593 

 METHODIST POETS; 



JAMES EVERETT, JOHN HOLLAND, AND RICHARD FURNESS, REVIEWED 

 BY THE AUTHOR OP CORN-LAW RHYMES. 



WHO does not know that the great founder of Methodism wrote 

 verses, and that his brother was a poet of no ordinary powers ? But 

 when Charles Wesley died his mantle was laid on his grave, and, until 

 very lately, none of his followers ventured to take it up. At length, 

 however, the sect of Methodism has produced three candidates for 

 poetical honours ; they are, James Everett, of Manchester, Methodist 

 parson ; John Holland, late of Sheffield, once, I believe, a mechanic, 

 and not how, I hope, ashamed of his origin ; and Richard Furness, 

 schoolmaster, of Dore, in Derbyshire. It is a capital sign of the times, 

 that three authors writing from the bosom of a cold and worldly sect, 

 have not forgotten, in their compositions, the plundered poor ! 



James Everett's te Edwin," has been some time before the public. It 

 contains some sweet descriptions, and is unexceptionable in its moral 

 tendencies ; but it is not altogether to my taste. The promise, how- 

 ever, of better things, which it made to us, has been already more than 

 fulfilled in his later productions ; and if half what I hear of them is 

 true, not only must " bards profane" lower their ears, but the " players 

 on the harp of David" humble themselves before James, the inspired, of 

 Manchester. 



John Holland, in his " Tyne Banks/' shews that he deeply feels for 

 those " who, with stern efforts, drag the river for a livelihood," and 

 fc the sweltering sons of toil, whose very bones are pierced with fervent 

 heat/' These words " are things ;" for John's heart has not been so 

 thoroughly steeped in formalities as to be ashamed of its best feelings. 

 Witness his description of a collier's wedding. Woman-hating John 

 Wesley himself, if he were alive, could not read it, without feeling 

 queer. 



A wedding party ! 'tis a sight to please 



A pensive wanderer, like myself, and gain 



My prayers and wishes, that kind heaven will bless 



The pair unknown, with nuptial happiness. 



A tall swart pitman is the bridegroom he, 



Dress'd in his quaint, gay, holiday, attire ; 



The damsel, stout and fresh in health how she 



Returns the mirth-look of her jocund squire .' 



But for one abominable flaw, the following extract from the same 

 poem, would do no discredit to any living poet. I do not allude to the 

 flaw, because I dislike " the unco' gude,' but because I could like them 

 to be " better still/' Will John Holland tell us, what the prayers, and 

 they who prayed, actually did for the Reform Bill ? We know what 

 they did for the Catholic Relief Bill. But during the late struggle, 

 instead of fronting us openly, they skulked and fought us under cover. 

 If not, where were they while the battle was raging ? General- Fast- 

 Percival and Co., know, right well, where the leaders of the Methodists 

 would have been, and what they would have done, had we lost the 

 battle. That they could have carried their flocks with them, is not 

 quite so clear. 



M. M. No. 84. 2 R 



