70 



Doctor Graham is indignant at Mr. Laing for asserting that the 

 comparison of Clessamor to a steed in his strength, is a hteral and 

 wretched transcript from Pope's translation of the same simile in 

 Homer, We agree with Laing, and wonder how any one pretending 

 to the name of critic, can for a moment question the justice of his 

 assertion. He has also shewn perfectly to our satisfaction, and we 

 should think of every impartial judge, that all the elements of the 

 celebrated address to the sun, may be found in Paradise Lost, Sam- 

 son Agonistes, Home's Douglas, Addison's Cato, Pope's Rape of the 

 Lock, and the Sacred Scriptures ; and those of the description of 

 Balclutha in Hosea, Lamentations and Zephaniah. The image of the 

 fox looking out of the windows, is taken from the voice of the cor- 

 morant and bittern singing in the windows, Zeph. ii. 14, combined 

 with an image from Pope's Windsor Forest : 



" The Fox obscene to gaping tombs retires. 

 And savage bowlings fill the sacred choirs." 



No one was such a perfect master as Macpherson of the art of 

 selecting images and poetical ideas from various sources, and of 

 disguising and combining them in altered forms. He stole the co- 

 lours which he deemed most beautiful from every pallet, and hoped 

 by his dexterity in compounding them, in spreading them on his 

 poetical canvas, and wrapping his pictures in Caledonian mist, that 

 they would be mistaken for originals, and that no eagle-eyed critic 

 like Laing, would be able to detect the theft. Cacus dragged the 

 bulls and cows of Hercules into his den by the tail, to prevent disco- 

 very, ne qua forent pedihus vestigia rectis. But an unfortunate 

 bellow betrayed the robber, and though he had the art to involve 

 himself and his cavern in dense darkness, caca caligine, he could not 

 escape the vengeance of the exasperated hero : 



