150 



LITERARY NOTICES, No. VII. 



THE VALLEY OF THE NYMPHS * 



NOT having the pleasure of knowing Mr. J. Johns, 

 we hereby take the liberty of introducing ourselves, 

 and saluting him as a Poet and " Western Worthy." 



"The Valley of the Nymphs" is a poetical subject, 

 and it is but just towards the author to say, that he has 

 treated it poetically : by and bye the work shall speak 

 for itself. Prior, however, to the advancement of our 

 humble opinion, we must assure the good natured 

 reader that, in order to qualify ourselves for such u 

 task, we purchased one of the eighteenpenny packets 

 of instructions in criticism, (alluded to by SPECTATOR 

 in a recent number of the JJerald} which we have duly 

 read : we have also learned by heart the names of thir- 

 teen celebrated poets, as well as fifteen prosodial terms. 

 In the packet alluded to it is said "All who would be- 

 come excellently well skilled in criticism as an ART, will 

 take especial care to have alway on the writing-desk, 

 one slaughtering knife, such as is in usage amongst 

 butchers, one bottle of oil, one pot of honey and one 

 plate of butter : these things will be of uncommon aid, 

 as symbols and signs and tokens, to direct the mental 

 proceedings of the reviewer." It is also advised that 

 all critical writers should allow their imagination to 

 commence with the knife and end with the honey : we 

 however shall do the buttering part of the business first. 



In serious and sober earnest, the " Valley of the 

 Nymphs" is a very promising and praiseworthy perfor- 

 mance ; the author has gone back to the mythological 

 period, that glorious time for poets ; and has laid his 

 scene in a valley as fair as any in Arcadia : an island 

 reposes in a beautiful lake, embosombed in the vale ; 

 and hither, once in every year, twelve beautiful Youths 

 and Virgins come to pay their vows and offerings, bring- 



r The Valley of the Nymphs, a Dream of the Golden World ; 

 by J. Johns. Hurst and Chance, London: Curtis, Plymouth: 

 1829 : 8vo: pp. 48. 



