FAIRY O F QUEEN SPENSER. F EW poets appear to have compofed with greater rapidity than Spenfer. Hurried away by the impetuofity of imagination, he frequently cannot find time to attend to the niceties of conftruction; or to ftand ftill and revife what he had before written, in order to prevent contradictions, inconfiftencies, and repetitions. Hence it is, that he not only fails in the connection of fingle words, but of circumstances; not only violates the rules of grammar, but of probability, truth, and propriety. A review of these faults, which flow perhaps from that caufe which produced his greatest beauties, will B 2 tend tend to explain many paffages in particular, and to bring us acquainted with his manner in general. I fhall begin with his elleipfes, in which the reader will find his omiffion of the relative to be frequent. B. i. c. vi. f. x. As when a greedy wolf through hunger fell, Of whom he means his bloody feast to make, He should have faid, a greedy wolf WHO through hunger fell. B. i. c. vii. f. xxxvii. A gentle youth, his dearely loved squire, WHO is omitted before could menage faire. B. i. c. x. f. xlii. Whofe face he made all beafts to feare, and gave All in his hand. That is, into WHOSE hand he gave all. B. i. c. xi. f. xxi. He cryde as raging feas are wont to roare, As they the earth would fhoulder from her seat Some fuch word as WHILE is to be understood before the roaring billowes. B. i. c. 2. f. li. . Whose staggering fteps thy fteadie hand doth lead He fhould have faid, and to WHICH IT fhews the way. B. iii. c. ii. f. xlv. Which lovft the fhadow of a warlike knight, No shadow, but a body hath in powre. No fhadow, but WHICH a body, &c. B. ii. c. viii. f. xxxviii. With that he strooke, and th' other ftrooke withall, The one upon bis, &c. That is, the STROKE, or SWORD of the one, &c. And afterwards, But th' other, i. e. the STROKE of the other, &c. So again, So forely he her ftrooke that thence it glaunct That is, the WEAPON glaunct, &c. . B. iv. c. vi. f. xxxvii. Ne in his face, nor blood or life appear'd, But fenfeleffe ftood, &c. That is, HE fenfeleffe ftood. B. iv. c. vii. f. vii. 4. 6. 13. But certes was with milke of wolves and tigers fed. But certes HE was, &c. B. i. Introduct. f. ii. Whom that moft noble Briton prince fo long He fhould have faid, and FOR WHOM be fuffred, &c. |