The Poetical Works of William Collins; With a Memoir Part 13

130. Shall seem to press her cold and shuddering cheek,

133. Proceed, dear wife, thy daily toils pursue,

135. Nor e'er of me one hapless thought renew,

138. Unbounded is thy range; with varied stile

164. They drain the sainted spring; or, hunger-prest,

193. How have I trembled, when, at Tancred's side, Like him I stalk'd, and all his pa.s.sions felt; When charm'd by Ismen, through the forest wide, Bark'd in each plant a talking spirit dwelt!

201. Hence, sure to charm, his early numbers flow, Though strong, yet sweet---- Though faithful, sweet; though strong, of simple kind.

Hence, with each theme, he bids the bosom glow, While his warm lays an easy pa.s.sage find, Pour'd through each inmost nerve, and lull the harmonious ear.

204. Melting it flows, pure, numerous, strong, and clear,

216. Or crop from Tiviot's dale each--

220. Where'er he dwell, on hill, or lowly muir,

FOOTNOTES:

[40] How truly did Collins predict Home's tragic powers!

[41] A gentleman of the name of Barrow, who introduced Home to Collins.

Ed. 1788.

[42] A summer hut, built in the high part of the mountains, to tend their flocks in the warm season, when the pasture is fine. Ed.

1788.

[43] By young Aurora, Collins undoubtedly meant the first appearance of the northern lights, which happened about the year 1715; at least it is most highly probable, from this peculiar circ.u.mstance, that no ancient writer whatever has taken any notice of them, nor even any modern one, previous to the above period. Ed. 1788.

[44] Second sight is the term that is used for the divination of the highlanders. Ed. 1788.

[45] The late Duke of c.u.mberland, who defeated the Pretender at the battle of Culloden. Ed. 1788.

[46] A fiery meteor, called by various names, such as Will with the Wisp, Jack with the Lantern, etc. It hovers in the air over marshy and fenny places. Ed. 1788.

[47] The water fiend.

[48] One of the Hebrides is called the Isle of Pigmies; where it is reported, that several miniature bones of the human species have been dug up in the ruins of a chapel there.

[49] Icolmkill, one of the Hebrides, where near sixty of the ancient Scottish, Irish, and Norwegian kings are interred.

[50] An aquatic bird like a goose, on the eggs of which the inhabitants of St. Kilda, another of the Hebrides, chiefly subsist. Ed.

1788.

[51] Three rivers in Scotland. Ed. 1788.

[52] Ben Jonson paid a visit on foot, in 1619, to the Scotch poet Drummond, at his seat of Hawthornden, within four miles of Edinburgh.

[53] Barrow, it seems, was at the Edinburgh University, which is in the county of Lothian. Ed. 1788.

AN EPISTLE,

ADDRESSED TO SIR THOMAS HANMER, ON HIS EDITION OF SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS.

SIR, A patriot's hand protects a poet's lays, While nursed by you she sees her myrtles bloom, Green and unwither'd o'er his honour'd tomb; Excuse her doubts, if yet she fears to tell 5 What secret transports in her bosom swell: With conscious awe she hears the critic's fame, And blus.h.i.+ng hides her wreath at Shakespeare's name.

Hard was the lot those injured strains endured, Unown'd by Science, and by years obscured: 10 Fair Fancy wept; and echoing sighs confess'd A fix'd despair in every tuneful breast.

Not with more grief the afflicted swains appear, When wintry winds deform the plenteous year; When lingering frosts the ruin'd seats invade 15 Where Peace resorted, and the Graces play'd.

Each rising art by just gradation moves, Toil builds on toil, and age on age improves: The Muse alone unequal dealt her rage, And graced with n.o.blest pomp her earliest stage. 20 Preserved through time, the speaking scenes impart Each changeful wish of Phaedra's tortured heart; Or paint the curse that mark'd the Theban's[54] reign, A bed incestuous, and a father slain.

With kind concern our pitying eyes o'erflow, 25 Trace the sad tale, and own another's woe.

To Rome removed, with wit secure to please, The comic Sisters kept their native ease: With jealous fear, declining Greece beheld Her own Menander's art almost excell'd; 30 But every Muse essay'd to raise in vain Some labour'd rival of her tragic strain: Ilissus' laurels, though transferr'd with toil, Droop'd their fair leaves, nor knew the unfriendly soil.

As Arts expired, resistless Dulness rose; 35 Goths, Priests, or Vandals,--all were Learning's foes.

Till Julius[55] first recall'd each exiled maid, And Cosmo own'd them in the Etrurian shade: Then, deeply skill'd in love's engaging theme, The soft Provencal pa.s.s'd to Arno's stream: 40 With graceful ease the wanton lyre he strung; Sweet flow'd the lays--but love was all he sung.

The gay description could not fail to move, For, led by nature, all are friends to love.

But Heaven, still various in its works, decreed 45 The perfect boast of time should last succeed.

The beauteous union must appear at length, Of Tuscan fancy, and Athenian strength: One greater Muse Eliza's reign adorn, And e'en a Shakespeare to her fame be born! 50

Yet ah! so bright her morning's opening ray, In vain our Britain hoped an equal day!

No second growth the western isle could bear, At once exhausted with too rich a year.

Too nicely Jonson knew the critic's part; 55 Nature in him was almost lost in art.

Of softer mould the gentle Fletcher came, The next in order, as the next in name; With pleased attention, 'midst his scenes we find Each glowing thought that warms the female mind; 60 Each melting sigh, and every tender tear; The lover's wishes, and the virgin's fear.

His every strain[56] the Smiles and Graces own; But stronger Shakespeare felt for man alone: Drawn by his pen, our ruder pa.s.sions stand 65 The unrival'd picture of his early hand.

With[57] gradual steps and slow, exacter France Saw Art's fair empire o'er her sh.o.r.es advance: By length of toil a bright perfection knew, Correctly bold, and just in all she drew: 70 Till late Corneille, with Lucan's[58] spirit fired, Breathed the free strain, as Rome and he inspired: And cla.s.sic judgment gain'd to sweet Racine The temperate strength of Maro's chaster line.

But wilder far the British laurel spread, 75 And wreaths less artful crown our poet's head.

Yet he alone to every scene could give The historian's truth, and bid the manners live.

Waked at his call I view, with glad surprise, Majestic forms of mighty monarchs rise. 80 There Henry's trumpets spread their loud alarms, And laurel'd Conquest waits her hero's arms.

Here gentler Edward claims a pitying sigh, Scarce born to honours, and so soon to die!

Yet shall thy throne, unhappy infant, bring 85 No beam of comfort to the guilty king: The time[59] shall come when Glo'ster's heart shall bleed, In life's last hours, with horror of the deed; When dreary visions shall at last present Thy vengeful image in the midnight tent: 90 Thy hand unseen the secret death shall bear, Blunt the weak sword, and break the oppressive spear!

Where'er we turn, by Fancy charm'd, we find Some sweet illusion of the cheated mind.

Oft, wild of wing, she calls the soul to rove 95 With humbler nature, in the rural grove; Where swains contented own the quiet scene, And twilight fairies tread the circled green: Dress'd by her hand, the woods and valleys smile, And Spring diffusive decks the enchanted isle. 100

O, more than all in powerful genius blest, Come, take thine empire o'er the willing breast!

Whate'er the wounds this youthful heart shall feel, Thy songs support me, and thy morals heal!

There every thought the poet's warmth may raise, 105 There native music dwells in all the lays.

O might some verse with happiest skill persuade Expressive Picture to adopt thine aid!