768 
his ‘¢ Isis,” an elegy, in which he ad- 
verts to the abovementioned circum- 
stances. In answer to this poem, 
Warton’s ‘* Triumph of Isis” ap- 
peared. This work, at least, shews 
the readiness with "which Wattoa 
could apply himself to the treatment 
of an occasional subjeét, and Mason 
readily yielded the palm for its su- 
perior excellence to his own poem. 
At several times, from March to 
July 1750, Mr. Warton contributed 
to ** The Student,” a monthly mis- 
cellany, published in Oxford, “* A 
Panegyric on Oxford Ale,”—‘* The 
Progress of Discontent,”—‘+ Morn- 
ing,” an ode.—* The Author con- 
fined to College,” and a metrical 
version of the 39th ¢hapter of Job. 
The “ Panegyric on Oxford Ale’. 
is inferior to Philips’s ‘* Splendid 
Shilling’’ only because it is an imita- 
tion of it: 
content” is an exquisite picture of 
human life, exemplified in an indi- 
vidual instance. It may be said to 
be the ‘ best imitation of Swift that 
has yet appeared.” Of the version 
from Job it is but little to say, that it 
isnervousand spirited. The following 
anecdote will shew, that his talents 
were known and esteemed in col- 
lege. In the'common room it was 
a custom to ele¢ét a poet-laureat, 
whose duty was to celebrate, ina 
copy of English verses, a lady, 
‘likewise annually chosen, and dis- 
tinguished by the title of lady-pa- 
troness, to which office Warton was 
seleéted in 1747 and 1748. His verses, 
still remaining in the common room, 
are written in-an elegant and flowing 
style, and have that kind of merit 
which doubtless ensured them. ap- 
plause when they were written. He 
had, of course, before this period, 
taken the degree of A. B. In 1750 
he became M: A. In 1751 he suc- 
ANNUAL‘REGISTER, 
** The Progress of Dis-_ 
1803. 
ceeded to a fellowship, and was 
thus placed in a situation easy, in- 
dependent, and particularly conge- 
nial to his habits of retirement and 
study. In this year he published 
‘¢ Newmarket,” ‘a satire—‘+ The 
Oxford Sausage’——an ‘* Ode for 
Music’’—and a copy of Latin hexa- 
meters on the death of Frederic 
prince of Wales. ‘* Newmarket,” 
the only satire which our poet has 
written, is remarkable for its biting 
sarcasm and manly indignation, and 
is, perhaps, not inferior to the best 
satirical compositions of Young or 
Pope. Of the “* Ode for Music” 
little can be favourably said, The 
verses on the death of Frederic pos- 
sess much fine poetical imagery. In 
1753 he compiled the ** Union, or 
seleét Scots and English Poems,” 
among which are several of his own 
w riting. About 1754 he drew upa 
body of statutes for the Radeliffe li- 
brary. Inthe same year were prb- 
lished his “* Observations. on the 
Facrie Queene of Spenser,” of which 
Dr. Johnson had a high opinion. 
Warton was peculiarly fitted for 
works of that description, from a 
natural turn to the study of roman- 
tic history and ancient poetry. He 
possesses the singular merit of hay- 
ing been the first to illustrate his au- 
thors by an examination of the 
works with which they had been - 
principally conversant. His remarks 
on the stanza and versification of 
Spenser, on Spenser’s imitation of 
Chaucer and Ariosto, and those 
which relate to the poem, considered 
by itself, display an elegant taste 
and a discriminative judgment ;" but 
its greatest merit consists in an illus- 
tration of the more obscure sources 
from which Spencer drew: its de- 
tection of the fabulous legends which 
he copied ; its ‘developement of the 
Teasons 
