ON falconer's shipwreck. 159 



of the gangrene and its amputation, as given in the 

 closing lines of the 2nd. canto. 



Transition from the author's work to himself, when 

 well executed, forms an effective figure in poetry. 

 Milton's lament over his blindness, in opening the 

 3rd. book of Paradise Lost, has never perhaps been 

 equalled ; — what marvel then if, 



" A ship boy on the high and giddy mast," 

 Should fail in comparison with him ? But Milton 

 complains that he was shut out, 



" From sight of vernal rose or summer's bloom." 

 The seaboy's regret is at being called away from 

 rural life and its delights ; — 



^*To me those happier scenes no joy impart 

 But tantalize with hope my aching heart," 



And then the fine turn into his more kindred theme. 

 " Hail social honors ! " 



Some of the difficulties our poet had to contend 

 with have been already noticed : there remain others 

 of a nature to affect the reviewer equally with the 

 work itself. Homer mentions that the names of 

 persons and things, differed in the language of the 

 gods, from what these commonly bore among men : 

 — But on shore the language of the sea has neither 

 place nor name. I approach with diffidence, and 

 shall dispatch with all consistent brevity the tech- 

 nicalities of the " Shipw^reck." 



A commentator on this poem has remarked, that 

 " it partakes more of the effusions of fancy than of 

 the labours of art ;" but this hardly allows Falconer 

 all the credit due to him ; credit for the consummate 

 skill with which he has versified — 



" The terms uncouth, and jarring phrases," 

 of naval duty. Lord Byron fully admits this. 

 ^^ What," says he " makes Falconer's ^ Shipwreck' 

 so infinitely superior to all others ? It is the admi- 

 rable apphcation of the terms of art to his subject. 

 His is a poet sailor's description of the sailor's fate — 

 and how has he been able to perform this? because 

 he was a poet, and in such hands art is not less 



