' p. 161.
[58] Caution is required in everything which is laid before youth, to
secure them from unjust prejudices, perverse opinions, and incongruous
combinations of images. In the romances formerly written, every
transaction and sentiment was so remote from all that passes among men,
that the reader was in very little danger of making any applications to
himself.' _The Rambler_, No. 4.
[59] Johnson says of Pope's _Ode for St. Cecilia's Day_:--'The next
stanzas place and detain us in the dark and dismal regions of mythology,
where neither hope nor fear, neither joy nor sorrow can be found.'
_Works_, viii. 328. Of Gray's _Progress of Poetry_, he says:--'The
second stanza, exhibiting Mars' car and Jove's eagle, is unworthy of
further notice. Criticism disdains to chase a school-boy to his
common-places.' _Ib_. p. 484.
[60] See _ante_, ii. 178.
[61]
'A Wizard-Dame, the Lover's ancient friend,
With magic charm has deaft thy husband's ear,
At her command I saw the stars descend,
And winged lightnings stop in mid career, &c.'
Hammond. _Elegy_, v.
Pages:
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588