145 Picturefque Poetry. Confiling of Poems, Odes, and Elegies, on various Subjes. By the rev. J. Teafdale. 80. 2s. 6d. Robinfon. Thefe poems are chiefly defcriptive. The images, though feldom new, are delineated in a pleating manner; and the reflections, though fometimes trite, are in general juft, and well applied. A performance entitled DAY, confifting of three parts, MORNING, NOON, and EVENING, pleales us as well as any in the collection, of which the concluding fection may ferve as a fpecimen. There is, however, one impropriety in it; the defcribing flowers as expanding, and erecting themfelves at the approach of night, when the reverfe is a wellknown fact. Now, when ev'ning's fober ray As the fun, that fmiles invest, Mildly beaming to the view. Now again the eddying breeze Gently waves the leafy trees, Now the flow'rs, that fweets exhale, Wide expanding to the gale, And their varying tints difclofe. All the bloffom'd furze is gay, VOL. LX. Aug. 1785. L And And in yonder peopled mead, Let us join the mirthful throng, Take their stations, at her call Johnfon's Laarel, or Conteft of the Poets. 4to. 15. Hooper. To grieve his exit, and to fing his praife. The theme alike, yet diff'rent is their aim; We allow this paffage to be a little hyperbolical, but have found to oar forrow too much truth in it. The panegyrifts of Dr. Johnson have been exceedingly numerous ;-peace to his .manes! we truft their doleful elegies will never wound his ears, nor that of pofterity. Whether pudding or fame was held in view, of the generality we speak, the objects have furely been equally unattainable. The prefent author informs us that, All bards GREAT Johnson's wreath (the laurel) claim, and they accordingly repair to Parnaffus to affert their refpective rights. Surely, confidered merely as a poet, Johnfor's merit is not of fo fuper-eminent a nature as to entitle him to this high compliment. First Pratt began, in accents meek and mild, As pukeing gives no idea of meeknefs or mildness, we would fubititute puling for it, which, fignifying to whimper in a gentle manner, is more analogous to fome of Mr. Pratt's writjugs. PUKEING conveys an indelicate idea, ungenial to his ftyle and fentiment.. • Next Whitehead came, his worth - a pinch of snuff, This is too fevere on a very decent author; for to write birthday odes with fuccefs, is evidently no easy task. We no less difapprove of the following character. And Mafon now, whofe numbers nice by art, Still in his verfe there's fomething of divine. 2 } Though Though fome of Mr. Mafon's poems are too highly ornamented, whoever has read his Elfrida and Caractacus must have felt that his numbers will reach the heart: He fhould not have been reprefented as a candidate for Johnfon's laurel, whofe own is of fo fuperior a verdure. The Pious Incendiaries: or, Fanaticifm Difplayed, a Poem. B a Lady. 4to. 5s Hooper: We doubt not of the good intentions of the fair author, in this performance, and cannot but approve the diffidence fhe expreffes, and feems to feel in offering it to the public. The poem is written in the style and manner of Hudibras. A well known, we may add, a too well known character, is the principal object of the fatire it contains. To imitate Hudibras is an arduous undertaking; and if the public fhould decide that this lady, has not fucceeded in her attempt, fhe may juftly console herself with the reflection, that he has only failed in an enterprize where few would have come off with honour.-Magnis excidit aufis! The Adventures of Telemachus, the Son of Ulyffes. In English Verse. 8vo. 35. 6d. Jewed. Becket. The encomiums beftowed on the French Telemachus are in general juft: towards the conclufion our author obferves that, Notwithstanding the indifputable merit of Monf. Fenelon's performance in the original (to which the numerous tranf lations in our own tongue are fufäcient vouchers) a poetical verfion fees ftill I wanting, to accommodate the taste of an Englith reader with one of its ufual gratifications in an Epic Poem, which title justly belongs to thefe volumes, though devoid of.. an ornament not fufceptible of dignity in the French language." We will allow that French verfe is ill-adapted to an epic compofition; and that in many effential points, verfe excepted, Telemachus is entitled to that appellation; yet ftill we cannot fee the utility of its being verfified in our language. The fuccefs of numerous profe-tranflators vouch for the propriety of that method. The original, even when literally rendered, ftrikes naturally into our language in periods eafy and harmonious. What more have we to expect? The time of an able writer would furely be mifpent, in endeavouring to improve by rhyme what appears to the utmoft advantage in flowing profe; and the labours of an inferior one would undoubtedly be excelled by the most literal verfion. The style of the prefent author in his advertisement is, though fometimes a little inclining to the bombaft, eafy and fpirited; had he attempted the original in that manner, we do not think he would have proved unfuccefsful; but his poetry is flat, diffufe, and fome times ridiculous. In a ftorm, raifed by Neptune to fink Telemachus's veffel, he gives the following account of Mentor's behaviour. He takes an axe, and cuts the breaking maft, From noftrils, mouth, and ears, it gain'd a vent.' An unsuccessful attempt of the fame kind was made by a Mr. Bagnal, in the year 1756. From the title we were led to expect an entire tranflation of Telemachus: this performance however only confits of the firft fix books, and here we suppose the undertaking will end. Poems on feveral Occafions. By Ann Yearly, a Milk-u -woman of Brifiol. 4to. 65. Cadell. Thefe poems are ufhered into the world by a prefatory letter from Mifs Hannah More to Mrs. Montague, giving fome account of this felf-inftructed votary of the Muses. It resembles the well-drawn relation of Stephen Duck, written by Mr. Spence, and prefixed to his poems. A parallel might indeed be drawn between him and the prefent writer, but not much to the advantage of the former. Stephen was merely a rhymer: the protection he obtained proceeded from the peculiarity of a thresher's writing verfes, not on account of the verfes themselves. As Pope fays of ftraw and grubs in amber, We know thefe things are neither rich nor rare, The poems before us are entitled to a fuperior degree of praife; there are evident traces to be found in them of a strong and fervid imagination, as the following paffage will fufficiently teftify. My foul is out of tune, No harmony reigns here, 'tis difcord all. And mark'd for ruin? Seek yon leafy grove, Indulgent blits there waits you; fhun this spot D.ear, Drear, joylefs, vacant, as my wafted foul, Some might defcend on the gay, grinning herd; Ah, me! how bright fhe painted future fcenes, And fweetly spoke of bleffings yet unborn! Now, fond Deceiver, where's the promis'd good? But, Oh! thou'rt lovely, and I'll ne'er accufe Or hate thee, tho' we never meet again.' Correctness and precifion cannot be expected from ' one who does not know a fingle rule of grammar, and who has never even feen a dictionary;' but we can affure the reader many paffages, in no respect inferior to the preceding, might be felected. We will not anticipate his curiofity any farther, but recommend to him the book itself. He will receive the double fatisfaction of being amufed by its perufal, and contributing to the relief of depreffed genius. A large lift of fubfcribers is annexed; which does honour to the author's protectress, by whose means, we apprehend, fo many respectable names were procured for promoting her benevolent intention. IS. More Lyric Odes to the Royal Academicians. By a diftant Relation to the Poet of Thebes, and Laureate to the Academy. 4to. Hookham. 6 This is a very fuccefsful imitator of the fame humorous, ingenious gentleman, who has twice before had a ftroke' at the Royal Academicians. It is as impoffible to prevent laughing at his oddity, as being offended at his groffnefs: nothing but the brilliancy of his genius could bear him through the abuse he fo liberally bestows on the late exhibitions. The want of ev'ry lib'ral grace Ye may be gentlemen and painters too.' |