18 id.] 



Dr. Colquhoun. 



imi nie to sec a small part of the object 

 of my adoration, which emerges from 

 behind that mountain ; but, in general, 

 like other idolators, I worship iu the 

 Uark. 



To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 



SIR, 



I WISH to notice, tlirougli the me- 

 dium of jour excellent miscellany, 

 a remarkable oversight in Dr. Col- 



Land Uncultivated. 



Lord Byrori's Giaour, 1 1 S 



qiihoun's Treatise on the Wealth, &e. 

 of the British Empire. 



In p. 368 of his second edition, he 

 says, speaking of the island of St. Lvit 

 cia, " This island is ascertainetl to be 

 larger than Martinique." 



In hisStalislical Tables, p. 382, et seq. 

 he gives the number of acres cultivated 

 and uncultivated in tliose islauds, as 

 follows : — 



Martinique . . . 

 St, Lucia .... 

 St. Vincent . . . 



From whence it appears, that, though 

 St. Lucia is ascertained to be larger 

 tiian Marlinique, yet Martinique con- 

 tains nearly ten times as many acres as 

 St. Lucia. The latter island is even re- 

 presented as less than the small island 

 of St. Vincent. How sucli gross errors 

 could slip into a work supposed to be 

 written with great care, and where we 

 expect correct information, I am at a 

 loss to imagine. Some of your readers 

 may perhaps be able to communicate 

 piore correct information. W. 



Juli/ 12, 1816. 



To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 



SIR, 



THE qualities whicli are requisite to 

 form a good poet, are so various 

 and so rare, tliat it is not surprising that 

 we so seldom see one: — imagiiiation, 

 judgment, taste, originality, and the ilif- 

 ficH It art of versification. These excel- 

 leiities, too, must be possessed by him 

 in the higiiest state of perfection, if lie 

 expects to interest deeply, or to please 

 long. Mediocrity, as Horace has justly 

 remarked, may be endured in any other 

 character except that of the poet ; it is 

 not sullicient that his productions be 

 beautiful, they are of no value unless 

 Ihey !>e exquisitely beautiful. 

 Non satis est pulchra esse poemata; dul- 

 cia siinto. Ars Poeticu. 



Notwithstanding, however, the diffi- 

 culty of moving in tiiis exalted sphere, 

 more are found to attempt it than any 

 other department of literature ; a truth 

 that was never more strongly exempli- 

 fied than at present. In tlu; last ten or 

 twelve years, more than four times the 



Juantily of poetry has been published 

 lan was ever before during an equal 

 period ; and several pieces have been 

 more favorably received than any of our 

 liighest classics, on their lirst ijubiica- 

 MO.NTHLY MA<i. No. 2t!i*. 



Cultivated. I Total. 



216,000 acres. 700,000 ac. 916,000 ac. 



35,000 60,000 95,000 



50,000 54,000 104,000 



tion ; for which, I am apt to tliink, they 

 have been more indebted to the capri- 

 cious dominion of fashion than to their 

 superior merit, I particularly noticed 

 one called the Giaour, by Lord Byron, 

 a strange jumble of affectation and com- 

 mon-place; the author's only ambition 

 being to write wliat he thinks is fine 

 poetry, but he is no wise solicitous about 

 what is natural, instructive, or pleasing. 

 The sale of this poem was, I behove, uji- 

 paralleled : in the course of a few months 

 about twelve editions were publis!ie(|, 

 and the book was then entirely throwi 

 aside. Sudden and tunmltuous appro- 

 bation is no proof of real merit, but, ge- 

 nerally, the contrary. The simple anjl 

 dignified charms of nature are never oli- 

 vious to the multitude ; but, by those by 

 whom they are discerned, they make aii 

 impression which time, instead of oblite- 

 rating, every day more and moie coii- 

 firms. Had the Giaour possessed intrin- 

 sic worth, as the subject was of a general 

 nature, and not addressed to accidental 

 and temporary passions or prejudices, 

 it would have continued to be equally 

 acceptable as on its first appearanre.* 



I am not in the practice of reading 

 tiiose long poetical narratives with 

 which we have been lately deluged; 

 but, from the copious extracts which 1 

 meet with in the critical journals, I can 

 perceive that their authors do not use the 

 public extremely well for its uncommoa 

 — \ — . 



* When the ferment in favor of this 

 poem was at its height, I sent to the editor 

 of the Monthly Magazine a few observa- 

 tions on it ; in which, from a considcratioo 

 of sonic arfnihaWe passages, selrcted by the 

 Edinburgh Reviewers, I atteniptrd (o 

 point out its demerits. Tlicse, liowever, 

 have never made tlieir appearance ; and 

 tliey may now, perhaps, be deemed um»«- 

 cessary. Fugitive poetry must be speedily 

 attacked. 



Q pai'tii4iittr 



