Such, many years paffed, was the character given of Isaiah in one of the most confummate works of criticism: an important work indeed, whether we confider its fubferviency to religion, the fupremeft object of human concern, or its reference to poetry, that highest energy of human intellect, that noblest and loveliest expreffion of human fentiment and paffion, that laft perfection of human language, that fureft embalmer of wifdom for all ages, that art for ever dignified by the practice of the holy prophets, and by the folemn fanction of the divine fpirit itself; in a few words, that art which can (if any can) alone give us the most perfect and attractive image of virtue, and with a fort of God-like faculty spread before us a fairer order of things, and create (as it were) a new heaven and a new earth to raise our drooping fpirits.'

We believe the author would find fome difficulty in proving that the prophets always expreffed themfelves poetically, and in explaining to our fatisfaction how the art itself has obtained the fanction of the divine Spirit. The latter affertion is an abfurdity: the former, if we understand him right, a mistake. If he means, that because the prophets ufed in general a poetic ftyle, that therefore fomething facred is annexed to the nature of poetry, the idea is puerile. It might be proved that there is fomething noble and divine in profe, and equally fubfervient to religion, by the fame argument; for Chrift fpoke, and his apoftles wrote, without any artificial arrangement of words, or modulation of numbers. In regard to what follows, in the Preface, we heartily concur with the author in the praifes bestowed on Dr. Lowth, but do not equally agree with him in other matters; not fo much that we controvert his pofitions, as that we really do not comprehend them. What connection, for infance, can we find, or what meaning collect, from the following ill forted fentences? The whole chain of argumentation, if we may call it fo, feems compofed of broken links of heterogeneous materials.

The literary taste of a people must in part be imputed to literary principles, and in this refpect we are right or wrong not only from what we commonly do, but from what we commonly read, from the habit of our fpeculations as well as actions. To be prejudiced, is a difpofition to which one is fubject more than is ufually fufpected, and therefore we too much admire as well as defpife the works of antiquity, overlooking the gains as well as loffes of time.It is God-like in many in ftances to be pleafed with variety, for variety characterifes the works as well as word of God. We too often condemn as wrong what we fhould rather fay we dislike, and we thence form theories to justify prejudice, and to rivet infirmity on the mind, instead of fuch as would increase its ftrength, enlarge its fympathy with whatever excellency, and difpofe it to en courage the advancement of laudable things. The works of men, that are now no more, and which are come down to us

5

precious

precious from the fiery fearching of many ages, affuredly demand the stamp of praise from the prefent times.'

We are forry to obferve that, in too many other places where the author aims at being argumentative, he becomes abstruse ; and where he attempts an elevation of ftyle, he degenerates into bombait. As a fpecimen of his poetical abilities we shall give his version of the feven firft verfes of the fifty-third chapter, which contains the remarkable prediction of our Saviour's humble appearance on earth, and is probably as interesting and pathetic a paffage as any in the prophecies of Ifaiah.

Who (fhall he fay) hath our report receiv'd?
And unto whom from heav'n hath been reveal'd
Jehovah's arm? Behold by, mortal eyes
Low from the ground he seem'd a shoot to rife
Tender, ill-rooted in a barren earth,

Yea of a mean prefentment from his birth.
In him nor air nor form majeftic move
Rev'rence, nor all-attractive beauty love.
Defpis'd, and to rejecting fcorn a prey,
As one that had not where his head to lay,
Held in th' account of poverty's worst state
As fhame-funk, woe-begone, and desolate;
A man indeed of fuch fupremett grief
As feem'd to human fight beyond relief.
He was defpis'd, he was upon our scorn
Caft, yet our frailties all hath kindly borne.
But though our forrows have his burthen been,
Still in our fcorn as justly ftricken feen
As troubled by God's felf and fmitten, we
With cruel cenfure point calamity.

Yet not for his offences but our own
He with his forrows pays our fin's vaft loan;
For us is wounded, his benign intent
Our peace to purchase with his punishment,
And with his bruifes heal us, from our way
Wand'ring afide as carelefs fheep aftray.
Thence hath Jehovah made on him to fall
The fin-wrought fentence hatt'ning on us all,
And from us all exacted, but his grace
Pow'rful came in impleaded in our place.
Then as the lamb approaching flaughter's hand,
And as the sheep before the fheerer ftand
Mute, unrefilling, thus from rev'rence meek
This gen'rous victim deems it blame to speak,
And yielding filent to the folemn law
Deigns on his head our mortal doom to draw.'
The fenfe is here fufficiently dilated; but, we apprehend, the
fpirt and pathos of the original proportionably diminished. In

f..

tome

fome places Mr. Butt has wrote in a more fpirited manner, and confequently fucceeded better; and we would recommend to him in any future compofition, not to be fo poetical in his profe, and to be less profaic in his verfe.

Abelard to Eloifa: an Epißle. With a new Account of their Lives, and References to their Original Correfpondence. Small 8vo. 6d. Dilly.

HIS Epiftle, or rather the sketch of it, appeared in a small

poetical collection, of which we gave fome account, vol. lvii. p. 5. It is now altered and confiderably enlarged. We then took notice that the author, confidered as an imitator, not a rival, of Pope, appeared in a refpe&table light ;' and we obferve, with pleasure, that the prefent poem approaches ftill nearer to that author's in grace and harmony. As our first opimon was given without any quotation to eftablish its juftice, we fhall fubmit the following in vindication of our fentiments. The first lines allude to the abbey of St. Gildas, in Britanny, from whence Abelard's epiftles are faid to be written. The concluding ones, which defcribe his former affection as rekindled at the name of Eloifa, mixed with the enthufiaftic fentiments his fituation would moft naturally be fuppofed to pro duce, are truly beautiful.

Miftaking man who thinks in fhades to find
The charms that lull the long-impaflion'd mind;
Or dreams the cloifter'd cell alone fecure

From common woes that all his race endure..

Ye naked hills, unblefs'd by nature's care!
Ye vales, unconfcious of the labouring share,
Stretch'd many a league, whence iffuing to the day
The shaggy tenant feeks a diftant prey!
Unfightly cliffs, within whofe cavern'd fides
Her talon'd young the screaming vulture hides!
Ye feas, that round yon rocky-cinctur'd tower
With fleepless fury vex the midnight hour!
In your despite an abfent world retains
Her joyless flaves in fublunary chains,
Or grofs debauch, and fullen floth combine,
To check remorfe, and quench the ray divine.
For as the maniac, in his fordid cell,

Will oft on fancy'd thrones and fceptres dwell;
So these fad exiles from the focial kind
As falfely rate the toys they left behind.

In vain remonftrance lends her feeble aid,
They fcorn the doctrine, and the guide upbraid.
"And dare that hand affume the paftor's rod?
Behold the frontlefs delegate of God!
In other climes thy forward zeal be shown,
And preach where Abelard is yet unknown;

Or

Or banish'd hence to Paraclete remove,
Where maids may melt, and heretics approve.'
While keener fome the venom'd shaft inflame,
And point reproach with Eloifa's name.

"Wild at the found to folitude 1 fly,
And meet the form familiar to my eye:-
She comes refulgent in her former charms!
The fpoufe of heaven is render'd to my arms!
Her voice I hear, on Abelard the calls,
And waves to Paraclete's neglected walls.
Yet, O forbear! thofe fatal fmiles conceal,
And not the woman, but the faint reveal;
The clafping hands, the fcatter'd locks, difplay,
And ftreaming tears by angels wip'd away;
The head that bows to mercy's awful shrine,
The glance that melts with charity divine.
The grateful burft of penitence forgiven,
And afpect radiant with the beams of heaven!
'Nor this alone-fuperior duties claim
Heaven's awful spouse, a mother's facred name.
Shall earthly parents with preventive fear
Bend o'er the babe that carnal ties endear,
And the alone felected from the reft

To foothe, with pious hopes the finner's breast,
Neglect the tafk by Providence affign'd,
And leave the children of her foul behind?
Ev'n now, methinks, thy veftal-charge I fee,
Diffolv'd in kindred tranfports caught from thee,
With clearer anthems hail the Saviour's throne,
And pant
for grace with ardours not their own.
That where fecluded nature loves to pour
The limpid wave befide the myrtle bower
The rifing walls of Paraclete may show
That heavenly comfort deigns to dwell below;
And oft while Hefper leads the starry throng
Ethereal harps the clofing ftrain prolong.

From fcenes like thofe when Eloifa's foul

Afpires in holy trance beyond the pole,

When every mortal care is lull'd to rest,
And heaven-plum'd hope expatiates with the bleft,
Say, wilt thou fhut for ever from thy fight
Whofe prefence might alloy the pure delight;
Nor lift on hallow'd figh, one friendly prayer,
One tender wish to meet thy lover there?

'And fure when hope with infant hold prepar'd
To stay the morn of blifs we fondly fhar'd,
Even reafon's felf could fcarcely find to blame,
So guiltless feem'd the involuntary flame.
Ingenuous arts the tempting hour beguil'd,
Confenting tafte, indulgent fancy fmil'd;
VOL. LX. July, 1785.

F

Severer

1

Severer fcience join'd the blooming train,
And virtue paus'd at love's enchanting strain.
Alas! that letter'd ease, by heaven defign'd
The pureft inmate of the feeling mind,
The fairest gift that nature can bestow,
Should prompt the breaft with guilty fires to glow!
Untouch'd, unfway'd by fortune's bafe controul,
I prais'd not empty form without à foul;
Fair as thou wert, with more than beauty bright
Thy mental charms diffus'd a stronger light..
And well thou know'ft when absent and alone
In gentle verse I made my wishes known,
Content to please, not emulous to shine
The careless numbers flow'd from rapture's fhrine,
Nor once defcended to the flatterer's part,
Anxious to gain but not corrupt the heart.
Yet haply thofe, condemn'd to lasting fame,
In future times fhall fan the dangerous flame;
To fure destruction's filken fnares engage
The deftin'd victims of a distant age;
With cruel mirth the fcorner's tale prolong,
And lend new licence to the drunkard's fong.

"O treacherous moment, fhort, and infecure!
O reign of blifs, too powerful to endure!
When first we felt from infant years untry'd
Thro' every nerve the ftings of transport glide-
No more with melting founds divinely clear
Those rofeate lips muft charm thy lover's ear-
That open front of animated fnow,

Thofe auburn ringlets taught by love to flow,
The graceful act, in native virtue free,
Defpoil'd in youth's unguarded hour by me-
The upbraiding blush-the kind relenting eye
That fummon'd nature to returning joy-
The faith which proffer'd crowns had vainly try'd,
And fcarce can heaven with Abelard divide,
For ever loft-nor can the world reftore

Those flattering fcenes that hope fhall gild no more."

MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

THE

POETR

An Invocation to Melancholy.

Y.

A Fragment. 4to.

HE fubject of this performance is capable of high poetical imbellishments, and the author has fometimes fucceeded in their delineation. Like Hotfpur, he apprehends a world of figures,' but they are not in general properly methodised, nor

ac