1806.] 
diately concerned himfelf; but at the 
fame time he has laid down the trueft, 
ufefulleft, and fineit maxims, for the gui- 
dance of human condust. ‘* The fimpleft 
of his odes, (fays Herder,) particularly 
in detached lines, are Tunes on David’s 
Harp. Many of his fongs, and the mott 
artlefs of his cantos in the Meffiah, have 
given our language a fimplicity, and ge 
nuine lyric conttraétion, that we fhould in 
vain look for in our fhining neighbours.” 
His Divine Songs all breathe the {p:rit of 
Chriflianity, a zeal in the caufe of faith 
and love, a fervent piety, and an active 
benevolence. 
From the fuperior qualities of this poet 
in the epic ftyle, it is ufual to forget his 
dramatic talents, which are however cer- 
tainly not ot a mean calt. Although his 
tragedies are more fitted for reading than re- 
prefentation, yet they dilcover the fame 
traits of fimplicity, dignity, and force of 
amplification, as well as fine language, 
which peculiarize all his productions 
Wioever is tamiliar with the Greek and 
Britifh drama, muft admire here the fimi- 
larity, though not the imitation, of their 
tragic effect. His firft tragedy, The 
Death cf Adam, which was very happily 
verfifizd by Gleim, was fucceeded, after 
fome length of time, by two others, writ- 
Original Poetry. 
; 429 
ten in iambics, intitled Solomon and Da- 
vid. And then three dramatic pieces, 
Hermann’s Battle, Hermann and the 
Princes, Hermann’s Death, which, being 
all intended to celebrate the German hero 
Hermann or Arminius, who faved his 
country by valour from fubjeétion to 
the Romans, are in reality but diftin& 
parts of one whole. 
While defcanting on the merits of Klop- 
ftock as a poet, we mult not pafs over 
thofe which he dilplayed as a prammarian. 
He read, compared, and digefted, with 
the moft affiduous attention, all that was 
entitled to notice on language, however: 
dry and uninterefting the ftudy. If we 
except his new orthography, and fome 
other peculiarities, his copious remarks, 
in fingle eflays, on harmony and meature, 
as well as in the Learned Republic, and 
the Grammatical Dialogues, will be found 
very judicious. The latter work muft 
at lealt have a peculiar value and intereft 
for the German nation, inafmuch as he 
attempts to prove, by many tranflations 
trom the Greek and Roman writers, that 
his native tongue admit: of the fame cone. 
cifenefs, force, and noblenefs of expref- 
fion, that characterize thefe two ancient 
modeis of a fine language. 
ORIGINAL POETRY. © ‘ 
LOVE AND PRUDENCE. 
BY LAURA SOPHIA TEMPLE. 
"TWAS yet the dawn of youth’s gay hour 
_ F’er mild content had fled my bow’r; 
Joy’s rofy orb illum’d my fky, 
And Fancy lit my roving eye ; 
I laugh’d at Danger’s whifper’d threat, 
With maddeft hopes my vain heart beat 5 
>T was then that Prudence crofs’d my way, 
And often, often would fhe fay,— 
«< Check thy wild courfe, and follow me. 
I murmur’d at her harfh command, 
I would not take her offer’d hand. 
‘‘ What ! (Lexclaim’d,) already come, 
All my beft feelings to benumb ? 
Grant to my prayers a fhort delay, 
Oh call again fome other day ; 
Full foon will Time my minutes fteal, 
And on my forehead fix his feal : 
Then, then, cold Nymph, I'll follow thee.” 
She figh’d and went ;—I dropt a tear,— 
But ftill purfued my mad career. 
' While thus I joyous fkipt along, 
I heard a foft and melting fong ; 
” 
Onward I bounded,—for the ftrain 
Thrili’d to my heart, and pierc’d my brain $ 
But Prudence ftopt me ;—tho’ repell’d, 
Still fhe return’d, my {teps withheld, 
And mournful whifper’d, ‘* Follow me.” 
I turn’d me from her fteadfaft eye, 
And from her prefence long’d to fly. 
Oh ! it was Love’s voluptuous lay 
Tempted my truant feet to ftray ; 
That o’er my cheated fenfes ftole, 
And robb’d of energy my foul ; 
That bade my tongue to Prudence fay, 
‘© Thou meddling fool, away ! away ! 
I cannot—will not follow thee.” 
O’er flow’ry paths I gaily ftept ; 
Prudence the while look’d on and wept : 
I gaz’d on Love’s enchanting fmile, 
And doated on the gentle wile : 
Tis not for my weak lips to tell 
The magic of each wond’rous fpell, 
Which did my bofom-peace betray, 
And tempted ftill my tongue to fay, 
66 Prudence, I will not follow thee.”’ 
Thus 
