194 HENRY KIRKE WHITE's REMAINS. 



joy at so apparently long a letter ; but, upon finding it 

 consisted of sides filled after the rate of five words in a 

 line, and nine lines in a page, I could not conceal my 

 chagrin ; and I am sure I may very modestly say, that 

 one of my ordinary pages contains three of yours ; if 

 you knew half the pleasure I feel in your correspondence, 

 I am confident you would lengthen your letters. You 

 tantalize me with the hopes of a prolific harvest, and 

 I find alas ! a thin crop, whose goodness only makes me 

 lament its scantiness. 



* * * * 



I had almost forgot to tell you that I have obtained 

 the first prize (of a pair of Adam's twelve-inch globes, 

 value three guineas) in the first cla-ss of the Monthly 

 Preceptor. The subject was an imaginary tour from 

 London to Edinburgh. It is printed consequently, and 

 I shall send it to you the very first opportunity. The 

 proposals stated that the essay was not to exceed three 

 pages when printed — mine takes seven ; therefore I am 

 astonished they gave me the first prize. There was an 

 extraordinary number of candidates, and they said they 

 never had a greater number of excellent ones, and they 

 wished they could have given thirty prizes. You will 



find it (in a letter) addressed to N , meaning your 



self. 



* * * * 



Warton is a poet from whom I have derived the most 

 exquisite pleasure and gratification. He abounds in 

 sublimity and loftiness of thought as well as expression. 

 His Pleasures of Melancholy is truly a sublime poem. 

 The following passage I particularly admire : — 



" Nor undelightful in the solemn noon 

 Of night, where, haply wakeful from my couch 

 I start : lo, all is motionless around ! 

 Roars not the rushing wind ; the sons of mea, 

 And every beast, in mute oblivion lie ; 

 All Nature's hush'd in silence and in sleep. 

 Oh, then, how fearful is it to reflect, 

 That through the still globe's awful solitude 

 No being wakes but me !" 



How afifecting are the latter lines f it is impossible to 



