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Witham Hayley Esq

Published by H.D.Symonds, 20, Paternoster Row, Jan 1.1800.

THE

MONTHLY VISITOR.

DECEMBER, 1799.

A

SKETCH

OF

WILLIAM HAYLEY, ESQ.

Superior talent for poetry has been the fubject

world. Such are its charms-fuch its influence in foftening and harmonizing the paffions of mankind. Greece, Rome, and Britain have, in their turns, confeffed its power and bowed at its fhrine: Indeed, among the ancients, it was pronounced of divine origin, and chiefly devoted to the praifes of the gods and heroes, who were equally configned over to the honours of immortality! The reader, therefore, will be pleased with the sketch of a modern poet, who has, by his performances, conciliated to himself no inconfiderable fhare of public approbation.

WILLIAM HAYLEY, ESQ. was born at Chichester, in the year 1745; his father being fon of the Dean of Chichester, and his mother the daughter of Colonel Yates, member of parliament for that city. His family, therefore, was refpectable on both fides; and he, no doubt, enjoyed the advantages with which his connections must have furnished him. His father dying VOL. VIII.

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in his infancy, he was left to the care of a mother, who payed every proper attention to his early years.

It was MR. HAYLEY'S misfortune, however, to enjoy an infirm state of health, and by this circumftance his ftudies were not unfrequently interrupted. It produced thofe chafms in his improvement which are, fometimes, indifferently filled up, even by fucceeding efforts of industry. By the aid of a domeftic tutor, the fubject of our Memoir overcame this disadvantage, and became fitted for Eton School, whence he went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Here he foon manifefted his predilection for the tuneful art, and was the author of various little pieces, which indicated his future celebrity. An Ode on the Birth of the Prince of Wales, which appeared in a Cambridge collection, is to be ranked among his earlier productions. We have never feen it, and therefore cannot give any particular account of it. But its being admitted into that felection, and having been frequently the fubject of converfation in the polite circles of the day, prove that it was not wholly devoid of that merit by which his other pieces have been characterized.

Upon his quitting of Cambridge, MR. HAYLEY did not throw himself into the arms of an inglorious indolence, or fquander away his time in the wretched haunts of diffipation. He devoted himself to study with an intenfenefs which deferves great praife; for no understanding can be eminently enlightened without affiduous cultivation. Through the want of proper attention the best foil may prove unproductive, and covered with weeds and briars, it excites our deepest commiferation. Such was not the mind of our Poet. He ftored his mind with those valuable kinds of learning which were beft calculated to draw forth the energy of his powers. The Greek and Latin poets were made famifiar to him by conftant and reiterated perufal. The French and Italian productions were alfo ftudied with

great

great care and attention. Nor did he forget his own poets, Cowley, Shakespeare, Milton, Pope, &c. into the fpirit and defign of whofe writings he fully entered. Such a courfe of ftudy muft have powerfully enriched his mind, and enabled him to call in the aid of others on any fubject in which his pen might be engaged. Here was the happy union of genius and industry.

Having married in 1769, MR. HAYLEY retired to his feat of Eartham, about feven miles from Chichester. The writer of this article vifited the spot in 1794, and was much pleased with it. Though, on a small scale, yet it embraces a pleafing variety of walks, and can boaft an extenfive fweep of profpect. Its elegant pro prietor has evidently beftowed much attention upon it, and every part of it is marked by an engaging rufticity.

In this retirement MR. HAYLEY has devoted him felf to the muses, and the fruits of his application have, at different times, been laid before the public. In 1785 he collected his various pieces together in fix volumes. We fhall take a brief furvey of them.

Volume the first contains his Poetical Efay on Painting, together with a few Mifcellanies. His effay is addreffed to that celebrated artift Mr. Romney; and the departments of this delightful art are fketched with beauty and accuracy. The conclufion recommends SHAKESPEARE and MILTON as affording fit fubjects for the pencil, in thefe energetic lines:

"Far nobler guides their better aid fupply:
When mighty SHAKESPEARE to thy judging eye
Prefents that magic glass, whofe ample round"
Reflects each figure in creation's bound,
And pours, in floods of fupernatural light,
Fancy's bright beings on the charmed fight;
This chief enchanter of the willing breast,
Will teach thee all the magic he poffeft.
Plac'd in his circle, mark, in colours true,
Each brilliant being that he calls to view:
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