ページの画像
PDF
ePub

his want of economy. He left however more than fufficient to pay all his debts; and by his will appropriated his whole eftate for that purpose.

It was perhaps from fome confiderations on the narrowness of his fortune, that he forbore to marry; for he was no enemy to wedlock, had a high opinion of many among the fair fex, was fond of their fociety, and no stranger to the tendereft impreffions. One, which he received in his youth, was with difficulty furmounted. The lady was the subject of that sweet paftoral, in four parts, which has been fo univerfally admired; and which, one would have thought, must have fubdued the loftieft heart, and foftened the moft obdurate.

His perfon, as to height, was above the middle ftature, but largely and rather inelegantly formed : his face feemed plain till you converfed with him, and then it grew very pleafing. In his drefs he was negligent, even to a fault; though when young, at the univerfity, he was accounted a beau. He wore his own hair, which was quite grey very early, in a particular manner; not from any affectation of finguJarity, but from a maxim he had laid down, that without too lavish a regard to fashion, every one fhould drefs in a manner moft fuitable to his own person and figure. In short, his faults were only little blemishes, thrown in by nature, as it were on purpose to prevent him from rifing too much above that level of imperfection allotted to humanity.

His character as a writer will be diftinguished by fimplicity with elegance, and genius with correctness. He had a fublimity equal to the highest attempts; yet, from the in

dolence of his temper, he chose rather to amufe himself in culling flowers at the foot of the mount, than to take the trouble of climbing the more arduous fteps of Parnaffus. But whenever he was difpofed to rife, his fteps, though natural, were noble, and always well fupported. In the tenderness of elegiac poetry he hath not been excelled; in the fimplicity of paftoral, one may venture to fay, he had very few equals. Of great fenfibility himself, he never failed to engage the hearts of his readers; and amidst the niceft attention to the harmony of his numbers, he always took care to exprefs with propriety the fentiments of an elegant mind. In all his writings, his greateft difficulty was to please himself. I remember a paffage in one of his letters, where, fpeaking of his love-fongs, he fays.-"Some were written on occafions a good deal imaginary, others not fo; and the reason there are so many is, that I wanted to write one good fong, and could never please myfelt." It was this diffidence which occafioned him to throw afide many of his pieces before he had bestowed on them his laft touches. I have fuppreffed feveral on this account; and if among those which I have felected, there fhould be discovered fome little want of his finishing polifh, I hope it will be attributed to this cause, and of course be excufed; yet I flatter myself there will always appear fomething well worthy of having been preferved. And tho I was afraid of inferting what might injure the character of my friend, yet, as the sketches of a great mafter are always valuable, I was unwilling the public fhould lofe any thing material of fo accomplished a writer. In this dilemma it will easily be con

ceived that the task I had to perform would become fomewhat difficult. How I have acquitted myself, the public muft judge. Nothing, however, except what he had already published, has been admitted without the advice of his moft judicious friends, nothing altered, without their particular concurrence. It is impoffible to please every one; but it is hoped that no reader will be fo unreasonable, as to imagine that the author wrote folely for his amufement: his talents were various; and though it may perhaps be allowed, that his excellence chiefly appeared ia fubjects of tenderness and fimplicity, yet he frequently condefcended to trifle with thofe of humour and drollery: thefe, indeed, he himself in fome measure degraded by the title which he gave them of Levities: but had they been entirely rejected, the public would have been deprived of fome jeux d'efprits, excellent in their kind, and M. Shenftone's character as a writer would have been but imperfectly exhibited.

But the talents of Mr. Shenftone were not confined merely to poetry; his character, as a man of clear judgment, and deep penetration, will beft appear from his profe works. It is

there we must search for the acutenefs of his understanding, and his profound knowledge of the human heart. It is to be lamented indeed, that fome things here are unfinished, and can be regarded only as fragments: many are left as fingle thoughts, but which, like the fparks of diamonds, fhew the richness of the mine to which they belong; or like the foot of a Hercules, discover the uncommon strength, and extraordinary dimenfions of that hero. I have no apprehenfions of incurring blame from any one, for preferving thefe valuable remains: they will discover to every reader, the author's fentiments on feveral important fubjects. And there can be very few, to whom they will not impart many thoughts, which they would never perhaps have been able to draw from the fource of their own reflections.

But I believe little need be faid to recommend the writings of this gentleman to public attention. His character is already fufficiently eftablished. And if he be not injured by the inability of his editor, there is no doubt but he will ever maintain an eminent ftation among the best of our English writers.

The Party-coloured SHIELD. A FABLE.

R. DODSLEY,

IN the days of knight-errantry and on the other, " For four victo

and paganifm, one of our old British princes fet up a ftatue to the goddess of victory in a point where four roads met. In her right hand the held a fpear, and refted her left upon a field, the outfide of which was of gold, and the infide of filver. On the former was infcribed in the old British language, "To the goddess ever favourable"

ries obtained fucceffively over the Pics and other inhabitants of the northern islands."

It happened one day, that two knights completely armed, the one in black armour, and the other in white, arrived from oppofite parts of the country at this ftatue, nearly at the fame time; and as neither of them had feen it before, they stopped

to

time.

to read the infcription, and obferve the excellence of the workmanship. After contemplating it for fome "This golden fhield," said the black knight-" If I have any eyes," (interrupted the white knight, who was strictly observing the oppofite fide)" it is filver." "I know nothing of your eyes, replied the black knight; but if ever I faw a golden fhield in my life, this is one." "Yes, returned the white knight fmiling, it is very probable indeed, that they should expofe a fhield of gold in fo public a place as this; for my part I wonder that even a filver one is not too ftrong a temptation for the devotion of fome perfons who pass this way; and it appears, by the date, that this has been here above three years."

The black knight could not bear the farcaftic fimile with which the white knight had delivered his obfervations, and grew fo warm in the difpute, that it foon ended in a challenge; they both therefore turned their horfes, and rode back far enough to have fufficient space for their career, then fixed their fpears in their refts, and flew at each other with the greatest fury and impetuofity. Their fhock was fo rude, and the blow on each fide fo effectual, that they both fell to the ground greatly wounded and bruifed, and lay there for fome time as in a trance. In this condition they were found by a druid, who happened to

be travelling that way. The druids were in thofe days both the phyficians and the priests. He had about him a fovereign balfam, which he had compofed himfelf; for he was very fkilful in all the plants that grew either in the fields or forests; he ftaunched the blood, applied his balfam to their wounds, and brought them, as it were, from the regions of the dead.

As foon as he found them fufficiently recovered, he began to enquire into the occafion of their quarrel.

[ocr errors]

Why this man, cried the black knight, will have it, that yonder fhield is filver." "And he will have it, replied the white knight, that it is gold ;" and then told him all the particulars of the affair. "Ah! faid the druid, with a figh, you are both of you, my brethren, in the right, and both of you in the wrong; had either of you given himself time to look on the oppofite fide of the fhield, as well as that which firft prefented itself to his view, all this paffion and bloodshed might have been prevented. There is however a very good leffon to be learned from the evils that have befallen you on this occafion. Permit me therefore to intreat you by all our gods, and by this goddess of victory in particular, "Never to enter into any difpute for the future till you have fairly confidered each fide of the question."

HISTORY of MARIUS and LUCINDA.
To the Authors of the BRITISH MAGAZINE.

GENTLEMEN,

URING the late war between officer, whofe true name I fall con

ferved in the British troops a young his commiflion, which was that of

captain

captain of foot, he had a small pa-
ternal eftate, that defcended to him
from a very ancient and very ho-
nourable family. His perfon was
what might be juftly ftiled agreeable,
and his parts and education seemed
exactly fuited to his birth, and to
his employment. He had joined to
that frankness of behaviour which is
obfervable in gentlemen bred in the
army, a natural fweetnefs and affa-
bility of temper, which rendered him
univerfally beloved by all that knew
him.
To a very good voice he had
added a competent skill in mufick;
and what rarely happens, though he
fung very well, yet he did it with
little intreaty, and without the leaft
affectation.

Thus qualified, it is
not to be wondered that Marius kept
the best company.
Was there a
meeting of mirth or good-fellowship
amongst the men, Marius was fure
to be a guest was there a ball, or
other polite affembly of both fexes,
Marius was fure to be invited.

pany, which was in fome measure owing to that aufterity with which fhe was treated by her uncle and aunt, which made her induftriously fhun their company, and keep as much as he could among the fervants, where the enjoyed that freedom of which young people are naturally fond. This however had a very bad effect upon her, and was indeed the principal caufe of her misfortunes, fince thereby fhe loft by degrees the relish of genteel converfation, and hindered herself from having any tafte of politer pleasures than fuch as were to be met witla amongst them.

Marius was fmitten at the first fight of Lucinda, and immediately made his addreffes to her: the confent of her relations being eafily obtained, in about a fortnight's time he was put in poffeffion of what he thought he alone wanted to make him the happieft man in the world, Marius behaved himself in a manner After having spent two or three very different from most modern years entirely in Flanders, he at last, hufbands; he grew the fonder of at the clofe of a campaign, obtained Lucinda for being his wife; and leave to come over for the winter, there was not a day paffed in which in order to take care of his private he did not give her marks of the affairs in England. As foon as he most tender affection; he bought arrived, he fet out immediately for her cloaths, and every thing else, that part of the country where his much fuperior to thofe of perfons eftate lay; where, among the vifits of the fame quality; nay, he even which on this occafion he paid the grew near in his own expences that neighbouring gentry, he happened he might be profufe in her's. Luat a distant relation's of his own to cinda, for her part, could not but be fee the fair Lucinda. She was niece fenfible of the change, to the indulto the lady of Marius's relation, who, gence of a fond hufband from the on her parents dying, and leaving humours of a peevish aunt; and as her very young, and with but a very fhe could not but confider Marius flender fortune, had taken her into as the fole author of her happiness, the house, and kept her ever fince. fhe therefore feemed to treat him Lucinda was then about 18, exqui- with the utmost love and efteem. In fitely beautiful, and of a temper far fine, they regarded themfelves, and from being difagreeable; her great- were regarded by every body elfe, as eft foible was a love of mean com- the happieft couple in the world,

But

But alas! how uncertain is human felicity! how fleeting is fublunary blifs! Scarce had Marius been two months married, ere he received orders to repair to Germany. On this, fettling his affairs, so as to make his wife as eafy as poffible in his abfence, after taking a most affectionate leave of Lucinda, he fet out for the army; but with that heavinefs of foul which words are unable to exprefs, and of which those only can be fenfible who have felt the parting pangs of love.

Lucinda appeared at firft inconfolable; the shut herself up in her apartment, faw no company, and behaved herself in fuch a manner, that one would have thought the lofs of Marius would have broke her heart. Time, however, quickly leffened her grief: the violence of her affection was abated in a few days, and by degrees fhe refumed her natural gaiety and eafinefs of temper. There lived in the fame town, where Marius left Lucinda, a barber. This fellow, who formerly had lived in London with fome young rakes, as a valet de chambre, by affecting their pert infolent way of behaviour, and finging fcraps of a few filly amorous fongs, which he had learnt in their fervice, paffed in the country for a wit, and a perfon of fine breeding. This rafcal, by fome means or other, found a way to converse with Lucinda, who, by having a flender education, and a natural proneness to low company, grew by degrees fond of his naufecus flattery, and frequently admitted his

[blocks in formation]

himself fo, that it at last became a common town-talk; all who heard it pitying Marius and blaming Lucinda.

In

Time and abfence, on the contrary, made no alteration in Marius; he collected, wherever he came, the fineft laces, linens, and other female ornaments, as prefents for Lucinda, who, on his arrival, received him with all the transports of joy and fondnefs. But he had not been long returned ere her imprudent conduct in his abfence reached his ears. Love and refentment racked him for a while; but at laft his paffion for Lucinda prevailed. He reproached her in the moft moving terms with ingratitude, while fhe, throwing herself at his feet, and embracing his knees, acknowledged fhe had indeed committed some indifcretions, but pofitively denied her having gone any farther; and then, with a thoufand folemn proteftations, promifed never to offend again. fine, Marius not only forgave her, but feemed to ftudy to fhew, by all his actions, that he had entirely blotted it from his memory. They paffed in this manner near three months, with much feeming tranquility; when the campaign ap. proaching, Marius, in order to enjoy his Lucinda's company as long as poffibly he could, carried her with him to a small village within a few miles of Harwich; where, after tak ing a paffionate farewell, he left her. The veffel, on board of which he embarked, after putting out to sea, received fo fevere a fhock by a tempeft, that though they put back to Harwich as foon as poffible, yet the captain declared the was fo much damaged, that it would be two days at leaft before she could fail. On this, Marius, without refreshing

him felf

« 前へ次へ »