KENNEY’S SOCIETY.—-LORD STRANGFORD’S TRANSLATION OF CAMOENS. 
569 
Art. XXXI. Society; a Poem,in Two Parts, with other Poems. By James Kenneys 
8vo. pp 172. 
FROM this volume we will quote 
what appear to us the best specimens of 
the-author’s performances, serious and 
comic. : 
«« Pass to the weary.and deserted conch 
Of grey infirmity ; the wreck of health, 
And strength, in nature’s stealing progress 
~-borfie ) 7) nt an 
To piteous helplessness ; ungrateful youth 
Its cheerful smiles denying him, his mind 
Dwells undiverted on the view of death 
Approaching with deliberate pace, as loth 
To seize a prey so fair, so long resisting. 
Bear with his childishness, and let him taste 
A social hour; thine ear awhile allow 
To his garrulity, his fav'rite tales 
Of earlier times, when he was young and gay. 
"Twill make him happy, stir his slaggish 
_ blood 
To brisker circulation, and perhaps 
Defer. the hout when it must low-no more. 
This is the gnly pleasure age can know ; 
Nor surely less the pleasure to bestow it. 
Of late my worldly callings drew me oft 
Where such a man dozed out his eve of life. 
A man of bustle he had been, and chose 
Life’s busiest cares: his active spirits yet 
Scarce ninety pilfering years had plundered 
out; 
And thus his heavy fate more heavy seem’d. 
His energies decaying, he resigned 
His interests to the kindred next his heart, 
- And sought repose, Sole on his interests bent, 
His kindred soon forgot their source. Neglect 
Repaid their benefactor, or when nigh, 
Contempt was smirking in each face,and sneers 
‘For errors of his fast-decaying sense 
‘And wasted memory. The old man felt 
His mortifying lot, and drooped apace. 
Yet when the zephyr breath‘d, and the bright 
sun 
SAGpone gaily forth, he hobbled to his door 
nd cheery gazed upon the world : and oft 
Hestopt (for such acquaintance had he made) 
A passer by, to ask how fared his health 
And what the news. In ruder times he sat 
Unjoyous in an old arm-chair. When I ap- 
- pear'd, 
He rose (twas all he could) and shook my 
hand. 
, He gladden’d at my sight, for well he knew 
1 scorned him not, but had a willing ear 
Forhis discourse. He told me his complaints ; 
Een that was comfort—told me how his 
~ friends 
No more delighted in his sight ; and thence, 
A natural step, reverted to his days 
Of youth and happiness: then tidings ask’d 
Of how the world wept now. . Unsparing I 
Freely the wished intelligence supplied, 
"Till smiles would play upon his wrinkled 
cheeks, 
And all his cares, and all his wees scem'd 
nought. 
And when the hour of separation came, 
He griev'd it was so soon; in warmest phrase 
Talk'd of what thanks he was in debt to me, 
That I had done him so much charity ; 
Then with his palsied hand again shook mine, 
And bad me soon return.” ; 
The following lines are part of a poem 
occasioned by a satire upon short people. 
** Complexions unseemly, or limb that of 
fends; 
Bandy legs and high shoulders, carbuncles, 
and wens, ; 
Shall soon feel the foree of my song, 
our scare-crows and. dowdies I'll cursedly 
maul, 
All under-sized people, or people too tall, >: 
And people as broad as they are long. 
“« All ye that have locks to disfigure the pate, 
Like carrots in hue, and as stubbornly straight, 
Such locks ye shall certainly rue. nas 
And henceforth shall none with impunity 
wear ; pa” ; 
A nose of the bottle kind, nose that’s too spare; 
Or nose you might make into two. 
** On an uncomely leg, 
wood 
Assuming the 
stood, 
Depend on’t my wit sha’nt be stinting. 
No face with more mouth than should come 
to its share, 
Or short of an eye any longer I’}! bear, 
And let me catch any man squinting! 
or a mere stump of 
place where a leg’ has once 
«« Next ailings of every description I'll scout: 
Colds, agues, and fevers, the gripes and the 
gout, 
Shall get a satirical wimming. 
And dotage shall feel too the gall of my pen; 
For no good excuse can be for old men, 
And surely still less for old women.” 
There is some merit in these passages, 
but Mr. Kenney is often feeble and 
often incorrect. 
Arr. XXXII. Poems from the Portuguese of Luis de Camoens ; with Remarks on bis 
THIS, little volume exhibits a very 
‘singular instance of literary imposi- 
tion. We use the word in no dishonour- 
Writings, Notes, Gc. By Lord Viscount Strancrorp. 8vo. pp. 160, 
ble sense, and wish that one less equivo~ 
cal could have been found to express our 
meaning, The trick which Lord Strang- 
