov.'Icdge
is concealing them. There is in Pope's
Rape of the Lock, a palTage which pof-
fibly fupplied our author with his fen-
timcnt ; and there is in Young's Satires,
another to which he might be indebted
for his turn of cxprefTion :
Like rofcs that in dcfcrts bloom and ditv
Pope.
Full many a flower is bora to blufh unfctn.
Gray.
And w-aflc tlicir mufic on the favagc race.
Young.
And wafte their fwcctnefs on the dcfert air.
Gray.
V. 57. Some village Hampden, that, witli d.uintlcfs
bread.
The little tjTant of his fields withftooJ j
Some
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 207
Some mute inglorious Milton here may reft ;
Some Cromwell guiltlcfs of his country's
blood.
The applaufc of liftening fcnates to command,
The threats of pain and ruin to dcfpifo,
To fcatter plenty o'er a fmiling land.
And read their hiftory in a nation's eyes.
Their lot forbade : nor circumfcrib'd alone
Their growing virtues, but their crimes con-
fin'd ;
Forbade to wado through flaughter to a throne.
And (hut the gates of mercy on mankind ;
The ftruggling pangs of confcious truth to hide.
To quench the blufhts of ingenuous Ihamc,
Or heap the (brines of luxury and pride.
With incenfc kindled at the Mufc's dame.
The dodrine which our poet had been
inculcating in general terms, and illuf-
trating by remote fmiilc, by the gem
and the flower, he here proceeds to il-
luftrate, by fuppofed particular example;
but fome of the inflances adduced in
exemplification, do not feem happily
difpofed. The mind is always bcil £1-
tisfied^
2o8 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
tjsficd, when its finds the difFcrent parts
of a paragraph, bearing cither a clolb
analogy, or regular contraft, of thought
and exprcfiion. The * Hands t bat might
* have borne the rod of inipire,' fliould have
been, as it were, realized in the mention
of fome monarch of fupcrior celebrity;
as the * Hands that might haie luakid
" the living lyre* have their realization
in the mention of Milton. Inrtead of
this, wc now meet with images of ano-
ther charader; Hampden ^ pat riot y and
Cromwell a li-arrior. The dcfign, how-
ever, which is thus complex and con-
fufcd, might have been rendered fimplc,
if the radical ftanza, * Perhaps in this
• negle61ed Jpoty &i\' had flood totally
unconnedled with its fucceflbrs, which
would have been the cafe, if the inflance
of Milton had been omitted. The King
and the Poet, would then have been
equally difmifled, without perfonal rc-
prefentation ; and Hampden and Crom-
well, the Senator and the General, would
have
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 209
have become principals, to whom the
two fiiccccding ftanzas, * The applaufc
* of liftcn'tng Jhiates, cfr,' would have
borne a proper relation ; the fenatorial
attributes being naturally appended to
the one, and the military criminalities
to the other. Had this plan been pur-
fucd, the lart; ftanza of the above quo-
tation, * The Jlrugglhig pangs , c^r,' muft
have been fupprelTed ; and indeed it may
be doubted, v/hcther much lofs would
have been fullained by its fupprcfnon.
Lclides its too long I'ufpcnding the
dole of the period, it contains fenti-
mcnts perhaps not llridly jufl: it fup-
pofes an uniform innocence in humble
life, which alfuredly cannot be found
there ; the villager will learn * to hide
* the pangs of jlruggUng truth,' or ia
other words, to tell a l)e with a good
grace, as well as the politician or the
trader i nor will he often be behind
hand with his fuperiors, in * quenching
* the bJup.es offuuncy or acquiring what
O is
210 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
is commonly called a confuminatc flock
of impudence.
That which Gray has left impcrfed. It
may be thought (and perhaps judly) prc-
fumption to attempt to amend ; to ren-
der the preceding obfervatioiis more in-
telligible, is therefore all that Is meant
by the following alterations :
Some heart of.cc pregnant with cclcnialfirc ;
Hands that the roJof em;)irc ini^ht have f;v.iy\f,
Or wulc'd to cxiufy ilie living lyre :
But knowlcibc to tluir eyes l;er ample pa^'C,
Rich with th.e fjviilsot' Time, iliJ ne'er unroll ;
Chill IVnury reprcf/il thvirdarinj; rngc,
And froze the vi^c.roiis current of the foul ;
Full ninny a L;cm of purcfl ray fercne,
The d.irk unf;.t]iOin'd ca\es of ocean bear j
Full main" a P.ower is born to blulli hnfi.en.
And watle its fweetncfb on the def.irt air.
Some vi]la.:e Hamp-lcn who wiLh dauntkr. brcaft.
The Lttlc t}rant of hi^ lklJ> withflood ;
Soir.t
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 211
Some bold afpiriiii: Cromwell here may reft,
Obfcure, and cullikTs of his country's blood: '
The applaufe t>f lilltning fenatcs to command,
The llirtMts of pain and ruin t<» tlefpilc.
To fcatter plenty o'er a fmiling land,
And read their hiltory in a nation's eyes.
Their lot forbad ; nor circumforib'd .ilonc,
Their iTowing virtues, but their crimes conf.n'dj
r<,rb;ul to wade ihrouizh llaiijhtcr to a tlirone,
And iliut the gates of mercy on mankirul.
There Is another method by wliich tills
paflagc iniglu be rendered more regular.
Tile radieal Ilanzi, * Pcrluips in this ricg-
* Icclcil J'l'Ott ^r.* Ipecitics only fimplc
eminence, without adjuuLt of either good
or evil : the fourth ll.uiza, * Some 'villiigd
* IldinpJ.Ky by its pcrfonal iliuriration,
rather prematurely introiluces both, and
might therefore be cx]>unged ; tlie reft
would then confillently expatiate on thofc
qualities in a variety of their operations:
lVrhr.p> in t:;is ncgleilcd fjiot i^ Lid
Some lieart, once prci^naat « idi celeftial fir? ^
O 2 Hand*
212 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Hands that the roti of empire mi^hrhavcfxny*.!.
Or wak'd to cxtafj* the li\ Ini' lyre ;
Hut knowIcJL'C to tlicl; eyes her ample pngc.
Rich with the rp<;il> f-f time , diJ sv.'er unroll ^
Chill jK-nwrv reprdsM their during rn;:?.
And fro/c the vigoroub current of the foul :
Full mnny a rem of | iircft rry fircne.
The Jiirk unfirhoin'd c.iveN oi occmi lv..r ;
Full many a flower is born to \Au(\\ iinllen,
Andw':iftc its f\veetnef» cm the Jj'crt air.
The api)l.'iik- of liftening l"n:.tcs toc«;:nnnn.?,
'Fhe tlircats of pain and ruin to difpilf,
To fcaltcr plenty o'er a nnilin^ laru!,
AnJ read their hillory in a nation's ey(.«.
Their lot foih.id j i.or circun'.fc-ib'J alor.e,
Their grov. inj \ im:cs,bir. z'rx.r v:ri:ncsronf:f.\:,
Forbad to waJi- tl;r(»ii^:h flaii^'htt-r to.i tliror.j^,
And iliuc liie /atc.> of n:ercy on m^r.ivirv?.
But who, even for the fake of regula-
rity, could admit fuch an alteration ?
who rr-iild hear to lofc the recollcdion
of fuch national and interelling exam-
ples, the recolle<!^ion of a Ilainndcn, a
Milton, and a Cromwell ?
The
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 213
The Periodical Writer before-mention-
ed. Teems to have perceived that this
part of the Elegy was in fome manner
defe(5live ; but not iindcrilanding it fully,
he has accufed it of faults with which it
is not chargeable : * The author,* fays
he, * in the very moment that lie intend-
* ed to lafh Cromwell with the greatell
* fevcritv, introduces him in the fame
* company with Hampden and Milton,
* the obje(fls of his highcA admiration ;
* and laments, in the fame introduvflory
' palllitje, that
Cijill pcnii: V ujiicf^'J Ills noWc rage.
And fro/c- t!:c .:cni;.l current of his fou],
* It is odd,* continues he, * that a fiolf/c
* rage lliould ever be a 7!n7/jf one,*
This is mifreprefcntatlon; the Critic has
nude the nonfenfe v.hich he cenfures.
The pafi*agc, which he juiljy terms ///-
trcduclory^ occurs before any mention Is
O ^ made
214 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
made of Hampden, Milton, or Crom-
well : it refers only to the Pealunts,
who arc fuppofcd to have poireired pow-
ers equal to the powers of thofc cele-
brated tharaclers, but without op-
portunity of expanding them into
a(5tion, Hampden, Milton, and Crom-
well arc, it is true, introduced in com-
pany, not as common objcdls of praife,
but as common pofleirors ot the ;;;/'/c'
m^e which had been mentioned, a neu-
tral cx'prefilon, by wliieh I undcrll.uui
no moral quality, either good or evil,
but merely that r;V/:/<7 r/V <:/;.v/;/, which
capacitates for great adions, v.hether
virtuous or vicious in their cwn nature.
Witli the fame erroneous idea, he pro-
ceeds to the context, * T/v i^ppliiujc of
* lijlt'Jiing fcniitcsy iJ'c' * Here,' fays lie,
* Cromwell is allowed his iliarc of vir-
* tuc, as well as Hampden and Milton ;
* and they, in the pronoun plural /Zv/r,
* are dragged in for their ihare of vices,
* as well as the celebrated ufurper.'
But
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 215
But tlic pronoun plural tbclr relates nei-
tlier to Hampden, nor Milton, nor
Cromwell, hut to two clafTcs of ruf-
tlcks, who, if circumflances had fa-
voured the exertion of their ahilities
when livincr. mii'ht cither have henc-
fited or injured their fellow creatures :
fuch of them as had virtue in their re-
ftrided fphcre, would only have heen
more confpicuoufly good ; fuch of them
as had vice, would only have been pre-
eminently wicked.^-
This pafTage has heen fuflicienlly con-
fidercd, with regard to its fenfe ; fomc
attention fecms now due to its expref-
fion:
To fcattcr plcjity oVr a fmiling 1 iiul,
And rcp.J their hillcjry in a nation's t yc-;.
• Thii Writer's obje.S\:on 5 may fccm unncccn"arily at-
tended to; but as hij Ffl'iV is the only profclTcd Criii-
cifm on Gray's Elc^y, it fccmrd to rccjuirc fomc no-
tice.
O 4 Poetical
2i6 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Poetical holdncfi^, carried to its utmort:
claflical limit, is inll.inccd in thcfc lines.
Sonie of the images arc fo uncertainly
marked, that we fcnrcely know whether
they were intended for natural objcds or
allegorical perfonages. * Plentyy indeed,
which is very often pcrfonit'ed, cannot
pollihly be fo here; for the circumflance
of being '^ fcatttrcd^ precludes the idea
of a perfon, and fixes the meaning to
the avftual produce of cultivation. The
• hnd* from the application of tlic epi-
thet * Jnulhy^y may be regarded as a
pcrfonihcation, but perhaps nothing
more was redly defigned, than the mere
extent of the country ; wliieh when rc-
plcnillied with tloweis, fruits, and corn,
is frequently fiid to J'mUc. The next
line, * yln.i read their hilhry^ &c.' ranks
in a flill more doubtful predicament.
\Vc arc at a lofs to determine, whether
wc are to underftand by the word * //.;-
' tioriy' the croud of individuals, the real
people at large, in propria f^crjonay or the
fame fubjeift confidercd in the aggregate,
as
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 217
a? comprehended in one fuMlinc imagi-
nary cxiflence. The firft idea undoubt-
edly occurred firil to the poet, and
niiL;ht produce the llcond, which was
probably what he ine;'.iit to convey to
tlie re.uicr. The metaphor in this line,
• JlfiJ tiihi their I'ljlory-y -^r.* though
confidcrably removed from limplicity,
does not leem to violate propriety :
the emotiv)ns of the mind are, it is
well known, vifible to a certain de-
gree \\\ the countenance; arid by a
long cAahlilhed nvnlc of Ipcech, which
exchanges a geniral for a fpccifick term,
inftead of faying we pcrcche, we fny
we nv/(/them. The Autlior then had not
palled the bounds of cuAom, in fiippo-
fmg of patriots or heroe>, that they read
admiration or reverence in the eyes of a
nation; but he goes further, and, by a
metonymy of cfl'edl for caufe, fuppofcs
that they read thrre, the hiflory of thofo
adions, for which they arc admired
or revered. To illuflrate his fenti-
inent by example, were t.\()' ; tlij late
Duke
2i8 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Duke of Cumberland, after the battle
of Cullodci), and the late Earl of Cha-
tham at the clofe of the war, 1763, muft
have been beheld with fuch obvious gra-
titude, that they might be faid to * rctiJ
* their bijlory in a nation s eyes.'
Jt is wortliy obfervatlon, that the cir-
cumftancc which Gray has thus digni-
fied, and reprcfcnted as glorious and
enviable. Pope has dcgfadcii, and en-
deavoured to render an obJccTl of con-
tempt :
One ftll-approv ill ; hv.ir wh'»!c V'.-.us oiu\vcij;,li^,
Of lluJin! llarcr>, aiij of l<mJ liu/./-.i'>.
Cray's cxprefTion, it may be faid, in-
volves the whole publick ; the moft re-
fpe(flable part of it the opulent and in-
telligent, as well as the vulgar j Pope
alludes only to the latter. But that
Pope's fentiments of popularity, even
with the higher ranks of mankind, were
not
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 219
not very favourable, Ms Efi'iy on Man,
in another place, fulliciently clcmon-
Aratcs :
And more true joy Maiccllus cxilM LcU^
Than Cal'ai with a Rnafc at L-s fuuls.
The people of all clafTes arc in-
deed Co variable in their opinions, fo
prompt extravagantly to appl.uul, and
capricioufly to eenfure, that a popular
man may fairly conlider his reputation
as a cloud before the wind, perpetually
varying its form, now increaling, now
diininiiliing, and at length dilpcrfed
in air.
ForbnJ to wailc thr(;nj;h Hauglitcr tn a tLionc,
And lint ihc ga"c:> of merry on ir..'.nkinJ.
The imac^c of wad in g: throuj»h l.lood, has
no great claim to novelty; but it is intro-
duced with dignity and propriety. There
is fullicicnt analogy betucen him wlio
iliuuld literally wade through blood to a
throne.
220 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
throne confidercd as a local eminence; and
him by whofc command blood is Hied, in
order for his obtainmcnt of political fu-
pcriority. The image in the next line is
equally grand and appolitc ; a tyrant's
inrtexibility, could not, perhaps, have
been dcfcribed \\ Itli more force, than bv
faying he * JJ.ut the gates of mercy en man-
« kind:
Or hc.ip the nirinc of Luxury auJ PriJ.-,"
Widi inccnfc kimilcd iU tir.- Muib's flame.
The metaphors here arc common, but
they are not unplealingly applied. The
« Mujcs fame kinJ'es incenf ;' that is.
Poetical genius ofiers flattery at the fhrinc
of Luxury and Pride. Shrhie, by a
bold licentia poeticdy h here fubrtituted
for altar. Dr. John Ton defines a ihrine,
* a cafe in '■jehicb fme thing ficred is repo-
' fiteJ i a Hirine confequently cannot
properly be faid to be heaped at all,
^nd muchlefs properly withinccnfc; an
altar
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 221
altar Is the place appropriated to that mate-
rial.* Tlie Mufc's flanic here mention-
ed, has not, however, very often kiml-
Icd the incenfc whieh has heaped tlie al-
tars of I.n.vurv and Pride; Poetrv has had
little concern \\ itii tlie volumes of rhym-
ing praife that have iilued from the pref ;
Dryden's atiiil.itciry pieces, fome of them
at leaf}, excepted. Mafon, in one of his
Kle;^ies, hn - f.r.jly chara»fler!:;eii that Au-
thor, and v.iih a n;wt.iplior lefs com-
mon and more bei'itiiul liian Ci ray's,
has reprefented him a> crowning the
fuhje*!ts of his applaufe with jewels:
If Porn ;li!ou^h f;"(.:iJfIiij> f.iil\!, imll^riant view,
Ytt pity I)r V')i s ; h.iik, wlurcVr he firi. s,
I low ;iJu!.i;!fM; i!r. ^i Kcr cutirtlv titw
On ti'.!(..'. r!.\:iK.'5 and iiiL;liirioi;s kiii^s.
Stv iVf :n ih. c.j>:;i> ci his cxhauftlt.!'. niiric.
His rliitcri.1^ lloicf the tuixNil fj^iuiitliiift
throw--,
• With nur ninor Poet's and Pootcffci, ihr words y'.i'.e,
Jhrmt, fibivy he. arc perpetually in ufc, anj arc as
ptrpctuaHy inlljpplicd and confounded hy thcui.
As
222 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
As fc.iror iiitcrcfl liJ";, bcholJ thcyfhrinc.
Now JieLaCRoMw ell's, now a Charles's
blO'AS.
Eltcy to a Youjic Noblfman.
V. 73. Far from the ir.a !t!::^^ crowd's IgtK.blc ftrifc.
Their fi'bt.r WiPi.ts never Icarn'd to ftray j
Aloii^ tlu-t«K.)! (Itjuvncr'd vale of life.
They kc-p: the rvdf.kf^ tenor of their way.
To a rcaticr, wlio docs not think while
he reads, there is an ambiguity in this
pafTagc, which mny Lnd to a llnfc con-
trary to the real one. The author Tup-
pofes, that his peafants were fituated re-
mote from the * croud's igrioblc fir'ifc*
and that their wKhes never ilrayeJ to-
wards it. Tlie pronoun perfonal, * TZ'.j,'
with which far tlie adverb of fituation
fliould haveconne(5ted, being not cxpref-
fcd, but only underilood, that adverb
may be erroneoufly combined with
v:Jjl:cs^ and of courfe it may be ab-
furdly thought, that the ruftick's de-
fires, inftead of never extending to tlic
tumult
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 223
tumult of publick life, had never ex-
tended beyond it. There is licre alio a
triHing incongruity of fentinicnt ; tlut
ardour of adion which h.id before been
pointed out as gUrryus^ is here inad-
vertently termed ignobk. The two bill
lines of the ILujzj, ' Ahng the coJ,
* cfr.' arc a kind cf obfcurc or indi-
ree't allufion, ur finiilc : — the per Ions
in queflion, A/J their quiet even courjl'
through the ii-orlJ, like a filent Jlream
through a cool and folitary valley.
The idea of the peafants being content-
ed with their fituaiion, is poetically
plcafing, but not jufi. There is pcrhapij
no clafs of men, on the whole, more
dilTatisfied with its condition, or whofc
willies are more perpetually Graying to
the condition of others, than this. The
gentleman, the clergyman, the opulent
farmer, and the tradefman, arc the con-
flant objeifts of the ruftick's envy ; fuch,
alas, is unhappy human nature !
V.77.
224 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
V. 77. Yet cv'n thcfc bones from infult to prv^tcJl,
Some frail memorial Hill crcifleJ ni^h,
With uncouth rliynie anJ fliapelefs fculptmo
deck'd,
Implores tlie paflin^ tribute of j figh.
Their name, their )tar>, fpclt by;h' un^etttrM
Mule,
The place of fame niul elc^yfupply ;
Ant! manya!-.o!y tcMarounJ Pie flrc\v>,
That teach the ruftick. iiiorJUl todic-
For who, to dumb For^ctfuincfs a prcv,
This plv-afing r.nxlous being e'er refiLrnM ;
Left the warm prcci;icl<; of the chcarful day,
Nor caft one longing ling'ring look behind r
On fomc fond brcail the parting fj'd relics.
Some pious dti>p«; the clofuig eye requires ;
y.v'n from the tomb ihe \oiccor nature cries,
Ev'n incura/hes li\ctl)eir w'untcd fire;*.
The great merit of a poet is not, like
Cowley, Donne, and Dcnliam, tu fay
what no man but hinifclf has thought,
but what every man but himllrlf ha^
thought, but no man exprclfed, or at
leaft cxprcffcd fo well. Dr. Johnfon
has,
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 225
has, with great jufticc, allowed the ori-
ginality of the above ftanzas ; * I have
* never,' fays he, * fccn the notions in
* any other place; yet he that reads
* them here, perfuades himfelf that he
* has always felt them.'
The general fight of a Cemetery,
naturally afleds the mind with an un-
mixed and painful melancholy; it pro-
duces gloomy rctleclioiis on tlie end of
all things, regret for others, or appre-
henfion for ourfclves ; but the Unlettered
Mufe, with her little narratives, often
introduces other ideas ; her language is
fometimes fo abfurd, that in a lefs feri-
ous fituation, it would excite rifibih'ty;
and her tale is fometimes Co patlietically
circumHantial, that it awakens all our
tendernefs.
Nothing can be more noble, nothing
can be more beautiful, and yet nothing
P more
226 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
more fimplc r.nd inttllii^iblc, than the
firll tlircc (lanzas of the above quotation,
• Tet rSn tbcjc bones y C^c' and they
are fo corred, that they have not an
tpithet but \vhat adds force to the fenfe,
nor a rliynie tliat obfcures or weakens
it. The fourth ftanza, ' 0)i f.mc fond
• brciijl, d'.' at leart the latter part
of it, is not quite perfpicuous. When
the Poet tells us that the parting
foul, or expiring perfon, relies on fonie
fond bread, fome afie<5lionate relative,
wc underlland that it fo relies for com-
memoration ; but what is intended by
thefe lines feems rather doubtful :
Kv'n from l'.c t<»ni'> the voice of ii.;turc cric^,
Ev'n in our aflit^ live thvir wonttJ fires.
The ancients, it is well known, were
anxious, to an extreme, for funeral ho-
nours : they even fuppofed that the fpi-
rits of the deceafed could not refl, till
the rites offepulture were performed,*
• See this opinion finely exemplified in the llory of
Pau-ocluj, Jljaj, Book 23.
Perhaps
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 227
Perhaps our author, with the licence of
a poet, here adopts this clulical opinion.
If this was not his idea, it is ditliciilt to
fay wliat could he. * The loicc of Na^
* turCy* in tlic hofoms of the living, might
indeed, be faid to cry, or call for fuch
tokens of regard to the dead, as we ima-
gine may be acceptable to them ; but this
ic{\(c it i^ evident was not intended here,
for if it was, the voice of nature could
not be faid to cry * from the tcmbS
Antiquity held anotlier dodrine, which •
alfo feems here to be alluded to, viz. thai,
after death, the foul retained its ufual
paffions and afledions, and confequent-
ly miglit look to the ol^jects of thefc
paffions or aft'eclions for proofs of their
tender remembrance. Mr. Mafon, who
allows the palfage to be obfcure, thinks
this to be the meaning. * JIc meant to
* fay,' fays he (fpeaking of the poet) * that
* ue wilh to be remembered bv our
• A poeiical plirafc for the diclatcj of natural afrcwlIon%
P 2 * friends
128 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
* friends r.ftcr our tlcatli, in the fame
* manner, as, when alive, \vc widicd to
* be remembered by them in our ab-
* fence.*
The above-mentioned ingenious Writer
has given two variations of the lad
line, one as it Aood in tlic firrt; edition,
and one of his own propofing :
Awake, and faitliful to her wontcJ fircs. —
Awake, and faithful ti> her firft titfircs. —
Thefe alterations, however, feem not to
render the fenfc much clearer; the lall
is indeed the fimplen:, beccufe it drops
the metaphor.
Ev'n in our aflics live their wontcJ f.rcs.
This line, which is an avowed imita-
tion of Petrarch,* inculcates the idea
of a poflhumous connexion of the intel-
ledual and corporeal part of man; the
• Son. 169.
fpirit
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 229
fpirlt is fuppofcd to be fomc how com-
bined with, or conccilcd under, the
duft, like hrc in embers. Dr. Young,
in a vcrfe, which, from his aukwnrd in-
trodu<f\ion of the xcvhjhimhcrst has puz-
zled many a juvenile reader, feems to
reprobate this idea :
Why tht-n th.ii lofs Jqilorc, that arc not l<ifl ?
Why wuiiilcrs vvrctchcl tliou^lit their tuiiibj
arounJ,
III infiJvl diftuTs ? Arc an^tls t'urc ?
S!unibcr>,' iuk\1\\\^ in liufl, ;rthercal fiic ?
V. 03. For thcc, who niiiulu:! of th' uiihonoMr'J dc.iJ,
Duft in thcl'c lino tiicir ardcl"-. talc relate j •
If chance, by lonely contemplation lei!,
Some kinJreJ fpirit niay inciuire thy fate,
• Thii verb, by being ufeJ in the lingular at the
opening of tlie line, fo refcniblc. the noun plural, that,
without attention to thv note of interrogation, we might
tnirtake anJ make the line nnriftiifc. The ufe of the
auxiliary can, would dcllroy the amiiiguity, render the
culinary term rai'J, unnecclfary, and improve the me-
lody of the line :
Can fire* xthcrcal flumber in the dull*
P 3 Haply,
13© CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Haply, fume hnary-hc.ulcJ (w^.\•^ may fay ;
* Oft h.nc wc fccnhim at the peep of Jawn,
* Bnifliin^ wjih hafly flc])^ the dews away,
* To niccl the fun up -n the upland lawn.*
* There at the f«>-ot of yoiKkr ncHKlin^; beech,
* Th.:t wrca:l:cs its old fnuadic n^.ts fo
* hi^h,
* His linicfs length at ncK'ntidc would !ic
* ftrttch,
* And pore upon the I'rook Uiat lv.M)lc>by.'
* Hard by yun v.cy^il, r/nv fmillnj: 3« in feorii,
* Muttcrii;^ his w.;y\vard f..:icics he v.')i:lJ
* ro. t i
* Now drooping. Woeful, w.::;, l.l.c ojic fv>i-
* lorn,
* Or cri.7.'d with ere, vi crofs'd iii h<'p.--
* !eG love.*
Gray, in one of his letters, perhaps too
precipitately, afierts, that defcriptlon
(by which he douhtlels merait defcription
of rural fcenery) never ought to make
the fubjed of poetry; but he admits it
to be its n^oft gr.xeful ornament; and
both at the beginning, and towards tlic
clofe of tliis beautiful Elegy, has mod
advantage-
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 231
ndvantngcoufly availed hinifclf of it.
Thofc Critick?, who have denied this
Poem the merit of a general plan, have
miftakcn general plan for proper difpo-
fition of particular parts ; the former,
as has been flicwn, it really pclTclTes ; in
the latter, I have already noticed a defi-
ciency. Here is another inllance, where-
in a fimple tranfpofition woiiKI, at lead
in my Oj^iriion, produce a very confider-
able improvement. The Puet'> morning
perambulation i> narrated i:\ this llinza,
* Hnply, Jbmc Lzary-bciulcd fiLiiin^ eft.'
Jiis noontide rej^^ofe is defcrihed in the
next, and he is introduced in the hfl,
thou^rh without fiKcihcation of time, re-
fumincT his walk a''ain. Had the firll
o o
and third llanz.is been broiiL^ht toge-
ther, the unity of acli(;n v/oiild have been
preferved uninterru|'ted ; the morning
wanderings would have been con neeted
in one point of view, and the noon-day
reft have naturally followed them ; for
inllance :
I' 4 ' ^W).
232 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
* Haply, f(jrr.c h''iar\-hfaJcJ fwnin nuy ftv;
* Oft have wc fttn him at the pttp of dawn,
* Brufhing with l;afty f}cJ)^ the <Jiw> awav,
* To meet the fun ijjx):\ die upI.mJ I.iv.n.'
• Hard hy ynn wood, now fmilin^ a> in fconi,
* Muttering his wa\ ward f.iiieics he would
• ri'vc ;
* Now dr(K»ji;n^', wocfid, wan, lilcc one forlorn,
* Or craz'd with care, or crof-,'d in h-jxlefs
♦ love*
• There at the foot of vondcr nrnldin'^ hccch,
* That wreathes its eld fi nt ail ic roots f'>hi'_'h,
• His liOLfi length at n-ontide would he fl retell,
* And jx>re uj-xin the bro(>l< iliut bahMes by.*
Thcfc Oanzas !iavc great nuilt. The ra-
pid tranfition«^ of thtnight in tlic miiul of
a poet, as indicated in e.\t.:nal aelion,
arc painted in the moll lively manner.
The rural imagery has an air of novelty ;
and the heach, with its old fantallic'-:
roots, hanging over the rill, is a com-
plete pivf^ure. Mr. M.ilbn obferves of
the language in thi> part, th it it has a
dorick delicacy. It ha.^, indeed, what I
iliould rather term a Iiappy rullicity, un-
dcgraded
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 233
dci^ratlcd by mcanncfs: from fuch a clia-
radcr as is rcprefcntcil fpcnking, * a bo.iry-
* bcaiiiilficdii:,' one HioiiKl rcMlonahly cx-
ped fuch plirafcs a>; tlicfc, * ILini by yon
* "iVQoJf C>f.' * ivayii'ard fiincici* * 'uotjul
* iviifi,'* one forhrHy * cra::\i ivitb care,
* crcjs'j ii:itb ioi'e, i^c'
The fame Gcntlcmiin has favourcil us
with a rtanza, which, in Cj'r.iy's M.S.
immediately fucceeded the above, and
whicli he rather womlers the Poet lliould
have fupprelfcd, as it wouhl liave com-
pleted the account of his whole day,
whereas evening is now omitted :
Hiin h.ivc wv.- fccn tlu* j:iv.cu-v.<)()J fi 'c jIohj,
Whilt; o'er thi hcatfj wchicd onrl.:bour tJonc;
Ol't ai :h'j w«.oJl.;rk />//>''/ her f.ircwcll fjii^.
With w:!!t'ul cyts puifuc the felting fun.
The ftanza, confidcred in itfelf, is not a
bad one; but Gray was right in fiip-
prefnng it, and I think it is cafy to con-
iedure fome of the rcafons for its lup-
prellion.
234 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
prcfilon. The Poet's evening had been
defcrihcd before, at the opening of the
Poem ; to have deferibcd it again,
would have been fnpcrfluous, and an
inftancc of that difgufting redundance,
\vhich is Aire to create confufion, and
which we always meet with in the
works ofconinion writers. Divcrfity of
fituation alfo is wanting; we had the
liccj before, * ILirJ by yon ivood ,' and
now we have it again, * Tic grccn-ivoijd
* JiiiC alongy (^c* 1 here is, indeed, a
kind of contraft, or antithchs, between
the idea in one of the former flanzas, of
the poet going out to mcvt the fun at its
rife, and the idea in this llanza, of his
viewing it with wiAful or regretful eyes
when fetting i but this contrafl, as it is
here managed, does not pleafe ; the
mention of the fun by name twice, at
lead in its prefent pofition, has too much
famenefs to be agreeable.
V.ICg.Onc morn I mif>'dhimon thc'ccuftom'd hill,
Along the hathy and nvar his L\ ouritc l-cc ;
Another
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 235
Another came ; nor y- 1 bciulc the rill.
Nor up the /(/U'/j r.cr a: the tc-;./ w.i< lie.
The foregoing ftanzj.s, p. 230, * -/A-'/'/v,
* fomc boary-bcihlt'il J'u-.iin^ -oc-.' contain
fubjc^f^s whicli ought to have hcen regu-
larly and dKHndly reeapitulatcil or eon-
trafled in this concUifion. Tliis how-
ever is not the cafe. Tlie * upIanJ laivn,*
in the firlt ftanza, and the * nodiUng
* beech \ and the * hrG'jk^' in the fecond,
are well enough oppoled hy the * cujl'j,nd
* billy tlie ^ J'irc'jiuUc tri'Cy ami the *////,'
in the tirft, fecoiul, and third lines here;
but the '//icv;,' to wliieh '' cujUjnid hill,'
had already correfpondeil, is now redmi-
danliy introduced again hy it^ own appel-
lation, and the * ivoody which would iinvc
been more confiftently exprefild by Ionic
iynonynious term, is likewifc limply
mentioned by name. The * heathy' is a
new and fupertluous image. Thefe it
may be faid are trifles, fcarcely worth
notice ; but if fuch trilles were nu^rc
regarded, compolition would make
nc.;icr
236 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
nearer approaches 10 pcrfetflion. The
following arr.ini^ement is ruf>inittcd to
the Reader merely as explanatory of my
own ideas :
ILply, Otnv.- hoary-h'-;MlcJ fwain m?.y f.:y;
C)u have wc fccn him at the jx-cp of J;i\v:i,
BrufliiPL^ with lulJy ficps t!ic- dews awav,
To meet the fun ui^m the uf/.'jud lunn :
Hard by yon iva/fy now fmilin^ a-i in fcorn,
Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he would rove;
Now dr(M>pinL', w<x fid, w..ti, like one forlorn.
Or cra/.'d with cate, <>r crofj'd in l-.op.lcfs love.
Therc^ntthefiKit ofi^-.^r r.rJ.I-Kg /■<•<;:/•,
That wrcathe> it^ old r.int..(lie root^ ff> hi j;h ;
His liHIcfi len/tl) at noontiilc wi.uld he firctch,
At»d jx'ic upon tlie lr::k that hahMe-^ by.
One morn 1 mif>»'d him on the i.'//;".*-//-//',
Aloni; the <"5/>/^v ^f'*'' ^^^^ \\Ufr;:'::^n't,-ir,ei
There came another, and af.other ftill ;
Nor at the ^r;tv, nor by the ri!i\ was he.
The firft half of tlie lafl flanza, has here a
proper relation to all the preceding oh-
jc(5ls, except the brc-jk; the * upLind laii'n,'
is contrafted hy the */'///,' the * ^^-ood' hy
the 'r^/yT'/and the * beach' by the * tree:'
the
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 237
the fcccnd half introduces only the 'u;o:J,
under the appellation of grove ; and for
the firft time, contrails the l>rooi by the
denomination of n'//. Tliefe variations,
however, do not obtain all the regularity
that might be wifhed for ; but perhaps
they have as much as could be obtained in
the fiime compafs. The third line, *Thcrc
came another^ oo' fome may think
rather injured in Arength and fwcetnefs
by the alteration.
V. 1 13. The iKXt, with dirges i!iic in f.iJ array.
Slow through the church-way path wcfaw
him home.
Approach, and read, (for tJiou caiift read)
the lay,
Grav'd on the fior.c beneath that aged thorn.
I once heard it obferved by a very ingeni-
ous Gentleman, that in Spenfer's Fairy
Queen, and Fairfax's Tallb, may be
found almoH: every modern melody,
every pleafing difpofition of wurd^ in
ufe with the poets of the prefent day.
This
238 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
This is certain, tli.it in diflcrent aiitliors,
\vc often rncct with the fame turns of
cxprcfiion, whicli nevertheless is no
proof of imitation. The fentiment in
this line, * y^pproacb and read' {for thou
canjl reiui) * the lay,* undoubtedly pro-
duced thv words, without adverhon to
the lan^uacjc of any preceding writer ;
for to convey it in words more natural,
is not polnble : yet fome may imagine
they have found its prototype in this
of Dr. Young ;
An J ft».-.\! (for you can fi-j..!" ct'ifti.il \\i^z.
In fome of the early editions of the
Elegy, after the llanza lall quoted, the
following was infer ted :
Thcrr, fL.iltcr'J eft the cnrlicfl of the year,
r»y hands unfccn arc//.3:c<v; of vi^uti founil ;
T he rtd brcafl lo'. c> to biiikl and warble there,
And little footlKpNliiihtly pri;:t the ground.
Mr. Mafon, who thinks thcfe lines very
fine, neverthelefs thinks they were very
properly
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 239
properly omitted, bccaulc they made the
parcnthelis too long. They had, in-
deed, this had edict ; hut tiiere were,
I think, other caufes for their rejec-
tion. The preceding ftanza, * The next
* 'iL'ith dirgesy G*t .' and this, arc totally
different in tharacfterj that is ferious,
this is trifling ; tlut deals in real i'uft,
this in puerile fancies : the addition was
like that of a Chinefe roof to a
Tufcan column. Thefe corrcdions of
Gray's, together with many hints
in his letters, have convinced me that
his poetical powers, however great,
were not fuperior to his critical (kill.
K P I T A P H.
litre r(.n.< hi> IicaJ uj>oii the lap of earth,*
A }outh, to fortune, anJ to Kuiu-, uiikncwn.
Fair ScivMLC froun'J r.ot on his hiiiiiM; birth,
AiiJ Mtl.inchclv niark'd him lor litr own.
Lar^c u'.is hi^ bounty, and hi> foul Hnccrc ;
Htav'n did a rccom^Kiicc as lar^^cly kiiJ :
• How glad vvijulil lay nic down.
As in my mothir's lap.
Paradifc Lort, U. i;*, p. 777.
He
240 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
He jjavc to mlfit y, all he ha*!, a tear ;
lie gain'J from hcav'n ('twas all he wifh'J) a
friend.
No farther feck hl-»- mcrit'^to difclofe.
Or draw hi> frailties from their dread abode ;
(There thi-y alike in tremblin;^ ho}\r repofc)
The iKifom of his f.ithcr, and hi^ God.
Rcrpc(fllng this Epitaph, of the two firfl
ftanzas, little need be laid; they arc
both correifl; the firft is elegant and
fin^plc, the fccond is not totally clear of
affc(flation. The turn of wit, by which
the poet's * large bounty 'm difcovercd to
be only a ^ tear* and his ^ rccompciicc is
found in ^ fricrJjh'ip* is certainly unc.v-
pe^fled, and perhaps too refined for the
occafion. To the third ftanza, the Mi-
nor Critick, before quoted, ftrongly ob-
je«5\s. ** If it has any meaning," fays he,
** it can mean nothing but this," " that
•* it is improper to examine the merits
*' or frailties of the perfon deceafed,
** fince they are both alike rcpofed in
*« one
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 241
" one dread abode, the bofoin of his
** father and his God," * This is the
* firft time,' continues he, * I ever heard
* of a human creature inakini? tlic bo-
* fom of his deity a repofitory for liis
* errors ; and in the prefent cafe, I
* think tlic fault more incxcurible, be-
* caufe the violence offered to reafon and
* religion, has no way alii fled the poe-
* try, this being perhaps as lame a paf-
* fage as any in the whole piece.'* This
f«:vere ccnfure is unmerited : univerfal
cuilom his cllabliihed and authorized
the fubllitution, however violent .or
awkward, of boj'om for vi'uui \ and
taking the word in that (^z\\(^:^ the
paHage is dcfcnlible, ami intends no
more than this : ** That the merits and
** defects of the party in queftioii
*' were known to his maker, which was
** fiillicicnt." What violence is here
committed, either againd reafon or re-
• The Baelfr, vol. i- p. 241.
Q^ ligion.
242 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
ligion, it is not cafy to difcovcr. That
the lines convey no new int'ormation j
that they tell nothing but what every
man muft know, is indeed evident ;
and that, confidered as poetry, they
have no very confpicuous excellence, is
certain.
The attention that has been paid to
this Elegy, however j)articular, will not,
it is hoped, be tlioiight tedious or fupcr-
fluous. The Poem itlelf is, perhaps, the
firft of the kind in any huigungc : its
fubjcd, like the lubject of Milton's Epic, \
is ui.iverfully interfiling; the allegorical
imagery is fublii^ie, and the natural d'.-
fcription graphic.d j tlic lentimcnt is
moftly finiple and p:ul.etick, and the verle
has a melody which has not often been
attained, and cannot be furpafled.
Gray's Poems arc not numerous j but
all of them, at IcmH his ferious Pieces, *
have
• Gray's talents were iadced confined to the ferioui.
In the few Pieces l;e ha> given ui of a light caft, both in
prof*
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 243
have great merit ; and wliocvcr writes but
as corred\ly as he has written, will not
find hinifelf able to write much: happily,
however, for fomc authors, it is often the
bulk, rather than the corrcdlncfs of pro-
ductions, that now confers popularity.
The Church- Yard Elegy, as Mr. Maloii
juftly obfcrvcs, was Gray's moll popu-
lar produd^ion. His two Greater Odes
have been accufcd of obfcurity ; but one
can be obfcurc to thofc only, who have
not read Pindar ; and the other, only to
thofc, who are unacquainted with the
hirtoryof our ov/n nation. But it is need-
lefs to enlarge on thefe, as ample jullice
has been very lately done them by my
friend Mr. Potter, the juilly celebrated
tranflator of Elchylus and Euripides.^
There
profe and verJc, in liL Long Story, his Drowned Cat, and
in fome of Kis Letters, ihc humour a at bell faint, and
often puerile.
• 1 cannot here forbear tranfcribing a p.i/Ijge fum
Grat's works, which Mr. Maion ihink.5 w.i» proba-
0,2 biy
244 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
There is mention made, in Mr. Ma-
fon's Edition, of an intention of fetting
the fecond of thefe Odes to mufick, in
the manner of an Oratorio ; and fome of
Gray's ideas on the fubjc(ft arc there
prefcrvcd. My knowledge of mufick is
but fuperficial ; but I lament that this
dcfign did not take place, as I think it
would have aft'orded an opportunity of
conveying whatever found can convey,
of the fublimeand pathetick. Dryden's
biy written, on occafion of the common preference given
to his r.lcgy. To the do^rinc it contains, I yield niy
niofl he.irty afli-nt. " The Gout dc Cnmparaifon, as
•* Bruvkrf ftilcs it, ii the only talk- of ordinary
•* orind:>. '1 he) do not know the fpccific excellency,
•' either of an auihur or a conipofition : for inilancc,
*' they do not know that Ti Bf LI L i fpokc the language
*• of nature and love ; that Horace faw the vanities
*• and folliei of mankind with the mofl penetrating
" eye, and touched them to the quick ; that \'iRr. it
•* cnnoMed even the moll common imago, by the grace?
•* of a glowing, melodious, and well adapted exprcf-
*• fion ; but they do know that Vircil was a better
•* Toct than Horacf, anil that HoRACF.'i Epillle^ do
*' not run fowcll as the Klegie* of TitLLLVi."
famou?
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 245
famous pafTagc, * St'e the Furies ar'ijl\'
sS,Q. might perhaps be rivalled for ani-
mation of imagery by the concUifion of
the fecond llrophc.
She wolf of France^ with unrcK-ijtin.; faOj^s
'i'hal tcar'il the bowcU of tliy inan^l!.-.! m.uc,
From thee be born, w!u) o'er thy cour.tiy hangN,
The fcourge uf hcav'ii. W'h.it ttrrur> roiiiul him
wait !
Amazement in his van, wiili flight c<»mli;n\!,
And forrow'> faJeJ form and fohtuJe iKhinJ.
The above Author's * Fallen! Fallen!
* Fallen!' might alfo pollibly have its
parallel for mournful melody in the
opening of the fecond antillrophe.
Might)- victor, might v LoiJ,
Low on his funereal Coiieh he h'c-i !
No pitying heart, no eve alTurJ
A tear to grace his ohfequ e'^.
Is the fable warrior fled ?
Thy fon is gone. He rcfts among the dead ! —
There might likeuife be a fine tran-
fition from this pathetick to the exult-
Q. 3 ♦'»"^
246 CRITICAL ESSAYS,
ant, in
Fair bughs the morn, and foft the zephir blows, &c.
But hints of this kind are unncccf-
fr.ry ; Oratorios, and almofl every thing
ch'e that is fcrious, arc now out of
fafhion.
I mentioned the Paper in tlie Babhlcr
as the only profcfi'cd Critlcifm on Gray's
Elegy. I have Cnce feen a pamphlet
intitled, ** A Criticifm on the Elegy
•* written in a Country Church-Y.'rd,"
in which that Poem fecms to have
been examined on principles very dif-
fimilar to mine.
ESSAY
( 247 )
ESSAY VIII.
On Goldsmith's Deserted
Village.
Til E Temple of Fame, lately creel-
ed under the title of The Works
oftheEnglini Poets, aflbrds a Ariking
inAance of caprice in the matter of ad-
milTion to literary honours. Had Criti-
eifm, rational impartial criticifm, kept
the gate of this temple, fevcral names
which now appear within its walls,
would certainly never have appeared
there. Hut to drop the allegory, and
change an imaginary edifice for a real
0^4 book.
248 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
book, it is difficult to gucfs the rcafon
why that hook admitted fomc authors,
while others of fimilar chara(fler were
rcjeded.
Poet is an appellation frequently ufcd,
without the annexion of its precifc
idea ; which fecnis to be that of a per-
fon who combines picflurefquc imagery,
and interefting fentiment, and conveys
them in melodious and regularly meafur-
cd language. This is a definition, which
will exclude the writer of Romances,
and Profe Dramas, however fublimc or
pathetick, on the one hand ; and the mccr
maker of Verfcs, however humorous t»r
witty, on the other : were indeed the
claim of either to be allowed, it mull be
that of the former ; inafmuch as poetrv
muft be nearer allied to the dii/nineti
and elegant, than to the mean and inde-
licate.
The
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 249
The title of Poet his been often bcftow-
cd on thofe who httlc defcrvcd it. The
name of Englilh Claflkks was furely iiU
mcrltcd, cither by the Wits of Charles's
days, that ** mob of gentlcnicii who wrote
with cafe," or by the heroes of tlie Diiii-
ciad ; their, compofitions were moftly
trifling, and frequently immoral, and
conkqucntly iinwortliy of prefervaticMi.
But in an Edition of poetry, where fome
of thcfe are to be found, we rather
wonder at not hndin^ the others ; where
Roehellerand Rofcommon, Sprat, II illi-
fax, Stepney, and Duke, were received,
why Carew, and Sedley, and Hopkins,
were refufed, one is puzzled to guefs ;
and when Pomfret and ^'alden are pre-
ferred to Eufden and Duck, it is not
eafy to account for the preference..
The managers <>f tiiis celebrated Edition,
as their work approached the prcfcnt
period, lleni to have b-cn more fafli-
dious in their choice, and have omit-
ted Writers who would have done their
colledUon
250 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
collc(flion no diTcrcdit.* When the
Publication was undertaken, Armftrong
and Langhornc, poets of lupcrior rank,
were living; their vorks, conlequcntly,
could not be prop riy infcrlcd ; but
Coldfmlth was dead, and hl^ certainly
had a juft clain\ to adniillion.
Goldfrnith's Deferted Village, the
work now under confideratlon, is a per-
formance of diftinguiflicd merit. The
general idea it inculcates is this ; that
commerce, by an enormous introdudion
of wealth, has augnKntcd the number
of the rich, who by cxhaufiing the pro-
vifion of the poor, reduce them to the
necelTity of emigration. This principle
• Among fuch may he reckontcl Aakon Hill, who
although in general a hombailick writer, produced feme
Pieces of merit, particularly the Ca\tat, an allegori-
cal fatirc on Pope: Robert Dodsley, author of
Cleone, a Tragedy, and a Didaftick Poem on Agricul-
ture, intitled Publick Virtue : G a a i n c e r , tranflator of
Tibullu-s and author of another Didactick, called the
Sugar Cane: Ca\vtho?.n, author of Abclard to
Eloifa, &Ci &c.
is
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 251
is evemplificd in the dcfcription of Au^
burn, a Country Village, once popu-
lous and flourifhing, afterwards defcrtcd
and in ruins.
Modern poetry has, in general, one
common defe<^t, viz. the want of pro-
jKT arrangement. There are many poenii,
whcfe component parts refemble a num-
ber of fine paintings, which have fume
connexion with each other, but are not
placed in any regular feries. The Dc-
leried Village would have pleafcd mc
better, if all the circuniftances relative
to Auburn the inhabited, had been
grouped in one picture; and all thofc
relative to Auburn the defcrtcd, in
another. The Author's plan is more dc-
fultory ; he gives us, alternately, con-
trafled flvCtchcs of the fuppofed place
in its two ditterent fituations :
The Poem opens with an apoftro])hc
to its fubjed :
V. I.
252 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
V, I. Sweet Auburn, /s-ji-AVy? village of the plain,
Where health and plenty chcar'd the lahourhi^
(vra\n ;
Where fmiling fprtng Its carlieft vifit paid,
And parting fumnier's lingering blooms dclay'd.
Dear lovely hmers of innocence and enfc^
Scats of my youth, when cv^yfpott could pleafe ;
How often hr.vc I loiter'd (>n thy green,
Where humble happinefs cndcar'd each fccnc.
How often have Ipau<i'd on every charm.
The (helter'd cot, the cultivated farm ;
The never-failing brcK>k, the bufy mill,
The decent church, that t(>pt the ntigbbVin"
hill,
'i'hc hawthorn buHi, \vlthfiat>/r>/^r7//) the JJadt.,
For Lilking age, and whif|H.-ring lover-i made!
How often have I bleft the coming day,
When toil rtmitting lent ifN turn to plav,
And all the village train from lil-Aofreey
Ltd up thtir Jp:rti hinnstlj tie fpreading tree ;
irhiU many a pq/lime drcled in the jl.ade^
The young contending as the old furvey'd ;
And many a gaml'A frclick'd otr the ground^
And /lights ef arty and feats of jhength xienl
round.
And ftill as each repeated pleafure tir'd.
Succeeding fpcrts the mirthful band infpir'd-^
The dancing pair, that fimply fought renown
By holding out to tire each ether dowiij
The
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 253
The fvvain miflruftlcfi of his fmuttcd ucl\
While Iccrct laughter tittcr'd rourul the place j
The bafhful virgin's fidc-long looks of Icivg,
The matron's glance, that would thoftf looks
reprove ;
Thcfc were thy charms /aYir vilbgo ;//>;'.'> like
thefe
W\l\\ fiv:et fuccfjjiin taught e\n t:Uf) fhaj-^ ;
Thefe round thy hni-n thy chcarful influence
fticd,
Thefe were thy charms — But all thefe charms
are fled.
This palTagc is one of that kind, witli
which the imagination maybe pleafecl, but
which will not fully fatisfy the judgment.
The four lines, * Dt\ir lovely bo-iccrs,'
6cc. might perhaps have been fparcd.
The village diverlionb are infilled on with
too much prolixity. They are defcribed
firll with a puerile generality, redund-
ance, and confufion : they are Jporis,
2nd pijjli/nesy and gambols^ and fights cf
arty and feats of frcngth ; and they arc
reprefented fometimes as paliivc, the
' fports are led up ;' fometimes as active,
the
254 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
the * padimcs circle^* and the gambols
* frolick,' and the 'flights and feats go
* round.' But we are perhaps fully re-
compenfcd for this, by the clafllcal and
beautiful particularity and concifcncfs
of the context, * the dancing pair ^' * the
* /wain miftrujU'fs of his fmutted facc^
the ' baji:ful "cirgins looks, GV.' The
paragraph in general has much inaccu-
racy, efpecially a difgufting identity
of didion; the word ' hoiverSy occurs
twice, the word 'fivcct,' thrice, and
* charms* and ^Jport, fingular or plu-
ral, four times. We have alfo * toil
* ranitting* and * t^Al taught to pkafc*
* fucceeding fports,' and * /ports ivith
* fwcet fuccejfion*
Y. 35. Sunt fmlfing village, lyjiliej} of the lawn.
Thy J^irti arc flcJ, and all ihy iharmt \vitl» •
drawn ;
Araidft thy hsx\s the tyrant's hand is fccn,
And dffiuit'nn Jii.Unis all tly grtCK :
One only mailer grafjv; tht- whole domain,
And hull" a tilla'j;c Hints \h\ fmiUng plain j
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 255
No more thy gbfTy brook rcflc^l* thL- i\.\\\
But thok'J wiifi ridL'c;, works its wtw'Jy way.
Alon^ the glaJts a folitary gucfi.
The hollow-foiinilin:; Miicrn glurJ^ its ncfl ;
Amuift thy c!«.''.rt \.-.;l!<<i the Ljnving flics
Ani! tin*, their cchccNwiih ri-jxvtt Jcrivs.
Slink arc thy/;icvr> in flir.jx.lt.fs ruin .lU,
And the luii^; £raN o'er tops the niouIJ'rinj;
w.ill,
And ticnihlin^', fiirli.kiiig, fiom the fjxillcr's
huiu!,
luTy f.'.r awMV thy ch'l. hen leave the land.
The paflage already examined, and this,
have both the fame tharad;er of vcrbofi-
ty. There is a repetition which indi-
cates intention, and maintains regula-
rity ; and there is a repetition which
difcovers either carelefinels, or poverty
of language. Auburn had before, 1. i.
been termed * J'l^cety and * the k'vclicjl
* village of the plain ;' it is now termed
* fiveety and * Jhiilingy and * the Arr-
* I'lcft of the liJiiu.' We had been told,
1. 34. that * all its charms ziere fed\
and we arc now told that * its fports are
256 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
* fledy and its charms ivitbdra\i:n' The
* tyrant's handy fccms mentioned ratlier
too abruptly; and * dcfolation faddcnlng
' /he grim,' is common place phrafco-
logy. The eight lines, * No more the
' S^'i^ brooky ^r.' are natural and beau-
tiful; but the next two, * jind trembling,
* fjrinking, ^c' arc ill-placed, for they
prematurely introduce the fubjcd of
emigration.
V. 51. //! (:\Tcs> thcIanJ, to haficniiig if'> a prey.
Where wcaltli accumulate-., anJ nicn Jcciv ;
PriiKi-3 and lords niayt1'>uri(h, or may fade ;
A breath can make them, ai a breath ha>
made ;
But a bold ixrafantry, their country's pridr,
When once deftroy'd can never be rup;)!y'd.
A time there \va<;, c'rc England's gri.U
began.
When every roo<! ofground maintain'd its man ;
For him light labour fpread her wholefome ftort',
Juft gave what life rcquir'd but gave no more :
Hisbeft compani(>n> inncKcnccand health.
And his bed riches ignorance of wealth.
The
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 257
The firft of thcfc paragraphs, * III Jar 1 5
* the land^ Cfc' with all its merit, which
is great, for the fentimcnt Is noble, and
\\\^ cxprefllon little inferior, feems
rather out of place; after the affair of de-
population had been more fully defcrib-
cd, it might have appeared to advantage
as a concluding retlc(ftion. The fccond
afferts what has been repeatedly denied,
that * there "^as a time in England, ivhcn
* cjery rood of ground maintained its man*
If however fuch a time ever was, it
could not be fo recent as when the De-
fertcd \'illagc was flourilhing, a circum-r
Aancc fuppofcd to cxill within the re-
membrance of the poet ; confcquently
the idea had no bufmefs in the poem.
V. 63. Ijj' times arc al'.'rr'd ; traie's unfeeling train,
Ufurp the l.ii'.J, zvA dTpo.Tefs the (\V7i\n ;
A!on;: the Lwn, where fcaiter'd hamlets rof?,
Un'iA'eildly wealth, and cumb'rous pomp re-
pofe ;
And every want to opnlcr.ce allied.
And ever) p;;n^ t'-.at f'^iiy pays to pride.
R Thofc
258 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Thofc gcnlU lours that plenty baiic to Ham,
Thofc calm ilcfirts that alk'dbut little room,
Thofc healthful^ f;7j thatgrac'd the peaceful
fccnc,
Lw\l in each /cs-f, and trightcn'il all the
green i
Ihift- far-ill p.irthi^y fit h a litidcr J} irCj
And rural mirth end rr.r.KKcrs an n: mere.
This paHiigc is a mere fiiperfluity. The
firft fix lines, * But times arc alter dy
might have been rcferved for introduc-
tion in fonic other part of the piece.
The next, * I'hefe gc?itlc hours, ^c.'
fliould liavc been totally fuppren'ed :
* gentle hours that are bade to bhorUy and
* healthful /ports that live in locks y and
* brighten a green ;' is certainly not vin-
dicable language. The * hours, and tlic
* /ports' allb, are faid to * /eek a kinder
' fiore,' which * kinder /.ore,' is incon-
fiftently defcribed in the fequcl of the
poem, as fraught with every inconve-
nience and every danger. The mention
of the * /ports,' and of the emigration,
Thc/^
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 259
' Tbcfcfiir-dcparting, (^c* is here again
unnecefiarily repeated.
V. 74. SiUiVt Auburn! parent of the bllGful hour.
Thy glades forlorn confcr>thc /);•<;;/'> power.
Here as I take my fo'.itary roinul«,
AmiJll thy tani;lin^^\vaIk.>,anJruin\i grounds,
AnJ, many a yc.inl.'.psM, return to view,
Where unec tlje ccttage ftooJ the hawthorn
i;rcw,
Heic, a>» with Jouhtful, penfuc ftep-; I ran^c.
Trace every feenc, auil woiuierat tliecljanj^c,*
Renicni!>ranoc w.ike> with all hi. r Inifv irairi,
Su\!.i u'f ''T ht-'jlf anJ tllr:l^ thep^fl ^o paiiu
The adjedlve * ficci't^' is frequently, and
very properly, in life as a fuhllitute for
agreeable or pleafant, hut it difpleafes in
this work by perpetual repetition. The
ohfeure ajid indefinite idea of a * 'Tvrnut,'
rceurs alfo unncccnarily here again.
There is patlios in the lines, * And jnany
• Ar^ unijuam pntrios longo pod tempore fines.
Pauperis ct luguri cong.ftutn ccfpitc culmcn.
Poll aliquot nica rcgna vidcns mir^bor arlllas .••
\'|RC.
R 2 * a year.
26o CRITICAL ESSAYS.
* a yciir, C^c* but they arc as evidently
mifplaccd as fomc of their prcdecefTors :
wc wiHi to hear more of the Village in
its profperity, before we hear fo much
of its dcfolation.
Subfcqucnt to the above, we have an
cxpatiation on the Author's fallacious
hope of concluding his days at his fa-
vourite Auburn, and a paragraph in
praifc of retirement; both well written,
but rather cpifodical.
\'. 115. StLiTit v.\is the fuuiid, when oft at cv'iiiii^'s
Clofc,
up yoiiJ'.T hill t!ic vill.gc murmur roll- ;
T^ere iS I p.'.il with carckfslkps, and flow,
The mingled n«.t«.s came fuftcn'd from Iliow ;
The fwain ierpoiiruc3<; the milk-maid fung,
1 he filer hcid that low'd to meet their vour.'' ;
Tftc nojfy geefr that gabbled o'tr the pool,
The pla\t'ul children juft Lt koji from fehool ;
The watch doj^'s voice, tJiat bay'd the whilp-
*rin;j^ wind,
And tlie loud l.ui^h, tli.it fj>ol:c the vacant
ntitid ;
Thcfc
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 261
The<c all infoft confufum/rr^lt th jla.l\*
And f:!rd each paufc the nightingale had made.
But now the founds olpopiibtioii t.>il,
Ko chcaiful nmrmurs fluctuate in t!.c ^ :■'''»
Ko bufy fti."j)s the grafs-^rown f. lof.v.iy trc...\
But all the i::cmjf.-'jh of life tsfj.
All tut yzr. uhlilvJ j'jUtdij thifrj
That fetbly bcnd'i lufuk- the p'aOr/ fjirin;; ;
She wretched matron, t' re 'J, in r.:;c, for bual,
To firip tl.c bror.k. with nunlling crefics fpread,
To pick her wintry faij^ot fioin the thorn,
To feel: her nightly fliad-;, an ! :c tp ti.'i morn ;
She only left of all the harml. f> train,
l"hc fad hilbrian of tiie pn.f:v{ pbin.
Tills is indeed a pafugc of uncoininoii
merit. The circumflaiites it deleribes
arc obvious in nature, but new in poe-
try; ar.d they are delcribed with great
force and elegance. Milton, in a fiinile,
• The village murmur, I. i j6, is faiJ * /j Z-wi^ riftn
* up th till;* it is now faid to have * fught tit JhaJc*
Tliis fcems at firft fijht an inconfirtcncy, but perhaps the
poet may be vindicated by fuppofing that liie hill, like
©any other hills, was ftiadcd with trees. I'erhapi if
a rhyme had not been wanted, we fliouid not h-vc met
with ihc word ' fjeJt,* on this occaUon.
R 3 ^vhich
262 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
which he thought capable of ilhi ft rating
the idea of an Eden, among other ob-
je<fls of dch'ght has introduced
Each rural fight, c.ich rural founJ. —
The Epic Poet, however, only mention ^
found in the general, but our Author
defcends to particulars, and thofc parti-
culars arc moll happily feleded -, they
bear one uniform confident character,
viz. that of a fobcr or fcrcne chearful-
nefs. The locality given by tlu inti-
mation, that they were heard ^ from /v-
• loiv,' has a fine effect. In Paradife LoA,
b. V. 1. 547. wchavca beautiful inllaiu.-
of the fame kind :
Cherubic fongs, by night fro;n nciiilih'rij^'' hi!!^.
Aerial nuific lliid. *
The Matron gathering ivatir-crfjf.s,
is a fine pi(51ure J but there is unn.itu-
• The filuation h hcic rcvcrfcJ, the fongs prcccf!
from abo\c.
ral
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 263
ral exaggeration in rcprcfcnting her as
* loecpingy* every night, * //// riiorning ;*
fuddcn calamity occalions violent emo-
tions, but habitual hardllilp will not
produce inccfTant forrow ; time recon-
ciles us to the mod: difagrccablc Situa-
tions. Our Author's language in this
place, is nlfo very defective in corrcvft-
nefs. After mentioning the general
privation of the * blctomy JIuJh of life,*
the cxceptionary, ^ all but y includes, as
part of that ^ bkoviy fi'.jhy an * iigcJ Jc-
* crcpiJ vhUron i that is to fay, in plain
profe, * the bloomy fujl: of Ife is all fed
* but one old icomcin.'
The Poet now recurs again to the pafl.
When Auburn is defcribed as (louri/li-
ing, its Clergyman as a principal inha-
bitant, is very properly introduced.
This fuppofed Village Paflor, is cha-
raderized in a manner which feems al-
moR unexceptionable, both for fenti-
ment andexpreflion. His contentment,
R 4 hofpitality.
264 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
hofpitality, and piety, are pointed out
with fufiicicnt particularity, yet with-
out confufion or redundance. Where in-
difcriminate approbation can be hazard-
ed, quotation is the Icfs necefTary ; but
probably few readers will think the fol-
lowing cxtradls tedious.
Near yonder copfe, vhere once the g?rdcn
finil'd,
And ftill where many a garden flower grows \v;M;
There, where a few torn fluiihs the place difclofe.
The village preacher's mcdeft nunfion rofe.
This is a fine natural Aroke. — We fee
the * CGi>fc^ the * torn /J:ruhs,' and the
* fcattcrd foiicrs.' The la(l rcinaininij
vcftige of what was once a garden, is
always the * gar Jen fo^-.i-cr that groiis
A man he was, to all the country d?ur,
And puflingrlch with forty pr.iir.Ji z vear ;
Remote from town<: he ran hi^ g-jJly race,
Nor e'er had chan;;,'d, nor wiih'd to change
his place i
Unrtiilful
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 265
Urffcilf!!! he to fawn, or fctk for pcw-cr.
By doftrines fafhion'd to the varying hour ;
Tzr other aims h!'> heart had Icarn'd to pri/',
More bent to wife the wretched, than to rife ;
His houfc was known t.) all the vagrant train,
He chid djcir v.'.inu'jings, bi.t relicv'd their
pain. —
— I'Icas'd with his giicfts, tlicgood xmr. Ic.iin'd
to -Aa,
And quite f(Tgnt their \kcs in thiir woe j
Carclefs ihcir merits or their f;iul:s to ftan,
Hl> pity gave /Vr charity Ir^a:.
The benevolent mind cannot but } IcM
its hearty afi'cnt to iliis beautiful oblique
rcprchcnlion of tliat avarice which nukes
the crimes nnd errors ot the poor, a ptc-
tcncc to juflify the indulgence of its
own parfimony.
—At church wiA vntc]c ind imi.frVrtcd grace.
His lo')ks adorn'd the vcr.ci.tblc place -,
'rr'.:t!i fro-ti Ills !"psprev;iilM witii tl-aible fwav.
And {iXtU wiio came to fcofr*, rcnain'd t > pray.
The fervjce part, arour.d t'le plo.is man,
Witii Ready '/eal the hot-ell rjlticks ran ;
Kv'n children follow'd with tndeariiig wili-.
And pluck'd his gnwn to fharc l'.c g<'')J nun's
(mile :
His
266 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
His rciJy ftnilc a parent's warmth cxprcfs'd,
Their welfare plcas'J him, arul their cares
didrcfsM ;
To them his heart, his love, his grief, \\x:c
given.
But all his fcrious thoiij;htsh.iJ reft in heaven.
As funic t.ill cliJiiiat lifts its av.fiil form.
Swells from the vale, anJ miJw.iy leaves th-
(lorm ;
'i'hough roun<l its brcafl tlic rolling cloiuls
arc fprcad,
Ktcrnal funfhinc fettles on its hcaJ.
Poetry attains its full purpofc, when
it fcts its fubjcds llronLjly and dillindlly
in our view. This is the cafe here : wc
behold the good old man attended by his
venerating pariiliioners, and with a kind
of dignified complacence, even permit-
ing the familiarities of their children.
The concluding fimile has been much
admired, and fo far as immaterial objcds
can be illuftrated by material, it is
indeed a happy illuftration.
As every parifli has its Clergyman,
almofl every paridi has its School-niafter.
This
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 267
This fccondary characf\:r is here dc-
fcribcd with great force aiui prccifion.
The Mufe, in part of her cielcriptioii,
has dcfccndcd to convey village ideas,
in villaije lani^unije, but has contrived
to give jull fo much dignity to tiic fami-
liar, as prevents it from difgulling.
The point is indeed fo nice, that to f:\y
the lines in italicks arc not profaick or
mean, is perliaps to fay all that can he
faid truly. Wc arc reconciled to them
only, hecaufe we knov/ that they are the
crtlxt of choice, not of incajxicity :
Dcfuic yon llr.i^jiUni;; fcnci- tli.it frciris I'r.v.- w.u,
\\ ith Moiloni'J i'lii/i.- tiiijvi'iii.ib'v g .v,
'liicrc in his noi'V inan(u>;i, fKiliM to ruli.',
The vil!;i^c-m.ini.T t.ui^hi hi> ll:;!c lllifiol ;
A man fcvorc l-.c wa'-', nml iKrii to view,
I knew Iiinj wdl, and every triiaiu knew.
^V'cll h;i<l li: J ooJing trcinbler;* le.irn'd to tnice,
Ti'.c cl.iv';. liM.iHer-) in hi^ nuiiniir^ iU'.e ;
Full Well lliey l.iiij;h'J with count, i.'ji.e J i^loe,
At all Iii^ j<'k->, for m;iny a joke h.ul lie ;
Full well the biifV wliiljKr cirelini: rounl,
ConveyM the Jilinal tiJin^-* wiien lie hovvnM;
Yet
268 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Yet he was kind, or if fcvcre in aught.
The love he bore to learning was in fault !
The villa^'call dttlar'd how much he hruw ;
'Txat certain ht coulJuritc and cypl.cr tco ;
Lands he could mcafure, terms and tiJcs prc-
fagc,
And (\i: the J} cry ran that he cciiU ^,:^/:
In arguing t<»o the pp.rfon own'd his fKi!!,
For e'en lljough vaiiquifli'd, he could argue
dill;
"While words of learned length and thundVing
found,
Amaz'd the gazing runicks rang'd around,
And ftill they ga/.'d, and ftill the wonder grew,
77m/ cne f'lial! hctidicu'diarrya/l he intzu.
The defcription of the Village AIc-
houfe, contains doincftick nilnuti^, of a
kind, which nuift nccclFarily have plcaf-
cd in the original, but which the hand
ofamafter alone, could have made to
pleale in the copy. That learned and
judicious Critick, Dr. Warton, in his
Effay on the Writings and Genius of
Pope, juftly obferves, that * The ufe,
* the force, and the excellence of lan-
* guage, confifts in raifing clear, coni-
* plete,
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 269
* plcte, and circ11mllantl.1l images, and
* in turning readers into fpcdators.'
This theory he exemplifies, by quoting
two pafTagcs from his author, in which,
he favs, that ' every epithet paints its
* ohje(f^, and paints it diilindly.' The
fame may be faid with equal judicc of
the following :
Near yondtrl/iorn, that lifts Its hc.ii! on hi^h,
Where once the fi^n-pofl cuuLjht the pafling
eye ;
Low I'fs that ho:if.-, where nut-brown draughts
infpir'J,
\Vhi.ic ^uy-bcjrJ nurtb, and luiiluij^ toil ic-
tlr'd i
Where vl'il.;-e fiatcfincn talk.M with lix.k>
prof(.und,
And news much older than ihtir ale went round.
Imagination fondiv flo<.)j)s to truce,
Thir parlour fj)!tndor> of that fe(llve j.Iacc ;
The whitc-u-aOi'd wall, the nicely findcd fitx;r.
The varnifh'd clock that click'd behind tiie
The chj? contriv'd a double d'>.bt to pay,
A bed by night, a c/.',;/l of drawers by Juy ;
The pictures plac'd for ornament and i;fc.
The twelve good rules, the royal game oi^iooCj j
The
270 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
The hearth, except when winter chlU'd the
With afpcn bough-, nnd flowers and fennel gay,
While brokL-n tea cups wifJy kept for fliov/,
Rang'd o'er the chimney, gliiicr'd in a row.
This fine poetical inventory of the furni-
ture, is fully equalled by the charader
of the guL'fls, and tlie detail of their
amufcments. The negative mode of
cxprefllon, ' Thither no more, C^c' by
fixing the mind on the pall, adds a kind
of pleafing regretful pathos :
Vain tranfitory fpl.nJors ' could not all
Reprieve the tottcri.'i;; nunf.jn from it>. fill '
Obfcure it fink^, nor fli.ill it nu»rc impart
An hour's importance to the poor man's lic.irt ;
Thither no more the pcafant fliill rep.'.ir.
To fwcct oMi\ ion of hi> daily care ;
No more the farmer's n-ws, the barber's talo,
No more the wofxlnun's ballad fliall prevail ;
No more the fmith hi-idufty brow fhall clear.
Relax hi<i {xjnd'rous firen^th, and lean to hear j
'J"he hoft himfelf no longer fliail l)C found.
Careful to fee tlie niantliniij blifs go round ;
Nor die coy maid, half willing to be proft.
Shall kifs tlk- cup to p.'.U it to the reft.
This
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 271
This Is not poetical fidion, but hifto-
rical truth. Wc have here no imagi-
nary Arcadia, but the real country ; no
poetical fwains, but the men wlio ac-
tually drive the plougli, or wield the
fcythc, the fickle, the hammer, or the
hcdi^in^ bill. But though nothinir Is
invented, fomethlng is fuppreficd. The
ruflick's hour of relaxation is too rarely
Co innocent; It is too often contaminated
with extravagance, anger, and proflniity:
delcribing vice and fully, however, will
not prevent their exilling; and It is agree-
able to forget for a moment, the reality
of their cxillenee.
The foregoing defcription not unna-
turally introduces the following reilec-
tions :
^ts ! let ihc rich tlcriJi-, the prouJ dirciaiii,
Thcfc finiplc blcirings of the lowly tr.iin ;
To me more dear, congenial to niv heart.
One native charm, tJun «tll the glol's of ait;
S^iHtunCiUi
272 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
SptntaKtya jiySy where K^ntuxe hns i/i/>/(7j,
T)jf/iu!a.{jptiy and cunt their fijKbzrn fu^aj :
Lightly tht-y ftoUik o'er the vaair.t mlud^
Unenx'j' ily unmo'.ijJe.l^ unc^rjind.
But the long pomp, ihe niidnighr mafqucradcr.
With all ^c freaKi of w.inton wealth array d^
\x\ theff, c*rc triflcrs h:\lf their wifh obtain,
The toiling pleafurc fickcns into pain ;
And, cv*n while Fafiiions hrightcft arts decoy,
The heart diftrufting a(lc<:, if this be joy ?
The fcntlmcnt here is better than the
cxprcfTion. The Poet is probably right
in his fuppofition, that the pleafures
of the rich arc lefs genuine and lively
than thofe of the poor ; but his lan-
guage is far from being fimplc or per-
fpicuous. That intention and parade
raife cxpctflations which will be molliy
difippointed ; that the joys which are
unanticipated, and nnconftrained, or in-
dependent of the will of others, arc
the beft ; were undoubtedly the axioms
intended to be conveyed in thefe lines,
* Spontaneous joys y <^c.' By * fpontancous
* Py^* ^^^ "^"^ underhand, joys which
without
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 273
without previous care or provlfion fccm
to offer tlienifelvcs to our accept.incc :
to fay that the foul re.ulily accepts Aicli,
might be proper; but to lay that tlic
foul * adopts' them, and at the fame time
* cii'us their fii'ijy ;' * and to lay that the
*fiiay^ is a * firj] -horn /way \ is to ufe
thou;'hts and words not clear of confu-
fion : but wlu-n thefe joys which tlie
* Jhiil adoptSy' and whofe ^ f.rJ}-born Jivay
* it o:cuSy' arc faid to * frjlick 6vcr the
* juind ii^hth, 'jKi'Trjiidy unnrjcjiedy iind
* unconf.ncd \ wc have furely a chaos,
both of ideas and plirafcology.* The
line; have alfo an ambiguity: we
know not whether it is meant, that
* thcfjul(u!'JptsJpc}.t.:Kry.isjyys,' in which
• To clllcovcr (v.\\y the ronf-ml-of this pafTagc, it u
ncccfTary to recur to the foiik- of the wurdi metaphori-
cally ufi-J. The /c_y», {:(k:\ the verb cd }t, mull be fup-
pofc.! to l)C children, fu.-ncthing inf-'ricr, or dvprndcnt j
from ih;" fubll.uiii.i; ^/■''.•-jv, lacy inu.1 b:: fjpjH>rcd to br
king, T'lni'thing fu;H"rior, or governing ; :.nd from the
vcrbyVo '/Vi, o!ic conceives an idea of a fet ofmif.hir.oui
yoang r.ke.s, or of a harlcvjiiin. The//./ tu^//j tlicy ^;,
and they ri,lc it, an J frduk ever it,
S * nature
274 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
• nature has her play ;' or that * 'uhere
• nature has her phiy, the foul adopts
* fpontancous joys :* be the fcnfe what it
IT ay, it is fupcrfluous, and fiiperfluitics
always create obfcurity. There is a moft:
extraordinary confufion of ideas, in the
* /(?«J pomp' and * midnight mafquerade
• array d' in the 'freaks cf ivantott
* wealth :' how pomp and a mafquerade
could be * array' d* at all, is not eafy
to conceive; but certainly they could
not be * array' d* with * freaks.*
The Poet now proceeds to the caufes
which produced the dcfcrtion of his
village
Vc friends to truth, ye ftatcfmcn, who funcy
The rich nun's joys incrcafc, the poor's decay ;
Tis yours to judge, how wide tlic limits ftanJ
Between a fplendid and a happy land.
Proud fwtlls the tide with loads of freighted ore,
And fhoutlng folly hails them from her (horc;
Hoard"-, cv'n beyond the niifcr's wifh, abound.
And rich men flock from all the world around.
Yet count our gains : this wealth is but a name,
That leaves our ufeful produsSl ftill the fame.
Kctji the Icfs : the man of wealth and pride.
Takes up a fpace that many poor fupplicd ;
Space
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 275
Space for his lake, his park's extended boiind>.
Spec for h;s horfc*;, equipage, and hounJs •
Thf r:he that wraps Us limls inftlkinf.jh^
Has roll' a the uei^ hFrl':gf.,Ui zfhal thdrgrovnth.
His feat, wh,ri fo'.ita'j j}irti m\-f:r^
Indignant fpurns the cottage from the green j
Areand the world each lutdj'ul pro.lutl f.'us^
For all '.he luxuries the wotldfuppliei.
irhil thus t'e LirJ ad.rn\lfir pLiifure all,
//; I arrinjplerJoi feehly ivjits its fa!!.
GoKlfinith undouhtctlly was fcrious in
the foregoing apollroplic, * Te friends
* to truths i^c' but his acquaintance
with the world nuifl he but lupLrficial,
who could think, that ftatclhicn in ge-
neral merited x\v. hii^h char icier of friends
of truth, or friends of the poor.
He had faid before.
Along the lawn where fcatter'd hamlets rcifl-,
UnwviMy wealth and cuinb'rous pomp rejxifc:
He fays now,
———The man of wealth and pride,
Takes up a fpace tliat many poor fupplied.
That the domain of the ancient Feudal
Lord, or Rural Squire, was lefs exten-
S 2 five
276 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
five than thr.t of the modern Peer, Place-
man, or Nabob, miy be doubted ; but
as many old manfions yet retain their
furrounding parks, warrens, 5cc. and
manv new villas arc creeled, and adorned
whh fpaeious plantations ; plcafurc may
be juftly faid to have encroached on cul-
tivrition, and the rich to hu'c remotely
ablbaaed from tlie provifion of the poor.
But tlie inrtux of forei-n wealth h.i'
been mifehievou? in another point of
view : the nev/ or ccmnierci.d gentry
acquiring their money v.ith cale, have,
in verification of the proverb, * //,(:/•
* f5;;.r, //V// r^,* v/antonly railed t!k-
price of commodities : the old, or land-
ed gentry, unwilling to defeend fn)ia
their (late, and unable otherwife to fup-
port it, have been obliged to augment
the fize, and advance the rent of their
farms :* the great farmer has not been
• By augmenting the fize of furm?, repairs arc fjvcJ,
and rem i. in general better paid. Whether the prafticc
is fo injurious to the community, as hai been fuppo.c-,
is a point not cafy to determine.
injured
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 277
iiijurctl by his incrcilld paymciu, for
tlic incrt-afcii value of his corn aiul cattle
h.h^ cnaMcd him to pay it, niul often to
become opulent. Dut there has been
one fufTcrcr; the little farmer has been
unnihilateil, or at Kail metamorpholed
into a labourer ; and the labourer has
had lefs work, the fuiie wages, and
more expenee for neeelfirics. The Au-
thor of iliefe remarks mull confefs, that
when he has vifited f;me of our capital
kats, their fecmin^lv interminable len'j;th
of lawn, broken only by a few gloomy
woods, has worn, to him, an airof me-
lanelioly folitude and idle walle, that
was far fr(jm being agreeable. He has
v.ilhed to exeliange his fituation for the
vale of corn-clad inclolure.^, the wiiidin''
lane, and ihrub-hiing brow, with their
group of humble cottages, and chetrful
iiih.ibitants. The poiTcifors of tiufe
places arc thcmhdve.s fcinetiny.-: i-.*ol ilef-
titute of fucli fecliri'-.-^ ; tlic i;,"^i5iot!s
Mr. I^olter, in his e.aeiieiit Ohkrvati-
S ^ ons
278 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
ons on the Poor laws, has recorded a me-
morahlc inrtnr.cc of it : * The I.itc Earl
* of Lcictntr,' fays he, * hcing compli-
* merited upon the completion of his
* great defign at Ilolkham, reph'ed,* ** It
** is a melanclioly thing to lland alone
" in one's country. Hook round ; not a
** houfe is to he I'ecn hut mine. I am the
** giant of giant-cafile, and have eat up
** all my neighhours." What then mud:
be the cafe, when thefe fafliionahle de-
corations are acquired by imn:ediatc ra-
pine, extortion, or oppreflion ; by the
plunder of Hindoos, and the llavery of
l^egroes ? One is ready to all; if it be
pollible to enjoy them.*
—In their towers raz'd villages I {i:c,
AnJ tt:4r> oforph.ms wat'ring every tree ;
• The prr>prietors of tlicfc improvements, as they n:?
called, evrn if ihey are innocently obtained, feldoni lic-
'rivc niu».h fati. faction from them. The plcafure they
afford chicHy rcfults fmm m.-king them ; when they xr
compleiiil, few objcds f<.>oncr produce faiicly ;
Tir'J of the fcencs parterres and fuuntiiins yield.
He Bndi at lad be better likes a field. — Fori.
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 279
Arc thcJc mock ruins that invade my view ?
They arc the entrails (>( the poor Gcntoo ;
That column's trophicd bafe h''5 bones fupply.
That lake the tears that fwcll'd his f.ible eye.
Langhorne.*
Goldfmith's lart: quoted pafTagc, ' T'e
^ friends to trutl\ G*r.' has been con-
fidercd in a political view ; fomc at-
tention muft now be given to its poetry.
* Folly hyiUng^ or welcoming, the Hiips
to the ihorc, is a noble perlbnification.
The breaks in thcfe lines, * Vet count our
* gains y * Not Jb our /cjs, 6cc.' have ra-
ther a dilagrecable cfted. In blank verfe,
to continue the fenfe from one line to
another, is ahvays more or lefs neceflary,
but in rhyme it is feldoni advantageous.
The detached, or unconnected parts of
a vcrfe, unlefs very carefully managed,
are always profaifms. By this couplet.
The robe that wraps his limbs injilienjluhy
Has rcbb'd tlie nei-hb'rin^ ficlJ-> of half their
growth ;
• Sec hii Country Jusrict. A Poem in which a
fine poetical fancy is united with jufl fatirc.
S 4 the
28o CRITICAL ESSAYS.
the poet uiuloiihtcdly meant to inti-
niarc, that a confuicrablc tra»5l of hnd
vould not produce more profit than was
rcquifitc to defrjy the cx'pencc of a rich
man's clothing. Extravagance in drcf-.,
vas perhaps more the foible of former
ages thin of the prefcnt ; hut be this as it
may, the notion of a * /(jA' robbiugficUs
* cj their groicthy is hyperbolical, auk-
ward, and fr-fctchcd. It n^i'ht have
b;.en more tolerable in a country of mul-
berry- trees. A juvenile writer would
doubtlefs thin!; the phrafe of * li'rjpping
* iimh in filkcn f.oth,' a grand flK^kc,
conveying the combined ideas of tmery
and lazinefj:. * 77v fdit Jl'irt.li g the
* cottiigc frm the greeny' would hue
been a beautiful imperfonation ; but the
efte(it of it is entirely deflroyed by the
context, * '■sx'here JoUtary Jports are feen :'
the * Sei2ty confidered in itklf, fancy
might readily convert into a * Perjln ;*
but the * J^i't "where foUtury /ports are
* jeoit mull inevitably be * a place.*
Our
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 281
Our author ufcs tlic v.crd * J'pcrtSy till
it becomes alinofl infutTcrablc; he moll-
ly HKins by it the alc-houlb ainiireincnts
ofvilKiiiers : he here mufl: mean tlie fiekl-
liivcrfions of their fuperlors. The four
lines, * Arouml the ivorld^ &c\' hud bet-
ter have been fupprelTed : the full two
are introduced abruptly; the tranlition
is not very natural or cafv, from the
great man's p. irk, le.it, and ccpiip.i^c,
to the exportation of neceiraries, and- the
importation (>f luxuries : the lali two
Iiave little merit in themfelves, * A Lind
* c/l iidorncJ jlr plenjuri\ in barren Jplcn-
* d'Air feebly \i:aitinga jall^' is but an un-'
couth l^ind of language :
V^. 289. As fomcfalr female un ;</j/v;*,/ jiiJ^./,://;,
Secure to plcafc, while yuudi coitfirms her
reign ;
Slij;ht.-» every borrow'd ihjim that ilrcfi fup-
plk-s.
Nor fh.ircs with art the triumjih of her eyes :
But when thofe chjiim arc pail, fcr ch.irnii
arc frail.
When time advanas^ and when lovers fail,
She
282 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
She then ftiincs forth folicitous to blefs,
In all the glaring Impotence of drcfs.
Thus fares the land^ by luxury betray'd.
In nature's fimplcft charms at firfl arrny*d ;
But verging to decline^ its fplendors rife,
It's viftas ftri'ice, it's p.ilace<; furprizc ;
While fcourg'tl by famine, from the ftr.ilin^
brui
The mournful peafint leads his humble band ;
jlndtvliU lepnisy w'lthiut ant arm to fave^
The country ikoms — a gariL-n^ an.la grave.
The prcdilcdion of crlticks, and Indeed
of readers in general, in favour of the
fimilc, as an cnential conlUtuent of
poetry, is fo Arong, that wlioevcr thinks
lightly of it, will probably he deemed
a fort of literary heretiek. That fiml-
lies arc fomctitnes employed to great
advantage, mud be readily allowed; but
that they arc far from being always ad-
vantageous, is certain. In the above
paflagc, nature and art arc contrafled in
two different fubjedls. Some diftant
kind of rcfemblancc may be fancied,
between a fine faOiionable lady, and a
countrv
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 283
country full of palaces and gardens j
but the parallel, as Goldlmith has drawn
it, is exceedingly dcfcdive. Ornament
in the vvoman, is the effect of a deliberate
fyllematical defign to recommend hcr-
felf, and pleafc others ; the country is
incapable offuch delign ; and even thole
who adorn it, fcarcely think of ren-
dering it plcafing to any but them-
fclves. The emigration affair is * here
* again hammered on the tar,' by re-
petition ; it is indeed introduced like the
burden of a lung, at every opportunity.
There is however a noble picture, in
* Famine J'conr^hig- the feajnnt from the
* Lmd.' Perhaps a writer has not 4
more difricult tall: than to know when
he has faid enough : * Fiimine Jiourgi's
* the peafant from the Umd \ 10 far the
thought, however ill-placed, is pro-
per; but while he is *fcourgd auiiy,*
he is very inconliliently rcprefentjd us
* leading bii humble hand 'ivitb Lim.' W^c
have then other new and unnectflary
ideas.
2S4 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
ideas; he is * fcourgcJ avcayy and lie
* leads his hami -,' and now he * /inks,*
We arc not however to fuppofc, that he
literally finks into the ocean, or into tlic
grave, hut metaphorically,* into pover-
ty or diflrefs : and he finks, * lin'.bout
* cnearmtofd'-ce\ which is an aukward,
and aln.oft ludicrous fuhOitutc for fiy-
ing, that there is no perfon ahic or wil-
ling to relieve him. The * Coiiy.try
* bl'^oming a garden tiud a grjz\'/ is
another ahhirdity : had the pcalantry
been dcfcriheil, as pcrilliinLj at home,
the cxprefi'ion would have been juil ; hut
the country could not be tlie * griiir
« c///5/t' id'o held l.fi //.*
V. 305. Whfre then, ;'l.i<;, fli.i!! p.)\i.rty rcd'-lc".
To fcnpo t'.o p. cfiur.' c t cor.ti^u.nis priuc ?
If to Ici.c cr.n.cni fvnc(.!cf- limits ftr.'vM,
He drivo his fiock to pick the fcanty H.-.cc ;
• The ir.ct.-phor is .-n /j^n.-/ f tuus, that leaJi many
a poet into thv bog of r.onlcnf- : far inilancts of this,
rccourfc may be had to Dr. Younc's Night Thought-',
and to feme productions of the piclcnt day.
Tuofv,
CRITICAL ESSAY>i. 2S5
Thofe fcnctlcfx htLls ih: (ov.icl w\:J.:'.\ i!;v'.Jc,
The great fault of tliis Pccin, is a dlirc-
gnrd to conliik-ncy. The previous re-
peated hinti. of the c:r.i:;raiion, Ii.:i1 i::-
tirely fuperfLdcd tlic ;il)L>ve palT.igc ; fur
thofe wiioin * I'dmir.^ l\id Jt'y.ir^cJ from
* tiji' Lmd' it fiirclv need not h:ive been
alked, * in rchat juirt cf it tbey jhould
* rcfidcj With funil.ir iinproj>riety Rii-
nil Poverty, whleh v.c were led to fiip-
pofe h;id kit its native hind, is now
introduced ;;s relirin^^ to the metropo-
lis; but is fliewn to deiive no advant-
age from a retreat tliillier. * I'he glit-
* tcring coiirtiify is there con trailed
with the * pale artijl, t./j! pUcs the Jichlj
* trade 'y and tumultuous Grandeur, and
her rattling chariots, glaring torches,
6cc. with the dilbebful filuation of a
poor prollitute, who
—Once perchance in vill;i::c pltiity bid!,
Iks u\})t at tales oriiinoccii^jdiHiCi* ;
Her
286 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Her modcft looks the cottnge might adorn.
Sweet as t!ie primrofc peeps ht-neath the thorn ;
Now loft to all her friends, her vinuc flcJ,
Near her betrayer's door fhe h\-s her head ;
Andpinch'd with cold, and ftirinking from the
(how'cr,
frith heavy heart de^hra that lucklfi hsury
lyhiniJIy Ji'Jiy amlithus cf the t'AuKy
She left hi r vjhtnly andrtbii cfciUKtrylrcxn.
This is a fine pafTngc : there is beauty in
the fimile of the prinirofe, and pathos in
the mention of the unhappy girl laying
her head at the door of her betrayer ;
but the latter fcems rather enfeebled by
the addition of thcfc lines, * With heavy
« hearty Gfr.*
The Author now rather unlliilfully re-
turns to his fubjedl, by the following
inquiry :
Do thine, Jivcet Auburn, thine the lovelicft
train,
Do thy fair tribes participate her pain?
E'vn now perhaps by cold and hunger led.
At proud men's doors they a/k a little ireaJ,
The
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 287
The reply to this query, introduces the
emigration in full detail :
Ah no! to illftant climes a drear)- fccne,
Where half the convex worlJ intrudes between,
To torrid tracts, with fainting fleps tlicygo.
Where wild Altama raurniursto their woe :
Far different there from all that charm'd be-
fore.
The various terrors of that horrid fhorc ;
Thofe blazing funs that dart a downward ray,
And fiercely fhcd intolerable day ;
Thof." matted woods, where birds forget to
fmg,
Kut filcnt bats indrowfy cluftcrs cling ;
Thofe poifonous fields, with rank luxuriance
Where the dark foorpion gathers deaili around ;
Where at each ftep the ftranger ftars to wake
The rattling terrors of the vengeful fnakc;
W'hcrecrouding tigers wait their haplcfs prey.
And favagc men more murderous ftill thari
they;
While oft in whirls the rr.a/l tornado flics.
Mingling the ravag'd landfcape willi the flcies.
Far dlffirint tltfefrom tvtry former J, t'lt^
77v co'Sing bro'A^ the grajj'y-vejltd griirij
The breexy covert of the tuarh'Ung grove^
That only jhelter^ d thefti cf harmlef kvt.
This
288 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
This piece is animated, and in general
corrcdly drawn ; tlic candid rational
critick can have little objection to it.
The general cffcd of the pafTa^c is in-
deed weakened by the two lafl cou-
plets, * Fur differcnty cifr.' which arc
totally fupcrfluous, and of dilTiniilar
chara<flcr. The compound * graJJy-1•rJl-
* ed,' is a bad one; the adjeclivc * ^raffyy'
conveys the whole fcnfc, confcqucntly
the participle, * I'ejted,' is tautologou'^ ;
grafs-veftcd, or vcrdure-vcrtcd, woultl
have been proper.
V. 367. GcxKlhcav'n! v.'hr;l forruu^^loonrj that puit-
ing day.
That call'd them from thcii lutivc walks away :
When the poor exile-, cvcrv plcafiirc paft.
Hung roiinJ their l.v.rrij and loudly lool'd
their laft ;
And took cling farrxtV,^ ar.Jwifr)'din vain^
Fcr fiati lUe tlejc- Lyzrd tfu uvjh rn r.ain ;
And fliudd'ring ftiil to face thcdiftant deep,
Rcturn'd and wept, and lliU rcturn'd to w^cp.
Thc^ood »>ld f.rctiiL- fuft prfpar'dto go.
To new-found world-, and wept for other.- it:-';
Bui
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 289
Rut for himftlf in confcious virtue brave.
He only wifh'd for worlds bcyonJ the grave.
His lovely daughter, lovelier in her tears.
The fond companion of his helplefs years,
SHent went next, neglectful of her charms.
And left a lover's for a father's arms.
\\"\\)\hudi-r pLiint^ the mother fpf)};e her tfj«.
And bleft the cot w!»cre cvtry pUdjure rofc ;
And kifi'd her thoughtlefs babes witli many a
tear,
A.nd clafptthem clof.', in forrow doubly dear ;
While her fond hulband fti.nc to lend relief.
In all the decent manlintfs of grief.
An injudicious arrangement is obvious
here again. This p.ilfagc fhould have
precccdcd the pallagc lall quoted, * Ah tio,
* to dljlant clhncs , ^c' the people fliould
have been introduced as going, before
the place to which they were to go, had
been defcribed. This dilpofition would
have produced another advantage, a cli-
max in character, from the pathetick to
the fubllmc. This paragraph has many
beauties : the heart mud be infcnfibic
indeed, which does not feci the (otcc
T of
290 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
of pathos, in the circumftanccs of the
Cauglitcr rch'nquiflnng her lover, in or-
der to attend her father; and the mother
clafping her thoughtlefs babes, with ad-
ditional tendernefs. The Labor limcCy
might however have been employed to
advantage ; the lines in italicks might
have been fparcd ; and the pofitivc ad-
jcdive, * filcjity in the 15th line, and
the comparative, * hudcVy in the 17th,
do not agree :• to fiy that fome accents
are hiidcr than others, is proper ; but
to fiy that any accents arc hudcr than
JilcncCy is abfurd, bccaufc y^Av/r^ cannot
be * loud' at all. The idea of habita-
tions had been conveyed under the name
of * boivcrSy the mention of them again,
under the name of * the cot li'bere cccrj
* pleafure rofe,' was nccdlefs. The ex-
preflion, * ivbere every pleafure rofe, \-
unufual, and rather aukward.
This is fuccccded by an apoftrophc to
Luxury, in which kingdoms inebriated by
he:
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 291
her potions, arc not very elegantly com-
pared to an hydropic human body. This
apoftrophe is ill placcil, as it intercepts
the connexion between the laH: quota-
tion, • Good heavcfij (Sc' and the fol-
lowing, which concludes the poem;
£:>'n k'jIV thi- JcV.ijlatt:', it /v^«n,
Ami half thf iuj'iitiji Zj ./;;«</;«<■;
Ev'n now mtlhinks, .i> p-nJcriHt; here I flanJ,
I fee the rural vlrtiK> I-j.uc the hiP.J.
Down whcic you ;uichorln;^ vcficl Ijircjdb" the
Jail,
Thai iilly w.iitinj:, (laps with every j{ali" j
Downward they move, a nKl.in..h()ly ban J,
l\ifb fioni the Hiorc, and darken all the llrand.
Contented toil, and hofpitable care,
And kind connubial tcndernefs are there ;
And piety with wifhcs plac'd above,
And fteady loyalty, and faithful love.
And thou fwcct I'uetry, thou lovelieft maid.
Still tirfl to fly where fcnfual joys invade,
Unft in th.fi dL^enerate ttma ofjhanuy
To calJ) the heaytyUtiljlrikepr hzncjl faim \
Dear ch;.rn)int5 nyinpli, neL'lected and deiiy'd,
My flianie in cr<iuJs, my folitary pride !
Thou fource of all my blif>, and all my v.-oc,
Ihou found'll nu: poor it firft, and keep'll
me fo i
T 2 Thou
292 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Thou guide by which the nobler art*: rxccll,
Thou nurfc of every virtue, fare thcc well \
P'arcwell — and O where'er thy voice be trlc<^,
On TornoN clitf>, or Panibamarca's fide ;
tf^hetlur where equ'in'Jltal ftrvzun ghiv^
Or ninter urupt the ps'.ar iv^rli inJn-jW \
Still lit thy vci:e prevaUing cvtr tirit-y
Rtdreji the rhour cf th^nulnntnt c'nr.e ;
Aid fliyhtctl truth wit!i thy pcrfwafive ftr.iin.
Teach erring man to fjnirn the rage of train ;
Teach him ihut flatts of native ftreni^th poHK',
Though very poor, may yet be very bieft ;
That trade's proud empire haftes to fwift decay,
As ocean fvvecps tlic labour'd mr-le awav j
\N'hile fch-dcpeiulent power can time iiufv^
As rocks refift the billows and the fky.
This is a fine pallligc, but it would ad-
mit of improvement : the firft couplet,
* Even noii\ (^c' is little better than an
abfurdity ; the dcvaftation is * hegun^'
and ' bill f done f at the fame time. The
connciSlion with the prccceding quota-
tion, wouU have been better, if thofe two
lines had been omitted, and the third
line had begun thus, * JFith thoiiy cV.'
* The anchor d vcffc/y with its * fiJpp'f'^ \
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 293
* fijilf is a natural and beautiful image.
The aildrcfs to Poetry has a noble cn-
thufufm, but wants correctncfs : the
lines in italitks, * (//;/// //; tbifc dcgene-
* rate, (^c,' miglit have been fparcti ;
* Strike for homj} fame y is an unmean-
ing phrafe, nearly allied to nonllnfe;
and what alTinity the circumllancc of the
voice of Poetry * prevailing over time,'
can have with the circuniftance of its
* redrefjiug the rigour of a climate^ is not
obvioub. I am not one of thofe who
difcover even a cafual imitation in every
refemblance ; but polTibly the ideas of
two former writers might have * re-"
' murmured' in our poet's * memorial
* cell,' when he wrote thefe lines. Pre-
fixed to Pope's works are feveral com-
plimentary copies of verfes, in one of
which, the author fpeaking of the Aory
of Lodona, fays.
The fofl complaint fliall over liir.c prevail.
And Gray, in his progrefs of poetry, has
T 3 In
the following :
294 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
In climes beyond the folar roic!,
Where fliaggy forms o'er ice-built mountair.x
roam.
The mufc has broke the twilight gloom
Tochcar thc(hivering native's dull abode.
The Defcrtcd village, as has been hint-
ed, is, on the whole, a performance of
great merit ; it has numerous excellen-
cies, and numerous faults ; and while wc
arc charmed with the former, we cannot
but regret that more pains was not
taken to avoid the latter.
T 3 ESSAY
( 295 )
ESSAY IX.
On Thomson's Seasons.
GENERAL Crlticlfm can fay little
of the Seasons, that has not
been faid already. The ingenious Mr.
Aikin, in the Effay prefixed to his edi-
tion, has explained their plan and cha-
racfler; and to Dr. Johnfon's opinion of
them, there is no great reafon to obje(5t.
Particular criticifni cannot be cxpeded to
purfue her talk regularly, througli a
Poem of fuch length ; but the exami-
nation of fome detached paflages, will
perhaps fuHiciently point out the nature
of its beauties and defeds.
T 4 Thomfon
296 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Thomfon ohfcrved clofelv, and de-
fcribcd forcibly. lie fclJom diftrads
the reader's attention by the introduc- ^
tion of heterogenous ideas ; he has few
fimilies, and few allufions ; but he errs,
by endeavouring to imprcfs his fubje<ft
on the mind, with a pomp and redupli-
cation of cxpreflion. lie often, in at-
tempting energy and dignity, produces
bombaft and obfcurity ; and in avoiding
mcanncfs, becomes guilty of aft'edlation.
His langu.ige Is indeed a kind of anamo-
ly, for which he had no example, and
which it would not be cafy to imitate.
The country wears one of its mod
beautiful appearances, when the orchards
and hedges are in bloflbm ; this he de- I
fcribcs as follows :
•I purfuc my walk.
And fcc the country far-diffusM around.
One boundlcf> blulh, one rchite-i/n^urpUd Jhsii. r
Of mingled blofi'oms i where the rapturMcyc
Hurries
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 297
Hurries from joy to pv, an J hid bciK-atli
The fair profufion, ytliitv autumn fpics.
This pafTage gives a general confufcd
idea of the fubjtcfl, but they arc extreme-
ly deficient in corrednefs. To term the
country a * bdundlcfi hluJJ:,' becaufe it is
covered with trees in bloom, however
bold, is pcrliaps jurtifiablc ; but to term
that country a * ichite empurpled Jho'^cr^
becaufe the trees h.ivc llied their blolloms,
is furely rather too violent. That the
raptured eye luirried from place to place,
might have been faid properly ; but to
fiiy it hurried from * jc^y to *joy* when
nothing o^ joy had been prcvioufly men-
tioned, fecms carrying figurative language
almoil toabfurdity.* He who fees trees
in bloom, mufl naturally fuppofe that
they will bear fruit, and his imagina-
tion may behold them fraught with it;
but his eye may look in vain among the
• The Author meant undoublcJIy, the placcj or prof-
ped» ihal afforded y''^ ox fle.ifure.
blofibms.
298 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
bloflbms, to Jpy the poetical pcrfon au-
tumn. TlicTc is bcfides fomcthing whim-
fical, if not ludicrous, in the fuppofcd
concealment and difcovcry of the iniper-
fonatcd fcafon.
Our poet's pi(flure of tlie approach and
dcfcentofa * icnidl /l:o-^i\'ry is one of
his capital pieces. It is a fair fpeciinen
of his general manner; its beauties and
defc(fls arc fo intermixed, that it is no
cafy matter to feparate them.
• ■ ■ Gratloal fmks the breeze
Into a pcrfftft culm ; that not abrculi,
Is heard to cjui\tT tlirou^h the chf:>:^ \\\x)cls,
Or nifhing hum the rrii'iy-iivinHni^ * lc;;\cs
Of afpin tall. Tl-.c uncurling fifK>J>, iliiTi>'ii
In glaffy brcnth, f.tm thriu-h lUIufrji- tapfe
Firgftful of their Cjurff. 'I"is filcnce all,
And plcafuig expectation. Herds and flocks
Drop the dry Tprig, and rKuti--irnphri7i^, (y
• Gray has been ccnfured for the ufe of this com-
pound nany-fMinkltng, but his cenfurer'; have not re-
marked that Thomfon had ufcd it before him.
J
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 299
The fiill.r.g vnJurc. HiifliM in fluirt fiifiKiifc,
Th"pluiny people ,//'v..'^ tli'ir '.lin^s xvlth cil^
To throw the lu.ll m-Jjlutt- u\\:k\\ivz. <^^\
And unit thc.ipproachin^^ figii to ftriLcat onrc
Into ilic gcniT.il choir. K\ 'n nuKU-.t.iins, v.i!cs,
And foulU,y^ (•//;, im^tittiHfy to ikniunJ
The f-t .■•r.is'dfuvftnrj's. Man^fujK-rior walks
AniiJ the gl-id cre.iticjn, niufin^ praile,
And livjlcin^ !i\ely gratitude. At l.;i},
'i'hc clouds confi^^n tiicir trcUiires to the fields j
And ("u!";ly-ni ikin;; on the dimpled |m>()I,
Preliir.vc drop> Ut ii.'i tf.tir r/::i'!urejI;:Cy
Ik Ur^t (jfnp-.n o\r C> i j'ujhcnu ii'.i'.iL
There are here two kinds of clrciim-
ftances, one ^dually txillcnt in nature,
and one tlie prodin^t of the I*oct\s ini.igi-
nation. The calm is of the firll fort,
and is forcibly expreniil by tfic qiiief-
cence of the afpin, and the glalh n-jf^ of
the water. The * Jloods Jlrnu'ng/'^rgcfJ'ul
* cf their coiirjcy is of the fccc^id, and
might be an allowable hyperbole ; but
in the prefent cafe, it wants propriety.
A poetical mind too feldom thinks with
prccifion ; imagination is apt to act
without
300 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
without judgment, and confound on 2
objc<fl with another. The floods could
not fccm * J or get fill of their courfc,' for
their courfc was not l^opped. On the
ccfl*ation of the wind, the curl or undu-
lation on the furfnce would ceafc, hut
the motion of the current would not ba
dcftroycd. When the gale funk, a pool
would become fmooth ; but a river which
run before, would run (lill, and with
the fame velocity.* To f.iy that the
floods fcem forgetful of their courfe,
* through ddiijhc lupjl'i is to talknon-
fenfe. The * h:rJs and the Jl.chs drop-
* ping the dry fprlg* may polVihly be a
natural a«5iion ; nor may it he deemed
too bold to reprefent them as * implor-
* trig the coming f.oiver ;' but it is cer-
tainly too violent an anticipation to
• Thomfon fcems to have caught his idea from a very
gentle ftrcam, which, in a calm, would appear totally
fmooth; but even fuch a ftrcam would have a tcurJe,OT
current, which it confcijucnlly coulj not be proper-
ly faid vofrgt:.
make
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 301
make them * eye cr z-iezv that Jhon-er as
* Jallingy before it began to fill. It is
alio as violent a lulillitiition of eil'ec'l for
caufe, to call the rain * ^jinlure ,' and
worfe rtill, by the aildilion of a previous
and totally inapplieable epithet, to term
it * fulling i-eri/ure.' Faney fecms in-
deed here to have run wild; ihe fiip-
pofes that the * birds' implore the rain,
and at the fame time fee it * fiiUing-,'
2iV\di inui glue \\\^\ fee in it the green co-
lour^ whieh will, in confequence of it,
cover their future pjftures. How far
the affair of the birds moiftening
their plumage with nn oleaginous mat-
ter, or in our author's words, *Jlreak-
* ing their ivings leith oily is a fact, I
pretend not to determine. The cir-
cumftance of the * mount ains^ for ejls^ ^c.
* feeming impatient for the rain^ ' if not
too poetically bold, is at leafl mifplaced ;
it (hould have immediately followed that
of * the rivers feeming forgetful of their
' courf'i tlie proccfs would then have been,
from
302 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
from inanimate to animate matter, from
water and carlli, to birds, beads, and man ;
this would have been a climax. The
* prelufrje drops on the dimpled pool, is a
beautiful flroke; but it was unnecefTary
to fay, firft, that * The clouds confign their
* trcjjjures to the fields f'*^ and next, that
they * let ell their vioijlure Jloiv in large
* ^J^i/^^f^ ^^^ theJ'reJJjen'd li'orUL'
The ftciilin^ fliowcr Is fci'.rcc tr,p/itttr hearJ,
By fuch as v.auJor tl.rou^h ihc fordi \valk=,
Ijcncath the umbrageous multitude of leaves.
But who ca.n hold the fiud.', vvlien hiann d:-
fcerJi
In uiiiverfal bounty, fi)<:cl.i'v:g hivli
And fru'iti unJ JiALfrs on n.itiire*s ample lap ?
Swift fancy y?r\/, anticipates their growth;
And wh!Ie the mH'y uutrlnur.t il\^\\\>^
Behc'lJs the iindi'iiij country ci.'mr round.
There is nature in the firil three lines of
the above, but an unnatural affedtation
• This line, confidcrcd in itfclf, has great merit. The
oppoGtion between the (l.iui'f and the /.ei'ds, and the tranf-
miflion of the rain from the forni'.Tto the latter, are idcis
well conceived and cxprcJled.
in
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 303
in the reft. Walking under t/juk trees
in a vernal rain, which docs not pene-
trate, is certainly very pleafant ; but
walkino: abroad even in fuch a rain,
would hardly be agreeable enough to
produce fine reveries on the prolped of
plenty. This paffage alfo is verbofe and
affeded ; * Fancy is f.r'dy the country
' * kindlcSf iyc' the thought fnnply e.v-
prelfed, is this; that heaven in flied-
ding the rain, flieds herbs and Hov/ers ;
^c. and that fancy anticipates tlieir
growth, and beholds the country cover-
ed with them.
Where a fubjedt occupies any confide-
rable number of linej;, it is commonly
ncccffary to mention it repeatedly, ei-
ther in the fame terms, or in others.
The permitting one word to recur fre-
quently, has been juflly termed a fio-
i venly pradlce ; and writers, to avoid it,
often have recourfe to a kind of me-
tonymical, or rather catachrellic;'.! ex-
prellions,
304 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
prcflions, which are moftly either impro-
per or inelegant. Thomfon has a great
number of thcfc quaint phrafes of his
own connrudion. The reader mufl
have obfcrved, that in the two immedi-
ately preceding paflagcs, the fingle cir-
cumflancc of rain, is defcribcd by no
lefs than fcven different appellations; it
is called ^ JaUiug "verdure ^ * lucid moi-
* Jlure, * promised fueetfitfs,* * trenfures
* of the clouds,' * heaven defc ending in
* wiiverfal bounty , * fruits and foiiers,
and laftly, * milky Jiutriment*
Thus all day long the full-dirtcmkil clouds.
Indulge their genial ftorcs* and wcll-fhywcr'd
earth
Is derp-enr'uh'd with vegetable life ;
Till in the weftern fky \\\<: drj.uu.ard fun
Looks out effulgent from amid the f.uj}}
Of broken clouds, gay-fliifting to his beam.
The rapid radiance inftar.tanecus ftrikes ;
The illumin'd mountains through the forcft
fl reams.
Shakes on the floods, and in a yellow mifl
Far finoaking o'er the interminable plain.
In rwuikling m}Tlad,> lights the dewy gems.
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 305
Mo'iji^ bright^ anJ gruriy tlic bmlfcajx: lau^ht
around ;
Full fivc'.l the XLO:.is, /h:r every mufic uutkcSj
Mix'din wild concert with the warbling brooks
Incrca-)'d, t!ic diftant bicatings of the hills.
The hilloiv Ions rcfponfiNc from the vales,
Whence blending all tlie jViicetetid /cphir
fprings.
That a mind fully poficlTcd of its fubjcd,
riiould aim to cxprcfs it in every pof-
fible method, is natural ; confcqucntly
one cannot wondcT at finding in poetry,
fuch frequent reiteration of the fame
ideas in ditTerent exprefiions. The wri-
ter may experience no difguil from this
redundance, but the reader muft ; for
he has conceived tlic thought, and wiHics
not to dwell upon it, but to quit it for
another. This is generally the cafe, but
not condantly ; repetition fometimes
pleafes. Our author had defcanted large-
ly on his vernal rain ; but he introducer,
it here a;;aln, * T^hus all day Lng^ ^c'
with much dignity and cafe. This paf-
l^ fagc
\/
306 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
fage has great merit ; nothing can be
more natural and pidurcfquc, than the
images of the * fun JJ:ining from among
* the brokaickudsy and his radiance Jlrik-
* ing on the tnountain^ Jlr earning through
* the forcjly trembling on the ''Ji^ater,
* fmoaking \\\ i\\Q yelhii) mijiy Vin<\ glitter-
* ing on tbe drops of rain,' There is a
confufion, and contrariety of ideas in
thccircumflance of the * land/cape laugh-
* ing:* the verb * laughs'* rather indi-
cates a poetical perfon ; but the epithets
round y tnoijty bright ^ and green ^ are only
compatible with a natural objccft. * Full
* Jwell the li'oodsy* is an aukward phrafe,
whofe meaning can fcarccly be dif-
covered; and * Their every mujic li^akes^'
is but little better. Thofe who are cu-
• The human countenance, when fmiling, is beheld
with complacence ; ami by a catachrcfis, or inverfion, 3
fine profpcft, which ib agreeable to the eye, is faid n
* /milt ;* but the word ♦ luugh,^ however authorized,
iitoo ilron^, and muH convey a perfonal idea.
riou*
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 307
rious in found, will be difgudcd with
the cacophony in * holloij ions.* The
* -zcph-r may be properly faid to * bknd^
or minizle, the various noifesj but
why that * ziphir Hiould be faid to
* fpringy particularly * Jroin the va/:s/
and why it Hiould be faid to be * fucct-'
* t'.vV,' arc quellions which it is natural
to alh, but pofiibly tlicy could not be
eafily anfwcrcd.
Tlie aniufcnicnt of an idling has been
generally regarded a^ a diverfion, not
only inottenfive in itklf, but alfo fa-
vourable to the meditations of the phi- .
lofophical and religious. Perhaps, how-
ever, it might be dillicult to reconcile
with the idea of moral reditudc, the idea
of pleafure obtained by the punifliment
of innocent being;.* The attention of
• ThiiConfiJeration apart, the amuf-rmcnt might bo,
in fomc rcfpcfts, agrccu.blc, and dcfcriptionj of it
generally plcafc ; wiinefi that engaging book, Wal-
ton's Complete Angler, and Mr. Mojti DuowNs't
truly poetical Pifca;ory Ecloguei.
U 2 an
3o8 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
an angler will alfo be too anxloufly cm-
ployed on the objc<fl he is endeavour-
ing to procure, to admit the excrcifc
of his mental powers on dimmilar fub-
jc<fls. Of this amufemcnt, Thomfon
has given a defcription full of mafterly
Arokes ; a defcription, which Hicws that
h.e muft cither have pradifcd it himfclf,
or attended very clofely on the pradicc
of it by others.
Now when the firft foul torrci.t of thcbro<;>Ic«,
Swcll'd with the vtrn;il rai;j>, iscbb'd a.v.iy ;
And whitening:, down their miJJy-tlnSlur'ii
llrcam
Dcfcendsthc billowy for.m ; now ii the timr.
While yet the dark-brown water aitU the iriiilc,
To t^mf-t Iff trout. The well diHemblcJ fly,
The rod fine-tapering with fla,:ic fl>rin^^
Snatch' J from the- hoary Jiad thf fating lir.f^
And all t'ry JiinJtr wutnyjlores prtpurc.
The proper fcafon for the fport, and the
implements rcquifite for it, arc here de-
tailed with a moft ftriking particularity,
though not with the grcateft corrcdncfs
of
CRITICAL ESSAYS.
309
of language. The compound * fftojfy^
* tincIurJ^' fc'cms improperly introdu-
ced ; one Hiould fuppufc it was deligned
to convey the idea of a green ifh colour,
but \vc are told, that the water is * Jurk-
* broiL'n,' * To tempt the trout,' is pro-
faick. The * ivcll-dijj'cmbkd Jly , is fim-
plc and juft ; and the * rod Jine tapering
* liith chijlic Jpring,' is cxprelTive ; but
to have mentioned the * Jkat'ing line,'
would furely have been fuHicient, with-
out intimating that it was made of white
horfe-Iiair ; and that in a manner fo ob-
fcure, ' Snatch' dj'rcm the hoary Jleed, lf:c*
that, if the circumflance was not ge-
nerally known, the verfe would be un-
intelligible. The next line is an ex-
crefccnce; it is not ealy to guefs what
* other Jlender ii\itry Jlores, were intend-
ed for preparation.
But let not on thy hook the tortur'il worm,
Com ulfivf, twifl in a^oIli^i^:; folus ;
Which by rapatiouN hunger fwallou-M ilccp.
Gives as you tear it from the blcciiiii^ brcaft
U 3 Of
310 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Of the weak lulplcfs uncomplaining \\T»lch»
HaHh pain, and horror to the tciulcr hand.
The nian of humanity, who reads this,,
however fondof fidiing he may bo, will
furely never impale a worm again. The
picflurc is indeed drawn with fuch force,
as almoft to fliock. imagination.
High to their fount, this j.-y aniiJ the hills
And woodlanils waiblini; round,! trace up tlie
brooks i
The next purf.ic their rr.cky chanc ii'u m.r/c
Down to the rivcr>, in vvhofc ample umvc
Their little naiads lovetofport at lar^j,c.
Juft in the dubious point, whirc- with the pool
Is mix'd the trcmh'lintj flrc.itn, or where it
boils
Around the fione, or from tlic I;- Uow'd hank
Reverted plays in tmdulatini; /fiU',
There throw nice-jtidging the dclufivc Hy j
■f • H'''a'JlanJs 'warhling reunJ.* Thi^ is an inftanct
of poetical boldncfs, without impropriety : the ivcdj
are, without any great viole-nce, fubilitutcd for the
kirit who inhabit them.
And
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 311
And as you lead it round i:i artful curve.
With eyc-attcntivc mark the fpringing i^amc.
The Poet has here defcribcJ the places
proper for angling, with uncommon ac-
curacy; our fancy is delighted with his
* bills and li'oods* and * rocky channdl'd
* brooks ;' and a painter could rot have
given a water fcene, with all its minute
divcrfities, more exadly than he has in
his * pool mixing '■jjitb tbc Jlrcam^' and his
* Jlream boiling around tbejionc,' or * re-
' verted from tbe bolloii; bank.'
Strait as above the furf^cc of the flcoJ
They wanton rife, or ur;^'d by hui-.g'.r leap.
Then fix, with gentle twitch, the barbed
hook :
Some lightly- tofling to the gralTv bank.
And tothcfhclvincr fhore flow-drai'^iin': (bmc.
With various hand proportion'd to their force.
The motions of the fiili, and the opera-
tions of the angler, arc here detailed
\vith wonderful precifion. The com-
U 4 pound
312 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
pound epithets, ' lightly tojfmg* * Jlo'-jf-
* ^^^Zg^^g* are ftrikingly exprclTivc of
the a(ftions ; but fonie m.iy think them
wanting in poetical dignity.
If yet too young, and czftly dccc'v'd,
A worthlcfs prey frarce bends your pliant red,
Him ///(•;; j/i cf hti ycnthy c.r.ii the fi zrl j^a:c
He has fnJTy'd the vital li^ht of htaver.y
Soft difcniizgc, and back into the ftrtam
I'hv/pfcUid infiint throw.*
The praife bcflowed on the preceding
pafKige, cannot be juflly given to this.
There is in it an attempt at dignity above
the occafion. Pathos llems to have been
intended, but aficdation only is produced.
-But fhould you lure
From his dirk haunts, beneath the tan;:!- 1
roots
Of pendent trees, the monarch of thic brook,
• The paflage {lands thus in fome of the common edi-
tions. Mr. AiKl.H reads ' /feckhJ eaftiir.'
Behoves
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 313
Behoves you then to ply )our fimfl art.
Longtime he following cautious fcans the fly.
And of: atti.mpt> to fcizc It ; but a<; oft
Thcdiinplcif water r,.CMiCs hiN jealous Icar.
At laft while haply o'er tiu- ftiaded fun
Paflcs a cloud, he difpcrate takes thi utath
With fullcn plunge. At r.r.ce he darts along,
Dcep-ftruck, and runs out all the lengthen'^
line;
Then fcek? the farth.cft ooze, the fhelrcring wctd.
The cavcrii'd bank, his old fecurc ubode ;
And flies aloft, and fiyunccs rour.dthe pool,
InJi^r.ant of thf ^u'fu-. With yielding hand
That feel.^ him Itiil, yet to his furious courfc
Gives way, you, now retiring, following nuw
Acrofs the ftream,e\h lufl his idle rage ;
Till floating broad upon his breathlefs fide,
And t^ hii faU ulc.n.i:n;\ to the flioic
You gcUy drag your unrefifting prize.
This is a remarkable inftancc of tliat
poetry, which can ** turn re.iJcrs into
** fpe<flators." The whole procefs of
catching a large fiHi, is defcribed in the
mofl explicit and judicious manner;
but the language is in feme few inftances
exceptionable.
Thorn fon's
314 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Thomfon's account of the different
fituations, chofcn by different birds for
their nefts, demonftrates the clofert; ob-
fervations of nature; but the language
has his ufual inequality :
Some to the holly hedge
Kejlling repair, anJ t<> the thickfct fome;
Some to the rude protccliori of the thorn
Commit their fctblc offspring. The cleft tree
OfTcrs its kind concealment to a few,
Their food its infe«5l<, and its mofs their r.efts.
Others apart far in the grafTy dale,
Or YGUihoung unfle their hwnilc texture
weave.
Butmoflin woodland fMitudcs delight.
In unfrequented glooms, or fhady banks.
Steep, and divided by a bubbling brock,
Whofc murmurs footh tliem all the livelong
day.
When by kind duty fix'd. Among tlie roots
Of hazel, pendent o'er the plaintive ftrcam,
They frame the firft foundation of their ilomiS ;
Dry fprigs of trees in artful fabrick laid.
And bound with clay together. Now 'tis
nought
But rcftlefs hurry through the hufy air,
Beit
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 315
Jkat by ur.r.umbcr'd wings. The fwa'.low
fv.ccps
The flimv pool, to build his hanging hnutc
Intent. Ai't! often froni the urcljs baclcs
Of herds :-.:.jn<Kk>-, a ti.oufanJ tirigln;; oills,
Pluck hair an.! wool ; atu! oft, when unobftrx'J,
Steal fntn tl,: i\:rn ajltu:i : tu'.J.ft a'ul uar:t:^
Cltciiy and amplttiy thur hu'itatun ^tmj.
Some Criticks have fiippofcd, that poe-
try can only deal in generals ; or in other
J words, that it cannot fiihrill witli any
very minute Ipecihcation of particulars.
To fuch, this palTa^e migiit he well
produced as a proof, that their opinion is
erroneous. That poetical power, which,,
in Homer, tranlports us to tlic hanks of
Simcis, and Hiews us the fliicld of Achil-
les, or the cafque of Hedor ; and in
Virgil, fets before us the lierdlhian,
* who feebly drag^'d his goat along;'
the vine-pruner finging at his labour up-
on the rocks, and even the fmoaky raft-
ers of a cottage; that power here con-
veys us to the woodland's remoteil:
rcccfles.
^)6 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
recedes, among the Hiaggy banks,
and hazel roots, proje<fting over the
gurgling rills, where the feather'd race
are building their habitations. The no-
tation of time is always pleafing ; there
is fomething finely romantick in the
idea of the birds being foothcd with the
murmurs of the brook * a// the Ihelong
' day* The whole, however, concludes
with an anticlimax : when wc are told
of * jleiilingfrom the barn ajlraii^,' how-
ever natural may be the adion defcribcd
by that exprcflion, the cxprcfTion itfelf
is a wretched profaifm. * Clean andcom-
* tlcte, alfo, is little better than * clean
* and tight ;* the dilution of a houfe-
maid or a char- woman.
The defcription of Ilaglcy Park, and
its profpe<fls, has a remarkable mixture
of beauties and faults :
O L)ttlcton, the fiienJ ! tJ y pafTions thus
And mciiitaiions \.:r), as at large
Courtlii:^
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 317
Courting the Ntufo, throu-h Ha;^lcy V.xik jm
ftray
Thy Kritifli Tcmpc : there al«)ng the dale,
With woods o'crhung, and Ihagg'J with niofly
rock?,
AVhtncc on each hand the gufliing waters play.
Or down th'" rough cafe.ide whitc-d.-ifhing fall.
Or gleam in Icngthcn'd vifta through the trees,
Tiu {\\cnt Jhi! I ; or fit beneath the fliade
Of folcmn oaks, that tutt the fwellir.g mounts.
Thrown graceful round l>y nature's cardefs
hand,
And pcnfive liftcn to tlic various voice
Of rural jK-ace : the herds, the flock^^, the birds ;
Thehollow-wliifp'ring brrc/<-, tht plaint of rill'^
'Ihat purling down amid the twiHed ro'Ks
'I hat creep around, tht-ir </iiLy n.urr'iursjlale
On the footh'd ear. ■
This pidurc, though generally dcfcrlp-
. / tive, is not locally peculiar. Many or-
namented grounds have their * dales
* overhung "jiitb ivoods^' and * Jhaggcd
* li'ith rocks ;' their fuddling mounts
croivnd with oaks, and their waters
foiling in foa?ny cafcades^ or Jhinirig in.
perfpeclive among the trees. That com-
moQ
3i8 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
mon blcmifli in poetry, a change of pcr-
fon from finguhr to plural, and vice "jerja,
is here very difagreeably inflanced ;
* T/.>jf fajjions — you Jiray — thy Britifi
* Tempc, &c.* The language (liould have
bee n u n i fo r ni , * ^(3 //;• pajjhns — youjlray^ —
* 6ff.' * The "jarlous voice of rural peace,'
is highly exceptionable : Peace and
noife are conlradidory ideas. Peace
fecms here to be pcrfonificd, and a de-
ficiency of judgment is Arikingly be-
trayed, in attributing to her a * voice Jb
* various,* as the * loiuifig of herds,' the
* bleating cf fecks,' and the * found of
* li'inds and li'aters.' To call the curs-
ling of rills a * plaint,' is boldly poeti-
cal i but to call it in the fame fentencc,
* de'u^y murmurs^ is a redundancy.
* Dewy murmurs,' is a vicious exprelTion :
the epithet * deny,' can relate only to
an obje<ft of feeling or fight, confequent-
ly it is abfurdly joined with ^murmurs,'
an obje(fl only of hearing .
Mean time
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 319
Mean time you gain the height from whofc
fair brow,
The burftiiig profpt-ft fprcads immcnfc arounJ:
And ftiatch'do'ci hill anJ daJc, and wood and
lawn,
And verdant field, and dark'ning heath be-
tween,
And villages embofom'd foft In trees,*
And fpiry towns by furging columns marJc'J
Of houfhoid fmolcf, y::*r ty excurfii'e reams :
Wide ilrctching from the hall, in uf.c/c kifid
haunt
The hofpltable Genius lingers ftill.
To where the broken landl'capc, by degrees,
Afccnding, roughens into rigid hills;
O'er which the Cambrian mountains, like far
clouds
That flcirt the blue horizon, dufky rife. \
• Milton firll introduced this beautiful image :
Towers and battlements it (ca,
Bofom'd deep in tufted trcct.
f The Author of thefc obfcrvations was once on the
Lill behind Haglcy I'ark, and viewed this profpcil. Per-
haps few places in our own country, afford fuch a noble
afTcmblagc of natural objefts; among others, the fub-
limc coDVCX of the Wrekin, and the enormou j rocky
wall
320 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
This dcfcriptlon has great force. To a
perfon who has not fcen the view it dc-
fcribcs, it will convey a general, grand,
and pleafing idea ; to one w ho has fccn
that view, it will inilantly recall its par-
ticular beauties. But the lani'uase is
here again incorre(fl. * SnatciyJ,' is fu-
pcrfluous and abfurd ; for who would
talk of * Jnatch'uig an eyef'* It is alfo
placed
wall of Malvern, with great part of the counties of Sa-
lop, Worcefler, and Hereford, &c. ber.e-th them. The
day was cloudy, and he could not for fomc lime dillin-
guilh the Welch mountainj from the clouds. He knew
that fcencs cf ihii kind arc not to be fcen in an inrtant ;
and continued looking at the point he was directed to,
through a good telefcope : while all near hand remained
anillumined, the fun broke out at an immenfe dillance ;
objefls, before in confufton, became dillind and beau-
tiful; he faw the mountains in their various pofitions,
(hapes, and colours, glowing with brightnefs, and waj
teady to fancy them the regions of another world.
• Ilis a circumftance that cannot have efcaped no-
tice, that mod authors have their favourite words, which
they arc apt to inuoducc loo often. There fcems a na-
tural
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 321
placed at fuch a diftancc from the verb
* roams,' with which it inuft connect,
in order to favc the period from being
nonfcnl'e ; that the reader at hrll does
not perceive the connexion. The ad-
je(ftivc * excurjive,' and the compound,
* 'u:icle-/lrctcbingf' are ahb fupernumera-
ries. The fentence placed in its natu-
ral order, will read thus : * Your eye
* f/uitciyd over hill and dale, &c. ro.:ms
* excurfivCf ivtilc-jlrctcbirg from, kS,c.*
Blank verle, where huh violent tranf-
politions and uimceefiary epithets are
ufed, iurely is nt)t unjulUy aecufed of
obfeurity. TIic * hiru! haunt' of the
tur..l inclination to commit this fault, and I hnvc perhaps
fomctimci committed it myfclf, though it has difguft-
ed nic in the works of others. I have alrcatly remark-
ed, that CIlldsmith, in his Dcfcrted Vill.ige, haj
ufcd the fubllantivc, * Sfnit,* and the adjective, 'ywf^.'/
to ancxccfi. Thomfon fcemcd to have apredilciliun for
this wcrd ' jnr.ti.h\-. ;* his filhing line is ' fnatcfj'd fii.m the
' h cry ft: A.* Spring, line 384, lias been noticed ; and
in line 516, he talks of ^ fruit ding a hurrit.l tyi thr».,gh
* a 'vtrdant maze.' He once ufcs it properly : Tve k f
* fnalch'J fjjfjfr.m tht fdiLig naiJ.' Winter, 1. 6:5.
X hall.
322 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
hall, is a nccdlcfs pcriphrafis; it was
fufliticnt to fay of the hall, that the
* boj'pit able genius' lingered in it.
The dcfcriptlon of Hay-making de-
mands particular attention :
V, 331. Ni>w fu-arms tl'c village o'er the jovial mead :
The ruhic youth brown with meridian toil,
Healthful and ftrong \ full a^ thefumnu-r rofc
]Mov.*nbv T< V :Ilinj: funs, the ruJdy maid.
Half nak.>J, iv.tili.igoii the fight, and all
Htr }'<ndled graccilurnhig o\-r /:,r chitk,
Ev'm ii« op" j^ a^c is here ; and infant hand'>
Trail tliL- long rale, or with the flagrant load
O'tT charg'd amid the ktnd cppr.Jfwn roll.
Wide flies the ttilJeJ grain ; all in a row
Advancing broad, or wheeling round tlie field,
*rhty flnud the breathing hanu-j} to thefuH^
T}}at throws rrfrejl.ing round a rural fmcU :
Or as tiicy rake the green-appearing ground,
And drive the dufky wave along the mead.
The rufict haycock riles thick behind
In order gay. •
Thomfon
* '7"hc reader may compare v.ith the above, Dod-
i: cv's dcfcripuou of ilic f^mc fubjeft, in his Poem,
caUcd
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 323
Thomfon was fonil of delineating the
female form, and he fometinics delineat-
ed it to advantage; but furely his
ruddy hay-maker ii, defcrihed with more
pomp than precifion. The fimilc of
the Rojl't (of which, by the way, 1
do not perceive tlie propriety,) in t!ie
r.nticipatory manner in which it is in-
troduced, renders the fentencc obfcure,
* Szi-c/Ii/ig Ofi the j.ght* is an exprellion
citiicr unm.-.ining, or indelicate; and a
called Pc!>Iick Viituc, a wuik cf very confiJcralili) poe-
tical merit.
—————In flantjiig rowi.
With ftill approaching flcp and IcvcU'd Aroke,
The cirly mower binding o'er his fcythc
Lays low the flcndcr g'^N, emb!rm ot man
Falling bcncith theruthlcU hand of time.
Then fu'IoAi blithe, tquipt with fork and rake.
In light irray, the tr.a:i of nyrnphs and fwains.
Wide o'er the ti -Id, their labour iccminij fporl.
They tafs the withering hcrb.-.ge ; liglit it iiiei.
Borne on the wing>of zephir, whi.lt fofi g.ile.
Now while the ifceading 1 anS bri^Si ',t in exhale*
The grateful fwcL-incf; cf th • ncA-mown )i.iy,
Brcithin^ rcfreil.aicnt, fan^ the ijillnv; fwaiu.
X 2 healthy
324 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
healthy countenance fliiHied with heat
and labour, is fomewhat ftrangcly cha-
raiftcrizcd by the term of ' kindled graces
* burning oer a check* Our author has
alfo here a whole group of his new-
coined denominations ; the hay is fuc-
cefiively called *friigrnnt loady kind op-
* t^^ffi'^'^'y tedded grahiy breathing harve/l,
* and dujky liave.' * Kind oppre/jiony* is
a phrafe of that fort, which one fcarcc-
ly knows whether to blame, or praife :
it confills of two words, dire(flly oppo-
fitc in their fignification ; and yet, per-
haps, no phrafe whatever could have
better conveyed the idea of an eafy un-
injurious weight. J * Tedded grain,*
feems an unjuftifiablc novelty ; the grain,
Oi feed, as an important part of corn,
is often ufed for the '•Ji-hole ; but is too
unimportant 2. part of grafs, to be ufed
I The paflfage however is highly redundanr,
* With itt fragrar.t had e'trchar^^J amid tin kind cp-
* prtjjitn rill.*
for
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 325
for that in like manner: * TcdJtJ
* gnj/s' would have been unexception-
able. * DuJly-icuJii',' is hold, but not
improper; a refemhlancc is cafily con-
ceiveahlc between rows of grafs on a
plain, and ridges of water on tlie fur-
face of the ocean. There is an ambi-
guity in this, * They fprcad the brciith-
* ing IhirvcJI, 6cc.' U'e know not whe-
ther it is meant, that they///;, by its ex-
haling power, throws the rcjrcjhjul fmcU,
or whether it is meant that the hay it-
felf threw it; if the hitter was meant,
{\:\\i\: and grammar are at variance, as
fun is the fubflantive immediately con-
nedcd with the verb tbron's. The tir-
eunirtances of age unequal to harder la-
bour, attending thccomparatively light-
er tail; of hay-making ; of the children
trailing the rake, and rolling among the
fvvarths, and of the green appearing
ground, and rufll't haycock rifing be-
hind, arc all equally jull and beautitul.
X 3 From
326 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
From hay-making, the poet makes an
abrupt tranfition to another plcafing ru-
ral occupation, viz. flieep-llicaring :
Or rufhing thence in nno d'Jufyjc lard^
l"hcy dri\e the tniublcJ flocks, bv manv a d^g
Compi'llM, to where the m i/v-runnini; brook
Form*" a c!ceppr.ol : this bank ?.!uiipt and high.
And that f.iir-)prcading in a ptbbkd iliorc.
Ur^'d to the giddy brink, ninth is the toil,
Thecbnunirnnich ofinin, and bov"^,3nd •'j;*,
E'if^ thiJ-J: fmrfu! fr^^\'f, t*. tlie AoihI
Conin.it tlicir 'xs'Jiy fid/s ; and oft the Twain
On fome iit. patient uizin;j h-.irls then in :
Kn'.bolJcn'd then, nor hefit.itin.' niDre,
Faft, fall, they plunge amid t!u- fl.llhin^; v.avc,
A:h' pr.n'ing labour to the furtlicr (\\r,\c.
Repeated this till deep the well-v.nfljM (1 iTC
Has drunk the flr.o.l, n':d from /;t Uv.ly haunt
7hrtreut is haiijVd ly thcjir.l I jlrtwr. :
Heavy, and dripping, to the brcc/y brow
Slow move the harndefs race ; where as they
fprcad
"Their fiirl.'inw trcnfurts to the funny ray.
Inly difturb'd, and wond'rini what this wild
Outrageous tumult means, their loud com-
plaints
The country fill ) and /■^yiVfrotn rock to rock,
IncclTanl bleatin;^s run around the hill>.
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 327
y/; lijjy of fmwy tvliu'y to- gutJ.w'ilf.iiki^
Arc in the WJtt'.cd pen inmniurous jmcI. <!,
Head above head ; and r.ini;M in lully ;n.v>.
The flicphcrds fit, and whet the foii'iJing
(hears.
The lioufevvife wait«J to roll her f.etey floret,
With all l.er <;ay-drcf-» -i niaids attending round:
One, chi(.f in gracious dijj;nity cnthron'd.
Shines o'er the icil, the p.iltoial t|ueen, and
myi
Her {mWvsfiLitt lijmin^ en her fheplierd kin^ ;
While the ^lad lit t'.c round thcni yield their
fouls
To feftive mirth, and wit that knows no gall.
Mean time their joyous tafk goes on apaee :
Some TtiiKglin^ iHrtlie melted tar, and fome
Deep on the new-fnorn vagrant' i hcaviiijj fide.
To {lamp tlieir maltcr's cypher ready (land ;
C)thers th' unwilling weather drag along j
Andglor\ing in his might, the ftuidy boy
Holds by the twifted horns th'indignant ram.*
There
• Another parallel paflage from Dnost FY's Publick
Virtue, may perhaps be not unacceptable. Thomson
fcems to have been kept in view, but not fcn'ilciy ir.i-
tatrd. DoDSLEY has adhered moll clofely to fact, \
marking a confidcrnble interval of time between w.i
and (hearing the flicep ;
X 4 «__,N.^»/
328 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
There is a total want of vrr.i-femhhrxe,
in the notion of a confiifal multitude
rufhing at once from the hay-field to the
fhcep-fliearing: the exprcHlon, ' #'w-
* Ji-je band,' is an incongruity; ' aijju-
^Ji-^je; or ' dipf'd: gives tlic idea of
difperfion; * Lvid; gives the idea of
connexion ; difFufive train, or ditfufivc
throng, would have heen lefs excep-
tionable. There is a fine ilcctch of
landfcape in the walhlng-pbcc, with
rmc bank abrupt and high, the cihcr
-Now beneath the fun.
Mellowing their fl-ccc. for th'impcn.'.n- mr-.rs
The 'u-«c//y peop'e, in ful! clotl.lng/'uri.s
When the fmooih current of a linipti Kook,
The n.epherJ fecks and plur.gin- in it> waves
The frighted innocents, their whitcr.Ii.g robes
In the clear fircam grow pure. F merging hence
On litter'd ftraw, the bleating flocks recline ;
Till glowing heat lb JI dry, and brearhiig dews
Perfpiring foft, tgain through all the flccrc
Diffufe their cilj/utn/s. Then the fwain
Prepares th' claftic (hears, and gen:ly down
The patient creature lays ; divcftin- foon
Its IcngthenM Umbiof their encumbering lond.
fpreadin;
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 329
fpreading in a pcbblnl fliorc. For want
of a previous fubfliintivc, the participle
' urcr'Jy* fccms to ftand looking about
for Ibrncthing to concord with, and is
ready to flill into the v.icuity of no mcan-
in^;. The Poet, at f.rll l^glit, nppcars to
have written nonfjnfj, and fiid tliat * //■«»
* toil and chimour of tic men and dogs liuis
* much urged to the giddy hrhik.' The
paflage may be read in this manner,
* Much is the toil and climour cf men and
* dogSy before the foft Jeciful people com-
* Jiiit their rjcoolly Jides to the Jljcd :' but
it was probably intended tluis, * When
* the Jlocks are urgd to the giddy brink,
* much is the toil and clamour , <3c. before
* they commit themfches to the ii^ater,'
The mention of * dogs* twice, was {\i'
pcrtluous ; it might have been cailly
avoided :
Tlifv drive t!ic flocks to where the winJir.'
Itrcam
Forms a deep pooljtilii bank ubrupt ai.J hi^h, A:c.
The
330 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
The phrafcs of * foft fearful people*
* woolly fidcsy Off.' have the character
of affectation, and alinoll; of burlefquc.
The following circumftanccs arc flri<flly
natural, and the fenfe is conveyed with
the advantage of torrefpondent found :
■ 'The fwain.
On foinc impatiriu fcizing hurls them in :
P'mbolden'd then, nor hrfiratirv; morcy
Faft, faft» they plunge amid the fluflnng wave.
And namin^', labour to the further rhorc.
When a writer's memory coIIe(fls a
number of different images, great judg-
ment is required to decide what to re-
tain, and what to rcjecfl:. The mention
of the * niuddy li-atcr banif:ing the trout
* from bis haunt ^* though perhaps mat-
ter of fadt, is an extraneous affair, for-
cibly introduced, and interfering witli
the principal fubjedt. We have a beau-
tiful pi<fturc in the * dripping Jicck:
* moving to the breezy hroiv, and Jland-
< ing to dry in the fun ;' and an equally
ftrikine
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 331
Ariking reprefcntatlon of fact in tlic
* incejfant bUatings ccLod from the bills,'
The cxprcfTion might indeed have been
more fimplci * J\vcllit:g trtafurcs,* might
have been changed for * fn-clling JhaYSt'
and the * loud com^hunts,' lliould have
been rejcded, as being the fime with
the * incejfant hleatings* The tranfpo-
fition is too bob! in tliis line, * ylt lijl,
* cf fno\vy.ihite the grilhirdjkcks* The
paftoral queen makes a very agreeable
figure ; but it is llrange tlie author did
not obfervc the identity of fenfc in his
verb * rcySy and bis compound, ^ J'lL'fet
* beaming:' *_/Zv rays her fmilcs fn-cct
* beaming* that is, ^ jhe beatr.s her Jhiiles
* fiicet beaming.* The confinement of
the Hieep in the pens; the llicpherds
wcttin;? their Hiears ; the hcavin:^ of
the fliecp's fide under the operation of
marking, and the boy holding the ram
by the horns, arc all fine minuti:c.*
The
• Our laie celebrated landfcapc painter, Gcor^T Smith,
of Chichefter, painted a piece called the lIiy-Mr.Ker>,
another
332 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
The line, * f-^me mingling flir, Cfr.' Is
profaic. The phrafc, * nezv-JJ:or?i vag-
* rant,' is quaint ; there is nothing re-
lative to the ruhje(fl that can require, or
even juflify the word vagrant, and oc-
curring on fuch an occalion ns that of
braniling dieep, it becomes ludicrous,
as recalling the idea of burning a male-
fador in the hand.
That Thomfon, in dcfcriblng familiar
fubje<fts, too often produced bombail
on one hand, or mcanncfs on the other,
has been futHcicntly fhewn. The pre-
ceding quotations, with all their merit,
anothrr called the Hop-Pickcrs, and another cr.Mcd the
Applf-Gathcrers, but I do not rccollccl thit he painttj
aShpcp-Shcaring: Thomson's defcription would hrivc
afforded him many fine hints. It is fbmrvvha* remark-
able, that Thomson has not dcfcribcd Hop-Picking.
or Apple-Gathering, though both might have been in-
troduced with propriety in his Autumn. Fhilips, ir
his Cyder, ha-, cmittrd Apple-Gathering, thoiic;h fa
important apartofhii fuhjid. The author of thcfe
Edays h.T. given a Oiort occafior.il ficctih of it in o?."^
of his Eclogues. See his Poetical Works [<• 115-
cannot
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 333
cannot any of them be fiid to be
thoroughly correift. Sometimes how-
ever he deferibed, with equ.d precifion,
limplicity, and dignity. Among other
inflances of this kind may be ranked,
his delcriptioa of fwimming :
-The rjiriL:htIy yoiitli
Sp«.iJs to ihc well known pool, whofc cliryflal
iKp:h
A f.uijy bottom fhows. Aw!»llc he Hands
Gazing the inverted landfcipc, half afraid
To meditate tlie blue profound below ;
Then piutuio headlong down the circling flood.
His ebon treffes, and his rofy cl.eek,
Inllant emerge ; and through th' obedient wave,
At cacbfhort breathing by his lip repellM,
With arms and legs, according well he nukes,
As humo'ir leads, an cafy-winJing patli ;
\Vliilc from his polifli'd fides a dewy light
Effufes on the plcas'd fjKiSlalors round.
The nut-gathering fcenc In the Au-
tumn, has equal exadnefs. Englirti
poetry c^n boaft few palTages of fupc-
rior beauty :
Yc
334 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Ye fwains now haftcn to the ha/c! bank,
Where down the- i!n!c the wildly-v.indiiu!; brook
Falls hoard- from ftccp to ftecp. In clofj array,
Kit for the diickets and the tan^;hni; fhrub,
Yc virgins come. For you their latcll fon^
The wo<}dIanJs raife ; the clurtcring nuts for \ui
The lover findb amid the fi.crtl fliade ;
And where they biirn'Jh «>n the topmofl boii^h.
With a<f^i\ c vigour crufhcs down the tree ;
Or flukts tliein ripe from tlie rcfi^ning h'.ifl:,
A glofly fliowcr, and of an ardent brown,
As are the ringlets of Melinda's hair.*
When Thomfon quits his rural fccncs
for politer fubjeds, liis conipohtion hio
the (lime variety of charadlcr. Tlic
Poet's enumeration of female accoin-
plifhments, is one of thofe panaL!;ci
which will pleafe in fpite of great in-
corredlnefs. Perhaps no man but hini-
fclf could have written fuch a piece of
beautiful and mellifluous abfurdity :
• The dcfcription of the rcd-breall fecking Hiclter in
a cottag-, is another inrtance ; it has the clofell adhc-
icnce to nature, but Oic language, though corred, i; i
lower drain.
—In
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 335
— In them 'ti<i graceful to ilifTolve at woe ;
ff 1th firry ti.o'.iCK^ tvfry xvorJ^ to xv.;ve
^t'ul o'er the iindl'iKg chcik the raids blufli ;
Anil from the rm;;l!e(lvioleiKc to (hriulc
Uiv.qiKil, tht-n the lovdiert in t!icir fears;
And by this filciU ailnla'ion, folt,
To their protedion more eiigr.^injj nun.
The tcndcmcfs which fyiiipathizcs with
dirtrefs, the delicacy which hluflies at
impropriety, and the timidity wliich is
alarmed at violence, are here mofl pro-
perly introduced ; but they would have
appeared to more advantage, if fomc of
the lines, in which they arc defcribcd,
had been more concife and fimple :
May their tender limbs
Float in the h:f-fim^l'utty of lire!', f
AnJ, fiipisfi'd till to harmony^ alone
Know they to faze :h: captiuatnifcul
In ra^tiirf^ warbling from love-brtiithing lips
To teach the lute to l.mguifh ; \v!th Jmouhjle^
Difclufing mf)tion in its every charm,
Tofiiim a.'on^y andy:tv//the mazy dance;
To train the fL>liage oVr the fiiowy Lwn ;
To guide tlie iM.iicil, turn the tuneful page,
7*
336 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
To Uninr.vjl3i:ur tt the fruitf-J.jenr^
jtnJ hegltcn nature's diint'tts ; in ihvlr race
To rear th,ir graifi in!i frcond I'lfc^
To give focicty its highcft taHc.
Drcfs, elegant and plain, is fo becom-
ing, that every lover of the Fair mull
wifli to recommend it ; but few would
think of recommending it, by talking of
* limbs Jlo at ing in a loofe Jimplicity.' The
knowledge of mufick is a mofl engag-
ing qualification, but the praflifers of it
arc not the mod perfpicuoufly charaNftcr-
ized, by faying, that they arc, or fliould
be, * faJlsi'jncJ ell to hannony* They
might have been very properly wilhcd
to * Jcize or captivate the Joul i:ith meh-
* dy, "ivarblcd from loi^c-brcathing lips -y
but they are here wiflicd, to * fcizc' it
at the fame time that it is * captivateJ,'
and to * feize' it * in rapture,'^' Teach-
• Rapture is here fubftltuted for vocal mufick ; the
thing taufeJ, for the thing laujlng. The poet however
Ihould have faid * '^ilb ra^turt^ rzX ' in rafturt.'
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 337
* ing the lute to LingiaJI.\' is a fine poe-
tical alternative for caufmg it to pro-
duce a languilliing fouiui. Dancing may,
without breach i^i propriety, be laid to
* dij'chjc motion in its cwry charing for
motion is agreeable, and conrcquentlymay
be laid to have charms; but to * fn-irn
* tiljn^ lilth Jh:ooth Jti'l'y' U tautology ;
^nd how a * Ji:?::t\' eljKci dly a * jjuizy
* iLi>:ct\' could lie * j'lc./AJ,' i^ not cafy
to explain. We can cjuly guefs what
t]:e author meant, by * /-.•nili/ig new jLi^
* i-;.7r to the f) uitjul yc.ir :^ '- but furely
his diclion ib above his lubje<ft, if he
meant the makini' of fweetmeats, con-
f-rve>, and pickles. | The context is
• The year is put for the fruit it proJuccs- The
ancicnTi were fonJ of thii mcion%inic:il cxjTcflion ;
even il>e corrccl \ I R. c I i , (I. clog. I.) l.lLs of ar:j}.it,
bc-nr.! , cir c::rj cf lorn, f-r yi:-r>. This manner
might fult ih^- j'ciiius of thr>fvr times, but it ii U-Ido.ii
ufcd hy ric.'.rra writers to advantage.
J The operation is here heterogeneous to the fuF'ji,:!,
in ur.Ier to /«•/; /^4»^'-:/r to i!ic year, the ycax null bs
fupp'jfcJ capable of being eaten.
Y am
338 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
ftil! more enigmatical, and equally tumid;
a mother wJio, inftcad of being advifcd
to nurfc and educate Ikt childfcn hcr-
fclf, ihould be advik'd to * rear her gra-
* cesintoJcc'^r.dl:jCy would fcarcely com-
prehend the advifer's intentions.
\VlKn our author's fubjevft required a
lofty llr.iin : wlien he was relating cir-
cumllances of diilrefj, or defcribing the
grand pluriiOmcna of nature; wc {xwX
fewer of his quaint new-coined phrafes,
and ill-conliruited compounds; but he
has oilier unfuecef^ful clt'orts to elevate
his diction ; he is olten turgid, often ob-
fcure, and often redundant.
The llorv of Celadon and Amelia has
great merit; but might have been told
with more concifenefs, more fimplicity,
and equal pathos :
-Vouii~ Celadon
A:iil hi> AiTidia were aniatchlcfb pair;
With ti^ual viriutr fbrm'd, and equal grace.
The Tiiiic, dill;n-uif]i'd l.y iheir (ex alone :
Hcr'«
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 339
Her's the mild lurtrc of the blooming morn.
Am! his i!ic ridLintc of the rif-u d.\y.
This is a beautiful palT.igc : there is pcr-
h.ips no finer inflancc of attributive al-
lufion in our lansu^iic. Tlic diflcrcncc
between mafculiiie and feminine beauty,
is ftrikingly illuflrated by the dlfl'crence
between the ardour of the dAV, and the
mildnefs of the morning.
Ti.cy W.W. Jnit fuch their ji^j.V.'.y} palTlon was,
A> in ti:ei!a%vii of lime i:iform'J the hurt
Cf innficencc, aiu! ur.JiiremMiii;^ truth.
Figurative and circundocutary cxpref-
fions have rendered thcfe lines an enig-
ma, for which many readers have pro-
bably flood in need of an interpreter.*
The mean! !^,g in plain Enghlli is this;
T/jcil the p'^JfijK of CclaiLn and Air.did
• There \'< a perverfe tendency in men to admire what
ihcy i!() not unJtrAar.J. Not only iiearera, but r-a-icfi,
arc c fir 11 be il pleafcJ with non feu fc This pailh^c hi*
un . ibtcJly been thought very line by many v.ho knew
not itj meaning.
Y 2 'mat
340 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
lias guilthjs as the pajjion of lovers in the
daii'u, tliat is to fay, /;; the ear lie/} period
cf time* When liowcvcr this painoii
had been faid fofitively to be guihlefs,
it was fomcwhat fuperfluous to fay com^
paratii'ely, that it was guiltlefs as that
which informed the heart of tlic poe-
tical pcrfon innocence y and it uuill be
flill greater tautology to fay that it was
guiltlefs y as that whicli informed the
heart of another fiOitious pcrfonagc,
undiffembling truth. If it was i^-ithout
guile^ it mufl he innocent ; and if it was
innocent, it mull he undijjaubling ; and
if it was undifeniblingy it mull be true.
— — 'Twa'vfricndfiiiphcijhtcn'd by tlio mutuJ
wifti,
The enchanting hope, and fvmjir.tln.tic glow,
Bcam'd from the mutu.il eye. Dt'jotlng ail
Tcisviy (Oih uiis to each it ditirer jelf-^
• What the Poet meant by this indeterminate e.vprcf-
fion, * Ja'v.n rf tint,* is not cafy to tell: was it the
paradilaical ftatc of innocence, or the fibulous goldea
Supremely
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 341
Supremely happv in the aw .ikcn'd pouvr
Oi giving joy. Alone, amid the (h.ulcs,
Still in h.irinonious intcrcourn: they liv'd
Tie rural ('iijy :\v.<\ t.ilkM the flowin^'^ heart,
Or fi^h'd and loo'^'d unutlciahle thinijs.
Had tlic lines * Dei'oting ally cfi\' been
omitted, perhaps fonic adv.intage would
have been derived from the omimon.
' To talk the Jh-siug bccrt,' for * tulk-
* ing tic ftntimcn's JijU'hig from tie
* hearty' is a bold elbpfis, but it will not
incur the cenfurc of the camhd critick ;
and tJKit forcible cxprcUion, * Or Jigh'J
* and Icok'ily Cifr.' mull cnfurc his ^-raik*.
So p;:f>*d tluir life, a deer ur.itiJjlrianiy
By (arc uKrutJitd., till in evil hf>ur
The tcmix.ft c.ui;^ht them o:itIjc tender walk',
Hcedlefs how far, and where its ni.i/.es (Iray'd,
ItlUfyiv'tth tach cilj.r ll,j!y ir.ntlvc love
Still bade (UikoI KJcn fmile around.
Confideriug how ainply the felicity of
the lovers had been before infilled on,
the mention that their life war. * unrujjled
* ^^ c^rf,' is rather an anticlimax'. This
Y 3 fame
342 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
fame circumftance fccms alfo ngaln iin-
ncccirarily adverted to here ; * Jf^/jilc 'i.ith
* each ether h/rjl, Cfr.* Soiiil* may in-
deed thlrsk tiiis n-itcrated idea of j.»l'jafiirc
beautiful, -a^ an immediate contraft to
the fubfc(]ucnt diHrefs, but witli mc the
matter is doubtful. Criticifiu dcfccnds
to her louefl t.ifl;, when fhc objcds to
finglc words j but that tafL is often w(c-
ful. The phrafc, * united JJrciims,' wo\\\A
have been proper language, but the pro-
priety of a * rn unitcJ Jlrcr.iUy is fome-
>vhat difputablc. It was furely alfj a
glaring overfight, to call a momentary
fccnc of delight an * eternal' litLn.
Utavy with inflant fate her bofom hcav'J
Vnwont'jJ fighs, and ftcaliii^ oft a Io>k
Of the bi^ gloom^ OP. CtlaJnn h:r cvc
Fell tearful, wctti:ig her difordcr'J check.
In vain afluring love, and confidence
In heav'n, rcpref>'dher ferif ; it ;;re'.v and H'.o^L
Her frame ruar riijfoluti'j'r.
The progrefs of fear is here flriking-
ly painted. Amelia's watching the ap-
proach of the ftorm, firfl weeping, and
then
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 343
then trembling, arc a fine gradallon of
natural circunillanccs. The words * ucuK
* MJhltithn,' arc, however, fupcrtUious ;
if they mean that the terror alone h.ul
nearly dcllroycJ her fr.iine, they are too
hyperbolical ; if they mean finiply, that
her death was near, they arc improper,
ns anticipatin*; the tatailroplie.
-\\q prrcciv'd
Th' iinrq-.i.il ct>:iP.ict, a:iJ us .'ii^cls lo.'>'<
On tlvinj fair.ts, his eyes co;iip..!ric»:i (li.:,!.
With Imvc lU.nnin'-.i l:i-?i. * Icjr iit-t, he iMi!/
Sv.ctt ir;r.<.ccnCL- ! t/ ::.j:iu';tr 17 c^Jhu,-^
A'.d ivrjL(iydjl',rrn ' He ul.'i yoii ikio involve.
In frowns ( t'daikr.^f-, (Vj: r'aijc-.tin tlkc
With kiaJ rv^anl. ( )\-r i.vz-z the ficr< t jhaft
That XKjajhl tit iT.id\"Jjt^ sr the ur.Jrcadtd 'hour
Of no-r.jf.'ui hdnr.'.ejs : u-d thui very vuet
Which thunders terror throu;:h tlic uuihv heart,
With tongues C'filr.iphs \vh!^ptT^ p?arc to thine.
'Tis fafety tf« be near ihrc, f^rc, ;:nJ ihus
To cbfp pcrfeclion.
The narrative manner in poetry fuccccds
more frequently than the dramatick ; we
can dcfcrihc acftion that we ourfelvcs
have fecn, better than we can Uippofc
Y 4 what
344 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
what another would think or Tiy ou
this or that occafion. The prcfcnt paf-
fage is an inAancc in point. Celadon's
behaviour is finely pointed : the finiilc
of angels looking on a dying faint, is in
particular beautiful and appropriate ; but
his fpcech is unnaturally tedious and tull
of puerile confufion. The lightning
which was, or fnould have been the im-
mediate and fole objed of notice, coukl
not be, witii any propriety, teniied n
* ficrct' Hiaft ; nor is there any mean-
ing in talking of its * i.v-y?;/;^ a: /niJ/.'i^/.>ty
* or the undrcddcd bzur ofnyjii.''- How
the very voice which * thundered terror y
could at the fame time * \::b:jtcr fcact\
and * ii-lu/pcr it i:uth tcfigucs cf Jcra'^'hs,'
is not cafy to comprehend. Should it be
faid in vindication of the Poet, tliat the
voice was not meant to be rcprefented as
• The Poet Teems here to have improperly tran-ferrci
the fcriptural defcripiitn of the pelliltncc, to his light-
ning. If he meant to introduce the pc!li!.'ncc, he want-
ed judgment ; for the idea ii cvid'.atly mifplace 1.
adtually
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 345
a»ftually of fuch inconfiilcnt chnraclcrs,
but only fuppoll'J to province dificrcnt
ctTctfts on tiifrcrcnt oh'cits ; dill there
will rcinnin an ablurdity, for it really
liail no plcalri^: cftlvt on the mind of
Amelia, hut the uircci contrary, ^^onic-
thing nrnple, like the Idlowini;, veri-
fied, would I'urely have hcL'n preferable.
* To thee the th:uid:rs I'oicc need give no
* fcrrcr^ tin J the iightnir.gs fi<!ji mujl
* pijfs oi'cr tbcc L\inn!tjs'
F: j;i» his Vol.1 cn.''r.;cc
(M\fitrioii> hv.!\'ii ') i;<.;.t nK>:r.cru to vm-
gr(,uiu!,
A Mackcn'J c*)rfi:, was flruck \\\: lK;:utcous
maid.
I5ut v.iio cnn p.^int th*.- l<iVcr, ;v< h_- P.ooJ
Picrc'd In Jij'.crc 2niu/cnu;i;, ]: ting iij\\
Spt^clilct', ar.'! h\M in ;; ! tl.c C. ..I'l (ilWiv!
So, f.'.irtt rcf:inl-l;r;<i. ' «.;i t'lc ir.urlilc toinl)
The v.tli-dificijil.'cl iiio-jincr l!<<'piiui; Hands,
F«.rcvcr flciit, ar.d tor cvcrCid.
The powers of the pencil and tlic pen
niuH: be unequal lo tiie t;:l!v of dele rib-
ing the appearance of a perfon in Cela-
don's
346 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
don's fitiiation. Perhaps our Poet has
done all ihit couIJ he done on the oc-
cafion : * Picrc'J ly fevcrc amazement^
is language bold almoll to tur^nJIty : to
fpeak of the lover's * hat'wg li/e,' is I'pcak-
ing of an intellectual operation, incom-
patible with the fudJcnnefs of the cir-
cumflance. It fccms indeed fullicient
to have faid, tliat * he flood J}ccch!cfs^'
and * without motion,' as in a kind of
temporary death,
SpccchUr, an J ti\\! in all 'he cK-prhofwoc !
The defcription does not appear to be
much enforced by the finiile, but the
fimilc bein;' in illclf an a:^recable ima^e,
one docs not willi to lofe it.
Our author's defcription of the fun-
fetting is another remarkable inflancc of
|iis peculiar manner :
I/OW \va!ki the fun, nm! broadens bvdc?rrc«,
JuJ} o'er tie verge sfoiri. The fhiftin^ clouds
AjtmHitl rn^y a riclly gorgeous train,
|n dl their (omp -tt-.nJ his fcttiuj; throne.
Au,
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 347
Air, cr.rth, 2nd ocean, y«;V. In.rur.ft-. A r. J now
As if his wcnry chariot fought th.- bowers
Of Arr.jihitrin-, aivl Vxx icruling nv.njih';,
(So Gicci.;;! f.'.hlc fii".g) he tlij- 1:';.- orb ;
Now iialf immcrsM, and vaw a c<)M-ti curve
Gives one bright £la!!Cc,t'.!c:i total (!i!j'i;;cars.
This pafTigc is truly poetical, but very
incorrcvSt. Tiic painting is llrong, hut
carclcfs ; it is a group of iKMutihil, l>iit
inconfiftcnt ini.igcry. Tlic * Jhns ic'.:/a:-
* ingy is an a^ that infers t!ic fuppofi-
tion of an imaginary pcrfon ; its * braui-
* cniiigy is an .nft that can relate only to
the real vifible globe of fire : the men-
tion of the * Jilting throne,' again indi-
cates a profopopocia, and the * ^^ippi'^g*
of * the orhy again implies a reference
to the natural object. This would have
been a moll mallerly piece of compofi-
tion, if the verb * iviilk' had been ex-
changed for fome other not incongru-
ous to the verb * broaden ;' if the ^ Jcttir.g
< throne,' the unmeaning phrafe, '/;//?
♦ o'er the verge cf day,' and tJie bombaf-
tick
34S CRITICAL ESSAYS.
tick * immcnfc fmilc of dry l^c' had been
all omitted ; the er.uliial dcfccnt and en-
largement of the fun, it? immerfion
within the horizon, redinftion to a curve
and total dif.ippearance, (all fine natu-
ral and pi(fhirek]ue circumftances) been
regularly connekflcd ; and the roman-
tick idea of * PLwhuss' chariot feek-
ing the bowers of Amphitritc, been kept
intirely diflintfl, and introduced laft as
an illuflrative ilhifion.
The ingenious Mr. AUfcs Brc\i-nt\\ in
his Sunday Ihought^, has a fine dc-
\ This fmincnt Poft i^ nmv Ii\in^, in a very aihan-
Cf tl age. ni\ Sunciny Thoughts ahove-nKMitirnc;!, nmi
his pjfcatory F.cloj-ucs, h.avr jjrrnt niciit, but arc little
noticed. With ri'^.nrJ to the lirll, the religious nature
cf the fubjttfl, ami its being written in blank verfc, arc
fufiicicnt obtladcs to its popularity ; and with regard to
the latter, againft every thing thai bears the name of
fafural ox ecUgui, y\\^TC is an irrational and ridiculoui
prcpofTefiion. It muft indeed excite the indignation rf
a fcnfible man, to f.nd the \vork< of I")yf.r, Surv-
STPNF, Ar.F.NStOF, tliat excellent I'oem I.eonid^s
and fnmcothcr modern produc\ionscf great merit, fcarcc
ever fpolccn of, while flimfv and even nnnfcnfical pcr-
foriTkanccs cf ihc prcftn: day arc applaudetl.
fcriptivc
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 349
fcriptivc palTjgc on the fame lubjcdl of
fun-fct :
Sec where at'icngth the ilyjjKHJtJ-lcui-ng fun,
Hii low brojd orb of J] ::inj f\'tt: J. rs ri-fti
On the iimn pi. 'l.zv of yon v.vftcrn llccp,
\njmulr.g radiance, biJJini; hah tlic world
Farewell, on Ipced to \ Ifi: nether ft:ics,
Orryiijg morn, noon, nnJ ni^ht in ccafclcfs
clianu,e ;
Each ncwfu-ift minute rouru! the peopled hidl.
Lock how the ra*U j„ui i:r,rr Jam to I ait
I{iijJ.uiti:in^jfit\iiy ay..l l::i\l /? ciiiiingfportSy
Siioots down oMitjucIy his div er j^in^ /v<rv;/.
That kindle on f.ppl)fln^; hills tlic M.t/.c
OrL'litl'-rini titrrets, wv.X ilhimiji'd domes,
A profjvecl all on fire: till finkinj; fiill
More and more finking •, v.lule to fi^'lu r^utlc loft,
His rays play upward int;;e fleecy tloud>,
Tluit f'jiift'-j pcKci.rd litfi a mimic fccne
Ik fancy i ()e \ of "^rove^, and v.Iiiten'd alp<,
Andtow'rs romantick, rcar'd complete, cr waft?
In ruln'd majelty ; witii iatcrfp^ce
Of goUkn ether or 1.1', fun plain.
Then vanifli t^uite as iuon, and ihifiby turns,
To tinctures of a thouland ihoufand dycs.f
■\ Cay'* Poem, called Rural Sport.-, has a defcrip-
tion of the fun-fclting in the fca, ia which thc«c arc
fomc ftnc natural image*.
Far
350 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Thomfon's paflacjc and this have fimllar
beauties and fimilar dcfcvfls. This has
many noble images, and an uncommon
melody of verification, with much in-
accuracy. The ' Sun's broad orb rcjlhig
* on the green fiecp* is a line piduie as
a real ohjed ; his fmilingly bidding the
world farewell, is equally tine as a per-
fonihcation ; but thcfc pidures, by vi-
cinity of fituation, dcllroy the effed of
each other. There is great poetical
grandeur in the thought of tlie fun
carrying day with him around t!ic globe.
Thomfon's fun is funk and loft in the
ocean, and wc think no more of him.
Browne's purfucs his courfe, and our
fancy follows him to Mexico or Peru,
and acrofs the vaft pacifick to China
and India, till he re-appears in our
Far in the dfpp the fun his glory hides,
A ftreak of gold the fca and (ky divides ;
The purple cloudi their amber l.ningi (how,
Afld edg'd with flame rolls every wavc below.
own
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 351
own horizon. The worJ * l\}ll,'\ is al-
ways a bail fiibllitiuion for orb or ij^hcrc.
The mcnaon of ^ japld jziinicycr^ and
* flackcnin^ /h-t'Js,' forces the idc.i Plicr-
bus and his chariot o:i the mind ; and
the mention of * Jhrr^/K^ />L\:f/:j/ in-
Aantly cfn;ces it. The mountains, tur-
rets, and domes glowing with the fun's
radiance, are motl forcibly defcribcd in
that funple cxpreiilon, * a prcfpicl iill on
fire* The roinantick appearance of the
J A fir.c lino In on? cf I' ipl's biil pieces Is ainiod
fpoilcii by t!ic ufc of i;m tolloijui.il puerile apjitllulioa ;
Kut if ctoin-I jufiicc riilci llic haU.
Dr- YocNG waj very foti J c f this wurJ 1^:11. In his
Porm on th- Liill D.iy, h'.- has fcvcr.-l couj-lcts that
rhvn'.c upon it, pariicularly one very curious or.e.— The
laft trumpet, he lays
Shall pour a Jrcadful note, the j^icrcing cill.
Shall ra-.tlc in tl'.c centre of tlie lall.
Addifon was ridiJuleJ for his Irar.natlr.-r. of the
Integer f'.ia of Ilor.icc, where he rcprcfenti ihc hero
of the Ode as (landing unconcerned to hear the * ""^^'■•f/
' cra.i,' but You so' j language; hero is far worle, it
conveys the idea of peas in a bladder.
evening
352 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
evening clouds, which like that of other
inaccernhlc profpcjds, often induces the
imagination to form fictitious rccrions of
fuperlativc beauty and happinefs, is cx-
quifitely painted by the * ivhhcnd alpSy
* tbc toners r cured comph'tet or ivujle,'
ajid the
* (fc!Jr:i cilivr anJ ?"l)l;an plain.'
The di«5lion in fomc parts of this beau-
tiful paffaL^e is vicious, particularly where
the * ckuih' are laid * to drcfs a mimick
* fcenc in fiUicys eye.'
Nature is rich in a variety of minute,
but ftriking circumflances, fomc of
%vhich engage the attention of one ob-
ferver, and fome that of another. Thom-
fon and Browne have both dcfcribcd the
fun in the ad of fetting. Brov/nc has
,rcpfcfc:nted the pi^fturefquc cftedls of its
radiance on the clouds of the weflern
horizon, ainl Thomfon has remarked
the gradual extindion of tliat radiance,
till nothing remains but one uniform
colourlefs, and at length dark atmof-
phcrc :
CouffjVi
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 353
Confefs^J frtm yj-J^r fit'x-cxUngu:Jiidchudi^
/ll tiher jofter,':ngy fobcr eviiiing takes
Her wontcvl Nation in the mi Jdlc air ;
A th()ufand fhaJows at her beck, firll this
She fends on earth ; then that of deeper d)*
Steals foft behind ; and then a dc-cpcr ftiU,
In circle following circle, gathers round.
To ckj't ^c face of tilings.
This paHagc blends natural dcfcrlption
and pciTonificatlon In a very intricate
manner. Both would have been proper,
and indeed beautiful, had they been kept
afunder. The gradual vaniHiing or cx-
tIn(5lion of colour in the clouds, juflly
difcriniinates evening, confidercd as a
point of time; but as fuch vanilliing or
cxtlnvTlion occafions darknefs, it could
not podibly render evening vifiblc or
perceptible, confidcred as a pcrfon.-f-
The profupopoeia, however, is in itfclf
jufl: and noble ; Evening llands a con-
^ Had the Poet been dcfcribing morning, he would
have ha. I th^^ a.lvantr.gc of combining reality and fidlion ;
the withdrawing or rrniovil of the clouds or ihadows,
might have rcvculcd to view the f.ililious pcrfjn.
• Z fpicuous
354 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
fpicuous figure in air; * Confefsd^ in
this place, is but a puerile alternative
for knoivTif or dijiinguijhed, and * All
* ether fofteningf is a phrafe whofe
meaning can be only guefled at.
Thomfon, in the above inftance, has
given, as it were, a real exiftcnce to his
impcrfonatcd objcd, by the attribution
of adion, and her * calling the f:adQvs*
He has on another occafion thus rea-
lized a perfonification, by fpccifying the
effects it produced on human beings.
He comes ! he comes ! in every Ireeze the power
Of philofophick melancholy comes ?
His near approach the fudden darting tear
The glov/ing cheek, the mild dcie^d air.
The foftencd feature, and the beating hearty
Pierc'd deep uith many a virtuous pang decline.
This fine pidure is greatly injured
by a few words. The power fhould
have been faid to come, * upon the breeze,*
not on * every breeze -y* an expreflioo
which indicates a multiplicity of ap-
proaches; if he came on * every* breeze,
he
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 355
he muft have been always coming. The
glowing cheek, dcjcdcd air, and foften-
ed feature, were all vifible; confcquent-
ly might declare^ or denote his coming,
but the * beating heart' could not be
/een, confequcntly could not declare it.
The profopopocia is a figure lefs lia-
ble to abufe than the metaphor, but it
is very frequently abufcd. Our author,
as the late Lord Kaims-f- has juftly ob-
fervcd, employs it fomclimcs wiih im-
propriety or affcdation. The following
is a ftriking inllance of the finical, or
puerile. Little maftcr coolnefs * lojl'. a-
mong his blujh of rcfes, * dropping bis
* deijJSt and mujing on the turf, or by
the rillt is a very curious figure :
Half in a blujh of cluflcring rofcs loft
Dew -dropping coolncfj to tlio ftiadc retires j
There on the vcr Jant turf or flowery bed,
By gelid founts or carclcfs rills to mufe. J
f Elemtnti of Criticifm.
J Weak minds and young minds are picafed with chi:
fantadical manner. The Author of thefc tlTays, when
a boy, thought the above paffage of Thomfon a very
fine one.
Z a This
356 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Thomfon's dcfcriptlon of the Nile,
difcovcrs a rich poetical imagination,
but it is dcfcif^ive in corrcLtnefs. We
find in it that common fault of an in-
congruous mixture of natural imagery
and impcrfonalion. The river is traced
from its fourcc, till its arrival in Egypt,
and its progrefs and incrcafc are illuf-
trated by a kind of metaphor, or indi-
rcd fimile, drawn from feveral ftages of
human life, infancy, manhood, and age:
- ■ With annual porr.ji,t
Rich /i'.'7 of r.(K^u'>! o'crfiows the fuelling Ni''
From 111? tVA» fprircs in (^»ojau!'s f'liiny r.-.'.liii,
Puiv-itY//.'«^ out, he through the luclJ lalcc
Of Lir DamKa r<>il> his '\'.\\\mtj}r.am.
There by tlie Naiail- riurs'J hi:fi^:rts away
IWs p.'oyful ycuthy amii! the fragrant iflcs,
1'h:n with unfading vcrJiire fmile arnunJ.*
■f This kind of portry has no foul ; it is cold and artifi.
cial ; the produh not of the heart, but of the head.
pop I, in his Trcatifcon the Bathos, well compares it to
a tortolfc, a heavy lump, under a fine embroidered flirll,
• 3/irr.:'<ifi', our Poet'i Biographer, feems miflakcn in
his fiippofition th:ii this paflage is borrowed from Pliny
the l.hier. Our Author is indifputably indebted for his
Dcfcriplion of the Nile to Ktnher.
Ambiticus,
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 2S7
Ambitious, thence the mntily river brc.iks ;
AnJ gathering many a flood, anJ ctpiou'; fcj
^Vith all tlie jwHoiuil tr/afuri$ of the fkv,
li'irJi in prcgrej-.'je mnjcfty ilong :
Throu;^h fj-lcnJld k!:igJ(.>mi r.-** devolves his
OLnze ;
N'ow upjiJcrs wild o'er f -litary trails
Of I;fc-dvfcrtcd h\\^ J till ^lad \.u q-iit
The joylcfi dcl'art, down the Nuliiaii rr.cLs,
From ihund'riiig Itccp to rtup \\c pours his urn,
Till Kgypt joys beneath the fprcading wave.
Fine verfificatlon is a powerful recom-
mendation. The critick's ch.irity is too
often induced by it to fp.irc a multitude
of poetical fins. Fine verfification \vc
indeed have here, but \vc have alfo a
ftrangc confufioii of ide;is. Nilus, as
river-god, fcems flrll indicated ; he is
the * king of foods ^ &c.' Proteus like,
he immediately turns to real element ;
he * oerfou^s* and * 'u:clls out* and be-
comes a * frcam* He as fuddenly rc-
fumes his ptrfonal chara(fler, and * f ports
* a playful youth,' Nile, the current of
water, th^n fuddenly appears witli pro-
Z J perties
358 CRITICAL ESSAYS,
pcrties attributable only to that current,
as * ijoinding through kingdoms^^ (^c. Ni-
lus, the deity, is then again as abruptly
introduced, 'pouring bis urn* from one
thundering ftecp to another. Our au-
thor has few examples of what is term-
ed the clinquant t or concetti y but he has
defcendtd to it in the circumllanccs of
the * Naiads nurjing the river t\ and of
that river being * gtad to quit the dcjart*
Here is another fpccimen of his atFc<fled
appellation, in * melhuL-ed treafures oj the
* Jky.* To mention that the Nile was
incrcafcd both by the defcent of rain,
* treafures of the Jky^ and the influx of
rivers * gathering many a food, will
appear unneceflary, when it is confider-
ed that the former mufl of courfe be
J What the author meant by Uaiadt here, h difncult
to determine. If he meant fijh^ a fchool-boy could
fcarcely have been abfurd enough to talk of * fjh
* nurjing a ri'vcr •* if he meant Pagan deities, he hai
almoft as abfurdly introduced the mythology of Greece
in Egypt. In his defcriptlon of angling, he fecms to
apply the term liaiaii to fifli.
conveyed
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 359
conveyed by the latter. To atone for
thefe faults, there is in the laft line a
moft noble inftance of a natural objed,
affording with great propriety a fine per-
fonification : Egypt, the trad of land,
is covered with a beautiful body of water ;
Egypt the poetical perfon, * rejoices be^
* neatb the J^rcading ivave*
This paflagc might be cafily reduced
nearer to the flandard of clafTical fimpli-
city, by dropping the impcrfonations,
and retaining only the metaphorical epi-
thets. Thofe criticks, however, with
whom bombaft and ftrcngth are fyno-
nymous, will doubtlcfs think the poeti-
cal y>j/wr^j of the pafTage much week'
tned by fuch an alteration as the fol-
lowing :
From its two fpringsin Gojam's funny realm.
The infant ftream tirft fecks the lucid lake
Of fair Dambca j then in playful youth
Sports through green iflcs and cvcr-bloomiiig
groves ;
Z 4 Ambitious,
360 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Ambitious, thence the manly river breaks.
And in its courfc by many a flooJ incrcas'dj
Winds in pro^TcTivc majcfty al<in^
Through f}>lt.nJid realms, and folitary trails
Of l;fc-<krcrttd fanJ ; down Nubian rocks
From thtindcring ftc;.p to ficep impetuous pours ;
And Egypt jo)s bcneatli the fpreading wave.
Thomfon's dcfcription of the South
American rivers muH: not be omitted :
-The branching Oronoque
Rolls a brown deluge, and the native drives
To dwell aloft, on life-fufficing trees
At once his dome, his robe, h:5 food, and arms.
Swcll'd by a thouLnd ft reams, impetuout; hurl'd
From all the roaring Andes, hugcdefccnds
The mighty Orcllana. Scarce the niuje
DartiJiritcK lif -iiing o'er this enormous mafs
Of rufliing w^tcr ; fcarce p.t dara atttmpt
The fca-like Plata j to whofe dread c.vpanf',
Continuous depth, and \\-ondcrous length of
courle.
Our floods arc rills. With unabated force
In filent dignity they fwecp along,
And traverfc realms unknown, and blooming
wilds.
And fruitful dcfxrts, worlds of folitude,
Where the fun fmiles, and fcafons teem in vain,
Unfvcn
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 361
Unfecn ar.d uncnjoyod.t Forfal-ingthcfc,
O'er peopled plai:-.i they fair ditfufivc flow,
AnJ many a nation feed, and circle fife.
In Jiclr fair bofom many a liappy >flc ;
The feat of Ham.Uj'i Patty yet unJIfturb'd
By Chriftiaii crimes and 1 iiropi's cruel fons.
Thus pourin^j on, tht y proudly ftck the deep,
Whofc vaiiquifli'd tiJe recoiling fio-n the fhnclc.
Yields to this liquid weight of ha!;' the globe.
And ocean trembles for his green domain.
Poets not unfrequcntly aim ct aggran-
dizing their fubjcd^, by avowing their
inability to dcfcribc it. This is a pue-
rile and inadequate expedient. Tiie
powers of a writer can be no flandard
f This is a beautiful romar^tic thought. Dyer hw
one nearly fimilar :—
"In their rough bcwll Jer'J vale«
The blooming rofe its fragrance breathes in vain.
And filvcr fountains fill, and nii;h:ingalcs
Attune their notes where none arc left to hear.
This is from that noblefl of didiLlick poems, the
Flttce, to which our celebrated biographical critick has
done fuch manifeil injuilicc. It would bcoodiFicuIt
taflc to vindicate it againd his objctftion}.
for
362 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
for the judgment of a reader. Thomfoa
has here, perhaps inadvertently, defccnd-
cd to this feeble art of exaggeration. To
fay that his * Miife fcarce dared tojlrctcb
* her icing ever one river,* or to * at^
* tempt' another, does not aflifl us in
forming an idea of cither. Very differ-
ent is the cafe, when thcfe rivers arc
placed in cotnparifon with ours, and \vc
arc told, that to the former the latter arc
no more than * rills,'
The human mind delights to expatiate
in unknown regions. It has fomewherc
been obfervcd, that the accounts of tra-
vellers, even if ill written, arc generally
fought and pcrufed with avidity; when
fuch accounts therefore are recommend-
ed by a digr-ifled and mufical expref-
fion, it is no wonder that their charms
arc irrefiftiblc. That poetical power
which can convey us ** to Thebes, to
** Athens, when it will, and where,"
has fo forcibly reprcfented the progrefs
of thefc enormous rivers of the weftern
conti-
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 363
continent, that our imagination necefTa-
rily attends it, and beholds their vafk
defarts, peopled plains, and happy iflands.
The true fublin^c is exemplified in the
idea of their ru(hing with fuch impetuo-
fity, as to * repc! the tide -^ and the
thought of ' ccean trembling for bis green
* domain^ though amazingly bold, is
one of that kind, in which the mind
(prepared by what precedes for fomc-
what extraordinary) readily acquiefces.
Thomfon's paragraphs often tlofc with
lines peculiarly ftrong and fonorous, and
we have a fine inftance of it here.
And ocean trcniblcs for his grct-n domain.
Our poet's defcription of a Summer's
Noon, is very natural, and has great
energy of exprcflion :
'Tis racing noon, and vertical, \\\: fun
Darts on the head direct Ii;s forceful rays.
O'er hcav'n and earth, far as the rnngini; eye
Can fwcep, a dazzling delude reign-., and all
From po!eto p<-t!e \ is undiftinL^uinrd bla/c.
In vain the fi^ht dejeclrd to tlic c"'ouiid
Stoops for relief, thence hot afcenJing llcams
f From pole to pole, ftri£\ly fpeaking, ii improper;
the poet meant from one part of the horizor. to the other.
And
364 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
And keen rcflciflion pain. Deep to the root
Of vcgcUtion parch'd, the cleaving fields
And flipjK-rv 1 :iv\n an arid hue difclofe,
Blaft fancy's blooms, and wither e'en tlic foul.
In faying that ns * far as the eye can
* range, there reigns a dazzling deluge,*
and that * all from pole to pole is undif-
* tinguijiyd blaze y it muft be allowed
there \^ unncccflary vcrbofity ; hut per-
haps in this inftancc the redundancy,
as tending to enforce the imprelTion of
the image on the mind, is at lead: par-
donable. ExcclTivc heat undoubtedly
enfeebles the body, and has been fup-
pofed to enervate the mind ; this was
probably the circumftancc meant in this
cnergctick, and ainioft bomb.ilb'ck line,
Blaft fancy's blooms, and wither cv 'a the foul.
Confidered in connexion with the fore-
going, the following is certainly ^x\ an-
ticlimax, but it contains fine natural
images. The mowers pafs their noon
no^
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 365
not only in eating and drinking, but
often in flccp al lb :
Echo no more rctu; ns t!.c chcarful fmintl
Of fbarpcning fcythf : the incrnvr finking, heaps
O'er him the hum! J !i.iy, with flowers p.rluni'J,
And fcarcc a chirping rjafViu ppcr is heard
Through the dumb mead. •
The context contains a bold profopo-
pocia, and another thought, which,
though indifputably fanciful, contri-
butes to the gcncal purpofe of fully
poifening the imagination with the fub-
jea:
Diflrcoful nature prints, ■
The very ftrcanis lu<»k languid from afar ;f
Or through the unlhelter'd glaiie impatient fecnj
To hurl into tiie covert of llic ••rove.
The Poet defcrib-js the imprefiions of
heat on his own perfon with great
feeling :
•f- A mafter of compofition may fomctimcs hazard fuch
daring rtrokcs, and fuccecd. Writers of inferior abili.
tics attempting thcai, will only produce laughable ab-
furdity.
AU-
366 CRITICAL ESSAYS*
All-Conquering heat, O intermit thy wrath,
And on my throbbing temples, poti-nt thu\
Btam n:tfofiirce! InccfTant ftill you Jlow^
And ftill another fervent flood fuccccds,
Four'd on the head profufe. In vain I flgh
And nftlcfs tarn, and look around f(»r night ;
Night is far off, and hotter hcur> approach,
Thomfon, who has here (o fully cx-
paii;Uid on the hot weather of our own
cl::*utc, has fald Icfs of that between
the troplcks. His introdudllon to the
fuhjcift raifes cxpedations, which his
defi ription docs not fully gratify. The
porch, according to the vulgar adage, is
bigger than the hcufe.
Now while I tafic the fwcctncfs of the (hade,
While naturt lia around deep /utPd in neon ;
Now come hold fancy fprcad a daring flight.
And fing the wonders of the torrid zone ;
Climes unrelenting! with whofc ragecompar'd;
Yon blaze is feeble, and yon fkics arc cool.
There is evidently in this a promife of
fomcthing fupcrior to the following :
Sec
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 367
Sec how at once the bright fffulgent fun,
Rifing dire£t, fwift-chafcs from the flcy
The fliort-Hv'd twilight, and with urdcnt blaze
l.^X)ks gaily jicrct o'cT-11 the dazzling air:
Ht mounts his throne;* but kiiid before him
(beds
Ifluing from out the portals of the morn
The general breeze, to mitigate his fire.
And breathe rcfrcHimcnt o'er a fainting world.
Armftrong, in his cxxcllcnt Didadick
Poem,-(- has dcfcribcd tropical heat in a
negative manner, by enumerating fomc
of the circumftances that render it fup-
portablc :
What fuits the climate bcft, what fuits the men
Nature profu(^.-s mod, and mod the tafte
Demands. The fountain cdg'd with raccy wine.
Or acid fruits, bedews their thirty fouls ;
The breeze eternal breathing round tlieir limbs,
Supports in clofe intolerable air :
While the cool palm, the plantain, and the grovt
• Our anther has h:;c again confounded the mytho-
logical idea of Pbccbus and his chariot with the actual
fuQ.
t Art of Pfcrcrving Health,
That
36S CRITICAL ESSAYS*
TJ>at U-aifS en gloomy Lffa'tcn^f a.Twage
The torrid hill that beams upon tlicir heads.
The fifth of the above lines, * T/je breeze
• eternal^ Gfr.' is one of the fwcetcft,
as the fixth, * Supports in clofr,' is one
of the ftron^cll, and men: fonorous in
our language.
John Philips, the celebrated Imitator
of Milton's ftyle, a poetical, but bom-
baftick writer, has defcribed equinodi-
cal ardors in another manner, viz. by
their cffeds on the human frame.
Nor Icfs the fable borderer of Nile,
Nor who Trapobane mr.nurc, nor they
Whom funny Borneo bears, are ftor'd wiJi
ilrcams
Egregious, rum and rice's fpirlt extra£l.
For here expos 'd to perpendicular ra)-s,
f This periphrafis has a bad cffeft. The mention of
• tht greit ff^a! 'xa'va en Lthancn* inftead of cedar, the
name of the tree, ir.akci one think at firft fight that the
Poet, inHcad of defcribing the Eall or Well-Indies, wat
dcfc/ibing Mount Libanus, in Syria.
In
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 369
In vain tlu y covet flu'lfs aiul Thr^lci.i's ^.ilcs,
Pining with ciju t-.oiK.il hiv.t, uhUIn
The cordial glafs ptrpjtu.il niorioi! Icrp
Q^iiclc circuitinir ; nr>r dan- tlii-y dole thrir cycj
\'oid of a bulkv clur^^-r nc.ir their Tp^^
\^ ith whivh inolh-n- iiiterriiptod fiivp,
Thfir fr\ing blovid comjvls to irritratc
Their drv turrM toii^ius clfe niitr.i'elv totl^'ath
Obnoxious, d;l;nal death tlieef^vlof droii.'nt.^
But there arc other circiinillinccs pecu-
liar to iIk'Tj torrivl region^, and Thoni-
fon has ahiinJ mtly fuecocJcd i:i his pic-
tures of them : aincng thcfe, none is
more highly coloured than llic fullow-
in:
o •
-::rer.th'd hot
From all t!ie Ixniiv.lklV furn.-.ce <;f the fi:y.
And the wide ^-litteriii:^ wafle of burning C'.nd,
A uitFocritinj; wind die piljriin f:;:!te.>
■f Poets arc fupfHifcd to haw a licence fir c.vaggcn-
tlon, hut Piiii. If") had noociafion for it here, if trav^l-
Icrb can bo bcK-.-ved, uho afllrt, th t in l\\c illcofOrniU .,
in the Perllan gulpli, th: inh.ibitantj wcrr c!)Ii^<c I to
pafs the nij;ht wit!i tlie greater part of their budic- in
ciftcrnsof water,
A a With
370 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
With Inflant death. Tafic in of thirft anJ toil
Son f)f the til fart ! cv'n the c;iiml I'ccis
Shot tl'rou^'h his withtrM l;cart the- fiery Mart :
. Or from tlic bb.ck-rtd ether burftin^ broail.
Sallies the hidden whirlwind ; ftrait tl'.c fands
Commov'd around in j:utheringtdd!'.-s play;
Nearer ar.d nearer Hill they darkening come,
Till with the general al!-ir.v(,!vin^ftorni
Swept up, the whole cur.tiniKr.is wilds arife,
AnJ l>y their nsioii-day fount dejeclcd thrown,
Or funk at ni^^ht in fad difillrous fleep,
Beneath defe^ndin^ hills, the c::r.ivan
Is buried deep. In Cairo'> crciudcd ftrcets
The in.p.itient n'.crchr.r.t wond'ririg waits in
vain,
And Mecca ^adden^ at the long delay.
This is poetry indeed ! poetry ruperlor
even to painting. The Poet tranlports
inftantancoufly f'^oin the defart to Cairo,
and from Cairo to iMecca; but the
painter could not have fliewn all thofc
places on one canvas, without a flag-
rant ablurdity.
Poetical defcriptions of tcmpcfls have
in general fuch uniformity, that the
reader.
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 371
reader, c'rc he begins to read, knows
what he riiall nieet with, and ahnoft
thinks pcrufal unneceflary. Thonifon's
Thunder Storm however is of other cha-
rader, it fufliciently denionllratcs the
uncommon accuracy of his oblervatlon.
No author, ancient or modern, (fo far as
I know) has defcrihed the grand elec-
trical phcnonema of the atmofpherc,
with fuch dignity and precifion. The
didion, as ufual, is rather too ditlufe.
*Tis lillciiiny fear anJ dumb ania/.cmciit all;
When to thi- ftartlcJ cyt- ihc luJilwii i;la:ice
Apjuars far fuuih, eruptive through the eloud,
AnJ following flower in c.\^l:f.:mi2j}^
The thunder raifes his trcm-iidous \o;cc.
At firll heard folenui o'er t!;c vcr^je of heaven.
The tenipeft ^rote's ; but as it ne.;ier co;nes.
And rolls its awful harden on t!.c wind,
T he lightnings flalh a larjcr curve, and more
The noife alkiunds ^ tdl over head a fhcet
Of livid flame difclof.;s wide, th*n ihuts
And opens wide**. Units and ojvns ftill
txpanfive, wrappinii; tlhr in a bl.ize,
I' ollows tijc loolc'i'd aggravated roar
A a 2 Enhr^ini?,
372 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Knljr^'in^, iKcj.'ninir, mir.glirij;^ ; pcr.l on pea!
Criinrd horiiMc, coir, uilln^ heaven aiul earth.
Stcrtiis arifc from r.ll quarters of the
Iiorizon, luit jurhaps oftcncH: from the
foulh; the mention of that point is
therefore ccjually nnti'.ral and picflurcf-
qiie; fptcific.ition cf pofition always
gives a kind cf riility to a fuppodd
fccne. The * JlulJjn gltificc of dijlant
* iiibtnhrSy^ ihouKl have heen followed
by tile thnndLf heard remote, not by
the * trar.cnujus r;/Vt',* and vail cxplo-
fion ; thefe are introduced too early in
the defer iptlon. Tlie tcmpell rolling
its awful burden on tlie wind, is a jull
and noble idea. This part of the pif-
fage might polhbly be comorencd to ad-
vantage :
*Tis lifl'ninj fc.ir 2'vl diimVi amazement .-vll :
When to the ft;'.r:!. J eye the ftulJen g!ancc,
Appears i:.x fouth eruptive through the cloud ;
And folloA-ing flow the fjkm.'i thunder roils.
Long, drrk. and Lhrc.;tciiing o'er tlic verge of
heav'r.
The tcmpcJl fwdlf, but as it nearer conic>,
And
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 373
And rprcnils its av.ful ln:ril..i (-n the winJ,
The * jl:uts luul cp'.'Ks^ f.uts and opens
* JtiHf is obvloully an attcinpt at mak-
ing tlic fouiul carrc!nf)n(i with the Icnfc,
V'hidi notuitliaandiiu'^ the vcrks arc
rather profaiek, is net wht-lly unluc-
cei'sful. The cxploiions ot a thiuuler
cloud proihice a liiverlity of founds,
which no language can lully imitate ;
the linccJ here employed in emlvavour-
in:^ at an imltatl(ii, h..ve o.lu tliouvlit
to be noile without meanin;-. They
O J
nv.iy in pari, hut j^rhapb net wliolly,
def^rve that characLr.
Kr.l.ir.';!!^.-, ilL'.j/ii:nj, :n:!iL',l!!'j ; |KmI o:i jv;i?,
Cru!:i\! liMiri' 'c, co;;\ii!.L'!j h..;v':i ;;:(! c-.irtlj.
Thunder loniekimes llcnis a kind of
violent laceraticn, a^ if Jbir.e ckdliek
body were fudd^jdy rclc.-.k-il from con-
finement; this fpccic^ o^ n')ifj wa^ per-
• The ciinJid rcr.i'.cr will r hfjrvc tlsr.t t'.cL- ..Iterati-
on . arc ''ivcn only to c\'>l.::n :ny nuanin'j, v. '.'.ii I t.iU:
of cIuiTical and correct coTiipo.r.ion.
A a 3 haps
374 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
haps meant to be cxprcfll-d by the epi-
thet * kofcncii.' Incrcafcd or augment-
ed found, is not amir8 dcfcribcd by the
harHi term * azzr(i''JdtcJ i but after this
it was certainly fupcrfluous to talk of
* enliirzir.z' A new idea is conveved
by * deepening ;' but nothing is added
to the fcnfc by the word * f?jing[i>ig.'
Repetition is very well indicated by the
* pciil en pciil i but what was intended
by * cru(7:\l hjrrihh\* cannot be eafily
determined, it is no very extravagant
hyperboL-, to fiy of a violent commo-
tion cf tlif- air, tliat it * comndfid hca-
* 177; iind ciirthj"
Down comes a <!i!u^t- of fonorous hail.
Or prone tlcfccn.iin^ r.iin — wlJc rent theclouvi^,
Pciir a whfile flrJ-y aiid yet its flame iin-
qu( .'ich'd,
Thr unconqurrahic lightning ftniggics through,
R.T'gra and Herce, or in red whirling h::Il>;,
/r.d frci the TKi::r.!a'ir.i •xith reJuibkd *3ge.
Here is obvioufly another attempt at
imitative exnreiTion, and with re:^ard to
found.
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 375
found, the paflagc is certainly unexcep-
tionable, but it has in other rcf^^cds
fomcthing to cenfure. * Delude,' in the
firll line, and ^ jhody in the third, arc
fynonynious ; the former gives an idea
to which nothing is added by the latter.
Poets, when intent on their fubicv:!, of-
ten unconfcioufly ailopt tlie language of
their predecelfors, without confidering
how far the adoption is confident with
propriety ; Thonifon's line ;:bove quo-
ted, * Andjirci the jmunt iiins ^ "r.* was
probably taken from one of Pope, in
this manner, for it does not fcem to
convey any precifc natural image:
i . As when angry Jove
Hurls down the forky li^htnin^ from a!>ovc ;
On A rime when he the tliunu'cr tlirows,
Andfirci Tjphatii nith r:J:ui.'tJ l.':v.s.
Iliad, B. 2. 290.
But to proceed.
Black from the ftrolx above the fmoalJcring
pine,
^tanils a fad fhattcr'J trink, and ftrcicn'd below,
A a 4 A Llckf;
376 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
A I:ftlrf<; group the Ib.ntJ c.ttlc Vw ;
Taov treJ:ftj':Ji tiith th.:: f.ur.c harrr.lffj l:ok
They un-L- o'i\i\ r.u.l rut:ii:u:t'.nj^ Jl':!l
In firuy'i rir, o'd thrr.- trf/rrunifr h'!
Jnd ex l:(:lf-]\:'s\i.\
Tills is a flrikip.g plvTlurc, but Its gran-
deur is iliiiiininRel hy iniiuitcncfs. The
lines in itilicJcs, however graphieal, had
better h.= * c been onntted.
■Struck on t!-.c cafrlcJ clifT
The \c-ncr.;!>'c town r.m! fj»:r\- f.uic
Rcfgn f'.tir i:^:J pr'i,!c.
Wc have here aiuither well feleC'ted and
fiiMiinc cireunifiance. Zucarelli, a ce-
lebrated modern artifi, in his paIntinL!:of
Alacbctli and the witches, lias greatly
f Aricilo, in one of his fjnulics, has introduced fonic o'"
iluMc images :
As when the thun.lcr oVr the ether clears,
Slow-iifinj tro.u the rtri)kc the hind appears.
Where llrctcird he lay, all rcuu-lef: on the plain,
Wh^rc t"..ll beHue him lay hi^ o \en llain ;
And fees tile j .nc that once had rai>'d in air
Jt> ftaicly Oi»:»*.ht.», now of human care. — IIool:
heightened
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 377
heightened the kcnc of horror, by rc-
prcfcnting lightning falliiig on a iliilant
cafllc.
-The ::l;>o:nv wootls
Start rt the fl.-.fh, :i^v\ frzir. tl'cir lUf^ rc:ff%
l'/u'u-fiiin\\ng cut ihi'if trc':'.'.'.irs h:r,'.ai:i fi ukc.
The tliouglit of the woous Aariing at
the flafli, has giV.it poetical holilne/s.
The context is ahnoll unintclligi!)le ;
one fcarcely knou s what to niak-e of the
* i:idc'f.dinlng ciit^ and the * trLmtilinr
* viiihitcs.' Pcrh;.ps tlie aiitlior meant
that the li'j.htnini: fires the woods, and
drives out the birds and bealls tli.it in-
habit tlieni.
Ami J Cutuuivcns ir.ountai.i-, J.!:;t^ I«>u(|
The repcrc'.iwive ro;ir : \v.':h mighty ci.fli,
Into t!a fl-Jliir.^ '^■^'■W '"':•> t.'.c ru.ic rt.^ks
Of Ptuih(i>:n:..iu i;c.:p\l hiJcous to the (kv,
Tumble t::c fiiitt-!! chfts ; and S/;iit;ii:n^i peak
Dillolvinj, ini;;jit yicUs its wlnuy 1(*.:J :
Far feen, the heiijits oi'Iicat'iy Clicviot Ma/r,
And ^A^/t b'Jluws t:;rou^h h'.r utmoft jilcs.
This
378 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
This Is a mod noble paHagc. Poetry
here enables the iir. iginatlon to comprize
in one point of view, what could not
pofllbly be comprized by the fenfes.
Wc fee the rocks falling from the Cam-
brian mountains; we fee the heights
of Cheviot in flames ; and we hear the
thunder echoing t
ifles of the ocean.
thunder echoing through the rcmoteH;
Our author's defcriptivc powers arc
equally confpicuous, in his pi(flure of
the fetting in of a froH:. The paf-
fage is graphical even to the greatell
minutencfs, and is not juflly chargeable
with a profulion of verb jfity.
-At eve
Stcam'd ca^cr from the rcJ horizon arnunJ,
Ulth thf f.fru rage cfu Inter deep fufj'ui'd^
An icy gal,* oft fhifting o'er the pool,
Brcatho a blue film, and in its miJ career
Arrcft> the bickcrinj; ftrcam. The loofeii'd ice
Let dowTi the flood, and h;:lf dillolv'd by day
Rullk.<i no more, but to the fidcy bank
Kaft ~ro»vn, or gathers round the pointed ftonc,
A chr\ft4
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 379
A chryftal pavement, hy the hrtnth :f heaven
Cenuntidjirm ; tiil Ici/.'d from fhorc i<» fljorc
The whole imprifon'd river ^»;:(7j below.
Loud rings tlic fio/cn earth, and h.nrd rcflccl*
A ciuhlf ntifc i while, at his cv'ning watch
The village dog deters the nightly thief j
The heifer low?, ll.e dift.uit waterfall
Swells in the bice/e ; and with the harty tread
Of tra\eller, the hollow-founding plain,
Shakes from afar.
The Ingenious author of the Elements
of Critieifni, under liis he.id of intricate
and involved figures that can fcarcely he
analyfed or reduced to plain language, -j-
has adduced a part of the ahove de-
fcription, in example.
f To deleft and CApLin ncnfcufe. Is no very eafy
taSc, it is like difeiitangling a parcel of entangled thread
orfilk. Dr. YouNC fays
Thought difcntanglcs pafTir.g o'er tlic lip.
But it much oficner entangles pafTing from the pen.
A rich harvtll of thtfe intricate and involved figure*
might be gathered from his worl:5, and the works of hit
imi;ators. Yet he could condemn bomba.l in othcri.
The
380 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
Swells in the br«-czc.
-The i!:tl:mt waterfall
This cciifurc however is not (Iriiflly
juft ; the pair.igc has no confufion of
figures, but merely a very hokl cllipfis.
The fenfj is too obvious to be millaken i
the reader naturally fupplles the word
that is cnu'ttcil. * The found of the
* dillant waterfall fwells in, or rather
* comes vp'jH the breeze.'
Thomfon nioflly defcribed what \\z
had really fcen, but from the dellrip-
tions of ethers, his invagination often
formed very llriking and beautiful pic-
tures. Sueh are hi-; accounts of the
vegetable produiflions of the V\^eft-l!i-
dies, and of the fupj^ofcd appearance of
the internal parts of AbyiTuiia :
Bear mc IVir.ona to thy citron grove-.
To \vherc the lemon r.nJ the pierciiu'; linic,
With the ticepor.m^'c ^l<Aviii^ throii;ih the green.
Their !ii:htcr t'loric»> blcr.il. lav nic reclinM
I'cncath the r.rcai!in4 tuii.-.r'iiJ th;:t fliakes,
Fann'd by l!;e breeze, its L-Vwr-cooIi:;^ fri'::.
Dee:>
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 381
Dctp in then: -hi the n::ifiy K-cull flicJ'« ;
*^it-mh my hot linib.N, or loaiJ nic throii^li t'lc
maze,
Emhow'ring ciullcr>. of the InJir.ii f:';
Or thrown at gayer c.ife on (kiV2 fair brow ;
Let n'.c hehokl, by In^iy iuuy;:iuri\ c'.ztd^
Broad oVr my he.ul the \fi,!.:nt ce>!^r w.ivr.
And hit;h pidnutos lift ihur i^raocful fnaJc.
C) ftrctch'J ami J thcTc orcIir.r»K of jht- {\.\\\^
Give me toi!i.:in tiv.- coci>.i\ milicy buwl,
AnJ from the p.:!. a to i!r.;v.' it^f.efh'rlil•.^ v.iiic.
—But come my mnfo, t!.e Jif-rtSr-iri^r b-iift
A \\\\\ e.xpaiife ff KiVlcfs fuiJ an J Jky;
Aiul fv.ifter than t!ie t*'iii:ij caravan,
Shoot o\r tliC \a!i- c f Sen..r ; anlv-nt climb
The Nubian nvja'Jtaiii'^, arvJ ^,\\: ficrct bounils
Of jealous Abyiunia boldl) pivice.
— Thou like tlKliarmlcfb bccmay'ft frcjlvr.uv^r
From mead tumi-ad bii-ht wit!j c.\:iltLd flowers,
From jafinine jjrove to^iove ma\ il w.'.ndcr "ay
Through palmy ftiade> and arurualic wood-;.
That grace the plain-, invcfl t!ie ptirp!v.d hill>.
And up the more than Alpiiu* muiintaiiis v/avc.
Thereon ilie brce/.y fummir, fpreadin^ fair
For many a lea^iuc \ or on fluj)endoU5 rocJ:<,
f This is a fpccimcn of wh.u Lord Kai?.:. called
Thomfon's falfc coin ; a Lrt(x.t niighl i'.d, bui m^nr.urt
ccriainly could not.
That
382 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
That from the fun-rtiJcuWing vzKc}- left
Cool to lHc middle air their bw-ny top>;
\Vhtrtp2bcc>, arJ fjiics andvilh?, riff.
And garii^> fmi!c around, and cultur'd Sz'Ci 5
And fountains guCi ; a uo;!d wltfjn iUVlf
Difdainin^ all aiLult.
The impartial critick never experiences
fmccrer plcafurc than when he meets
with a paflage fuMimc, pathetic, 2nd
beautiful, and withal fo corrtdl, th^t he
can allow it praifc without abuttir.er.t.
Such a paflagc wc may fafcly pror.cuncc
the following : the fixth line, ^fulpnd-
• ly Jortiilr.g, ^c* is one of the nncll
inftances of alliterative melody in tlie
language.
Unhappy he \ »*=o from the Hril of joys.
Society, cut off, h left alone
Amid thi» world of death. D.y afier ^7
Sad on the jun'.nj eminence he fats.
And vkws the main that ever toils btlrx.
Still fonT.y fonr.lnj: in the funheft vcrrc.
Where tre rourJ ether mixes with tbr wave.
Ships disa-difccTcrcd drcppir.g froai ^ c!cui> :
At
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 383
At evening to the felting fun he turns
A nuiurnful c)C, and lUwn hi> tlying heart
Sinks hclplefj. ; while th.e wentcil ro.,r is up,
Am! hifs continual through the teJious night.
Nearly of the fame charadcr is tlic
dcfcription of a man pcrilhing in the
fnow. This is of confulcrable length,
and I have l)ecn liberal of quotations ;
it fhall therefore futlice to quote the
conclufion :
In vain for him the oliicious wife prepares
The fire f.iir-l-la/ing an J t!i'.- \tll;ncat warmj
In vain his link* el.ilJren peeping out
Into tiic mingling W^Kin vL-.u-inJ their fire
VV^ith tear.-, of artlef> i:in(>t\ncr. Alas,
Nor wife nor chilli: en r>v.>re laall he IcholJ,
Nor frIenJs nor Ticrt*! Lome. ( )n tvery ucrvc
The dcailiy winter fei/cs ; Ji uls :./■ fuife,
And o'er his innwjft vit.;li f/«v//;/; .:/./,
Lays him along the fnows a llitren'd c(»rfe
Stretch'd out, and bleaching in i!ic nortliern bl.ift.
Diftrcfs from accidents of this kind,
muft be not unfrequent in a mountain-
ous and thinly-inhabited country, like
Scotland. Thondon's imagination feems
peculiarly
384 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
peculiarly imprtircd with it. Spcakin^
of a pcrfon bewildered by an Ignis FatuuSf
he ray>.
Ri.i'.r snJ horfc sn»i.! the miry r;ii'j»h :
"\V}:'1l- ftiil fro-n (by to ib.y, hi> philn^ wife
AnJ p! Jntivc chilJren his rLf.irn await.
In v.i!Jcur:itvlurc loft.
Our Author's dc.^jription of fcciics ot
horror, derives LTeat force from this in-
trodutftion of hum^vJi beiiu^s acflunliy
futTcrir^ amidll them. The flory of
Cel.idon ?:m\ Ameli.'., and tlic tlia-e hi(l
quotatirn?, arc rcmarkaldc inftances.
Thcfe ilUiftrations however, though pro-
bable, are general and fi<f^itious; but he
is fumctimes happy enough to bring
real facls in exanij>lc ; when he is de-
fcribing the violence of the cold in the
polar regions he mentiotis the circum-
ftancc of Sir Hugh W'illougliby, whofc
fliip was frozen in, while he and all liis
company peri Hied :
—Such
CRITICAL ESSAYS. 385
Such u-as the Briton's fate.
As with firft prow (what have not Ijritjns JarM)
He for the paflagc fought, attempted fiiicc
So much in vain, and fee ming to be (hut
By jealous nature witli ctcrnJ bars.
In thefcfell regions, in Arzinacau^^ht,
And to the ftony deep his idle fliip
Immediate fcal'*', Hr withhi\ K:iplff% crcv.,
Kacli A. II cAcrted at his k\eral tafk,
Froze into ftatucs, to the cordage chicd
The failor, and the pilot to the helm.^
When he is dcfcrihing the tlilcnfcs of
hot cliniutes, he inllar.ccs tlicir fatalitv
in the cafe of Admiral \'crnon's ficcl at
Carthagcna. This pallagc h.is been
mentioned by Dr. Warton wiih juH
approbation.
■ You gallant Vernon Lw
The miferahle fcene i you p;tving f.'.v
Xo infant wc.ikncf . funk tlu- warrior arm.
Saw the deep-racking pan.', tlie gluillv il-rni,
The lip j).'.!c-c; li'.eri'i:', nriJ die beanilcf> e)c
I There 13 pcrlnp:> a ll'.;lc pcrricil evagptratlon hrr«,
the action cf fr&Il could fcarccly be fo inJlintancou*.
B h
3S6 CRITICAL ESSAYS.
No more with ardor bright ; you heard the groans
Of agonizing (hip<,t from (horc to fliorr.
Heard nightly plung'd amid the fu!!cn waves
The frequent corfc.
Thomfon, in the courfc cf the preced-
ing ftriclures, has l>een confidcred chicily
in his princ ij^:>l r}i:ir:i<!:trr nf a deicrip-
tivc poet ; the dclinc.Uory part of his
work aflcr ding the befl fpcciinen of his
peculiar manner. His poem however
has other merit, for it aboundi with
noble (Irokes of pathos, natural philofo-
phy, civil liberty, morality, and piety.
f A bold but poetical metonymy, or fuhiVi:--:oa cf
the thing containing, for the thint; contained, cf flii[.'
for failcrs.
FINIS.
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