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NUMBER LI.

Blame the false, and value still the true.
POPE

Ir has been observed, that Sylvester frequently terminates the Days and distributions into Parts of Du Bartas's Work, with additional couplets of his own production; he has also often taken the liberty of inserting, in various places throughout the poem, whereever an opportunity was, with propriety, afforded him by the French original, strictures and observations on the manners, customs, politics, and religion of his countrymen. Many of these are extremely severe, and afford striking proof of the satyrical powers of

their author.

For a specimen of these, and to place in a due light the varied abilities of Sylvester, I shall quote a passage from the concluding

part of the sections called "The Decay," in which our Translator has happily brought in some fine original lines on Sycophants and Time-servers. These are harmonized in his best manner, and will, probably, remind the reader, of the style and versification of our lamented Cowper.* The last quotation, indeed, of the preceding Essay, particularly the paragraph" O wanton England," bears a strong resemblance to this poet; the same impressive and forcible diction, and a similar construction of metre are discoverable in both writers.

Such are the occasional strength, energy, and harmony, of certain portions of this old version, that it is probable had Sylvester been more fortunate in the choice of his original, he had, in a great measure, been exempt from the numerous faults, which now disgrace his composition. The mean, the tumid and extravagant, the ludicrous and disgusting, characterise the style of Du Bartas, and the English bard has but too faith

I allude to the rhime productions of this great poet, *Table Talk," "Progress of Error," &c. &c.

fully trodden in his footsteps. These fetters are, however, sometimes entirely shaken off, and the native powers of Sylvester become apparent.

To the collection, therefore, of whatever morsels may have been written, translated, or original, under the influence of this laudable exertion, the following severe but nervous lines must be added.

"Yea," such are those, whose wily, waxen mind
Takes every seal, and sails with every wind;-
Loose with the lewd; among the gracious grave:
With saints, a saint, and among knaves a knave.—
Lo! these scene-servers that so loud have cried
'Gainst Prelates sweeping in their silken pride-
Their courting, sporting, and non-residence,
Their avarice, their sloth, and negligence:
Till some fat morsels in their mouths do fall;
And then, as choak'd, and sudden chang'd withal,
Themselves exceed in all of these, much more
Than the Right Reverend whom they tax'd before,
W. 2. D. 4. P. 4.

From the province of satire, at all times a rugged and ungracious soil, let us now pass into a more cheerful and diversified scene.

The Adjuration of the Gabaonites, when

they endeavoured to make a league with Israel, is thus given by Sylvester, in language at once beautiful and impressive.

We adjure you therefore in the sacred name
Of that dread God to whom your vows you frame,
By the sweet air of this delightful coast,

By the good angel that conducts your host,
By dear embraces of your dearer wives,

And by your babes even dearer than your lives;
By each of these, and all of these together

And by your arms, whose fame has drawn us hither,
Have pity on us.

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Nor is the following apostrophe to the Bride of Solomon, less entitled to the praise of pleasing melody and appropriate diction. ́

But O, fair Fairy! who art thou, whose eyes
Inflame the seas, the air, the earth and skies?
Tell us, what art thou, O thou fairest fair
That trimm'st the trammels of thy golden hair
With myrtle, thyme, and roses; and thy breast
Gird'st with a rich and odoriferous cest ;*
Whose robe's embroider'd with pomegranate boughs,
Button'd with sapphires, edg'd with beryl rowes.

W. 2. D. 4. P.2

The spouse-belt.

The description of comets and meteors, and of the superstitions associated by the vulgar with their appearance, has been a favourite subject of poetry. Thomson, to whom the theme was congenial, has painted these phenomena with much effect.

A blaze of meteors shoots

From look to look, contagious thro' the crowd,
The panic runs, and into wond'rous shapes
Th' appearance throws: Armies in meet array,
Throng'd with aerial spears, and steeds of fire;
Till the long lines of full extended war
In bleeding fight commixt, the sanguine flood
Rolls a broad slaughter o'er the plains of heaven.
As thus they scan the visionary scene,
On all sides swells the superstitious din,
Incontinent; and busy frenzy talks

Of blood and battle; cities overturn'd;

And late at night in swallowing earthquake sunk,
Or hideous wrapt in fierce ascending flame;
Or sallow famine, inundation, storm;

Of pestilence, and every great distress;

Empires subvers'd

Autumn, L. 1107.

Sylvester has, however, anticipated him in nearly every part of the picture; the an

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