632 
Soon as the perfect works appear, 
Their envious how] the monsters reat, 
And blast the rising name.” 
SHAKSPEARE. 
£¢ Like a vast rock, whose height sublime, 
’ May scorn the thieaten’d waste of time, 
Stands Avon’s mighty son ! 
The potent lyre isin his hand, 
Which o’er the passions held command, 
‘ And deathless garlands won. 
What time he call’d them to that cell, 
Where he wich Mature lov’d to dwell, 
And struck the sounding strings, 
Young Pity came and grac’d the shade, 
And various Love the call ohey’d, 
And wav’d his purple wings. 
Came sparkling Wit, and giddy Mirth, 
And call’d the laughing thoughts to birth, 
With joy the cavern rung ; 
Then chang’d the strain, and abject Fear, 
And Horror wild, and dark Despair, 
Inspir’d the lays he sung. 
*Tis said the gay fantastic pleasures, 
Heedless hear each other’s measures, 
And shun the dread alloy ; 
The gloomy dark unsocial fiends, 
Engross’d alike by different ends, 
Despise the thought of joy. 
But when he caught th’ inspiring sound, 
‘The wondering Passions gather’d round, 
_ Touch'd by the added fire ; 
Rapt on the varying numbers hung, 
And left their feebler harps unstrung, 
And listen’d to his lyre. 
”T was Nature’s gift, that potent lyre! 
She found his infant soul on fire, 
With fancy’s visions wild ; 
‘And taught him through her holy veil, 
To view each strange romantic tule, 
Charm’d with th’ enraptur’d child, 
Then nestling at her sacred breast, 
By swift degrees her high behest 
‘Temper’d his vagrant mood ; 
Till to the favor’d mortal’s eyes, 
Unfolding all her mysteries, 
Reveal’d the gaddess stood. 
Tis hence'that in his wildest song, | 
When fancy-led he bounds along, 
She still is hovering near 5 
And oft she spealzs, and o’er the whole 
Breathes a pure charm to reach the soul, 
And win the ravish’d ear.” 
“ The Pastoral Care, «Didactic Poen, 
in three Parts; Addressed to the Funior 
Clergy ;” likewise deserves our commen- 
dation ; though more perhaps for its in- 
tention, than its poetical merit. 
~ Inthe first part, which more particu- 
larly points to the Instruction of the poor, 
-and public charities; the most impas-, 
: 
4 
Retrospect of Domestic Literature—Poetry.~ 
sioned lives are probably those which re- 
late to Howard. In a note we find a 
short catalogue of books fit for dispersion 
among the poor. 
The second part concerns the minister’s 
Sunday duties, from which, as it relates 
to the offertory money, we shall make a 
short extract, 
«¢ But let not Mammon cast his smiling lure, 
To mercenary’ vows to tempt the poor ; 
Go with thy share of consecrated alms, 
(And while religion pours her better balms) 
Haste, to. the bed-rid sick a portion dole, 
Ease to his frame and mercy to hissoul : 
Since grateful for the boon, the streaming eye 
Will harmonize the mind to piety. 
‘© The fallen from better fortunes, too, re- 
lieve, 
Th’ asham'd to beg, the blushing to receive ; 
Tothese be bounty delicately given, 
‘As fall, unseen, the fresh’ning dews of 
heaven, 
«€ The mess of Benjamin give, amply give, 
To decent households, struggling hard to live; 
But bid stout idlers work, and shut thy door, 
The poor in rags are not the worthiest poor,” 
The third part relates to the clergy- 
man’s occasional duties: his behaviour 
in company, and his amusements: with 
a transition to the visiting of the sick. 
The modesty of the preface to Mrs. 
Trirrr’s “ Poems,” might alone have se- 
cured her little volame from censure ; but 
we have found in it several copies of 
verses, not only to be pleased with, but 
to recommend. Among others, 
THE NIGHT*CAP, AN IMPROMPTU, 
¢¢ Dear Julia, while these laughing girls 
Are on thy night-cap jesting, 
We'll moralize, and shew how well 
The subdject bears contesting. 
We'll shew, that in this world of woe, 
A night-cap is a treasure, 
Which would, to many an aching head, 
Give comfort without measyre. 
Full well we know, what small effects 
Can cause our joy or sorrow ; 
The heart which aches with grief to-day, 
Some trifle sooths to-morrow. 
Then let us, when the little cares 
OF life we treat with blindness, 
The night-cap to our minds recall, 
And soothe the heart with kindness.” 
In the “ Harp of Erin ; containing the 
Poetical Works of the late Tuomas Der- 
moby,” we have the productions of a 
young man, whose genius Yor poetry was 
accompanied by such eccentric passions, 
as at last to have lost hii the p¥otection 
of those who migit otherwise have ana 
im 
7 
