1

that countenanced the fhedding of fanctified blood, are no longer allowed a hearing. Even the whiggish Addifon has declared fuch reafonings to be profanation; pronouncing, almost a century ago, and of his own favoured Milton, that

Now the language can't fupport the cause*. Of diftinguished models of human excellence of characters high-finished, both in understanding and heart, there is no want, either in the general hiftory of mankind, or in the particular history of this island; and Astonishment cannot help doubling her usual portion of wonder, that from among the affembled worthies of the world, Gray could find none deferving felection, as patterns of greatness to Man, save three defperate partizans of faction, and promoters of a rebellion, that fubverted both the laws and government of his country.

Of these three characters, only one is held up to any cenfure. Even on him the cenfure is made to fall obliquely, and after it has had its force broken by a whiggifh arm. The cenfure itself too is of whiggish make. Of Cromwell, the crime is declared to have been the shedding his country's blood. For his King's Gray returns" ignoramus" on the bill,

Account of the greatest English Poets.

XVI.

In the fixteenth Stanza is contained more, in the way of allufion to these heroes and their tranfactions; but allufion, at which Criticifm finds herself obliged to ftop fhort. Though the evil temper of the times did enable them to

command the applause of liftening fenates," which is poetical language, for being well heard in the House; yet, with what propriety, can any of them be faid to have "fcatter'd plenty o'er a smiling land?” Of a land that has its ploughfhare turned into a fword, the plenty is not great: nor was England dreft in fmiles in the time of the great rebellion.

In this Stanza too, Gray is guilty of an inconfiftency. To defpife the threats of pain and ruin," is not of the clafs of virtues that the poor man's lot forbids, even according to the views of Gray. On his "village Hamden," notwithstanding the meanness of his lot, he forgets that, in the former Stanza, he conferred a dauntless breast, in all the forms of inveftiture. But the difgrace of this inconfiftency is due to him, for having, on an occafion like this, fuffered his mind to be bewildered with politicks. It is a great blot upon the piece. Of a work, fuch as this, the fenti

G 2

ments

ments ought to be fuch as every heart will return; the appeals, fuch as every mind will admit. Death generalifes the fpecifications of political tenets. The Grave takes in all parties. There is no Shibboleth among her fubjects.

a term.

The "reading their history in a nation's eyes," is a thought that holds more of Rhetorick than Poetry. "Hiftory" is too indefinite There is good hiftory, and there is bad. It is no exclufive privilege of the good, to be able to read their history thus. The bad come in for their fhare. Nor do the rich enjoy here any power of appropriation, which extends not also to the poor, in degree. The expreffion is a forced one. We commonly read the hiftories of others: feldom our own.

XVII. XVIII.

Of the two following Stanzas, the compo fition is faulty in refpect to their connection with the preceding, and with each other. Even where the compofition is in couplets, the faltidious critic is unwilling that the fenfe fhould be made out by the couplets' bearing in upon each other. When the Stanza exceeds two - lines in number, the effect is yet more difagree

́able.

able. The plea of neceffity is urged with lefs reafon; and the contraft betwixt the completed circumfcription of found, and the yet uncompleted accumulation of fenfe, becomes more revolting, as it becomes more felt.

With this blemish, the Stanzas under confideration are chargeable. Gray was not unapprized of it; and, that it might be lefs perceptible as a blemish, he gave orders, in the first edition, that no diftinction of Stanzas fhould be marked *. In a Scotch edition, however, of his Poems, which he feems to have thought likely to extend his fame, the natural diftinction of Stanzas is reftored, as it is in many others, particularly in Mr. Mafon's. The device was but a fhallow one, and very properly relinquifhed. In verfe of this alternate ftructure, the lines form themselves into quaternions and the bringing out thefe quaternions féparately to the eye, is only a technical contrivance, enabling us to parcel them more readily. Inftead of attempting to conceal the fault, Gray fhould have tried to mend it.

In the fenfe I find little to blame, that may not be referred to fome of the former ftrictures on this Elegy. "Virtues," and " crimes," are ideas too particular for the Author's view in this place, which is meant to extend to the circumfcription, from caufes extrinfic, of the range of natural, as well as moral, action.

* Mafon.

Hiding the ftruggling pangs of conscious truth," and "quenching the blushes of ingenuous shame," are only different descriptions of the fame action, viz. the " checking the dictates of confcience." << Quenching blushes," is an idea fcarcely correct; though by the quenching of beat, blushes may be made to difappear. That the poor man's lot forbids the bearing down the fuggeftions of confcience, is only relatively true. Profligacy is free of all corporations.

XIX.

In the nineteenth Stanza is described, in a manner that is pleafing, the calm and contented state of an unafpiring and meek mind. But what defcription can there be, in which fuch a picture will not please? The two first lines are, from the arrangement, equivocal but we know what the Author ought to mean. It is not, that "their wishes never strayed far from the ftrife of the crowd;" but that, "naturally retired from that ftrife, they formed no wish to stray from fuch retirement." Yet the words" crowd," and "ignoble," are not happily felected, to be brought forward in a de

scription