[ 8' ] 



unreafonably into the charadler of the Dutch. As their difregard 

 of freedom was certainly not greater than that of France or Italy 

 England is not with better effedl contrafted with Holland than 

 it might have been with either of the others. From Holland 

 hiftory might have led by a natural connexion to Spain, and 

 the Spanifli charadler would afford an admirable contraft to 

 the Dutch and the Englifh, the two between which it would 

 be placed. 'Tis true the poet looks from the Alps, and Spain 

 might lie hid behind the Pyrenees — but I apprehend the mi- 

 raculous improvement of vifion which from the Alpine heights 

 could difcern objedts fo minute as the temples of Italy ovight 

 not to be reftrained within common limits, and the' fame 

 poetical perfpedlive which could have brought the morafles of 

 Holland into view could alfo have raifed the remote parts of 

 Spain above the obftrudlion of mountains on its nearer con- 

 fines. The conduift of Goldfmith's Hermit* is exquifitely beau- 



( L 2 ) tiful. 



* One palTage in his Hermit I cannot pafs over without a particular obfervation. 

 It is where the Hermit enumerates the various poflible caufes of the flranger's 

 apparent uneafinefs, and, among the reft, conjeftures at frienijb'ip unrctiirned or 

 love unyegai'ded. 



And what is fiknclfllip but a name, And love 13 ftill an emptier fo-jnd, 

 A cliarm that lulls to fleep ; The modem fair one's jeft ; 



A fliade that follows wealth or fame, On earth unfcen, or only found 

 But leaves the wretch to weep ' To warm the turtle's ncft. 



The making the Hermit fuggeft that particular mode of treatment in love which" 

 he had himfelf experienced, and wliich the ftory immediately after recognizes is 

 peculiarly natural, judicious and alTedling. 



