A SELECTION OF

SKETCHES, ESSAYS, AND CRITICAL MEMOIRS,

FROM HIS

UNCOLLECTED PROSE WRITINGS.

BY

LEIGH HUN T.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL.

1847.

828
H913m

8.2

London:

Printed by STEWART and MURRAY,
Old Bailey.

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

CONTENTS.

I.

SOCIAL MORALITY.

SUCKLING AND BEN JONSON.

Curious instance of variability in moral opinion.-Pope's tradition

of Sir John Suckling and the cards.-New edition of Ben

Jonson, and samples of the genius and arrogance of that writer,

with a summary of his poetical character.

1

II.

POPE, IN SOME LIGHTS IN WHICH HE IS NOT

USUALLY REGARDED.

Unfaded interest of the subject of Pope and others.-Shakspeare

not equally at home with modern life, though more so with

general humanity.-Letters of Pope.-A wood-engraving a

century ago.-Pope with a young lady in a stage-coach.—

Dining with maids of honour.-Riding to Oxford by moon-

light.-Lovability not dependent on shape.-Insincerity not

always what it is taken for.-Whigs, Tories, and Catholics.-

Masterly exposition of the reason why people live uncomfort-

ably together." Rondeaulx," and a Rondeau.

17

III.

GARTH, PHYSICIANS, AND LOVE-LETTERS.

Garth, and a Dedication to him by Steele.-Garth, Pope, and

Arbuthnot. Other physicians in connexion with wit and

literature.-Desirableness of a selection from the less-known

works of Steele, and of a collection of real Love-Letters.-Two

beautiful specimens from the "Lover.”

IV.

COWLEY AND THOMSON.

37

Nature intended poetry as well as matter of fact.-Mysterious

anecdote of Cowley.-Remarkable similarity between him and

Thomson. Their supposed difference (as Tory and Whig).—

Thomson's behaviour to Lady Hertford.-His answer to the

genius-starvation principle. His letters to his friends, &c. 51

V.

BOOKSTALLS AND "GALATEO."

Beneficence of Bookstalls.-" Galateo, or a Treatise on Polite-

ness."-Swift.-Ill-breeding of Fashion.-Curious instance of

Italian delicacy of reproof.

VI.

BOOKBINDING AND "HELIODORUS.”

65

A rapture to the memory of Mathias Corvinus, king and book-

binder. Bookbinding good and bad.-Ethiopics of Holiodorus.

-Striking account of raising a dead body.

VII.

. 76

VER-VERT; OR, THE PARROT OF THE NUNS.

CHAPTER I.-Character and manners of Ver-Vert.-His popu-

larity in the Convent, and the life he led with the Nuns.-

Toilets and looking-glasses not unknown among those ladies.-

Four canary birds and two cats die of rage and jealousy. 87

-

CHAPTER II. Further details respecting the piety and ac-

complishments of our hero.-Sister Melanie in the habit of ex-

hibiting them.-A visit from him is requested by the Nuns of

the Visitation at Nantes.-Consternation in the Convent.—The

visit conceded.-Agonies at his departure.

95

CHAPTER III.-Lamentable state of manners in the boat which

carries our hero down the Loire.-He becomes corrupted.→→

His biting the Nun that came to meet him.-Ecstasy of the

other nuns on hearing of his arrival.

99

CHAPTER THE LAST.-Admiration of the parrot's new friends con-

verted into astonishment and horror.-Ver-Vert keeps no

measures with his shocking acquirements.-The nuns fly from

him in terror, and determine upon instantly sending him back,

not, however, without pity.-His return, and astonishment of

his old friends. He is sentenced to solitary confinement, which

restores his virtue.-Transport of the nuns, who kill him with

kindness.

103

VIII.

SPECIMENS OF BRITISH POETESSES.

No. I.-Paucity of collections of our female poetry.-Specimens

of Anne Bullen, Queen Elizabeth, Lady Elizabeth Carew, Lady

Mary Wroth, Katherine Philips, the Duchess of Newcastle,

Anne Killigrew, the Marchioness of Wharton, Mrs. Taylor,

Aphra Behn, and the Countess of Winchelsea.

110

No. II-Miss Vanhomrigh, Lady Russell, Mrs. Manly, Mrs.

Brereton, Mrs. Greville, Lady Henrietta O'Neil, Duchess of

Devonshire, Miss Carter, Charlotte Smith, Miss Seward, and

Mrs. Tighe.

129

No. III.-Mrs. Hunter, Mrs. Barbauld, Lady Ann Barnard, and

Hannah More.

144