3816.] Original Letters let ween Dr. Young and Mr. Richardson, 

 Jias adopted in some of liis poems, and 

 llie uncouth, yet pleasinsj, tictions in 

 which he h:is dressed out the whole of 

 Ihcrn in the exuberance of a rich imngi- 

 nation. Neither of these qualities, how- 

 ever, can excite continued admiration, 

 or rivet lasting attention ; but they pos- 



331 



mtm principles of human nature, and 

 the ordinary incidents of human lift ; he 

 must attend to the elegant crnbelUsh- 

 ment of his topic, as well as the strong 

 interest it excites, by affecting our most 

 vivid passions. 



I have been tlnis incited, to expose 



scss those fleeting attractions that en- some of the errors ot Scott, errors into 

 jrare a nine days' wonder, aud then ex- which he has been sc.lnced by a lo- 

 pire, never to be revived by the breath niantic imagination, an inipatient am- 

 ©f fame, or the voice of praise ; w!;ose hition, and an eagerness after novelty, 

 ashes, even when trodden on by envy, by the ])cniicious iutluence which the 

 fail to emit a spark ; and whose grave is celebrity of his writings has excrcisfctl 

 not bedecked by a single blossom of ua- over the purity of otirlastc. Scott will 

 tural poetry, that can flourish in peren- be imitated long after he has ceased to 

 nial bloom, and outlive the vicissitudes be read; and perliaps t'lcrc canrtot exist 

 of ages and the tempests of criticism. a stronger proof of his want of standard 

 A better illustration cannot easily be merit and his departure from the track 

 given of the true character of his poems of nature, than the facility and success 

 than by placing them iu direct opposi- of such imitations. The sudden a(<g- 

 fiou to those oi Goldsmith, Thompson, leet into which he has already fallen m 

 or Parnel. The latter are the bards of this country, is not a slight corroboration 

 nature, who paint the feelings of the of the above remarks; nor an unfaithful 

 hcart,underthc influence of probable civ- token of the judgment of posterity, 

 cnmstances, and the control of common Yet every mind of sensibihfy must con- 

 passions. Scott is the poit of prcterna- template with sorrow, the fruitless la« 

 tural appearances or maivcllous events, hours of perverted genius; and indulga 

 ever on tSie watch for monstrous prodi- in the hope, that a poet of such vigorous 

 gies, enchantment, magic, and supersti- powers, will yet retrieve his repniation, 

 tion ; every thing out of the order of na- and establish his renown, by the splendid 

 ture delights his fancy, and sets his pen production of a standard work, fiee from 

 in motion ; while he overlooks or de- the blemishes that now deform aud dis- 

 spiscs every attracting em;tion of the grace his mind. We wish to set> him 

 heart, chaste seutiincnf, or obvious become perfect, as well as pop^dar; 

 image. As his pictures, tlicreiore, are solid as well as brilliaut, and durable as 

 not copies from natine, nor his scenes, well as modish; we wish to sec him so 

 in unison with the common emotions of reformed, that ^ 

 the breast, he can only hopo to be ad- " Seers, lovers, legislators, prelates, kings, 

 mired white curiosity is fresh, and won- "All raptur'tt listen, as he raptur'd sings, 

 der still gaping with surprise ; he cannot " Sweetness and strength his book aud lays 

 presume to awaken the sympathies of employ, 



the heart, througii endless generations, " Greet smiles with smiles, and ev'ry joy 

 and build a secure fame upon the torn- with joy." 



'N. 



One ITun»red and fifty Original Letters hdicren Dr. 

 EDWARD YOUNG, Author of Mght T/iouifhts, and Mr. SAMUEL 

 RICHARDSON, Author of Clarina, Grandison, Sj'c. 



LETTER CV. 



April 27, 1756. 

 My dear and very kind friend, 



IHiuoici: to hear from you, and 

 s'lall rejoice more tu sec you ; and, 

 therefore, when in nsy power, shall 

 gratefully accept yoin- invitation, and 

 think myself happy under your new roof, 

 which 1 hope you find as convenient as 

 jour former. 



Aliss (Jolliorn may rely on my self- 

 love tor doing for the young gentleman 

 uU that is in power; for nothing could 

 ^ivc me greater pleasure than do oujjUt 



that would be welcome to licr most wor- 

 thy falhcr. 



As Juvenal says of a boxing-match, 

 I think it is a bles siu;^, paiicis eiim Den^ 

 tibiis, to escape out of the hands of Gal 

 leni; mine have been dis'.einpered ever 

 since, and lather worse than before^ I 

 win very, very sorry, li>r the bail account 

 ;,'ou give of your's. And your saying- 

 that youi friend VVatsfin innocently be.. 

 trayed yon into it, makes me think that, 

 what Solomon says of onomtos R.ud 

 friends, may bo applied to fools ancl the 

 wise—" Si'I'Hrate thyself iiotu fubls, and 

 (I w'i iak« 



