Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

of his fifter in Chichester, where death in 1756 came to his relief.

"After his return from France, the writer of this character paid him a vifit at Iflington, where he was waiting for his fifter, whom he had directed to meet him there was then nothing of diforder difcernible in his mind by any but himfelf; but he had withdrawn from ftudy, and travelled with no other book than an English Teftament, fuch as children carry to the fchool: when his friend took it into his hand, out of curiofity to fee what companion a. Man of Letters had chofen, I have but one book, fays Collins, but that is the best."

Such

Such was the fate of Collins, with whom I once delighted to converse, and whom I yet remember with tenderness.

He was vifited at Chichefter, in his laft illness, by his learned friends Dr. Warton and his brother; to whom he fpoke with disapprobation of his Oriental Eclogues, as not fufficiently expreffive of Afiatick manners, and called them his Irish Eclogues. He fhewed them, at the fame time, an ode inscribed to Mr. John Hume, on the fuperftitions of the Highlands; which they thought fuperior to his other works, but which no fearch has yet found.

His diforder was not alienation of mind, but general laxity and feeblenefs,

a de

a deficiency rather of his vital than intellectual powers. What he fpoke wanted neither judgement nor fpirit; but a few minutes exhaufted him, so that he was forced to reft upon the couch, till a fhort ceffation reftored his powers, and he was again able to talk with his former vigour.

The approaches of this dreadful malady he began to feel foon after his uncle's death; and, with the usual weaknefs of men fo difeafed, eagerly fnatched that temporary relief with which the table and the bottle flatter and feduce. But his health continually declined, and he grew more and more burthenfome to himself.

Το

To what I have formerly faid of his writings may be added, that his diction was often harfh, unfkilfully laboured, and injudicioufly felected. He affected the obfolete when it was not worthy of revival; and he puts his words out of the common order, feeming to think, with fome later candidates for fame, that not to write profe is certainly to write poetry. His lines commonly are of flow motion, clogged and impeded with clufters of confonants. As men

are often efteemed who cannot be loved, fo the poetry of Collins may fometimes extort praise when it gives little pleafure.

Mr.

Mr. Collins's first production is added here from the Poetical Calendar:

TO MISS AURELIA C-—R,

ON HER WEEPING AT HER SISTER'S WEDDING.

Ceafe, fair Aurelia, ceafe to mourn;
Lament not Hannah's happy state;
You may be happy in your turn,
And feize the treafure you regret.

With Love united Hymen ftands,

And foftly whifpers to your charms;

"Meet but your lover in my bands,

“You'll find your fifter in his arms.'

[ocr errors][ocr errors]
« ПредишнаНапред »