16*2 A CRITICAL DISSERTATION 



I say partly ; because Falconer, in the last words of 

 Albert, seems to have had in mind that beautiful 

 passage in Ovid — 



" Plurima nautes in ore, 

 Haley one conjux." 



The poet has found scope for the workin<x of yet 

 other feelings. The friendship of Nisus and Eurya- 

 lus, and the episode of their deaths in the 9th. Book 

 of Virgil, were doubtless known to him : he has 

 transferred some of its beauties into his own work ; 

 where Arion and the young merchant are found united 

 by similar ties. Sympathy for a lover's grief, kin- 

 dred age, for the sailor had not yet numbered, 

 "Twic^ nine summers;" 



These anticipated the want of longer intercourse. 

 Their mutual regard is well introduced to soften the 

 rigors of the tale ; we meet it as a spring in the 

 desert. One instance of this may be adduced as 

 aflTording perhaps the most striking metaphor of the 

 poem. Palemon's fears keep pace with the storm's 

 increase ; the consolation of the friend soothes what 

 the skill of the seaman would avert; 



" His drooping spirit cheers with healing art, 

 And tunes the jarring numbers of the heart." 



I have taken the moral and poetical beauties of 

 the " Shipwreck '* rather indiscriminately ; let us 

 review one or more which incline to the latter class. 



The " Shipwreck '' is most complete in a principle 

 requisite to a good epic — unity of action in its fable. 

 In the time occupied by the action. Falconer has 

 complied with another rule of sound criticism ; it 

 hardly reaches to the sixth day. The author of the 

 " Pleasures of Hope," has fallen into an error which 

 I venture on pointing out. Campbell makes the 

 wreck occur, 



" At the dead of night," 

 ^ hereas in the original it takes place in the morning. 

 The poet makes a fine turn from this hopeless state 

 at day break to apostrophize the sun. 



