'fail,' is a natural and beautiful image. The address to Poetry has a noble enthufiafm, but wants correctness: the lines in italicks, Unfit in thefe degenerate, &c.' might have been spared; • Strike for boneft fame,' is an unmeaning phrase, nearly allied to nonsense; and what affinity the circumftance of the voice of Poetry prevailing over time,' can have with the circumstance of its 'redreffing the rigour of a climate,' is not obvious. I am not one of those who discover even a cafual imitation in every resemblance; but poffibly the ideas of two former writers might have re'murmured' in our poet's memorial 'cell,' when he wrote these lines. fixed to Pope's works are feveral complimentary copies of verses, in one of which, the author fpeaking of the story of Lodona, fays, The foft complaint shall over time prevail. Pre In climes beyond the folar road, Where fhaggy forms o'er ice-built mountains roam, The mufe has broke the twilight gloom To chear the shivering native's dull abode. The Deserted village, as has been hinted, is, on the whole, a performance of great merit, it has numerous excellencies, and numerous faults; and while we are charmed with the former, we cannot but regret that more pains was not taken to avoid the latter, ESSAY IX. On THOMSON'S SEASONS. ENERAL Criticism can say little GE of the SEASONS, that has not been faid already. The ingenious Mr. Aikin, in the Effay prefixed to his edition, has explained their plan and character; and to Dr. Johnfon's opinion of them, there is no great reafon to object. Particular criticism cannot be expected to pursue her task regularly, through a Poem of fuch length; but the examination of some detached paffages, will perhaps fufficiently point out the nature of its beauties and defects. Thomson obferved closely, and described forcibly. He feldom distracts the reader's attention by the introduction of heterogenous ideas; he has few fimilies, and few allufions; but he errs, by endeavouring to imprefs his subject on the mind, with a pomp and reduplication of expreffion. He often, in attempting energy and dignity, produces bombaft and obscurity; and in avoiding meanness, becomes guilty of affectation. His language is indeed a kind of anamoly, for which he had no example, and which it would not be easy to imitate. The country wears one of its most beautiful appearances, when the orchards and hedges are in bloffom; this he defcribes as follows: I pursue my walk, And fee the country far-diffus'd around, One boundless blufh, one white-impurpled shower Hurries Hurries from joy to joy, and hid beneath This paffage gives a general confused idea of the fubject, but they are extremely deficient in correctnefs. To term the country aboundless blush,' because it is covered with trees in bloom, however bold, is perhaps justifiable; but to term that country a white empurpled shower,' because the trees have shed their bloffoms, is furely rather too violent. That the raptured eye hurried from place to place, might have been faid properly; but to say it hurried from 'joy' to 'joy,' when nothing of joy had been previously mentioned, feems carrying figurative language almost to abfurdity.* He who fees trees in bloom, muft naturally fuppofe that they will bear fruit, and his imagination may behold them fraught with it; but his eye may look in vain among the The Author meant undoubtedly, the places or profpects that afforded joy or pleasure. bloffoms, |