154. From the LIVES OF THE POETS.' DRYDEN AND POPE. In acquired knowledge, the superiority must be allowed to Dryden, whose education was more scholastic, and who, before he became an author, had been allowed more time for study, with better means of information. His mind has a larger range, and he collects his images and illustrations from a more extensive circumference of science. Dryden knew more of man in his general nature, and Pope in his local manners. The notions of Dryden were formed by comprehensive speculation; and those of Pope by minute attention. There is more dignity in the knowledge of Dryden, and more certainty in that of Pope. Poetry was not the sole praise of either, for both excelled likewise in prose; but Pope did not borrow his prose from his predecessor. The style of Dryden is capricious and varied; that of Pope is cautious and uniform. Dryden observes the motions of his own mind; Pope constrains his mind to his own rules of composition. Dryden is sometimes vehement and rapid; Pope is always smooth, uniform, and gentle. Dryden's page is a natural field rising into inequalities, and diversified by the varied exuberance of abundant vegetation; Pope's is a velvet lawn, shaven by the scythe and levelled by the roller. Of genius, that power which constitutes a poet; that quality without which judgment is cold, and knowledge is inert; that energy which collects, combines, amplifies and animates; the superiority must, with some hesitation, be allowed to Dryden. It is not to be inferred that of this poetical vigour Pope had only a little, because Dryden had more; for every other writer since Milton must give place to Pope; and even of Dryden it must be said, that, if he has brighter paragraphs, he has not better poems. Dryden's performances were always hasty, either excited by some external occasion, or extorted by domestic necessity; he composed without consideration, and published without correction. What his mind could supply at call, or gather in one excursion, was all that he sought, 1. Prose: Verse and Prose have taken their names from the modes in which they are severally written; prosa oratio being written straight on (prorsus), without any turning whatsoever: while in verse there are constant turnings (versus). and all that he gave. The dilatory caution of Pope enabled him to condense his sentiments, to multiply his images, and to accumulate all that study might produce, or chance might supply. If the flights of Dryden therefore are higher, Pope continues longer on the wing. If of Dryden's fire the blaze is brighter, of Pope's the heat is more regular and constant. Dryden often surpasses expectation, and Pope never falls below it. Dryden is read with frequent astonishment, and Pope with perpetual delight. Iona, or Icolumbkille, is the sacred island of the Scottish nation, being indeed the cradle of North British Christianity. It was here that the Irish saint, Columba, fixed his permanent abode (563-596) when engaged in gathering the northern inhabitants of the island into the fold of Christ. For a full account of his mission, see Mr. Burton's History of Scotland.' See also Bæda, 'Hist. Eccl.' lib. iii. cap. iv. REFLECTIONS ON LANDING AT IONA. We were now treading that illustrious island which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans1 and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge and the blessings of religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be impossible if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish if it were possible. Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses, whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me and my friends be such frigid philosophy as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery, or virtue. That man is little to be envied whose patriotism would not gain force on the plains of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona. 1. Clans: the origin of clanship is shown by the word itself; clan, Gael. clann, signifies children, descendants. 2. Blessings: bless, O. E. blessian, to consecrate, is a derivative from blotian, to kill for sacrifice, from blot, a sacrifice. It has no connection with bliss, which is O. E. blis, joy (Max Müller). 156. From the VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES.' CHARLES XII. On what foundation stands the warrior's pride, No dangers fright him, and no labours tire; Peace courts his hand, but spreads her charms in vain ; 1. Adamant: this word is also found in the language in the form diamond, previously spelt diamant, both coming from Gk. ἀδάμας, ἀδάμαντος, that which cannot be conquered or tamed (Saμâv). The form of the word was probably influenced by It. diafano, transparent, Gk. διαφανής. 2. Domain, fr. L. L. dominium, properly signifies that portion of his fief which the lord (dominus) retained for himself. 3. One capitulate: Frederick IV. of Denmark. 4. One resign: August, the Physically Strong, Elector of Saxony, who, at Charles's dictation, resigned all claim to the crown of Poland in favour of Stanislaus Lesczinsky (1704). He was subsequently elected, however. 5. Coast, fr. Fr. côte, Lat. costa, a rib, side. Accost, which literally means to come up side by side (ad costam) with one, contains the same word. It is found in Hamlet in the form cote, to overtake; "We cote them on the way," Act ii. sc. 2. 6. Nor u ant nor cold his course delay: rather a strange grammatical blunder for Johnson to make. Some feeble attempt might be made to excuse it on the plea that the plural notion was uppermost in his mind when he wrote the line. "Both want and cold fail to," &c., would mean exactly the same thing. The vanquish'd hero leaves his broken bands, Did rival monarchs give the fatal wound? A petty fortress,7 and a dubious hand; He left a name, at which the world grew pale, 7. A petty fortress, Frederickshall, among the Norway hills (1718). Edmund Burke. 1731-1797. (History, p. 195.) 157. CLOSE OF HIS SPEECH TO THE ELECTORS OF BRISTOL. Gentlemen, I have had my day. I can never sufficiently express my gratitude to you, for having set me in a place wherein I could lend the slightest help to great and laudable designs. If I have had my share in any measure giving quiet to private property and private conscience; if by my vote I have aided in securing to families the best possession, peace; if I have joined in reconciling kings to their subjects, and subjects to their prince; if I have assisted to loose the foreign holdings of the citizen, and taught him to look for his protection to the laws of his country, and for his comfort to the good-will of his countrymen ;-if I have thus taken my part with the best of men in the best of their actions, I can shut the book;-I might wish to read a page or two more-but this is enough for my measure-I have not lived in vain. And now, gentlemen, on this serious day, when I come, as it were, to make up my account with you, let me take to myself some degree of honest pride on the nature of the charges that are against me. I do not here stand before you accused of venality or of neglect of duty. It is not said, that, in the long period of my service, I have, in a single instance, sacrificed the slightest of your interests to my ambition or to my fortune. It is not alleged, that, to gratify any anger, or revenge of my own, or of my party, I have had a share in wronging or oppressing any description of men, or any one man in any description. No! the charges against me are all of one kind, that I have pushed the principles of general justice and benevolence too far; further than a cautious policy would warrant; and further than the opinions of many would go along with me. In every accident which may happen through life-in pain, in sorrow, in depression and distress-I will call to mind this accusation; and be comforted. 158. From the 'REFLECTIONS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.' MARIE ANTOINETTE, QUEEN OF FRANCE. It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then the dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she just began to move in-glittering like the morning star full of life, and splendour, and joy. Oh! what a revolution! and what a heart must I have to contemplate without emotion that elevation and that fall. Little did I dream, when she added titles of veneration to that enthusiastic, distant, respectful love, that she should ever be obliged to carry the sharp antidote against disgrace concealed in that bosom; little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fallen upon her in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honour and of cavaliers.1 I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards to avenge even a look that threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone. That of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded; and the glory of Europe is extinguished for ever. Never, never more shall we behold that generous loyalty to rank and sex, that proud submission, that dignified obedience, that subordination of the heart, which kept alive, even in servitude itself, the spirit of an exalted freedom. The unbought grace of life, the cheap defence of nations, the nurse of manly sentiment and heroic 1. Cavaliers: cavalry, chivalry, cara- Lat. caballus, a horse, through Fr. cheval, lier, cavalcade have all a common origin, Prov. caval. |