Poetry. 205 



The late pastoral poets of Great-Britain are nu- 

 merous; but of these few are worthy of being dis- 

 tinguished. Among such as deserve to be men- 

 tioned with particular honour, Dr. Beattie and 

 Mr. Southey stand in the first rank. The Her- 

 mit of the former, which belongs to this class ra- 

 ther than any other, in ease, in solemn musical 

 expression, in elevation of sentiment, and in pa- 

 thetic touches, is almost unrivalled, and would 

 be sufficient alone to establish the author's immor- 

 tality as a poet. And the Old Mansion House, the 

 Ruined Cottage, and the Botany-Bay Eclogues of 

 the latter, display the fine imagination, the grace- 

 ful simplicity, and the general poetic excellence, 

 for which the author is remarkable. 



In pastoral song and ballad, the poets of the last 

 age incontestibly excelled those of all preceding 

 centuries. In this class of poetic compositions 

 Great-Britain has been particularly fruitful; and 

 few names deserve to be mentioned with so much 

 honour as that of Robert Burns, who was no- 

 ticed in a former section. In the happy union of 

 ease, simplicity, humour, pathos, and energy, he 

 has had few equals in any age. 



LYRIC POETRY. 



The last age produced some specimens of lyric 

 poetry which deserve the highest praise. It has 

 been asserted, indeed, that in this species of com- 

 position modern poets are universally and indis- 

 putably inferior to the ancient; but this assertion 

 is made too hastily, and without sufficient qualifi- 

 cation. Some of the odes of Collins and of Gray 

 will bear an honourable comparison with the best 

 productions of this kind of any age. Besides 

 these, the lyric compositions of Watts, Thom- 

 son, Mason, Warton,Co\vper, Mrs. Bareauld, 



