206 
of them have not been selected for one, 
at least; of the four new churches 
about to be erected; instead of which, 
the parishioners have shown a total 
disregard of historical association, 
and, with singular felicity, have fixed 
on part of Kennington Common, 
where criminals were executed, as an 
appropriate site for one of them. 
— 
. For the Monthly Magazine. 
NEWS FROM PARNASSUS. 
NO. XX. 
Theatrical Portraits, with other Poems ; 
( by Harry Stoe Van Dyk. 
feces is no error more general 
‘among the ordinary readers of 
poetry, than that of being inclined to 
estimate the character of a writer by 
the greatness of his undertaking. The 
Spectator humourously represents the 
authors of his day as valuing them- 
selves in proportion to the bulk of 
the respective volumes they had 
written; so that a writer who had 
presented the world with an erudite 
folio, would on no account submit to 
be placed on a level with one who had 
produced only a pamphlet, however 
ingenious. But the mistake, if not so 
palpable, is no Jess unreason able, of 
rating a poet according to the appa- 
rent rank of his work, of being biassed 
by a title-page, and influenced more 
by professions than by execution. 
Very different was the sentiment of 
the ingenious critic of antiquity :— 
Quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor 
hiatu? 
Quanto rectius hic qui nil molitur inepte ! 
Non fumum ex fulgore, sed ex fumo dare 
lucem 
Cogitat. 
There is little doubt that the judg- 
ing of poetieal merit by this erroneous 
standard, has contributed to the pom- 
pous pretensions so often put forth by 
writers, as a necessary means of be- 
speaking the favour of no inconsider- 
able portion of their readers. To 
persons with whom such introductions 
have weight, we fear that the small 
dimensions and unassuming title of 
the little volume before us may appear 
uninviting; but we would request 
them “to pause awhile ere they re- 
ject,” and to reflect that the real 
merit of a work does. not consist in 
the subject of which it treats, but in 
the success with which that subject is 
treated. Indisputably, the dignity of 
some departments of poetry is much 
greater than that of others: but it is 
_» News from Parnassus, No. XX. 
(Oct. 1, 
with literature as with real life,—the 
person who fills its humblest station 
ably and well, is superior to him who 
occupies the highest rank unworthily 
or indifferently. ‘The ode is certainly 
a much higher species of composition 
than the pastoral; yet had Pope never 
written any thing but his Pastorals,* 
he would still have ranked far before 
such lyric writers as Spratt and Y alden. 
Gay’s Beggar’s Opera outweighs all 
Lee’s tragedies ; and, though the epic 
is acknowledged to be the highest 
effort of human genius, while song- 
writing cannot claim for itself a very 
exalted place, we believe that no one 
would think for a moment of profaning 
the hallowed memory of Burns, by in- 
stituting any comparison between his 
talents as a poet, and those of such 
poor creatures as Amos Cottle and 
Dr. Southey the laureate. 
_Since the time of Churcbill’s Ros- 
ciad and Lloyd’s Actor, we have had 
no poetical attempt deserving of no- 
tice, to give a sketch of the performers 
of the day. Without intending te 
compare Mr. Van Dyk’s “Theatrical 
Portraits” to those masterly produc- 
tions, which would be flattery as obvi- 
ous as ridiculous, we feel justified in 
saying, that they are executed with 
great discrimination and fidelity, and 
evince a thorough acquaintance with 
the drama. On these accounts alone 
they would be valuable ; but they are 
likewise enriched by a vividness of 
imagination, a clearness of conception, 
and a warm poetical feeling, which 
pervades them all. Our limits will 
not admit of numerons extracts, but a 
few will be sufficient to justify the opi- 
nion we have expressed. 
The following lines, in the portrait 
of poor Emery, possess a peculiar in- 
terest at the present moment :— : 
But why recount each individual part, 
In which he moves the fancy or the heart? 
Why dwell on beauties clear as daylight’s eye, 
When gazing through the greyly-dappled sky? 
He ne’er o’ersteps the line that Nature draws, 
Nor sinks his Judgment to the mob’s applause ; 
He strays not through buffoon’ry’s slipp’ry aways, 
But holds the surer, nobler road to praise. 
Be ever thus; and let the public tell, 
How as “¢play’d many parts,” and play*d them 
well, 
The justice of this praise, and the ac- 
curate knowledge of Emery’s peculiar 
* We make no mention of Bloomfield 
here; for, in spite of the tide of passing 
popularity by which his early prommetian 
was upborne, we shall always retain the 
opivion we expressed on the first pernsal 
of it, that the “ Farmer's Boy” was only 
adapted tor the reading of farmer's men. 
talent 
