she derived from the bounty of nature! He would then lead her to the temple, rich in her own wealth. "Then all who vaunt That fortune, them t'enrich, made others want,' P. 52, is a poem, "To the honourable Mr.Wm. E." reprinted in Headley's 2d vol. pp. 19, 25. In another poem, "To Castara, on the Vanity of Avarice," p. 56, he says, "I'de rather like the violet grow Unmarkt i' th' shaded vale, Than on the hill those terrors know There is more pompe above, more sweete below." The verses, p. 58, are to his "honoured friend and kinsman, R. St. Esquire." It does not give me pain, says he, if what I write is held no wit at court. Let those who teach their muse the art of winning on easy greatness, or the spruce young lawyer, who is all impudence and tongue,' endeavour to divulge their fames, by which the one may get employ, and the other fees, I embrace silence, and that fate which placed my birth so happily, that I am neither depressed by want, nor flattered by riches into pride. Why are some poets always railing, and steeping their rhymes in gall; as if there was no crime that called so loudly for the vengeance of heaven as the poverty of a few writers? It is true, that Chapman's reverend ashes have been mingled with the vulgar dust for want of a tomb; yet we need not despair, that some devout devout lover of poetry may yet build him a monu ment. "Since Spencer hath a stone; and Drayton's browes Stand petrefied; th' wall, with laurell bowes Yet girt about; and nigh wise Henries hearse, So courteous is Death; Death poets brings "If some please their patrons with hyperboles, or mysterious nonsense, and then complain, if they are not noticed, that the state neglects men of parts; and seem to think all other kinds of excellence unworthy of reputation, let us set so just a value on knowledge, that the world may trust the sentence of a poet. "I write to you, Sir, on this theame, because Yours onely the example to my muse. And till my browner haire be mixt with grey, The 1st part closes at pp. 65-67, with a poem so simple, so chaste, so elegant, harmonious, and happy, as to exceed my powers of praise. "The Description of Castara. "Like the violet, which alone For shee's to herselfe untrue, 04 Such Such her beauty, as no arts Folly boasts a glorious blood, Cautious, she knew never yet, Of herselfe survey she takes, But 'tweene men no difference makes. She obeyes with speedy will, Her grave parents' wise commands, She nor acts, nor understands. Women's feet runne still astray, She sailes by that rocke, the court, Vertue safely cannot sit, Where Vice is enthron'd for wit. She holds that dayes pleasure best, O're that darknesse, whence is thrust, She She her throne makes reason climbe, Her pure thoughts to heaven flie: All her vows religious be, And her love she vowes to me." [To be continued.] No LXV. Difference between Thought and Action. Elevated sentiments not to be taxed with want of sincerity, nor as useless, because not always followed by practice. Every one is aware of the difference between thought and action. To conceive a plan, and to execute it, requires talents so dissimilar, that they but rarely concentre in the same person. He whose mind is exercised in discriminating the varieties of the human character, will every day meet with men, who, without the power of reasoning, are capable of fixing upon a practical result not inconcordant at least with worldly wisdom. Many may call this an intuitive sagacity; and it sometimes deserves the But its appearance of force often, I suspect, proceeds from the weight of its materiality; from its being addressed to the senses, rather than to the intellect. name. Men of this cast judge of every thing only by its execution." Act," they cry, " and do not talk; words are only wind!" Ideas they consider as vapoury as as the fantastic shapes of the clouds, and as liable to pass away they judge of the visions of theory as of the imaginations of the insane. Nay, they deem that there is a kind of falsehood and deceit in the expres sion of sentiments and convictions, which are not instantly followed up by practice. For the ordinary purposes of life, the gracious decrees of Providence have ordered that this low sort of understanding should be sufficient. As long as it keeps within its province, and does not aspire to insult or decry those of higher endowments, it may be pitied, and now and then even approved. But when it ventures to despise "the shadowy tribes of mind;" and to refuse all credit to the eloquence of the head, or the sensibilities of the heart, because action cannot always keep pace with the rapid travels of the soul, it must not complain if it draw down the indignation due to its groveling nature. It is almost inconceivable how little understanding is necessary to enable a man to preserve the appearance of a coarse rectitude of conduct through life. If he never venture to reason; if he keep a solemn reserve; and occasionally pronounce a decision on the pending topic in an oracular tone, and act with prudential caution, he will have the credit of possessing good sound common sense: while the most brilliant talents will be thought frothy and superficial, if they are sometimes too refined for the routine of vulgar business, and sometimes evaporate in speculation. These narrow and illiberal censurers indeed go much further; they even suspect and accuse of want of integrity, those whose conceptions and expressions are sometimes too abundant, or too visionary for action. But |