BASHFULNESS. 187 



who, in another, regards the whole scheme of redemption 

 as a cunningly devised fable. It will not do ! I am not 

 at present collected enough to give you a faithful account 

 of what is my religious belief I will just say that, as far 

 as the head is concerned, my creed is a sound one, but 

 alas for the heart ! ' 



The remainder of the letter accords well with this 

 profession of indifference, or at least of vacillation and 

 vicissitude, in spiritual affairs. He speaks of other 

 matters, and bewails his bashfulness in society. * In 

 that proper assurance which is opposed to bashfulness/ 

 he says, 'there is scarce a young girl in the country 

 who is not my superior/ He knows that this is a weak- 

 ness, but declares that he cannot help it. ' In one of 

 Shenstone's larger poems/ he proceeds, ' there is an ex- 

 quisite description of a bashful man when in company ; 

 and were it not that he is represented as possessed of 

 talent and virtue, I would lay my hand on the page, and 

 say, this is a portrait of H M . 



" But ill-starred sense, nor gay, nor loud, 

 Steals soft on tiptoe through the crowd, 

 Conveys his meagre form between, 

 And slides like pervious air unseen, 

 Contracts his known tenuity 

 As though 'twere ev'n a crime to be, 

 Nor ev'n permits his eyes to stray 

 To win acquaintance in their way. 



In company, so mean his air, 

 Yo v u scarce are conscious he is there, 

 Till from some nook, like sharpened steel, 

 Occurs his face's thin profile, 

 Still seeming from the gazer's eye 

 Like Venus newly bathed to fly. 



Disused to speak, he tries his skill, 

 Speaks coldly and succeeds but ill, 

 His pensive manner dulness deemed, 

 His modesty reserve esteemed, 

 His wit unknown, his learning vain, 

 He wins not one of all the train." ' 



