steps, crowned the shield with the wreath of Love and Hymen. Thus ended the fecond part; of which, by this defcription, the reader will judge the elegance and grandeur. The third part was opened by minuets compofed on the occafion by the Earl of Kelly. Lord Stanly and Lady Betty Hamilton opened the 2d ball, and the rest of the nobility danced in their turns: when the minuets were ended, country dances ftruck up, and continued till paft three o'clock, The company were highly entertained with the illuminations in the gardens, which had a fine effect from the front wing of the house.-Facing the temporary room was erected a large Ionic portico, fupported by four large tranfparent columns, of a bright pink colour. On a fcroll on the pediment were the following words: "Sacred to propitious Venus." In the center of the pediment was a thield, with the Hamilton and Stanly arms quartered, the whole supported by a band of Cupids, who appeared to great advantage by the affiftance of four pyramids of lights. Several pyramids of lights were likewife errected in different parts of the garden, The whole of this feftival was conducted by General Burgoyne. The company were fo highly pleased that they did not part until four in the morning. A fhort Efay on Puppyism. out any meaning; conftantly fpeaking to every question, without understanding it; addreffing the chair, without any address; joining the Treafury-bench, and dividing with the majority, right or wrong; exclaiming against the licentiousness of the prefs, and the infolence of the public writers, without having read them. In the pulpit, the stroking of a white hand, and admiring it, with a ring, in the middle of a fermon; a bag-front dreffed head of hair; a fimpering ogle, an affected lifp, and a circling gaze for admiration, particularly from the ladies, all denote the puppy. At the bar an affected pronounciation, and lugging in my lud and autority, without any fort of authority; browbeating witneffes, whofe ignorance and embaraffment prevent them from acquiting themselves with propriety; asking improper queftions, and straining the meaning of answers, all argue the puppy. In medicine, a glaring chariot, a propofterous large bag (for phyfic has thrown afide even the appearance of knowledge) a pedantic felection of medical phrafes; a dogmatic decifion, an evafive replication, determine the puppy. From this fpecimen, the reader will be enabled to form fome idea of puppyism, in moft fituations. He will eafily trace the puppy-macaroni, the puppy-favoirvivre, the puppy-fportfman, the puppyfox-hunter, the puppy-critic, the puppy THERE are whorink more connoifleur, the puppy-intriguer, the than they eat, and fleep more than they live. There are puppies from the ducal coronet down to the hoe black. Puppies of every complexion, fize, ftature, and denomination. There are puppies in crape, as well as in ermine; tie-wigs, as well as knockers: neither of the benches excludes them. They may be feen in the upper and the lower rooms; in Weftminster-Hall, and in Bridewell. They are generally cherished by the ladies, who confider them as innocent animals, and treat them like lap-dogs. They are admitted to female (for there are male) toilets, and are looked upon fo infigniticant, that they are not noticed; a waiting-maid is viewed with more circum-" spection; and a hair-dreffer is an animal of fuperior import: a dentist is a king; and a dancing-mafter an emperor compared to a dangling puppy. In the fenate a puppy may be diftinguished by the choice of hard words with July, 1774. puppy-toad-eater, the puppy-hero of his own story, the puppy-poet, and even the puppy-writer. That I may not be claffed under the laft; by wearying the patience of the reader, I fhall here terminate this essay, and declare myfelfa fworn foe to puppyifm in every clafs and flation of life. Plan of the Minstrel, a celebrated Poem, By James Beattie, LL.D. HE First Book was published in TH the year 1771, and has already gone through four editions; the Second Book was published a few weeks ago. This beautiful poem, is certainly one of the most elegant and highly-finished pieces in our language, and abounds with proofs of real genius throughout, fome of which we cannot refiit 'he pleafure of laying before the rea ier. The first hint of this performance, fays Dr. Beattie, in his A drefs to the Fff Publ Public, was fuggefted by Doctor Percy's ingenous Effay on the English Minfrels, prefixed to his firft volume of Reliques of Antient English Poetry, My defign was, to trace the progrefs of a Poetical Genius, born in a rude and illiterate age, from the first dawnings of fancy and reafon, till that period at which he may be fuppofed capable of fupporting the character of A Minstrel, that is, of an itinerant poet and muficiana character which, according to the notions of our forefathers, was not only refpectable, but facred. A poetical illuftration of such a fubject seemed to promise variety of amusement, and even fome topies of inftruction both moral and philofophical. Perhaps I miftook it, as well as my own abilities: however, in making a trial there could not be much harm. My Friends are pleased with what I have done: but, as they cannot entirely acquit themfelves of partiality, advise me to lay a fpecimen before the Public. The purfuits and amufements of The Minfirel's childhood and early youth are defcribed in this Firft 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 fhall think it has merit fuffici ent to justify my beftowing fome time in finishing what remains, which is already in great forwardness. Should it be unfuccefsful, I will, with no great concern, relinquish a fcheme, which cannot be compleated 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 please, furely the man, who writes verfes with fome inconvenience to himfelf, and without any pleasure to the Public, spends his time to very little purpose. I have endeavoured to imitate Spenier, not in his allegory or antiquated dialect, which, though graceful in him, appear fometimes awkward in modern writers, but in the meafure and harmony of his verfe, and in the fimplicity and variety of his compofition. All antiuated expreffions I have ftudiously a voided; admitting however fome old words, where they feemed 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. To those who may be difpofed to ask, what could induce me to write in fo difficult a measure, I can only anfwer, that it pleafes my ear, and feems, from its Gothic ftructure and original, to bear fome relation to the fubject and spirit of the poem. It admits both fimplicity and magnificence of found and language, beyond any other ftanza that I am acquainted with. It allows the fententioufnefs of the couplet, and fomething too of the diverfified cadence and complicated modulation of blank verfe. What fome of our critics have remarked, of its uniformity growing at laft tiresome to the ear, will be found to hold true, only when the Poetry is faulty in other refpects." The poem then opens in fuch a manner as inftantly to command the attention of the most infenfible reader. AH! who can tell how hard it is to Would Edwin this majestic scene refign For aught the huntíman's puny craft fupplies? Ah! no: he better knows great Nature's charms to prize. And oft he traced the uplands, to furvey, When o'er the sky advanced the kindling dawn, The crimson cloud, blue main, and mountain grey, And lake, dim-gleaming on the fmoky lawn; Far to the weft the long long vale withdrawn, Where twilight loves to linger for a while; And now he faintly kens the bounding fawn, And villager abroad at early toil.— But lo! the fun appears! and heaven, earth, ocean, fmile. And oft the craggy cliff he loved to climb, When all in mift the world below was loft. What dreadful pleasure! there to ftand fublime, Like fhipwreck'd mariner on defert coaft, And view th enormous wafte of vapour, toft In billows, lengthening to th' horizon round, Now fcoop'd in gulfs, with mountains now embofs'd! Shall I be left abandoned in the duft, When Fate, relenting, lets the flower revive? Shall Nature's voice, to man alone unjuft, Bid him, though doom'd to perish, hope to live? Is it for this fair Virtue oft must strive With disappointment, penury, and pain? No: Heaven's immortal spring shall yet arrive; And man's majestic beauty bloom again, Bright through th' eternal year of Love's triumphant reign." The following description of the morning is truly poetical: But who the melodies of morn can tell? The wild brook babbling down the mountain-fide; The lowing herd; the sheepfold's fimple beil; The pipe of early fhepherd dim def cried 1774. Slow tolls the village clock the drow- The partridge burfts away on whirring wings; Deep mourns the turtle in fequefter'd bower, And fhrill lark carols clear from her ærial tour. Again he addreffes the Sophift: Hence! ye, who snare and stupefy the mind, Sophifts, of beauty, virtue, joy, the bane! Greedy and fell, though impotent and blind, Who spread your filthy nets in Truth's fair fane, And ever ply your venom'd fangs a main! Hence to dark Error's den, whose rankling flime First gave you form! hence! left the Mufe fhould deign (Though loth on theme fo mean to waste a rhyme) With vengeance to pursue your facrile gious crime. For thou art but of duft; be humble, The Life and Character of Mr. John Gay. TR. John Gay decended from an ancient family in Devonshire, was born at Exeter, and received his education at the Free-School of Barnftaple, in that county, under the care of Mr. William Rayner-He was bred a Mercer in the Strand, but having a fmall fortune, independant of business, and confidering the attendance on a fhop as a degradation of thofe talents which he found himself poffeffed of, he quitted that occupation, and applied himfelf to other views, and to the indulgence of his inclination for the muses. Whose fong, fublimely fweet, ferene-In what year Mr. Gay was born does But hail, ye mighty mafters of the lay, Nature's true fons, the friends of man and truth! ly gay, Amus'd my childhood, and inform'd my youth. O let your spirit ftill my bofom footh, Infpire my dreams, and my wild wanderings guide. Your voice each rugged path of life can smooth; For well I know, wherever ye refide, There harmony, and peace, and innocence abide Shall he whose birth, maturity, and not appear from the accounts of any of which flation he contiuued till the be- In the latter end of the fame year, in bee: |