T. WARTON’S POETICAL WORKS. 
College, Oxford, and Poet-Laureat. 
543 
Arr. V. The Poetical Works of the late Thomas Warton, B.D. Fellow of Trinity 
Fifth Edition, corrected and enlarged. To which 
are now added, Inscriptionum Romanarum Delectus, and an Inaugural Speech, 
fe. 3 
together with Memoirs of his Life and Writings, and Notes critical and explanatory. By 
Ricuarp Mant, M.A. Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. 8vo. 2 vols. pp. about 
700. 
THE memory of the Wartons is de- 
servedly dear to all lovers of English 
literature. Mr. Mant has performed an 
acceptable service to the public in thus 
editing the poems of the younger War- 
ton; we should rejoice to see the same 
fre tribute paid to the elder brother 
also. 
The memoirs of Thomas Warton con- 
tain, of course, little incident to create 
or gratify curiosity ; he led an easy, in- 
_dolent, collegiate life, amusing himself 
with literary pursuits. Mr. Mant has 
‘published his first composition, a letter 
written when he was nine years old. 
Dr. Joseph Warton always preserved it 
as a literary curiosity, and as such we 
copy it. 
«¢ Dear sister, 
«J thank you for your letter; and, in 
seturn, I send you the first production of 
my little muse, which I wish was now old 
enough to make a song for you to set to 
music ; but at present I send you these four 
verses. 
“ On Leander’s swimming over the Hellespont 
to Hero: translated by me from the Latin 
of Martial. 
| «When bold Leander sought his distant fair, 
~ 
(Nor could the sea a braver burthen bear,) 
Thus to the swelling waves he spoke his woe, 
Drown me on my return,--but spare meas Igo. 
«J agree with you in thinking that friend- 
ship, like truth, should be without form or 
ornament ; and that. both appear best in their 
dishabille. Let friendship, therefore, and 
truth, rousic and poetry, go hand in hand. 
«<The above verses I know are a trifle—but 
you will make good-natured allowances for 
my little young muse; it will be my utmost 
ambition to make some verses, that you can 
set to your harpsichord ;—and to shew you 
upon all occasions how sincerely 1 am your: 
affectionate brother, 
From the School, 
«¢ THomas WarRrTon.” 
Nov. 7, 1737. ; 
The following circumstances appear 
to us to prove what has generally been 
‘surmised. 
«© On the anonymous- publication of the 
‘ Heroic Epistle to Sir William Chambers,’ 
‘about the year 1776, it is known that vari- 
ous opinions were entertained as to who was 
the author. Mr. Warton being present ina 
large company, where it was the subject of 
conversation, ascribed it to Mason. The 
declaration was at first made inadvertently. 
« Well,’ said he, «if I had been Mason, [ 
would not have written it.’ When his words 
were taken up, he was surprised at his hav- 
ing so committed himself; but having once 
delivered, proceeded to substantiate his opi- 
nion. It was founded on the internal evi- 
dence of the poem; versification, style, &c. 
«But, Mr. Warton, style is so uncertain a 
criterion: how can you pretend to say that 
the poem was writtea by Mason from its 
style?’ * Just,’ he answered, ‘as a hatter 
would tell you whe made that hat.’ 
«« The opinion, thus delivered and support- 
ed, by some means came to the knowledge of 
Mason; who, having occasion to write to 
Warton about the time, took notice of it in 
the following letter: 
*« But while I have the pleasure of writ- 
ing to you, I feel myself half inclined to add 
a short expostulation on another subject. I 
have been told that you have pronounced me 
very frequently in company to be the author 
of the Peeoid Epistle to Sir William Cham- 
bers, and I am told too that the premier 
himself suspects that I am so upon your 
authority. Surely, sir, mere internal” evi- 
dence (and you can possibly have no other) 
can never be suflicient to ground such a de- 
termination upon, when you consider haw 
many persons in this. rhyming age of ours 
are possessed of that knack of Pope's versi- 
fication, which constitutes one part of the 
merit-of that poem; and as to the wit, hu- 
mour, or Satice. which it contains, no part 
of my Writings could ever lead you, by their 
analogy, to form so peremptory a judgment. 
T acquit you, however, in this procedure of 
every, even the slichtest, degree of ill-nature ; 
and belieye that what you have said was only 
to shew your,critical acumien. I only men- 
tion it, that you may be more cautious of 
speaking of other persons im like manner, 
who may throw such anonymous bantlings 
of their brain into the wide world. To some 
_of these it might prove an essential injury ; 
for though they might deserve the frown of 
power, (as the author in question certainly 
does,) yet 1 am persuaded that your goed 
nature would be hurt if that frown -was 
Anereased or fixed by your ipse dizit. 
** To say more on this trivial subject, 
would betray a sclicitude on my part, very 
foreign from my present feelings or ineli- 
nation. My easy and independent cireum- 
stances make such a suspicion sit mighty 
easy upon me; and the minister, nay the 
whole ministry, are free to think what they 
