1801. ] 
merits, but agreeing altogether with Mrs. 
Robinfon’s fafhion and currency at that 
moment. When a fubfequent edition ap- 
peared, their tone was lowered; but: it 
had this confiftency in it, that, though it 
was now below the merit of the work, it 
was ona level with the declining fortunes 
of Mrs. Robinfon. . 
The Poems, in two 8vo0. volumes, which 
may juftly be called Mrs. Robinfon’s fir 
publication, are almoft in every part cha- 
racierized by the effufions of a rich genius; 
the fweetnefs and elegance of a polifhed 
talte; and the genuine language of {enfibi- 
lity. Among the moft vigorous poems in 
that collection, are the following : a poem 
entitled—Ainfi va le Mande; in which 
the hallowed {pirit of freedom (now indeed 
in little eftimation) is poured forth in the 
true ftyle of a poet—Lines addreffed to him 
ewho will underfiand them; veplete with 
paffion A poem beginning with Bownd- 
ing billow ceafe thy motion; often named 
with admiration by a gentleman who is at 
once among the fineft of our poets and 
the greateft of our orators.——And that 
moft beautiful poem The Maniac; whole 
merit led the celebrated author of The 
Minfirel to feek an introduction to Mrs. 
Robinfon, at Bath, where they both hap- 
pened to be foon after its publication. 
The Legitimate Sonnets are remarkable 
for their tendernefs, and the harmony of 
their verfification; but have not the 
ftrength of moft of Mrs. Robinfon’s other 
poems. 
The little volume containing the three 
poems entitled, Sight; The Cavern of Woe ; 
and Solitude; has feveral paflages of the 
purelt fire, the boldeft thought, and the 
richeft imagery. 
But the Lyrical Tales are, perhaps, the 
- moft delightful of Mrs. Robinfon’s com- 
pofitions. Almoft every poem in that 
imal! volume is a treafure to the heart or 
the imagination. The Haunted Beach is 
to be diftinguifhed for poetic imagery, and 
the excellence of the tale. After the caufe 
of the beach being haunted is unfolded, in 
the murder of 2 fhipwrecked failor by a 
fifherman, tempted by the gold he had 
about his perion, and g /pefre'd band 
(the drowned companions of the failor) are 
defcribed as furrounding the fifherman’s 
cottage, or follow.ng him in his occupa- 
tion, the poem concludes with the follow- 
ing verfes; which, for terror, and for the 
confequent moral, are not furpafled inthe 
Englith language. 
** And fince that hour the fiherman 
Has toil’d and toil’d in vain! 
For all the night, the moony light 
Gleams gn) the fpettex’d main | 
* 
Ddomoirs of the late Mrs. Rebinjon. 
39 
And when the fkies are veil’d in gloom 
The murd’rer’s liquid way 
Bounds o’er the deeply yawning tomb, 
And flafhing fires the fands illumes 
Where the green billows play? 
Full thirty years his tafe has beens 
Day after day more weary 5 
For Heaven defign’d his guilty miad 
Should dwell on profpects dreary. 
Bound by a {trong and myftic chain, 
He has not pow’r to ftray 5 
But, deftin’d mis’ry to fuftain, 
He wattes, in folitude and pain—— 
A loathfome life away.” 
The Alien Boy is an inftance of the 
fublime. It is impoffible by defcription 
to do jultice to the merits of that poem. 
One touch of the fineft art we cannot for-. 
bear to give in the following lines — 
as wee Yet he fives, 
A melancholy proof that man may bear 
All the rude ftorms of fate, and ftill fufpire = 
By the rude world forgotten !” 
This is faid of one abandoned to all extre- 
mities of wretchednels. And for the per- 
fect inight into the human heart witk 
which it is faid, we appeal to all who 
know its workings. 
The Deferted Cottage is a fine example 
of the fimple and pathetic in writing ; and 
the two concluding verfes deferve to be 
quoted for the refinement of their feeling, 
and the delicacy of their moral tafte — 
«¢ And now behold yon little cot 
All dreary and forfaken ! 
And know, that foon ’twill be thy lot 
To fall, like Jacog and his race, 
And leave on time’s {wift wing no trace, 
Vhich way thelr courfe is taken. 
Yet, if for truth and feeling known, 
Thou ftill fhalt be lamented! 
For when thy parting figh has flown, 
Fond Mrem’ry on thy grave fhall give 
A tear—to bidthy vir TvEs live ! 
Then—fmile, AND BE CONTENTED.” 
The Poor Singing Dame is alfo 2 pathetic 
tale; which, though equally true to na- 
ture, is the copy of nature in her plainer 
garb. 
Lhe Trumpeter, an old Englifh Tale, af- 
fords an example of another kind. It is 
a fatire, expreffed with all the acumen of 
its {pecies; and it has befide the merit of 
being a well-told tale, whofe images pafs 
in vivid fuccefiion before the eyes. 
The Widows Home, though pofleffing 
lefs of the fire of genius than fome other 
poems in the volume, is an inftance (to 
which we wifh to refer our reader), of that 
mot excellent moral feeling that peculiarly 
mirked Mrs. Robinfon’s character. 
Many of Mrs. Robinfon’s poems that 
appeared lately in the Merwing Poff, and - 
which 
