LIFE OF lanc;horne. 



deficient in ease and distinctness. His chief faults are redundant 

 decoration, and an affectation of false and unnecessary ornament. 

 He is not always contented with that concise and simple language 

 which is sufficient to express his sentiments, but is tempted to in- 

 dulge in superfluous diction, by the fascinating charms of novelty 

 and h.armony. By giving way to the luxury of words, and immo- 

 derate embellishment, he sometimes, though rarely, violates simpli- 

 iity, and becomes unavoidably inaccurate and redundant. His 

 sentiments, however, are always just, often new, and generally 

 striking. A great degree of elegance and classical simplicity runs 

 through all his compositions; and his descriptions of nature, rural 

 imagery, pictures of private virtue, and pastoral innocence, have a 

 judicious selection of circumstances, a graceful plainness of expres- 

 sion, and a happy mixture of pathos and sentiment, which mark the 

 superior poet. 



"As an author, he is more esteemed for his poetic than his 

 prosaic productions, though candour must admit the latter possess 

 such a degree of fancy, sentiment, and erudition, as entitles them 

 to a more general approbation than they have hitherto received; 

 for, of the numerous prose works he wrote, none have been in great 

 request since his death, except 'Solymau and Almena, Theodosius 

 and Constantia, and Plutarch's Lives,' which have gone through 

 several editions." 



He wrote a dramatic piece, in 1765, entitled "The Fatal Pro- 

 phecy ;" but in this he was less successful than in any of his other 

 productions. Indeed, it does not appear to be calculated for re- 

 presentation. 



The private character of Dr. Langhorne, in the several depart- 

 ments of life, was such as to entitle his memory to that respect 

 which society in general must ever retain for an affectionate parent, 

 a disinterested friend, and a benevolent man. 



