A)ici6iit Epic Poem, 101 



only literary companions in our younger days. 

 It is the business of our instructors, to enable 

 us to understand them, and their beauties are 

 minutely and ahnost officiously pointed out to 

 ti5. At an age, in which we make little re- 

 sistance to any impres^on, and yet are remark- 

 ably susceptible of impressions, and remarkably 

 retentive of impressions, we arc taught to 

 regard them as the very models of the beautifiil 

 and sublime nn thought and - expression ; the 

 graces of our own poets are either wholly 

 unknown, or but transiently and partially in- 

 troduced tt> us ; and Milton and Shakespeare 

 are but second names with us. It is also un- 

 favourable to a just esnmate of merit, th»t 

 these impressions, are made at a period, M'iien 

 the beauties of poetry have the easiest and -most 

 agreeable access to us. The pleasures, which 

 enlivened that happy period, are hallowed to 

 our imagination with an enthusiasm, which for 

 ever endeai^ to us the objects that excited them, 

 but which no simikir objects will ever awaken 

 again with the same kindly giow. Add to 

 this, that those authors, whose taste in this 

 walk of literature is commonly appealed toa^ 

 decisive, concur with the impressions that wc 

 are in the habit of receiving, our prepossession 

 is strengthened by such respectable testimony, 

 our judgment is flattered by such concurrence, 



