ART. VII. Sacred Dramas: chiefly intended for young Perfons. The Subjects taken from the Bible. To which is added, Senfibility, a Poem. By Hannah More. 8vo. 4s. Cadell, 1782.

is an obfervation of Cowley's, and Mifs More has felected it as her motto, that all the books of the Bible are either moft admirable and exalted pieces of poetry, or are the belt materials in the world for it.' So incontrovertible, indeed, is the former part of this obfervation, that even they, who reject the truths which the Bible holds out to them, have scarcely ever been hardy enough to deny its fublimity. But that it furnishes materials the beft adapted for poetry is not, perhaps, fo generally agreed; and it is not to be wondered at that there fhould be doubts on the fubject, when fo few who have borrowed their materials from the facred volume have fucceeded. With fuch difcouraging examples of defeat as Mifs More must have had before her eyes, the very attempt in which fo many have failed, would alone, exclufive of its fuccefs, have intitled her to praife. Befides the difficulties arifing from the peculiar nature of her fubjects, and the law to which she had tied herself down, of introducing no circumstances or characters that were not to be met with in her originals, our Poetess had another difficulty to contend with, which was, fo to accommodate herself to her young readers as to blend moral inftruction with poetical embellishment, and to captivate the imagination without awakening the paffions: a task of infinite difficulty and addrefs; and it is but justice to say, that her success has been as brilliant as the enterprize was arduous.

The titles of thefe Dramas are, Mofes in the Bullrushes, David and Goliath, Belshazzar and Daniel. To these are subjoined, Reflexions of King Hezekiah in his Sickness, and Senfibility, a poetical epiftle to the honourable Mrs. Boscawen. Of the dramas we cannot exprefs our approbation more strongly than by obferving, that they are admirably calculated for the end they are defigned to anfwer- the inftruction and amusement of youth; being equally adapted to inform the understanding, and to improve the heart. Nor is this all, by exhibiting juft and elegant models of compofition, both with respect to fentiment and expreffion, they may have a powerful influence in regulating the tafte; a circumftance not only of consequence to the intellectual, but the moral happiness of mankind; a mind, duly prepared by a correct and cultivated tafte, being the

Except, indeed, in the fingle inftance of Daniel, and that of neceffity, the Bible furnishing no more than two perfons, Daniel and Darius; and there were not fufficient to carry on the business of the piece.

foil in which the feeds of virtue peculiarly delight to expand themfelves, and in which they make the most vigorous fhoots.

In a book chiefly intended for young perfons,' it is not with impropriety that Mifs More has introduced the concluding compofition Senfibility; there being nothing of which they are more apt to form mistaken ideas than of that fympathetic tenderness which is fuppofed to have its fource in the amiable affections of the heart. From these mistaken ideas it is that fo many, by giving way to the immoderate indulgence of fenfibility, deftroy their own peace, while a ftill greater number, by its affectation, render themfelves difgufting.

After the first few introductory lines of this poem, the Authorefs imperceptibly glides into a panegyric on living genius. Of those who are particularly diftinguished among the men, are Mafon, the Wartons, Beattie, Lowth, Reynolds, Jenyns, Porteus, and Johnfon. Among the female ornaments of literature, who have their appropriated compliments, are Carter, Montagu, Chapone, Walfingham, Delany, and Barbauld. In the teftimony he has borne to the character and accomplishments of Mrs. Barbauld, Mifs More exhibits the picture of an amiable mind, fuperior to the littleness of jealoufy, which, indeed, true genius always defpifes.

'O, much-lov'd BARBAULD! fhall my heart refufe
Its tribute to thy Virtues and thy Mufe?
While round thy brow the Poet's wreathe I twine,
This humble merit fhall at least be mine,

In all thy praife to take a gen'rous part;
Thy laurels bind thee clofer to my heart:
My verfe thy merits to the world shall teach,
And love the genius it defpairs to reach.'

After this enumeration of living excellence, fhe then entera more immediately upon her fubject.

Yet, what is wit, and what the Poet's art?
Can Genius fhield the vulnerable heart?
Ah, no! where bright imagination reigns,
The fine-wrought fpirit feels acuter pains:
Where glow exalted fenfe, and talte refin'd,
There keener anguish rankles in the mind:
There feeling is diffus'd through ev'ry part,
Thrills in each nerve, and lives in all the heart:
And thofe whofe gen'rous fouls each tear would keep
From others' eyes, are born themfelves to weep.'

And here fhe very artfully introduces a juft compliment, the joint tribute of gratitude, affection and efteem, to the memory. of Garrick.

Say, can the boafted pow'rs of wit and fongs

Of life one pang ren e, one hour prolong?

Prefumptuous hope! which daily truths deride;
For you, alas! have wept-and GARRICK dy'd!
Ne'er fhall my heart his lov'd remembrance lofe,
Guide, critic, guardian, glory of my mufe!
Oh fhades of Hampton! witness as I mourn,
Cou'd wit or fong elude his deftin'd uṛn ?
Tho' living virtue fill your haunts endears,
Yet bury'd worth fhall juftify my tears!

GARRICK! thofe pow'rs which form a friend were thine;
And let me add, with pride, that friend was mine:
With pride! at once the vain emotion's fled;

Far other thoughts are facred to the dead.

Who now with fpirit keen, yet judgment cool,
Th' unequal wand'rings of my mufe fhall rule?
Whole partial praife my worthlefs verse ensure ?
For Candor fmil'd when GARRICK wou'd endure.
If harfher critics were compell'd to blame,
I gain'd in friendship what I loft in fame;
And friendship's foft'ring fmiles can well repay
What critic rigour juftly takes away.
With keen acumen how his piercing eye

The fault conceal'd from vulgar view would fpy!
While with a gen'rous warmth he ftrove to hide,
Nay vindicate, the fault his judgment fpied.
So pleas'd, could he detect a happy line,
That he wou'd fancy merit ev'n in mine.
Oh gen'rous error, when by friendship bred!
His praises flatter'd me, but not misled.

• No narrow views could bound his lib'ral mind;

His friend was man, his party human kind.

Agreed in this, oppofing ftatefmen ftrove

Who molt fhou'd gain his praife, or court his love.
His worth all hearts as to one centre drew;
Thus Tully's Atticus was Cæsar's too.

His wit fo keen, it never mifs d its end;

So blameless too, it never loft a friend;
So chaste, that modefty ne'er learn'd to fear;

So pure, religion might unwounded hear.

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How his quick mind, ftrong pow'rs, and ardent heart,
Impoverish'd nature, and exhaufted art,

A brighter bard records *, a deathless muse!-
But I his talents in his virtues lofe:

Great parts are Nature's gift; but that he fhone
Wife, moral, good and virtuous-was his own.
Though Time his filent band across has stole,
Soft'ning the tints of forrow on the foul;
The deep impreflion long my heart fhall fill,
And every mellow'd trace be perfect ftill.
'Forgive, BOSCAWEN, if my forrowing heart,
Intent on grief, forget the rules of art;

REV. July, 1782.

Mr. Sheridan's Monody.

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Forgive,

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Forgive, if wounded recollection melt-
You best can pardon who have oft'neft felt.
You, who for many a friend and hero mourn,
Who bend in anguish o'er the frequent urn;
You who have found how much the feeling heart
Shapes its own wornd, and points itself the dart;
You, who from tender fad experience feel
The wounds fuch minds receive can never heal;
That grief a thousand entrances can find,
Where parts fuperior dignify the mind;

Wou'd you renounce the pangs thofe feelings give,
Secure in joyless apathy to live?'

Having pointed out the fuperior advantages of fenfibility, the refinement of its pleasures, and the benevolence of its office, the thus afterwards proceeds to ascertain its object, and limit its

extent:

Yet, while I hail the Sympathy Divine,

Which makes, O man! the wants of others thine:
I mourn heroic JUSTICE, fcarcely own'd,.
And PRINCIPLE for SENTIMENT dethron'd.
While FEELING boafts her ever-tearful eye,

Stern TRUTH, firm FAITH, and manly VIRTUE fly.
Sweet SENSIBILITY! thou soothing pow'r,
Who fhedd'ft thy bleffings on the natal hour,
Like fairy favours! Art can never seize,
Nor affectation catch thy pow'r to please:
Thy fubtile effence ftill eludes the chains
Of Definition, and defeats her pains.
Sweet Senfibility! thou keen delight!
Thou hafty moral! fudden fenfe of right!
Thou untaught goodness! Virtue's precious feed!
Thou fweet precurfor of the gen'rous deed!
Beauty's quick relifh! Reafon's radiant morn,
Which dawns foft light before Reflexion's born!
To those who know thee not, no words can paint,
And those who know thee, know all words are faint!
"Tis not to mourn because a sparrow dies;

To rave in artificial extafies:

'Tis not to melt in tender Otway's fires;

'Tis not to faint when injur'd Shore expires:
'Tis not because the ready eye o'erflows
At Clementina's, or Clariffa's woes.

Forgive, O Richardfon! nor think I mean,
With cold contempt, to blast thy peerless fcene:
If fome faint love of virtue glow in me,
Pure fpirit! I first caught that flame from thee.
While foft Compaffion filently relieves,
Loquacious Feeling hints how much the gives;
Laments how oft her wounded heart has bled,
And boasts of many a tear fhe never shed.

As words are but th' external marks, to tell
The fair ideas in the mind that dwell;
And only are of things the outward fign,
And not the things themselves, they but define;
So exclamations, tender tones, fond tears,
And all the graceful drapery Pity wears;
Thefe are not Pity's felf, they but exprefs
Her inward fufferings by their pictur'd drefs;
And these fair marks, reluctant I relate,
Thefe lovely fymbols may be counterfeit.
Celestial Pity! why must I deplore,

Thy facred image ftamp'd on baseft ore?
There are, who fill with brilliant plaints the page,
If a poor linnet meet the gunner's rage:
There are, who for a dying fawn difplay
The tend'reft anguish in the fweeteft lay;
Who for a wounded animal deplore,

As if friend, parent, country were no more;
Who boaft quick rapture trembling in their eye,
If from the fpider's fnare they fave a fly;
Whose well-fung forrows every breaft inflame,

And break all hearts but his from whom they came :
Yet, fcorning life's dull duties to attend,

Will perfecute a wife, or wrong a friend;

Alive to every woe by fiction drefs'd;

The innocent he wrong'd, the wretch distress'd,'
May plead in vain; their fuff'rings come not near,
Or he relieves them cheaply with a tear.
Not fo the tender moralift of Tweed;
His Man of Feeling, is a man indeed.

Oh, blefs'd Compaffion! Angel Charity!

More dear one genuine deed perform'd for thee,
Than all the periods Feeling e'er can turn,
Than all thy foothing pages, polish'd STERNE!

Not that by deeds alone this love's exprest,
If fo, the affluent only were the bleft.
One filent with, one pray'r, cne foothing word,
The precious page of Mercy fhall record;
One foul-felt figh by pow'riefs Pity giv'n,
Accepted incenfe! fhall afcend to Heav'n.'

ART. VIII. Melampus: or, the Religious Groves. A Poem in Four Books, with Notes. By the late Glofter Ridley, D. D; 10s. 6d. Dodfley, 1781.

THE

4to.

HE defign of this allegorical poem is to fhew what lights and hopes the world enjoyed refpecting a future state before, as Dr. Ridley expreffes himself, the Great Reftorer was born. A view, fays he, that will open to the fource of the Pagan fuperftitions and idolatries; and in fome measure clear the confufion with which at prefent they feem perplexed; and

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