The Works of the English Poets: With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical

"With woeful measures wan DespairLow fullen founds his grief beguil'd, A folemn, ftrange, and mingled air,

'Twas fad by fits, by starts 'twas wild.”

He must be a very unfkilful compofer who could not catch the power of imitative harmony from thefe lines!

The picture of Hope that follows this is beautiful almost beyond imitation. By the united powers of imagery and harmony, that delightful being is exhibited with all the charms and graces that pleasure and fancy have appropriated to her.

Relegat, qui femel percurrit;

Qui nunquam legit, legat.

"But thou, O Hope, with eyes fo fair, What was thy delighted measure ?

Still it whisper'd promis'd pleasure,

And bade the lovely fcenes at distance hail! Still would her touch the strain prolong,

And from the rocks, the woods, the vale,

She call'd on Echo still through all the fong;

And where her sweetest theme she chose,

A foft responsive voice was heard at every close, And Hope enchanted fmil'd, and wav'd her golden hair.” In what an exalted light does the above stanza place this great mafter of poetical imagery and harmony! what varied sweetness of numbers! what delicacy of judgement and expreffion! how characteristically does Hope prolong her ftrain, repeat her foothing closes, call upon her affociate Echo for the fame purposes, and display every pleasing grace peculiar to her ! "And

"And Hope enchanted mil'd, and wav'd her golden

hair."

Legat, qui nunquam legit;

Qui femel percurrit, relegat.

The defcriptions of Joy, Jealoufy, and Revenge, are excellent; though not equally fo; thofe of Melancholy and Chearfulness are superior to every thing of the kind; and, upon the whole, there may be very little hazard in afferting that this is the fineft ode in the English language.

AN EPISTLE

To Sir Thomas Hanmer, on his Edition of Shakespeare's Works.

THIS poem was written by our author at the univerfity, about the time when Sir Thomas Hanmer's pompous edition of Shakespeare was printed at Oxford. If it has not fo much merit as the rest of his poems, it has still more than the subject deferves. The verfification is eafy and genteel, and the allufions always poetical. The character of the poet Fletcher in particular is very justly drawn in this epiftle.

DIRGE IN CYMBELINE.

ODE on the Death of Mr. THOMSON.

Mr. Collins had kill to complain. Of that mournful melody, and thofe tender images, which are the diftin

VOL. II.

guishing

guishing excellencies of fuch pieces as bewail departed friendship, or beauty, he was an almost unequalled mafter. He knew perfectly to exhibit fuch circumftances, peculiar to the objects, as awaken the influences of pity; and while, from his own great fenfibility, he felt what he wrote, he naturally addreffed himself to the feelings of others.

To read fuch lines as the following, all beautiful and tender as they are, without corresponding emotions of pity, is furely impoffible:

"The tender thought on thee fhall dwell, Each lonely scene shall thee reftore,

For thee the tear be duly fhed;

Belov'd, till life can charm no more e;

And mourn'd, 'till Pity's felf be dead.”

The

The Ode on the Death of Thomfon feems to have been written in an excurfion to Richmond by water. rural fcenery has a proper effect in an ode to the memory of a poet, much of whofe merit lay in defcriptions of the fame kind, and the appellations of "Druid," and "meek Nature's child," are happily characteristic. For the better understanding of this ode, it is neceffary to remember, that Mr. Thomson lies buried in the church of Richmond,

CON.