CU. PROLEGOMENA. 



and Burns, wrote beautifully, but there is more 

 lamentation of past pleasure in them than hope- 

 ful excitement to the contemplation of joys to 

 come ; for which we must refer to the poetry of 

 catholic countries. Such numerous illustrations 

 of this observation will be found in the course 

 of the work, that no further detail of the subject 

 is wanted here, and the reader need only refer to 

 the poetical articles under the days, Oct. 14th 

 and 19th; Dec. 11th and 12th, on the one hand ; 

 and on the other to July 2d, Au^. 14th, 15th, 

 22d, 25tl], and 30th ; Sept. 8th, Oct. 6th, Nov. 

 eth, 18th, 20th, and 24th ; Dec. 13th and 31st ; 

 besides numerous others, in order to be convinced 

 of what is here asserted. If he want further 

 proof, let him compare the odes of Horace and 

 of Anacreon, or the pastorals of Virgil, of Bion, 

 and of Moschus, and of all their modern pro- 

 testant imitators, with the psalms of David, the 

 hymns of St. Hilary, of Prudentius, and the early 

 saints and all their catholic imitators, in our 

 breviaries and missals. For the predominant 

 feelings of the heart will naturally break out in 

 the eifusions of the muse, and as doubt and 

 despondency are the great drawbacks to the 

 pleasures of sceptics and heretics, so faith, hope, 

 and charity, mark the animated productions of 

 the catholic mind. 



We now and then find grand sentiments in 



