— 
1€08.] 
Peace, followed by an eulogy on the he- 
roes fallen in the war. The author then 
makes a solemn address to his surviving 
friends and countrymen, exhorting them 
to preserve in- peace the liberty they 
have vindicated in war. The danger of 
losing it by inattention is illustrated in 
the rape of the golden fleece: one of 
the most beautiful and best applied il- 
lustrations that poetry has produced. 
Among other serious, and I think well- 
timed w warnings, 16 that against the slavery 
of the Afticans. In this connection is 
introduced the speech of Atlas, alluded 
to in the former part of this article, 
These exhortations are followed by a 
change of scenery, which gives us a rapid 
glance of the progress of the arts in Ame- 
rica; which, with a sketch of the cha- 
racters of several American artists, phi- 
Josophers, and poets, terminates the 
book. 
The 9th and 10th books present us 
with a larger scope of human affairs, a 
more affecting contemplation of the mo- 
ral tendencies of man than has hitherto 
been displayed. The’ ninth dwells on 
what is past, the tenth on what is future ; 
and nothing can excel the grandeur of 
these views, or the philanthropy and be- 
nevolence of the sentiments which ac- 
company them. ‘To show that all things 
in the physical, as well as moral system 
of nature, are progressive and ever tend- 
ing towards that perfection which would 
seem to satisty the friend of human hap- 
piness, Columbus is gratified by Hesper 
with a fanciful view of all her works, 
from the birth of the universe, through 
the formation and history of human 
society, down to such a state of im- 
provement as shall lead to universal ci- 
vilization, and the political harmony of 
all nations. 
Thus the poem is terminated by a 
train of expansive ideas and consoling 
reflections, calculated to sooth the trou- 
bled spirit of the hero in a manner more 
satisfactory than ail that could have been 
done for him by kings and ministers, 
had they been just and generous. 
This is what Mr. B. in the preface 
calls the poetical object, the fictitious 
design of the poem. ‘Thus the design is 
one, it is simple, clear, easy to be per- 
ceived, and is finally attained; the ac- 
tion is one, and as simple as the design, 
being, in fact, no more than what passes 
between the two principal personages, 
Columbus and Hesper; all the subordi- 
hate events, conducted by other actors, 
Observations on the Colunbiad. 
407 
being represented in vision, recounted 
from Y history and fable, or predicted by 
the celestial personages. The time also, 
and the place are kept each within the 
limits of strict dramatic unity, as is no- 
ticed in the preface; the place nof ex- 
tendiug beyond the prison and the 
mouut of vision; and the time not ex- 
ceeding two days. 
So far, therefore, as I am to judge 
by the technical requisites of epic song 
the Columbiad must be ranked in that 
class of werks; and so far as the real 
oliject and intrinsic character of the 
poem are to guide the decision, the rea- 
der indeed must form his own, but mine 
would assign it a high rank; indeed, 
in that class it would even incline me to 
pronounce, that only three poems ought 
to stand above it,. the Iliad, Eneid, and 
Paradise Lost. 
Having sketched the general outline of 
the piece, I must proceed with more 
detail in my examination, and offer some 
specimens of the composition. The 
monologue of Columbus in prison, with 
which the poem opens, has considerable 
pathos, and some good description, but 
I think it too long. It is always a 
delicate business for a hero to complain, 
itis not a heroic employment; and in 
no situation will he find it more difficult 
to keep up his dignity. I am sensible 
that this case is a singular one; he is 
alone in a dungeon at midnight, his 
spirits broken down by a long train of 
cruel calamities, injustice, and. ingrati- 
tude. A variety of subjects must crowd 
upon his feelings, and his feelings de-- 
mand utterance in a manner too strong 
to be resisted by a mind which, without 
ceasing to be great, must be enfeebled 
by suffering. - 
These circumstances furnish some 
apology. Indeed it requires one; and 
the merit of the lines, though great, 
would not be deemed a sufficient one for 
extending such a solo to 74 lines, and 
that at the beginning of the poem. Other 
critics on this. passage may differ from py 
in opinion; and [ hope they wail, 
this is the only instance I have noel 
in this author of any want of judgment 
in proportioning the parts to each other, . 
or to the whole. 
The approach and appearance of Hes- 
per are brilliant ; the ascent to the mount 
of Vision, Europe, setting from the sight 
the Western Ocean, and then the Ameri-. 
can Continent draw: ing. into view, may" 
be cited.as specimens of the magnificent.’ 
a Among. 
