ESSAY VIII. On GOLDSMITH'S DESERTED VILLAGE. TH HE Temple of Fame, lately erected under the title of The Works of the English Poets, affords a ftriking inftance of caprice in the matter of admiffion to literary honours. Had Criticifm, rational impartial criticism, kept the gate of this temple, feveral names which now appear within its walls, would certainly never have appeared there. But to drop the allegory, and change an imaginary edifice for a real book, book, it is difficult to guess the reason why that book admitted some authors, while others of fimilar character were rejected. Poet is an appellation frequently used, without the annexion of its precife idea; which seems to be that of a perfon who combines picturefque imagery, and interesting fentiment, and conveys them in melodious and regularly measured language. This is a definition, which will exclude the writer of Romances, and Profe Dramas, however fublime or pathetick, on the one hand; and the meer maker of Verfes, however humorous or witty, on the other were indeed the claim of either to be allowed, it must be that of the former; inasmuch as poetry must be nearer allied to the dignified and elegant, than to the mean and indelicate. The The title of Poet has been often bestowed on those who little deferved it. The name of English Clafficks was furely illmerited, either by the Wits of Charles's days, that "mob of gentlemen who wrote with eafe," or by the heroes of the Dunciad; their compofitions were mostly trifling, and frequently immoral, and confequently unworthy of preservation. But in an Edition of poetry, where fome of these are to be found, we rather wonder at not finding the others; where Rochester and Rofcommon, Sprat, Hallifax, Stepney, and Duke, were received, why Carew, and Sedley, and Hopkins, were refused, one is puzzled to guess; and when Pomfret and Yalden are preferred to Eufden and Duck, it is not eafy to account for the preference. The managers of this celebrated Edition, as their work approached the present period, feem to have been more faftidious in their choice, and have omitted Writers who would have done their collection ant, in Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephir blows, &c. But hints of this kind are unneceffary; Oratorios, and almost every thing elfe that is ferious, are now out of fashion. I mentioned the Paper in the Babbler as the only professed Criticism on Gray's Elegy. I have fince feen a pamphlet intitled, "A Criticism on the Elegy "written in a Country Church-Yard," in which that Poem feems to have been examined on principles very dif fimilar to mine. ESSAY ESSAY VIII. On GOLDSMITH'S DESERTED VILLAGE. TH HE Temple of Fame, lately erected under the title of The Works of the English Poets, affords a ftriking instance of caprice in the matter of admiffion to literary honours. Had Criticifm, rational impartial criticism, kept the gate of this temple, feveral names which now appear within its walls, would certainly never have appeared there. But to drop the allegory, and change an imaginary edifice for a real book, |