LIFE OF CHARLES COTTON. 235 



on the subjects by him chosen for the exercise of his 

 poetical talent, a burlesque of an epic poem aversion of 

 the most licentious ofLucian's dialogues and a ludicrous 

 delineation of some of the most stupendous works of 

 nature, in all which we meet with such foul imagery, such 

 obscene allusions, such offensive descriptions, such odious 

 comparisons, such coarse sentiment, and such filthy expres- 

 sion, as could only proceed from a polluted imagination, and 

 tend to excite loathing and contempt. 



On the other hand, there are, in his Poems on several 

 Occasions, verses, to ladies in particular, of so courtly and 

 elegant a turn, that, bating their incorrectness, they might 

 vie with many of Waller and Cowley : * others there are, 

 that bespeak him to have had a just sense of honour, 

 loyalty, and moral rectitude ; as do these that follow, penned 

 by him with a view to preserve the memory of a deceased 

 friend : f 



Virtue, in those good times that bred good men, 



No testimony craved of tongue or pen ; 



No marble columns nor engraven bra*s, 



To tell the world that such a person was ; 



For then each pious act, to fair descent, 



Stood for the worthy owner's monument : 



But in this change of manners and of states, 



Good names, though writ in marble, have their fates ; 



Such is the barbarous and irreverent rage 



That arms the rabble of this impious age. 



Yet may this happy stone, that bears a name 

 Such as no bold survivor dares to claim, 



* It is not only for their courtly and elegant turn that the verses of 

 Charles Cotton ought to be praised, there is such a delightful flow of 

 feeling and sentiment, so much of the best parts of our nature mixed up 

 in them, and so much fancy displayed, that one of our most distin- 

 guished living poets has adduced several passages of his Ode upon 

 Winter, for a general illustration of the characteristics of fancy. 

 " The middle part of this Ode contains a most lively description of the 

 entrance of Winter, with his retinue, as a 'palsied king,' and yet a 

 military monarch, advancing for conquest with his army, the several 

 bodies of which, and their arms and equipments, are described with a 

 rapidity of detail, and a profusion of fanciful comparisons, which 

 indicate, on the part of the poet, extreme activity of intellect, and a 

 correspondent hurry of delightful feeling." This recommendation from 

 the hand of Wordsworth, will make the reader anxious to become 

 acquainted with a volume, "which, though stained with some peculia- 

 rities of the age in which the poet lived," ought yet to form a part of 

 all future collections of English poetry. 



f On a monument of Robert Port, Esq. in the church of Bam, in 

 the county of Stafford. 



