fubfift among us, and in fo high a degree, as may be justly appre hended to draw down the like, or greater vengeance on our heads. So far are we from having profited by former examples, that we have the very fame principles and practices revived in church and ftate, which upon this day completed the deftraction of them both; on one hand appears the fame, or rather a more flagrant and avowed contempt of every thing that is ferious and fhould be held facred; on another, the very fame wild enthufiaftic notions in religion are prevailing; the fame violent measures are purfued, and unfound maxims of civil policy too frequently advanced on every hand. One cannot but obferve the fame notorious, or even a yet more undif guifed infult upon Majefty, and open ridicule of every ordinance divine or human-that fuperior growth of Atheism and profaneness; -thofe bold attacks on the foundation and first principles of piety and virtue;-that enormous height of luxury, and lewdnefs and corruption; that almost universal diffipation, and abandoned diffsolatenefs, which it is difficult to parallel in hiftory. When crimes like thefe become extenfive and predominant, 'tis eafy to foretel where they must end. When by fuch ways any nation renders itself ripe for deftruction, then does Divine Providence, concurring with and aiding natural caufes, proceed to inflict the judgment fuch a nation has deferved, by raifing up fome foreign enemies to infult and invade it; or by permitting its own unnataral fons to weaken and diftract it; or by both thefe together, which indeed ufually excite and inflame each other, completing its decay, and haftening its diffolution. ⚫ What reafon we have from appearances to expect that this may fhortly be our cafe, unless prevented by a thorough reformation, happy would it be for us were we wife enough to understand, and well enough difpofed to confider:-to difcern the "figns of the times," and take due warning by what befel our forefathers, that the like iniquity may not prove our ruin.' This is not the vague rant of an enthufiaftic pietift, but the folid obfervation of a rational divine, well qualified for clearly difcerning, and rightly interpreting, the "figns of the times." II. Before the Houfe of Commons, at St. Margaret's, Weftminster, Jan. 30, 1771. By James King, M. A. Chaplain to that Hon. Houfe. 6d. Wilkie, &c. III. Before the Governors of Addenbroke's Hofpital, June 28, 1770, in Great St. Mary's, Cambridge. By Samuel Halifax, LL.D. Profeffor of Civil Law in the University of Cambridge. Sold for the Benefit of the Hospital. 1 s. White, &c. We are obliged to TYRO MEDICUS for his friendly notice of fome errors of the prefs, and fuch little overfights as every candid Reader will expect, and excufe, in a work which is obliged to be hurried through the prefs, in order to keep time with the stated returns of periodical publication. THE MINSTREL in our next. +++ Erratum in our laft.-P. 114, par. 3, 1. 2, for having feCuring,' read, having fecured. THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For APRIL, 1771. ART. I. The Mingrel; or, the Progrefs of Genius. A Paem. 4to. I s. 6d. Dilly. 1771. very THE effects of ENTHUSIASM in poetry are fo different THE from its influences on religion, that, though poison to the latter, it is nutriment to the former. Nothing can be more ftrongly characterized than this genuine enthufiafm! Nothing more eafy to be diftinguished !-Pope never knew it: he had wit, he had elegance, harmony, and vivacity; but he never was a fecretioribus nature confiliis. The ingenti perculfus amore feemed to be what he did not understand; was certainly what he did not feel. In Spenfer there is hardly a page which does not bear visible marks of it; and what but this could now reconcile us to the dry perplexity of his allegory, the frequently nauseating circumftances of his imagery, and the tiresome uniformity of his meafure ?-It is fortunate for the Author of this poem, that, as he has thought proper to adopt the latter, he has the fame happy enthufiafim to fupport and render it agreeable. He gives the following account of his performance; My defign was to trace the progrefs of a poetical genius, born in a rude and illiterate age, from the firft dawnings of Fancy and Reafon, till that period at which he may be thought capable of fupporting the character of a Minstrel, that is of an itinerant poet and musician; a character, which, according to the notions of our forefathers, was not only refpectable but fa cred, A poetical illustration of fuch a fubject feemed to pro mise variety of amufement, and even fome topics of inftruction both moral and philofophical. Perhaps I miftook it, as well as my own abilities: however, in making a trial there could not The firft hint of this performance, the Author fays, was fuggested by Mr. Percy's ingenious Efay on the English Mingrels, pre xed to his ft volume of RELIQUES OF ANCIENT ENGLISH POETRY, VOL. XLIV, Τ bo be much harm. My friends are pleased with what I have done; but, as they cannot entirely acquit themselves of partiality, advife me to lay a specimen before the public. The pursuits and amufements of the Minstrel's childhood and early youth, are described in the first book; which, if the title were altered, and a few phrases ftruck out that refer to a fequel, might, perhaps, be confidered as a fort of whole by itself. The incidents that qualify him for his profeffion, and determine him to enter upon it, will furnish materials for the books that are to follow. If this be honoured with the public approbation, I shall think it has merit fufficient to juftify my bestowing fome time in finishing what remains, which is already in great forwardness. Should it be unfuccefsful, I will, with no great concern, relinquish a scheme, which cannot be completed without fuch an expence of time and thought, as a perfon in my way of life cannot eafily fpare. If, as the Critics tell us, the chief end of poetry is to pleafe, furely the man who writes verfes with fome inconvenience to himself, and without any pleasure to the public, fpends his time to very little purpose. I have endeavoured to imitate Spenfer, not in his allegory, or antiquated dialect, which, though graceful in him, appear fometimes aukward in modern writers, but in the measure and harmony of his verfe, and in the fimplicity and variety of his compofition. All antiquated expreffions I have ftudiously avoided, admitting, however, fome old words, where they fcemed peculiarly fuitable to the fubject; but I hope none will be found that are now obfolete, or in any degree unintelligible to a reader of English poetry.' In the above account the Author informs us, that the incidents that qualify the Minftrel for his profeffion, and determine him to enter upon it, will furnish materials for the books that are to follow.' We would not by any means have him stop here. The Minstrel's progrefs to his profeffion cannot poffibly be fo entertaining as his practice in it. To reprefent him in his itinerant life, to invent amufing incidents expreffive of the might of his minftrelly over the natural and moral evils that may difturb the peace of families where he is entertained, and over all The firewed ills that watch his way,' would certainly be a glorious field for fancy and variety. What, for inftance, could be more ftriking than the Minstrel's foliciting entertainment at the door of Spleen or Avarice, elevating the heart of one, and opening that of the other! The defcription of fo many different objects would greatly animate and diverfify the poem. The Author quotes an obfervation of the Critics, that the chief end of poetry is to please. This maxim has lately been afferted by Dr. Hurd, but not fupported; and it is in fact as in fupport fupportable as it is idle. If the end of poetry is to please, it is to profit too; for every thing is profitable, even in a moral fenfe, that produces inoffenfive pleasure. The Minstrel opens with the following ftanzas: Ah! who can tell how hard it is to climb The fteep, where Fame's proud temple fhines afar! In life's low vale remote hath pined alone, And yet, the languor of inglorious days Not equally oppreffive is to all. Him, who ne'er liften'd to the voice of praise, There are, who, deaf to mad Ambition's call, --Would shrink to hear th' obftreperous trump of Fame, Health, Competence, and Peace. Nor higher aim Had HE, whofe fimple tale these artless lines proclaim. The fentiment of the first stanza appears too closely copied from a paffage in the Church-yard Elegy to give either merit to the Author, or pleasure to the Reader. The fecond tanza is more original, excepting the phrafe of health, competence, and peace,' which ought not to have been admitted, as being too trite, and too much hackneyed for elegant poetry. This fapient age difclaims all claffic lore, The two firft lines of this ftanza appear affectedly antiquated, which it generally is, and ought always to be, the Author's object to avoid. There is moreover a want of truth in the former. The defcription of the Minstrel's fallying forth is inartificial, but not the lefs pleafing on that account. Life's flender fuftenance his only meed T 2 Give Give me but leisure to attend his lays, I care not, though my rhimes be ne'er admired, Than courts or kings can yield, with penfions, pofts, and praife. In pursuing the path of fimplicity great care ought to be taken in avoiding the burlefque. The prepofitive Dan feems now to have acquired that air. We fhould therefore prefer the Maonian Bard, or fome fimilar appellation, to Dan Homer. The following lines are fimple, pathetic, and beautiful: Rife, fons of harmony, and hail the morn, To please a tyrant, ftrain the little bill, But fing what heaven infpires, and wander where they will. Yet, in our opinion, they are introduced abruptly; and the epithet rufet, applied to the lark's pinion, having no connection with her harmony, is in this place fuperfluous. The epithet grey, applied to the linnet, is not fo, because it diftinguishes the bird. It is obfervable that Virgil feldom uses an epithet without ferving fome purpose. The following ftanza has every kind of merit : O how can't thou renounce the boundless flore And all that echoes to the fong of even, All that the mountain's fheltering bofom fhields, And all the dread magnificence of heaven, O how can't thou renounce, and hope to be forgiven! The defcription of the Minstrel's childhood and early youth will be found to be a genuine painting of Nature, by such, at leaft, as are of her fecret councils : And yet poor Edwin was no vulgar boy; Deep thought oft feem'd to fix his infant eye. And now his look was moft demurely fad, And now he laugh'd aloud, yet none knew why. The neighbours ftar'd and figh'd, yet blefs'd the lad; Some deem'd him wondrous wife, and fome belicv'd him mad. But why should I his childish feats display? Or |