232 Poetry. 



haps, not going beyond the truth to say, that & 

 greater amount of poetic composition was pub- 

 lished in the course of the eighteenth century, than 

 all former ages together could furnish. 



It may also be stated as a general truth, that 

 the poetry of the last age is more distinguished 

 for taste than genius; more remarkable for polish, 

 smoothness, and harmony, than for invention, 

 strength, and boldness of thought and imagery; 

 and abounds more in those qualities which soothe, 

 amuse, and please, than in those which elevate* 

 astonish, and transport the mind. To some of 

 the names mentioned in the foregoing pages, it is 

 readily acknowledged that exalted genius belong- 

 ed; but, without staying to perform the task, 

 equally invidious and difficult, of adjusting the dif- 

 ferent claims of authors on this head, it may cer- 

 tainly be hazarded, as a general remark, that the 

 prevailing character of modern poetry is that of 

 correctness and taste. While those who were most 

 distinguished in preceding times, for originality 

 and sublimity, were often guilty of the grossest 

 violations of taste; while, in many of their writings, 

 blunders and absurdities were frequently found 

 mixed up, in nearly equal proportions, with beau- 

 ties and graces, it may be said, to the honour ot 

 the first class of poets of the eighteenth century, 

 that if they fall below some of their predecessors 

 in the bold, the original, and the sublime, they as 

 much exceed them in taste, refinement, uniform 

 propriety, and general elegance of versification. 



It may further be asserted, that a greater portion 

 of the poetry of the last age is purely moral, than 

 w T as ever before offered to mankind. Most of the 

 distinguished poets of former times were faulty in 

 this respect, and some of them grossly so. When 

 we look particularly into the English poets who 

 lived prior co the eighteenth century, we find them 



