120 
when a defirable object cannot be obtain- 
ed, the fight of it is much better omitted. 
For feveral years, very few lines in any 
well-writfén book could be underftood 
without the help of a di¢tionary ; which, 
added to my fhort memory, has caufed 
many books to pafs under review, but 
which, 
¢ Like the bafelefs fabric of a vifion, 
6 Left not a wreck behind.” 
About the year 1794, verfes were written 
to the amount of perhaps fifteen hundred, 
chiefly relative to the news of the day.— 
A few years after this, I became. ac- 
quainted with a fimall book-fociety, in 
which the Moithly Magazine and 
Monthly Reviews were the principal arti- 
cles. In thefe, asinafew other books 
which I accafionally met with, the parts 
which related to poetry or criticifm were 
always felected and read with avidity.— 
Impelled, even at that period, with an ir- 
refittible impulfe to tafte the nectar of the 
Mules, I particularly confidered all the 
critical cenfures which fell in my way, 
with a view to fhun, if poflible, thofe nu- 
merous rocks and quickfands on which 
fone of my academic and titled predecef- 
fors have foundered. Vain expectations ! 
The bird whofe wings are clipped, can 
make but fhort aerial excurfions. What 
mariner, without compafs or rudder, dare 
tempt the rolling waves ?”” 
The ftrong and fleady impulfe which 
genius ever feels to accomplith the object 
of {cientific purfuits, at this time pervad- 
ed, with its ufual force, the mind of Mr. 
Batchelor. With an ardour, therefore, 
peculiar only to thofe who feel diffatisfied 
without having largely drank of the Caf- 
talian fountain, he fet to work to increafe 
his knowledge by the perufal of fuch 
books as came to his hands from the 
book club. He felt, however, contider- 
able difficulty, from want of early edu- 
cation, in not being able indifcrimimately 
to underftand the books he met with; but 
he juftly obferves, “‘ Burns and Bloomfield 
have proved, that ftrong mental powers, 
joined to an enthufiaftic and unconquer- 
' able refolution, can much lighten the 
heavy chain of ruftic ignorance, I be- 
lieve the firft fketches of the Lines to 
Amanda, to a Friend in Prilon, and the 
Skylark, were writtenin 1795 oF 1796, 
which were all ftudied whilft holding the ~ 
plough; as were feveral others. The 
Ode from Horace was written whilf driy- 
ing acart in harveft, through the medium 
of another perfon, who had_ learned 
enough of the original to tell me the ideas 
Account of Mr. Batchelor, by Dr. Yeats. 
{March 2, 
it contained.* A folitary journey through 
Marfton, the place of my nativity, fug- 
gefted many of thofe.pleafing but melan- 
choly fenfations which arife from {fcenes 
which were once interefiing, but are now 
no more. From thefe folitary reflections 
originated the poem called Village 
Scenes.” 
The country immediately about Mar- 
fton, fituated five miles to the welt of 
Bedford, is a dull, infipid, fiat plain, 
little calculated, by any thing like the 
boldnefs cf romantic fcener; to increafe 
or infpire the vivid imagination of a po- 
etic genius. A little furcher on, towards 
Ampthill, Milbrook, and Lidlington, 
the prefent tefidence of our poet, the 
{cenery becomes much more interefting 
and picturefque. The profpects are here 
certainly beautiful, from the hofpitable 
manfion of the Earl of Upper Offory, 
crowning the hillin Ampthill-park. Ie 
was this part of the country which fur- 
nithed objeéts to the defcriptive powers of 
our poet:—** The ruins of Taviftock- 
houfe are indeed in view, and the memory 
of the Jaf{ much-honoured Marquis is yet 
frefh in the minds of the populace ; and 
this is almolt the only circamftance that 
can be fuppofed to have fuggefted any 
part of the poem. Village Scenes having 
been commenced in March 1799, and 
finifhed November following, was, ne- 
verthelefs, occafionally altered, and fome 
parts of it were entirely recompofed. It 
was now (fays the author) fubmitted to 
the perufal of a gentleman, who, with 
fome encouragement, thought it confide. 
rably incorrect, yet pointed out only a 
few verbal errors. The tafk of correc- 
tion was again commenced, ftill fteering 
without a rudder or a pilot ; for, in fact, 
the whole circle of my acquaintance did 
not exhibit a fingle individual who profefi- 
ed a fondnefs for poetry, or who would 
dare publicly to fit in judgment ona fingle 
couplet.” —Extraordinary, that affiftance 
fhould not be given to untutored genius, 
by thofe whofe education and opportuni-. 
ties in life have largely dealt out to them 
the means and facilities of improvement, 
The dificulties with which Mr. Batchelor 
has combated, the reader will, I think, 
* The perfon here alluded to is the poet’s 
brother, who refides in London, conneéted 
with bookfellers. He has taught himfelf 
Latin fufficient to be able to tranflate it— 
Our poet has another brother, who is a vil- 
Jage-fchoolmafter, and a very ingenious mee 
chanic. ' 
agree 
¥ 
