fingular; and, for general utility, we could have wifhed it to have been lefs argumentative and more familiar. But that, perhaps, could not be. Sermons on the General Faft. 26. The Bishop of St. Davids's, before the House of Lords. 4to. 15. Davis. AFTER ftating our "moral deferts," or rather demerits, and, fhewing how little title we have to the favour of God, his Lordship confiders what thofe great things are which we make the fubject of our prayers, by difcuffing the feveral petitions in the form of prayer appointed by authority; "all fo agreeable," he obferves, "to the principles of humanity, religion, and found policy, and, as far as we can judge, fo worthy of the divine interpofition alfo, that, if our fins did not difcourage us, we might have fome. confidence in the fuccefs of our prayers." 27. Dr. Horne's before the House of ON the permiffion, or rather commiffion, implied in the first words of the text, and the neceffity and justice of a war, the preacher refts its lawfulnefs under the Gospel, and proves, from the example of Cornelius, &c. that the characters of the warrior and the chriftian are not incompatible. By many triking arguments he then illuftrates and confirms the doctrine of the text," that a time of war fhould be a time of reformation;" draws "from life the leading features of the times ;" and, in conclufion, points out "the nature of the reformation to be defired." SUCH was the queft on offered by the Maid of Lefbos to her lover; a. queftion, which, with equal propriety, we might addrefs to the whole circle of our reader. If "The Author of an Epittle to an eminent Painter" had not claimed this Elegy as his own, could we have been ignorant of the hand that produced it? could we have imputed a work diftinguished b fuch uncommon pathos, elegance, and fancy, to any other poet of the prefent age? Our The immediate obfcurity into which academical collections on the deaths of princes are permitted to fall, is more decifive evidence of their want of merit, than a hoft of criticks cou'd Tupply. Monarchs, being feen at a diitance only, are at beft but coldly lamented: their dirges are loudly, but indiftin&tly fung. Forbidden, by their fituations, to mix intimately with the world, and create particular attachments, the tribute of the heart is wanting to their obfequies; and, while by individuals their elogiums are to be pronounced, perhaps no individual will be found who laments their decease companies the remains of lefs fplendid with the genuine tendernefs that acperfonages to the grave. The poem before us, on the contrary, appears to have iffued warm from the keeneft feelings as well as the brightest imagination; nor fhould it, perhaps, be charged with more aggravated praife than is venially beftowed by generous friendship on the object of its concern. Epitaphs and elegies are not delivered, like judicial teftimonies, on oath. The gentleman, to whofe memory the prefent compliment is paid (and a great one furely it is), was, according to our author, content with being humbly learned, and obfcurely virtuous; and thus his modeft merits and his name are alike unknown beyond the narrow bounds of his acquaintance, On the annals of the buly world, Mr. Thornton is still unrecorded; recorded; and though one of the first of literary performances (we mean the poem before us) will conduct him to pofterity, yet literature itself has no avow'd obligations either to his induftry, genius, or judgment. Our poet, therefore, has not indulged his own vanity by a publick advertisement of his connection with the celebrated or the great. Nor otherwife, indeed, is the fincerity of his friendship to be queftioned; for his forrows are expreffed with fuch peculiar energy, and fuch reafons are offered for the probable duration, that we are bound to fuppofe he is not only fincere, but rich in the very qualities which he knows fo well how to defcribe and estimate in another. But our attempts to do justice to excellence, will detain the impatient reader from his gratification. We fhall therefore obferve, that this epistle is fecond to no modern elegy on an individual, except that written by Mr. Pope to the memory of an unfortunate lady; a performance which our author has imitated in a fingle paffage, but in fuch a manner that the copy might fecurely pass for an original. Here we may observe, that this mark of refpect paid by our author to his late companion and friend would not, by a change of names, become equally applicable to any other deceafed perfon of fimilar age and purfuits. Many a performance which might properly be styled a commune defunctorum, have we feen; but the prefent one delineates an individual, not a species, and appears to be fo characteristically framed, that perhaps the refemblance of Mr. Thornton might be recognized in it by his intimates, even though his name had been wanting under the picture. As to trivial inaccuracies, if any there be in this poem, we leave them to the cenfure of thofe criticks, who cannot be diverted, by the general charms of Mrs. Hartley's perfon, from counting the few freckles which a microscopic eye may difcover in her face. We must not conclude this article without expreffing our wishes that Mr. Dodfley may foon have it in his power to gratify the expectations he has been permitted to raife by means of the following notice inferted in his Annual Regier for the last year. "The fubfequent extracts are made from a poem. [the epistle to an eminent painter] whofe merit is already too univerfally acknowledged to require our teftimony. We are, however, happy in this opportunity of acquainting the publick, that the author, we are told, designs to profecute his plan in two other poetical epiftles, addreffed to the Bishop of London, and to Mr. Gibbon, on the fubjects of Poetry and History." We have tranfcribed this flattering advertisement for the benefit of those. who may not have met with the valuable work that contains it; and with a hope too, that the more often Mr. Hayley is reminded of his promise, the more hafte he will make to fulfill it; not permitting the event which has robbed him of a friend, to disap-. point the wishes of the world, and impoverish the general fund of elegant and claffical entertainment. IN this dialogue between Pifcopella and Comb-Brufb -"on the evening of that folemn day When men by proclamation fast and pray, cribbage is proposed by the lady, but over-ruled by her maid. Sorry we are that a writer who can rhyme fo well fhould thus mifapply his talents by Speaking evil of dignities, and flandering his neighbour. A pool at quadrille, even on a Sunday, is a lefs fin than the penning fuch a poem. That "the faintly Talbot," whole character is given in a note, " was related to Archbishop Secker," is a mistake. She was only the daughter of his friend. Poetical Effays for April, 1780. CASIMIRE, Ode 26. A! Auram. COM YOME, gentle Zephyr ! with thee bring, Which now expands the budding trees. Wandering anidit the fragrant shade; And every rural sweet pervade. With fplendor all the fkies adorn; With richest odours thall abound; Mr. URBAN, HE following verfes are taken from an e- · cails a conformable citizen." They were written by R. Crafhaw, who lived before the Reftoration, and is well known by his Sacred Poems. Pope has made great ufe of them in his epitaph on Fenton, as may be perceived on the comparison. THE modest front of this small floor, Believe me, reader, can fay more Lines written by the late Lord Lyttelton (for a B' Y magic wheels through air convey'd, -, failing down th' Arabian breeze, 193 Yet, fometimes led to nobler things,, I've mark'd you mine; and on your head Hon. Conftantine John Phipps, Efq; (now PRUNG, Lyttelton, from noble Briti blood, SP My friendship's honour, and life's greatest A Cato's virtue, and a Tully's skill! EPIGRAM, in Allufion to Martial. SUNT bona mala mihi, fervo mediocria, -Peffima; fic totam pafcis, amice, domum. nave, The work you defign my gruntlings shall hove, intent. Pellentes in faxa fuas) et amore docendi Sæpe viatorem deludit lubricus error; I nunc infelix, tanta impendente ruina, omnes Pergite collapfæ fidei farcire ruinas. PROPERTIUS, Book II. Elegy 27. SEE! EEK not to know your life's uncertain ; end; What ftars averfe, or what propitious fhine: To the Phoenician fage your ear not lend, To learn when you your being must refign. Whether on foot the Parthians we invade, Or the bold Briton with an hostile feet; Ten thoufand deaths, in fecret ambush laid, By land and fea, th' unwary traveller meet. Only the lover knows his certain dcom; Dread armies wear no terror in his eyes: In vain might Boreas all his rage affume; At Beauty's thrine the joyful victim dies. Should grizly Charon on the lake appear, And fome bright nymph her hapless state bewail; The cruel tyrant could not lend an ear, PROPERTIUS, Book 1. E. 17. T 100 juftly I on barbarous coafts bewail, Who could a gentle, much-lov'd nymph forfake; Caffiope's long-with'd-for vifits fail, And I am fain thefe fruitlefs vows to make. While parting winds, alas! propitious blow, The howling blast oft chid your crueltyOh, might I that aufpicious gale once know, Which wafts me back to all my joys and thee! Let Cynthia this calamity improve; For my untimely fate you fure must feel; Will you not drop one tender tear of love? Your bofom no kind fentiment reveal? Curft be the man who launch'd the venturous keel, And tempted first the horrors of the main! Better a cruel mistress' anger feel; Better her harsh refentment to fuftain: May fome kind flone my memory retain ! Perhaps her lovely treffes fhe had torn; Upon my grave the fragrant rofes shed; Inferib'd my name with honour on my urn, And bid the turf lie lightly on my head. Ye watery nymphs from beauteous Doris fprung, And ye fair fifters of the tuneful fhell, If. haply, fate bear me your waves among, For pity, treat a long loft-stranger well. To Mr. HIGHMORE. To prove the charms of art and nature To raife the genius, and exalt the mind, Be this thy praife, be this thy worthy aim, While painting's deathlefs art can merit fame; While juft proportion can applaufe de[hand, mand, And Living pictures fpeak a Highmore's As long as Art can Nature's felf refine, And call perfection forth from every line. Ev'n now methinks I fee thy pencil move, And each fweet feature foften into love. La! how Belinda's mimic-rolling eye Dawns into life, and claims a lover's figh! Each foft improving grace new charms fupplies, [wond'ring eyes; And fmiles (though falfe) delude our While through each cheek, as confcious of our praife, A modeft blufh diffufes all its rays; Thefe velvet cheeks, on which the Graces play, As peaches fair, and fofter far than they! Can this be paint? Can colours thus command? Could this be drawn by any mortal hand? No-fure fome angel heighten'd every Learn then, ye fair, ere life's gay fpring be paft, [blast; And envious age your heavenly features That Highmore's art eludes the power of death, [breath, And, though it cannot ftay your fleeting Preferves, at least, a lovely form, t'engage The gazing tranfports of a future age. No more let Britain for her Knellert grieve, In Highmore fee a rifing Kneller live, Whole happy pencil claims as high a name, eyes: For though to diftant feenes thy flopes afcend, Whence more fublime, and richer views extend! Where Clent afpires o'er Hagley's fumptuous pride, And the far Wrekin bounds the prospect wide! Where population, nurs'd by freedom,fwarms, And all our fource of wealth and glory forms: Whilft Cultivation decks the fmiling feene! And featters plenty in the fpace between. Yet fancy, wandering all thy path-way round, Owns ev'ry with within that circle bound. So the fam'd Ceftus round Love's goddess ty'd, Enwrapt more charms than all the world befide. Then let me here, from noify crowds retire, When Contemplation and the Mufe infpire; 'Midat lonely dells and glimmering shades in clos'd |