degree of sentiment elevates it above the definition of Farquhar and others-are more indecent and coarse love by Buffon, it may be remarked, that it does not than any thing in Pope's letters. The comedies of always depend upon personal appearance, even in a Congreve, Vanbrugh, Farquhar, Cibber, &c., which woman. Madame Cottin was a plain woman, and naturally attempted to represent the manners and conmight have been virtuous, it may be presumed, without versation of private life, are decisive upon this point; much interruption. Virtuous she was, and the conse- as are also some of Steele's papers, and even Addison's. quences of this inveterate virtue were that two different We all know what the conversation of Sir R. Walpole, admirers (one an elderly gentleman) killed themselves for seventeen years the prime minister of the country. in despair (see Lady Morgan's "France.") I would was at his own table, and his excuse for his licentious not, however, recommend this rigou to plain women in language, viz. "that every body understood that, but general, in the hope of securing the glory of two suicides few could talk rationally upon less common topics." apiece. I believe that there are few men who, in the The refinement of latter days,-which is perhaps the course of their observations on life, may not have per-consequence of vice, which wishes to mask and soften ceived that it is not the greatest female beauty who itself, as much as of virtuous civilisation,—had not yet forms the longest and the strongest passions. made sufficient progress. Even Johnson, in his "London," has two or three passages which cannot be read aloud, and Addison's "Drummer" some indelicate allusions.

But, apropos of Pope.-Voltaire tells us that the Marechal Luxembourg (who had precisely Pope's figure) was not only somewhat too amatory for a great man, but fortunate in his attachments. La Valière, the passion of Louis XIV., had an unsightly defect The Princess of Eboli, the mistress of Philip II. of Spain, and Maugiron, the minion of Henry III. of France, had each of them lost an eye; and the famous Latin epigram was written upon them, which has, I believe, been either translated or imitated by Goldsmith :

"Lumine Acon dextro, capta est Leonilla sinistro,
Et potis est forma vincere uterque Deos;
Blande puer, lumen quod habes concede sorrori,
Sic tu cæcus Amor, sic erit illa Venus."

Wilkes, with his ugliness, used to say that "he was but a quarter of an hour behind the handsomest man in England;" and this vaunt of his is said not to have been disproved by circumstances. Swift, when neither young, nor handsome, nor rich, nor even amiable, inspired the two most extraordinary passions upon record, Vanessa's and Stella's.

Vanessa, aged scarce a score,

Sighs for a gown of forty-four."

He requited them bitterly; for he seems to have broken the heart of the one, and worn out that of the other; and he had his reward, for he died a solitary idiot in the hands of servants.

To return to Mr. Bowles. "If what is here ex tracted can excite in the mind (I will not say of any layman,' of any Christian,' but) of any human being," &c. &c. Is not Mr. Gilchrist a human being?" Mr. Bowles asks "whether in attributing an article," &c. &c. "to the critic, he had any reason for dis'inguishing him with that courtesy," &c. &c. But Mr Bowles was wrong in "attributing the article" to Mr. Gilchrist at all; and would not have been right in calling him a dunce and a grocer, if he had written it.

Mr. Bowles is here "peremptorily called upon to speak of a circumstance which gives him the greatest pain,-the mention of a letter he received from the editor of The London Magazine "" Mr. Bowles seems to have embroiled himself on all sides; whether by editing, or replying, or attributing, or quoting,--it has been an awkward affair for him.

Poor Scott is now no more. In the exercise of his vocation, he contrived at last to make himself the subject of a coroner's inquest. But he died like a brave man, and he lived an able one. I knew him personally, though slightly. Although several years my senior, we had been schoolfellows together at the "grammar-schule” (or, as the Aberdonians pronounce it, "squeel") of New For my own part, I am of the opinion of Pausanias, Aberdeen. He did not behave to me quite handsomely that success in love depends upon Fortune. "They in his capacity of editor a few years ago, but he was particularly renounce Celestial Venus, into whose tem- under no obligation to behave otherwise. The moment ple, &c. &c. &c. I remember, too, to have seen a was too tempting for many friends and for all enemies. building in Ægina in which there is a statue of Fortune, At a time when all my relations (save one) fell from me holding a horn of Amalthea; and near her there is a like leaves from the tree in autumn winds, and my winged Love. The meaning of this is, that the success few friends became still fewer,-when the whole periof men in love affairs depends more on the assistance odical press (I mean the daily and weekly, not the of Fortune than the charms of beauty. I am persuaded, literary press) was let loose against me in every shape too, with Pindar (to whose opinion I submit in other of reproach, with the two strange exceptions (from their particulars), that Fortune is one of the Fates, and that usual opposition) of "The Courier" and "The Exami in a certain respect she is more powerful than her sis-ner," the paper of which Scott had the direction was ters."-See Pausanias, Achaics, book vii. chap. 26. p. neither the last nor the least vituperative. Two year 246. Taylor's "Translation." ago I met him at Venice, when he was bowed in griefs Grimm has a remark of the same kind on the different by the loss of his son, and had known, by experience, destinies of the younger Crebillon and Rousseau, The the bitterness of domestic privation. He was then ear.. former writes a licentious novel, and a young English nest with me to return to England; and on my telling girl of some fortune and family (a Miss Strafford) runs him, with a smile, that he was once of a different opiaway, and crosses the sea to marry him; while Rous-nion, he replied to me, that he and others had been the most tender and passionate of lovers, is obliged greatly misled; and that some pains, and rather extraor to espouse his chambermaid. If I recollect rightly, this dinary means, had been taken to excite them.' Scott is remark was also repeated in the Edinburgh Review of no more, but there are more than one living who were Grimm's correspondence, seven or eight years ago. present at this dialogue. He was a man of very consi

seau,

In regard to the strange mixture of indecent, and derable talents, and of great acquirements. He had sometimes profane levity, which his conduct and lan-made his way, as a literary character, with high success, guage often exhibited," and which so much shocks Mr. and in a few years. Poor fellow! I recollect his joy at Bowles, I object to the indefinite word "often;" and in some appointment which he had obtained, or was to extenuation of the occasional occurrence of such lan- obtain, through Sir James Mackintosh, and which preguage it is to be recollected, that it was less the tone of vented the further extension (unless by a rapid run to Pope, than the tone of the time. With the exception Rome) of his travels in Italy. I little thought to what of the correspondence of Pope and his friends, not many it would conduct him. Peace be with him!--and may private letters of the period have come down to us; but all such other faults as are inevitable to humanity be as those, such as they are-a few scattered scraps from readily forgiven him, as the little injury which he had

done to one who respected his talents, and regrets his loss.

like the rust of the spear of Achilles, which had such "skill in surgery."

did not write; merely because it is Mr. Bowles's will and pleasure to be as angry with me for having written in the London Magazine, as for not having written ia the Quarterly Review.

I pass over Mr. Bowles's page of explanation, upon But Mr. Gilchrist has no right to object, as the the correspondence between him and Mr. S. It is reader will see." I am a reader, a "gentle reader," and of little importance in regard to Pope, and contains I see nothing of the kind. Were I in Mr. Gilchrist's nerely a re-contradiction of a contradiction of Mr. Gil-place, I should object exceedingly to being abused, christ's. We now come to a point where Mr. Gilchrist firstly, for what I did write, and, secondly, for what I has, certainly, rather exaggerated matters; and, of course, Mr. Bowles makes the most of it. Capital letters, like Kean's name, "large upon the bills," are made use of six or seven times to express his sense of the outrage. The charge is, indeed, very boldly made; "Mr. Gilchrist has had ample revenge; for he har, but, like "Ranold of the Mist's" practical joke of put-in his answer, said so and so," &c. &c. There is m ting the bread and cheese into a dead man's mouth, is, great revenge in all this; and I presume that nobody as Dugald Dalgetty says, "somewhat too wild and sai- either seeks or wishes it. What revenge? Mr. Bowler vage, besides wasting the good victuals." calls names, and he is answered. But Mr. Gilchrist an I Mr. Bowles appeals to the "Christian reader!" upon the Quarterly Review are not poets, nor pretenders të This "Gilchristian criticism." Is not this play upon poetry; therefore they can have no envy nor malica such words "a step beyond decorum" in a clergyman? against Mr. Bowles: they have no acquaintance with But I admit the temptation of a pun to be irresistible. Mr. Bowles, and can have no personal pique; they an But "a hasty pamphlet was published, in which some not cross his path of life, nor he theirs. There is I personalities respecting Mr. Gilchrist were suffered to political feud between them. What, then, can be the appear." If Mr. Bowles will write "hasty pamphlets," motive of their discussion of his deserts as an editor ?— why is he so surprised on receiving short answers? veneration for the genius of Pope, love for his memory, The grand grievance to which he perpetually returns is and regard for the classic glory of their country. Why a charge of "Hypochondriacism," asserted or insinuated would Mr. Bowles edite?" Had he limited his honest in the Quarterly, I cannot conceive a man in perfect endeavours to poetry, very little would have been said health being much affected by such a charge, because upon the subject, and nothing at all by his present anhis coraplexion and conduct must amply refute it. But tagonists. were it true, to what does it amount ?—to an impeachinent of a liver complaint. I will tell it to the world," exclaimed the learned Smelfungus.-You had better," said I, "tell it to your physician." There is nothing dishonourable in such a disorder, which is more peculiarly the malady of students. It has been the complaint of the good, and the wise, and the witty, and even of the gay. Regnard, the author of the last French comedy after Molière, was atrabilious; and Molière himself, saturnine. Dr. Johnson, Gray, and Burns, were all more or less affected by it occasionally. It was the prelude to the more awful malady of Collins, Cowper, Swift, and Smart; but it by no means follows that a partial affliction of this disorder is to terminate like theirs. But even were it so,

"Nor best, nor wisest, are exempt from thee;
Folly-Folly's only free."
Penrose.

If this be the criterion of exemption, Mr. Bowles s last
two pamphlets form a better certificate of sanity than a
physician's. Mendehlson and Bayle were at times so
overcome with this depression, as to be obliged to recur
to seeing "puppet-shows, and counting tiles upon the
opposite houses." to divert themselves. Dr. Johnson at
times "would have given a limb to recover his spirits."
Mr. Bowles, who is (strange to say) fond of quoting
Pope, may perhaps answer,-

"Go on, obliging creatures, let me see

All which disgrac'd my betters met in me."

But the charge, such as it is, neither disgraces them nor him. It is easily disproved if false; and even if proved true, has nothing in it to make a man so very indignant. Mr. Bowles himself appears to be a little ashamed of his "hasty pamphlet;" for he attempts to excuse it by the "great provocation;" that is to say, by Mr. Bowles's supposing that Mr. Gilchrist was the writer of the article] in the Quarterly, which he was not.

Mr. Bowles calls the pamphlet a "mud-cart,” and the writer a "scavenger." Afterwards he asks, "Shall he fling dirt and receive rose-water?" This metaphor, by the way, is taken from Marmontel's Memoirs; who, la menting to Chamfort the shedding of blood during the French revolution, was answered, "Do you think that revolutions are to be made with rose-water?"

For my own part, I presume that "rose-water' would be infinitely more graceful in the hands of MBowles than the substance which he has substituted for that delicate liquid. It would also more confound his adversary, supposing him a "scavenger." I remember, (and do you remember, reader, that it was in my ear. liest youth, "Consule Planco,")-on the morning of the great battle, (the second)-between Gulley and Gregson,-Cribb, who was matched against Horton for the second fight, on the same memorable day, awaking me (a lodger at the inn in the next room) by a loud remonstrance to the waer against the abomina tion of his towels, which had been laid in lavender. Cribb was a coal-heaver-and was much more discom

fitted by this odoriferous effeminacy of fine linen, than by his adversary Horton, whom he "finished in style," though with some reluctance; for I recollect pretty,"-Horton being a very fine fresh-coloured young that he said, "he disliked hurting him, he looked so

man.

To return to "rose-water"-that is, to gentle means of rebuke. Does Mr. Bowles know how to revenge himself upon a hackney-coachman, when he has overcharged his fare? In case he should not, I wil tell him. It is of little use to call him a "rascal, & scoundrel, a thief, an impostor, a blackguard, a villain, a raggamuffin, a-what you please;" all that he is used to-it is his mother-tongue, and probably his mother's. But look him steadily and quietly in the face, and say-"Upon my word, I think you are the ughest fellow I "But, in extenuation, not only the great provocation ever saw in my life," and he will instantly roll forth the should be remembered, but it ought to be said, that brazen thunders of the charioteer Salmoneus as follows orders were sent to the London booksellers, that the "Hugly! what the h-ll are you? You a gentleman' most direct personal passages should be omitted entirely," Why "So much easier it is to provoke-and &c. This is what the proverb calls "breaking a head therefore to vindicate-(for passion punishes him who and giving a plaster;" but, in this instance, the plaster feels it more than those whom the passionate would exwas not spread in time, and Mr. Gilchrist does not seem cruciate)-by a few quiet words the aggressor, than by at present disposed to regard Mr. Bowles's courtesies retorting violently. The "coals of fire" of the Scrip

ture are benefits;—but they are not the less "coals of the charge upon a poem. The äcentiousness is a fire." grand peut-etre," according to the turn of the times I pass over a page of quotation and reprobation-being. The grossness I deny. On the contrary, I do "Sin up to my song" Oh let my little bark". believe that such a subject never was, nor ever could be, "Arcades ambo"-"Writer in the Quarterly Review treated by any poet with so much delicacy, mingled and himself"-" In-door avocations, indeed"-" Kings with, at the same time, such true and intense passion. of Brentford"-"One nosegay”- "Perennial nosegay" Is the " Atys" of Catullus licentious? No, nor even -Oh Juvenes," and the like, gross; and yet Catullus is often a coarse writer. The Page 12. produces "more reasons,"-(the task ought subject is nearly the same, except that Atys was the not to have been difficult, for as yet there were none)-suicide of his manhood, and Abelard the victim. "to show why Mr. Bowles attributed the critique in the The "licentiousness" of the story was not Pope's,Quarterly to Octavius Gilchrist." All these "reasons" it was a fact. All that it had of gross, he has softened; consists of surmises of Mr. Bowles, upon the presumed all that it had of indelicate, he has purified ;-all character of his opponent. "He did not suppose there that it had of passionate, he has beautified ;--all that it could exist a man in the kingdom so impudent, &c. &c. had of holy, he has hallowed. Mr. Campbel has admiexcept Octavius Gilchrist."-" He did not think there rably marked this in a few words (1 quote from mewas a man in the kingdom who would pretend ignorance, mory), in drawing the distinction between Pope and &c. &c. except Octavius Gilchrist."-He did not Dryden, and pointing out where Dryden was wanting. conceive that one man in the kingdom would utter such I fear," says he, "that had the subject of Eloisa' stupid flippancy, &c. &c. except Octavius Gilchrist."-fallen into bis (Dryden's) hands, that he would have "He did not think there was one man in the kingdom given us but a coarse draft of her passion." Never was who, &c. &c. could so utterly show his ignorance, com- the delicacy of Pope so much shown as in this poem. bined with conceit, &c. as Octavius Gilchrist."-" He With the facts and the letters of "Eloisa" he has done did not believe there was a man in the kingdom so per- what no other mind but that of the best and purest of fect in Mr. Gilchrist's old lunes,' ,'" &c. &c.-"He poets could have accomplished with such materials. did not think the mean mind of any one in the king-Ovid, Sappho (in the Ode called hers)-all that we dom," &c. and so on; always beginning with "any one have of ancient, all that we have of modern poetry, in the kingdom," and ending with " Octavius Gilchrist," sinks into nothing compared with him in this production. like the word in a catch. I am not "in the kingdom," Let us hear no more of this trash about "licentiousand have not been much in the kingdom since I was oneness.' Is not "Anacreon" taught in our schools?— and twenty, (about five years in the whole, since I was translated, praised, and edited? Are not his Odes the of age,) and have no desire to be in the kingdom again, amatory praises of a boy? Is not Sappho's Ode on a whilst I breathe, nor to sleep there afterwards; and I girl? Is not this sublime and (according to Longinus) regret nothing more than having ever been "in the fierce love for one of her own sex? And is not Phil kingdom" at all. But though no longer a man "in the lip's translation of it in the mouths of all your women? kingdom," let me hope that when I have ceased to And are the English schools or the English women the exist, it may be said, as was answered by the master of more corrupt for all this? When you have thrown the Clanronald's henchman, his day after the battle of Sheriff- ancients into the fire, it will be time to denounce the Muir, when he was found watching his chief's body. moderns. "Licentiousness!"-there is more real misHe was asked, "who that was ?" he replied-"it was chief and sapping licentiousness in a single French a man yesterday." And in this capacity, "in or out of prose novel, in a Moravian hymn, or a German comedy, the kingdom," I must own that I participate in many of than in all the actual poetry that ever was penned, or the objections urged by Mr. Gilchrist. I participate in poured forth, since the rhapsodies of Orpheus. The his love of Pope, and in his not understanding, and oc- sentimental anatomy of Rosseau and Mad. de S. are casionally finding fault with, the last editor of our last far more formidable than any quantity of verse. They truly great poet. are so, because they sap the principles, by reasoning upon the passions; whereas poetry is in itself passion and does not systematise. It assails, but does not argue; it may be wrong, but it does not assume pretensions to Optimism.

One of the reproaches against Mr. Gilchrist is, that he is (it is sneeringly said) an F. S. A. If it will give Mr. Bowles any pleasure, I am not an F. S. A. but a Fellow of the Royal Society at his service, in case there should be any thing in that association also which may point a paragraph.

Mr. Bowles now has the goodness" to point out the difference between a traducer and him who sincerely "There are some other reasons," but " the author is states what he sincerely believes." He might have now not unknown." Mr. Bowles has so totally ex-spared himself the trouble. The one is a liar, who lies hausted himself upon Octavius Gilchrist, that he has not a word left for the real quarterer of his edition, although now "deterre."

The following page refers to a mysterious charge of "duplicity, in regard to the publication of Pope's letters." Till this charge is made in proper form, we have nothing to do with it: Mr. Gilchrist hints it-Mr. Bowles denies it; there it rests for the present. Mr. Bowles professes his dislike to Pope's duplicity, not to Pope" a distinction apparently without a difference. However, I believe that I understand him. We have a great dislike to Mr. Bowles's edition of Pope, but not to Mr. Bowles; nevertheless, he takes up the subject as warmly as if it was personal. With regard to the fact of Pope's duplicity," it remains to be proved-like Mr. Bowles's benevolence towards his memory.

46

knowingly; the other (I speak of a scandal-monger of
course) lies, charitably believing that he speaks truth,
and very sorry to find himself in falsehood;-because
he

"Would rather that the dean should die,
Than his prediction prove a lie."

After a definition of a "traducer," which was quite superfluous (though it is agreeable to learn that Mr. Bowles so well understands the character), we are assured, that "he feels equally indifferent, Mr. Gilchrist, for what your malice can invent, or your impudence utter." This is indubitable; for it rests not only on Mr. Bowles's assurance, but on that of Sir Fretful Plagiary, and nearly in the same words," and I shall treat it with exactly the same calm indifference and philosophical contempt, and so your servant."

In page 14. we have a large assertion, that "the "One thing has given Mr. Bowles concern." It is 'Eloisa' alone is sufficient to convict him of gross licen-" a passage which might seem to reflect on the patro tiousness." Thus, out it comes at last. Mr. Bowles nage a young man has received." MIGHT seem!. The does accuse Pope of "gross licentiousness," and grounds passage alluded to expresses, that if Mr. Gilchrist be

the reviewer of "a certain poet of nature," his praise my "custom in the afternoon," and that I believe if and blame are equally contemptible."-Mr. Bowles, the tyrant cannot escape amidst his guards (should it be who has a peculiarly ambiguous style, where it suits him, so written?) so the humbler individual would find precomes off with a "not to the voet, but the critic," &c. cautions useless. In my humble opinion, the passage referred to both. Mr. Bowles has here the humility to say, that "he Had Mr. Bowles really meant fairly, he would have said must succumb; for with Lord Byron turned against so from the first-he would have been eagerly transpa-him, he has no chance,"-a declaration of self-denial rent." A certain poet of nature" is not the style of not much in unison with his "promise," five line commendation. It is the very prologue to the most afterwards, that "for every twenty-four lines quote scandalous paragraphs of the newspapers, when

him.

"Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike."

"A certain high personage,"-" a certain peeress,"
"a certain illustrious foreigner,"-what do these words
ever precede, but defamation? Had he felt a spark of
kindling kindness for John Clare, he would have named
There is a sneer in the sentence as it stands.
How a favourable review or a deserving poet can "rather
injure than promote his cause" is difficult to comprehend.
The article denounced is able and amiable, and it has
"served" the poet, as far as poetry can be served by
judicious and honest criticism.

With the two next paragraphs of Mr. Bowles's pamphlet it is pleasing to concur. His mention of "Pennie," and his former patronage of "Shoel," do him honour. I am not of those who may deny Mr. Bowles to be a benevolent man. I merely assert, that he is not

a candid editor.

by Mr. Gilchrist, or his friend, to greet him with as many from the Gilchrisiad;"" but so much the better. Mr. Bowles has no reason to "succumb" but to Mr. Bowles. As a poet, the author of " The Missionary" may compete with the foremost of his contemporaries. Let it be recollected, that all my previous opinions of Mr. Bowles's poetry were written long before the publi cation of his last and best poem; and that a poet's last poem should he his best, is his highest praise. But, however, he may duly and honourably rank with his living rivals. There never was so complete a proof of the superiority of Pope, as in the lines with which Mr.

Bowles closes his "to be concluded in our next."

Mr. Bowles is avowedly the champion and the poet of nature. Art and the arts are dragged, some before, and others behind his chariot. Pope, where he deals with passion, and with the nature of the naturals of the day, is allowed even by themselves to be sublime; but they complain that too soon

"He stoop'd to truth and moralised his song."

And now for his lines. But it is painful-painful— to see such a suicide, though at the shrine of Pope. ] can't copy them all:

Mr. Bowles has been "a writer occasionally upwards of thirty years," and never wrote one word in reply in his life "to criticisms, merely as criticisms." This is and there even they allow him to be unrivalled. He has Mr. Lofty in Goldsmith's Good-natured Man; " and I succeeded, and even surpassed them, when he chose, in vow by all that's honourable, my resentment has never their own pretended province. Let us see what their done the men, as mere men, any manner of harm,-that Coryphoeus effects in Pope's. But it is too pitiable, is, as mere men. it is too melancholy, to see Mr. Bowles "sinning" not "The letter to the editor of the newspaper" is owned;"up" but " down" as a poet to his lowest depth as an but "it was not on account of the criticism. It was editor. By the way, Mr. Bowles is always quoting because the criticism came down in a frank directed to Pope. I grant that there is no poet-not Shakspeare Mrs. Bowles!!!"-(the italics and three notes of ad- himself-who can be so often quoted, with reference w miration appended to Mrs. Bowles are copied verbatim life;-but his editor is so like the devil quoting Scripfrom the quotation), and Mr. Bowles was not displeased ture, that I could wish Mr. Bowles in his proper place, with the criticism, but with the frank and the address. quoting in the pulpit. I agree with Mr. Bowles that the intention was to annoy him; but I fear that this was answered by his notice of the reception of the criticism. An anonymous lotter-writer has but one means of knowing the effect of his attack. In this he has the superiority over the viper; he knows that his poison has taken effect, when he hears the victim cry ;-the adder is deaf. The best reply to an anonymous intimation is to take no notice directly nor indirectly. I wish Mr. Bowles could see only one or two of the thousand which I have received in the course of a literary life, which, though begun early, has not yet extended to a third part of his existence as an author. I speak of literary life only. Were I to add personal, I might double the amount of anonymous letters. If he could but see the violence, the threats, the absurdity of the whole thing, he would laugh, and so should I, and thus be both gainers.

"Shall the rank, loathsome miscreant of the age
Sit, like a night-mare, grinning o'er a page."
"Whose pye-bald character so aptly suit
The two extremes of Bantom and of Brute,
Compound grotesque of sullenness and show,
The chattering magpie, and the croaking crow."
"Whose heart contends with thy Saturnian head,
A root of hemlock, and a lump of lead.
Gilchrist proceed," &c. &c.

"And thus stand forth, spite of thy venom'd foam,

To give thee bite for bite, or lash thee limping home."

With regard to the last line, the only one upon which I shall venture for fear of infection, I would advise Mr. Gilchrist to keep out of the way of such reciprocal mor

sure-unless he has more faith in the "Ormskirk me

To keep up the farce,within the last month of this dicine" than most people, or may wish to anticipate the present writing (1821,) I have had my life threatened in the same way which menaced Mr. Bowles's fame, pension of the recent German professor, (I forget his name, but it is advertised and full of consonants,) whe -excepting that the anonymous denunciation was addressed to the Cardinal Legate of Romagna, instead of presented his memoir of an infallible remedy for the to Mrs. Bowles. The Cardinal is, I believe, the elder hydrophobia to the German diet last month, coupled ady of the two. I append the menace in all its bar-with the philanthropic condition of a large annuity, pre vided that his cure cured. baric but literal Italian, that Mr. Bowles Let him begin with the be conmay vinced; and as this is the only "promise to pay," editor of Pope, and double his demand. which the Italians ever keep, so my person has been at least as Yours ever, mich exposed to a "shot in the gloaming," from "John Heatherblutter" (see Waverly,) as ever Mr. Bowles's glory was from an editor. I am, nevertheless, on horseback and lonely for some hours (one of them curs the following, applied to Popetwilight) in the forest daily; and this, because it was

TO JOHN MURRAY, Esq.

BYRON.

P. S. Amongst the above-mentioned lines there oc

"The assassin's vengeance, and the coward's lie."

And Mr. Bowles persists that he is a well-wisher to" I understand, sir," he replied:
Pupe!!! He has, then, edited an "assassin" and a
"coward" wittingly, as well as lovingly. In my former
etter I have remarked upon the editor's forgetfulness of
Pope's benevolence, But where he mentions his faults
it is "with sorrow "his tears drop, but they do not
blot them out. The "recording angel" differs from the
recording clergyman. A fulsome editor is pardonable
though tiresome, like a panegyrical son whose pious sin-sent day has even approached.
cerity would demi-deify his father. But a detracting edi-
tor is a paricide. He sins against the nature of his office,
and connection-he murders the life to come of his
victim. If his author is not worthy to be mentioned,
do not edit at all: if he be, edit honestly, and even
flatteringly. The reader will forgive the weakness in
favour of mortality, and correct your adulation with a
smile. But to sit down "mingere in patriots cineres,"
as Mr. Bowles has done, merits a reprobation so strong,
that I am as incapable of expressing as of ceasing to
feel it.

66 you would have them hang down, sir, somewhat poetical." Now, if nothing existed but this little anecdote, it would suffice prove Pope's taste for Nature, and the impression which he had made on a common-minded man. But I hav already quoted Warton and Walpole (both his ene. nies) and, were it necessary, I could amply quote Pope himself for such tributes to Nature as no poet of the pro

FURTHER ADDENDA.

It is worthy of remark that, after all this outery about "in-door nature" and "artificial images," Pope was the principal inventor of that boast of the English, Modern Gardening. He divides this honour with Milton. Hear Warton:-"It hence appears, that this enchanting art of modern gardening, in which this kingdom claims a preference over every nation in Europe, chiefly owes its ongin and its improvements to two great poets, Milton and Pope."

His various excellence is really wonderful: architecture, painting, gardening, all are alike subject to his genius. Be it remembered, that English gardening is the purposed perfectioning of niggard Nature, and that with out it England is but a hedge-and-ditch, double-postand-rail, Hounslow Heath and Clapham Common sort of country, since the principal forests have been felled. It is, in general, far from a picturesque country. The case is different with Scotland, Wales, and Ireland; and I except also the lake countries and Derbyshire, together with Eton, Windsor, and my own dear Harrow on the Hill, and some spots near the coast. In the present rank fertility of "great poets of the age," and "schools of poetry"- -a word which, like "schools of eloquence" and of "philosophy," is never introduced till the decay of the art has increased with the number of its professors-in the present day, then, there have sprung up two sorts of Naturals;-the Lakers, who whine about Nature because they live in Cumberland; and their under-sect (which some one has maliciously called the "Cockney School,") who are enthusiastical for the country because they live in London. It is to be observed, that the rustical founders are rather anxious to disclaim any connexion with their metropolitan followers, whom they ungraciously review, and call cockneys, atheists, foolish fellows, bad writers, and other hard names not less ungrateful than unjust. I can understand the pretensions of the aquatic gentlemen of Windermere to what Mr. Braham terms "entusumusy," for lakes, and mountains, and daffodils, and buttercups; but

Walpole (no friend to Pope) asserts that Pope formed Kent's taste, and that Kent was the artist to whom the English are chiefly indebted for diffusing "a taste in aying out grounds." The design of the Prince of Wales's garden was copied from Pope's at Twickenham. Warton applauds "his singular effort of art and taste, in impressing so much variety and scenery on a spot of ive acres." Pope was the first who ridiculed the "for-I should be glad to be apprised of the foundation of the mal, French, Dutch, false and unnatural taste in gardening," both in prose and verse. (See, for the former, "The Guardian.")

London propensities of their imitative brethren to the same "high argument." Southey, Wordsworth, and Coleridge have rambled over half Europe, and seen Nature in most of her varieties (although I think that they

Pope has given not only some of our first, but best rules and observations on Architecture and Gardening." | have occasionally not used her very well;) but what on (See Warton's Essay, vol. ii. p. 237, &c. &c.)

Now, is it not a shame, after this, to hear our Lakers in "Kendal Green," and our Buccolical Cockneys, crying out (the latter in a wilderness of bricks and mortar) about "Nature," and Pope's "artificial in-door habits?" Pope had seen all of nature that England alone can supply. He was bred in Windsor Forest, and amidst the beautiful scenery of Eton; he lived familiarly and frequently at the country seats of Bathurst, Cobham, Burlington, Peterborough, Digby, and Bolingbroke; amongst whose seats was to be numbered Stowe. He made his own little "five acres" a model to princes, and to the first of our artists who imitated nature. Warton thinks "that the most engaging of Kent's works was also planned on the model of Pope's,-at least in the opening and retiring shades of Venus's Vale."

earth of earth, and sea, and Nature-have the others seen? Not a half, nor a tenth part so much as Pope. While they sneer at his Windsor Forest, have they ever seen any thing of Windsor except its brick?

The most rural of these gentlemon is my friend Leigh Hunt, who lives at Hampstead. I believe that I need not disclaim any personal or poetical hostility against that gentleman. A more amiable man in society I know not; nor (when he will allow his sense to prevail over his sectarian principles) a better writer. When he was writing his "Rimini," I was not the last to discover its beauties, long before it was published. Even then I remonstrated against its vulgarisms; which are the more extraordinary, because the author is any thing but a vulgar man. Mr. Hunt's answer was, that he wrote them upon principle; they made part of his It is true that Pope was infirm and deformed; but " system!"" I then said no more. When a man talks he could walk, and he could ride (he rode to Oxford of his system, it is like a woman's talking of her virtue. from London at a stretch,) and he was famous for an I let them talk on. Whether there are writers who exquisite eye. On a tree at Lord Barthurst's is carved could have written "Rimini," as it might have been "Here Pope sang," he composed beneath it. Boling-written, I know not; but Mr. Hunt is, probably, the broke, in one of his letters, represents them both writing only poet who could have had the heart to spoil his in the hay-field. No poet ever admired Nature more, own Capo d'Opera. or used her better, than Pope has done, as I will undertake to prove from his works, prose and verse, if not anticipated in so easy and agreeable a labour. remember a passage in Walpole, somewhere, of a gentleman who wished to give directions about some willows to a man who had long served Pope in his grounds:

With the rest of his young people I have no ac. quaintance, except through some things of theirs (which have been sent out without my desire,) and I confess that till I had read them I was not aware of the full extent of human absurdity. Like Garrick's "Ode to Shakspeare," they "defy criticism." These are of the