586 POETRY. 
author ; and his probatum est is affixed to 
each of the poems. 
*© Whoever,” says Mr. Lofft, * has read the 
preface to the Farmer's Boy, will bardly fail 
of recollecting the name of Nathaniel Bloom- 
field, the author of the poems here*offered to 
the public. ' 
«© It will be remembered, that he there ap- 
pears; with his brother, George Bloomfield, 
Standing in the place of the father, whom 
they bad early lost, to their younger brother 
Robert. 
* Jt # natural to suppose, that this bro- 
therly ioterference, Pt its, consequences, 
feats and advantageously influenced the 
ispositions, pursuits, and habits of thought 
and conduct, of all three of the brothers. 
And it is the more exemplary, when itis con- 
sidered how young the two eldest were at 
that time. 
«¢ It isan encouraging instance, how much 
muy be effected fer each other by the poor 
and uneducated, if they have prudence, acti- 
vity, and kind affections ; and how unexpect- 
edly, and to an extent far beyond apparent 
probability, success is givew by Providence to 
virtuous and benevolent efforts. 
*< Beyond question, the brothers of this fa- 
mily are all extraordinary men; and perhaps 
every one of them is more so than he pa 
have been’ withont the fraternal concord 
which has animated them all, and multiplied 
the powers of all by union and sympathy.” 
Nathaniel was apprenticed to a taylor, and 
at present works at that trade in London. He 
was not without his fears, “* lest it should 
be thought that, although the muse can visit 
a Shepherd’s Boy, there may be some em- 
loyments which exclude her influence — 
hat a Taylorshould be a Poet, he doubied, 
might appear too startling an assertion ; and 
he had said accordingly to his brother George, 
in a letter, when this publication was first 
going to press, ‘ I want you to exclude ‘the 
word taylor. Let there be no such word in 
the book. But perhaps I am too late. I 
know there isin the public mind as great con- 
tempt for him who bears the appellation of 
taylor, as Sterne has made old Shandy have 
for Simkin, Nickey, or Tristram. How 
many Cesars and Pompeys, says he, by mere 
inspiration of the names, have been rendered 
worthy of them? And how many are there 
who might have done exceedingly well in the 
world, had not their characters and spirits 
been totally depress’d and Nicodemiz'd ; and 
I will add (says Mr. N. Bloomfield) taylor'd 
into nothing? In the Rehearsal, the author, 
to make the most ridiculous part of it still 
more ridiculous, tells us, that it was written 
to a taylor, and by a taylor's wife.) And even 
the discerning Spectator has given into this 
common-place raillery in the Monkey’s Let- 
ter to her Mistress. He has made the soul 
which inhabited Pug’s body, in recounting 
the humiliating state it had formerly been in, 
say, that he had been a taylor, 3 shifinip, at 
atom-tit. It is from these causes, as well a 
from the habits and appearance contracted b 
a recluse and sedentary life, that, in the en- 
lich ened, as weil as the ignorant, the ideas 
of taylor avd insignificance are inseparably. 
linked together.” 
Tillotson’s Sermons and a few reli- 
pignis tracts were his first studies; after 
e had removed to Londonhe purchased 
the Night Thoughts, and by means of 
stall-hunting collected a few other poets, 
It was his evening’s amusement, when 
single, to read Entick’s Dictionary, and 
to write down every word of which he 
wished to remember the spelling or the 
meaning. For the last fifteen years he 
has read. but little, his family having 
claimed his utmost exertions ; his bust. 
ness allowing little letsure, and what 
leisure he had being generally employed 
in walking with his children. ‘Though 
very poor he has been very happy. 
‘The Essay on War is designed to shew, 
says the author, 
‘« That wars an inevitable ill, 
An ill thro’ nature's various realms diflus’d, 
An ill subservient to the genera} good.” — 
The paradox is supported by sundry 
trite arguments which we will not waste 
time in confuting. As a specimen of 
the poetry we select the personification 
of Gunpowder. 
*¢ Gunpowder ! let the soldier's pean rise, 
Where e’er thy name or thundering voice is 
heard : 
Let him who, fated to the needful trade, 
Deals out the adventitious shafis of death, 
Rejoice in thee ; and hail with loudest shouts 
The auspicious era, when deep searching art 
From out the hidden things in nature’s store 
Call'd thy tremendous powers: and tutor’ 
man 
To chain the unruly element of fire. 
At his controul, to wait bis potent touch; , 
To urge his missile bolts of sudden death, 
And thunder terribly his vengeful wrath. 
Thy mighty engines and gizantic towers _ 
With frowning aspect awe the trembling 
world. , aad 
Or weak, or powerful, what escapes thy force? 
When thy dire thunder and thy sudden blaze 
Hath taught the birds to trernble—litle know, 
Ah! little know those gentle sons of air 
How fully their destruction 1s aveng’d: 
That man himself, thy terror’s boasted lord, 
Within the blacken'd hollow of thy tube, 
Affrighted sees the darksome shades of death 5 
Nor only mourning groves, but human tears, 
‘The weepingwidow’s tears, the orphan’s cries, 
“Sadly deplore thate’er thy powers were known: 
Hosts whirl'd ia air, and cities sunk in flames, 
Attest the horrid trieniphs of thy might. 
Yet let thy advent be the soldier's song— 
. . 
No longerdodin'd to grapple with thé foe 
—- 
