ALLEGORICAL and abstracted poetry was above the taste of thofe times, as much, or more than it is of the prefent. It is in the lower walks, the plain and practical paths of the mufes only that the generality of men can be entertained. The higher efforts of imagination are above their capacity; and it is no wonder therefore, if the Odes defcrip. tive and allegorical met with few admirers. UNDER these circumftances, fo mortifying to every just expectation, when neither his wants were relieved, nor his reputation extended, he found fome confolation in changing the scene, and visit. ing his uncle, colonel MARTIN, who was, at that time, with our army in Flanders. Soon after his arrival, the colonel died, and left him a confiderable fortune. HERE, then, we fhould hope to behold him happy; poffeffed of independence, and removed from every scene, and every monument of his former mifery. But, fortune had delayed her favours till they were not worth receiving. His faculties had been fo long harraffed by anxiety, diffipation, and diftrefs, that he fell into a nervous diforder, which brought with it an unconquerable depreffion of spirits, and at length reduced the finest understanding to the most deplorable childishness. In the first flages of his disorder he attempted to relieve himfelf by travel, and paffed into France; but the grow⚫ ing malady obliged him to return; and having continued, with fhort intervals, in this pitiable state till the year 1756, he died in the arms of a fifter at Chichester. MR. Collins was, in ftature, fomewhat above the middle fize; of a brown complexion, keen, expreffive eyes, and a fixed, sedate aspect, which, from intenfe thinking, had contracted an habitual frown. His proficiency in letters was greater than could have been expected from his years. He was fkilled in the learned languages, and acquainted with the Italian, French, and Spanish.-It is obfervable that none of his poems bear the marks of an amorous difpofition, and that he is one of thofe few poets, who have failed to Delphi, without touching at Cythera. The allufions of this kind that appear in his Oriental Eclogues were indispensable in that species of poetry; and it is very remarkable that in his Paffions, an ode for mufic, love is omitted, though it should have made a principal figure there. *It seems to have been in one of these intervals, that he was vifited by an ingenious friend, who tells us he found him with a book in his hand, and being asked what it was, he anfwered, that he had but one book, but that was the best.” It was the New-Teftament in English. ECLOGUE I. SELIM; or, the SHEPHERD's MORAL. SCENE, a valley near BAGDAT. Time, the Morning. E Perfian maids, attend your poet's lays, YE And hear how fhepherds pafs their golden days. Not all are bleft, whom fortune's hand fuftains With wealth in courts, nor all that haunt the plains: Well may your hearts believe the truths I tell; 'Tis virtue makes the bliss, where'er we dwell, Thus Selim fung, by facred truth infpir'd; Nor praife, but fuch as truth beftow'd defir'd': Wife in himself, his meaning fongs conveyed Informing morals to the fhepherd maid; Or taught the fwains that fureft blifs to find, What groves nor streams bestow, a virtuous mind When sweet and blushing, like a virgin bride, The radiant morn refum'd her orient pride, When wanton gales along the valleys play, Breathe on each flower, and bear their sweets away; By Tigris' wand'ring waves he fat, and fung This useful leffon for the fair and young. Ye Perfian dames, he faid, to you belong, Well may they please, the morals of my fong: |