His Institution of the Garter' (1742) 12 is written with sufficient knowledge of the manners that prevailed in the age to which it is referred, and with great elegance of diction; but for want of a process of events, neither knowledge nor elegance preserve the reader from weariness. 6 His Imitations of Spenser'13 are very successfully performed, both with respect to the metre, the language, and the fiction; and being engaged at once by the excellence of the sentiments and the artifice of the copy, the mind has two amusements together. But such compositions are not to be reckoned among the great achievements of intellect, because their effect is local and temporary; they appeal not to reason or passion, but to memory, and pre-suppose an accidental or artificial state of mind. An imitation of Spenser is nothing to a reader, however acute, by whom Spenser has never been perused. Works of this kind may deserve praise, as proofs of great industry and great nicety of observation, but the highest praise, the praise of genius, they cannot claim. The noblest beauties of art are those of which the effect is co-extended with rational nature, or at least with the whole circle of polished life; what is less than this can be only pretty, the plaything of fashion and the amusement of a day.14 12 'The Institution of the Order of the Garter. A Dramatick Poem.' [Anonymous.] Dodsley [February], 1742. 4to. 13 Such as his 'Canto of the Fairy Queen,' 1739, folio, and his 'Education, a Poem, in two Cantos,' of which the first appeared in March, 1751. "Now I talk of verses, Mr. Walpole and I have frequently wondered you should never mention a certain imitation of Spenser, published last year [May, 1739], by a namesake of yours, with which we are all enraptured and enmarvailed."-GRAY to Richard West, July 16, 1740. 14 With all his faults, no poet enlarges the imagination more than Spenser. Cowley was formed into poetry by reading him; and many of our modern writers, such as Gray, Akenside, and others, seem to have studied his manner with the utmost attention: from him their compounded epithets, and solemn flow of numbers, seem evidently borrowed; and the verses of Spenser may, perhaps, one day be considered the standard of English poetry. It were happy indeed if his beauties were the only objects of modern imitation; but many of his words, justly fallen into disuse among his successors, have been of late revived, and a language already too copious has been augmented by an unnecessary reinforcement. Learning and language are ever fluctuating, either rising to perfection or retiring into primeval barbarity: perhaps the point of English perfection is already passed, and every intended improvement may There is in The Adventurer' a paper of verses given to one of the authors as Mr. West's, and supposed to have been written by him. It should not be concealed, however, that it is printed with Mr. Jago's name in Dodsley's Collection, and is mentioned as his in a letter of Shenstone's. Perhaps West gave it without naming the author, and Hawkesworth, receiving it from him, thought it his; for his he thought it, as he told me, and as he tells the public. now be only deviation. This at least is certain, that posterity will perceive a strong similitude between the poets of the sixteenth and those of the latter end of the eighteenth century.-GOLDSMITH: Works by Cunningham, iv. 203. COLLIN S. 1720-1759. Born at Chichester Educated at Winchester and Oxford - Publishes 'Oriental Eclogues' and Odes on several Descriptive and Allegoric subjects — Publishes Proposals for a 'History of the Revival of Learning' Publishes a Poem on Thomson's Death Dies insane, and Buried in St. Andrew's Church, Chichester Works and Character. WILLIAM COLLINS was born at Chichester on the 25th day of December, 1720. His father was a hatter of good reputation. He was in 1733, as Dr. Warton has kindly informed me, admitted scholar of Winchester College, where he was educated by Dr. Burton. His English exercises were better than his Latin. He first courted the notice of the public by some verses to a 'Lady weeping,' published in 'The Gentleman's Magazine.'1 In 1740 he stood first in the list of the scholars to be received in succession at New College, but unhappily there was no vacancy. He became a Commoner of Queen's College, probably with a scanty maintenance; but was, in about half a year, elected a Demy of Magdalen College, where he continued till he had taken a Bachelor's degree, and then suddenly left the University, for what reason I know not that he told. He now (about 1744) came to London a literary adventurer, with many projects in his head, and very little money in his pocket. He designed many works; but his great fault was irresolution, or the frequent calls of immediate necessity broke his schemes, and suffered him to pursue no settled purpose. A man doubtful of his dinner, or trembling at a creditor, is not For January, 1739. They are signed' Amasius.' The other Amasius of the Magazine at that time was Dr. Swan, the translator of Sydenham. (See 'Gent.'s Mag.' for January 1739, p. 43, and Johnson's note to Nichols in 'Gent.'s Mag.' for January 1785.) |