284 GILBEET WHITE OF SELBORNE 1775 



to fall in of its own accord without their seeking : and if 

 rhimes are shackles, yet these people move so gracefully in 

 them, that we would not wish to see them divested of them. 



Blank verse is, no doubt, when well conducted, full of 

 dignity; but then perfection in that way is so rare, that 

 we never had but two or three poems that were worth 

 reading. A desire of raising the diction above prose pushes 

 men into fustian and bombast. Even the great Milton, the 

 father of blank verse, is not always free from this vice; 

 but ransacks the whole circle of sciences for a set of hard 

 words and rumbling terms that make his readers stare. 



As to Thomson (not Tompson) his Seasons are sweet 

 poems, full of just description and fine moral reflections. 

 But then this Scotch bard, through a desire of elevating 

 his language above prose, falls also into fustian sometimes ; 

 and though he thinks much like a poet, is often faulty in 

 his diction. 



The Cyder, of John Philips, a didactic and Georgic 

 poem in blank verse, is worthy your attention. This man 

 dyed young; but had he survived 'til he had acquired a 

 little more ease, and 'til time had somewhat mellowed his 

 muse, he had been an excellent poet. 



Somerville, quite in advanced life, wrote his ' Chace,' 

 a poem full of warmth and spirit, and all the enthusiasm 

 of a young sportsman. 



Thus have I given you my crude sentiments in a hasty 

 way on the subject of English poetry. If my remarks 

 afford any pleasure or information, my intention will be 

 fully answered. Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn appear 

 now every clear night as it were in a line; but how and 

 when am I to find Mercury ? Had it not been for your 

 Father, who showed him to me at Lyndon in April, 1760, 

 for near a fortnight together, I should never have seen him 

 ^^ ^^ Yours affectionately, 



Gil. White. 



