territory. They fung its fpoils, triumphs, ovations, and rejoicings *, as well as the captivity and exequies that attended it. They gave the name of elegy to their pleasantries as well as lamentations; till at last, through their abundant fondness for the myrtle, they forgot that the cypress was their peculiar garland.

In this it is probable they deviated from the original defign of elegy; and it should feem, that any kind of subjects, treated in such a manner as to diffuse a pleafing melancholy, might far better deferve the name, than the facetious mirth and libertine feftivity of the fuccefsful votaries of love.

But not to dwell too long upon an opinion which may seem perhaps introduced to favour the following performance, it may not be improper to examine into the use and end of elegy. The most important end of all poetry is to encourage virtue. Epic and tragedy chiefly recommend the public virtues; elegy is of a fpecies which illustrates and endears the private. There is a truly virtuous pleasure connected with many penfive contemplations, which it is the province and excellency of elegy to enforce. This, by prefenting fuitable ideas, has difcovered fweets in melancholy which we could not find in mirth; and has led us with fuc cefs to the dufty urn, when we could draw no pleasure from the sparkling bowl; as paftoral conveys an idea of fimplicity and innocence, it is in particular the task and merit of elegy to fhew the innocence and fimpli

* "Dicite Io. Paan, & Io bis dicite Paan." OVID.

city of rural life to advantage: and that, in a way diftinct from paftoral, as much as the plain but judicious landlord may be imagined to furpass his tenant both in dignity and understanding. It fhould alfo tend to elevate the more tranquil virtues of humility, difintereftedness, fimplicity, and innocence: but then there is a degree of elegance and refinement, no way inconfiftent with these rural virtues; and that raises elegy above that merum rus, that unpolished rufticity, which has given our paftoral writers their highest reputation.

Wealth and fplendor will never want their proper weight: the danger is, left they should too much preponderate. A kind of poetry therefore which throws its chief influence into the other fcale, that magnifies the sweets of liberty and independence, that endears the honest delights of love and friendship, that celebrates the glory of a good name after death, that ridicules the futile arrogance of birth, that recommends the innocent amufement of letters, and infenfibly prepares the mind for that humanity it inculcates, fuch a kind of poetry may chance to pleafe; and if it please, fhould feem to be of fervice.

As to the ftyle of elegy, it may be well enough determined from what has gone before. It fhould imitate the voice and language of grief, or if a metaphor of drefs be more agreeable, it should be fimple and diffuse, and flowing as a mourner's veil. A verfification therefore is defirable, which, by indulging a free and unconstrained expreffion, may admit of that fimplicity which elegy requires.

4

Heroic

Heroic metre, with alternate rhyme, feems well enough adapted to this fpecies of poetry; and, however exceptionable upon other occafions, its inconveniencies appear to lofe their weight in horter elegies; and its advantages feem to acquire an additional importance.. The world has an admirable example of its beauty in a collection of elegies not long fince published; the product of a gentleman * of the most exact taste, and whofe untimely death merits all the tears that elegy can fhed..

It is not impoffible that fome may think this metre too 'lax and profaic: others, that even a more diffolute variety of numbers may have fuperior advantages.. And, in favour of thefe laft, might be produced the example of Milton in his Lycidas, together with one or two recent and beautiful imitations of his verfification in that monody.. But this kind of argument, I am apt to think, must prove too much; fince the writers I have in view feem capable enough of recommending any metre they fhall chufe; though it must be owned alfo, that the choice they make of any, is at the fame time the strongest prefumption in its favoir.

Perhaps it may be no great difficulty to compromise the dispute. There is no one kind of metre that is dif- tinguihed by rhymes, but is liable to fome objection or other. Heroic verfe, where every fecond line is terminated by a rhyme, (with which the judgment reB 4

* Mr. Hammond.

quires

quires that the fenfe fhould in fome measure alfo terminate) is apt to render the expreffion either scanty or conftrained. And this is fometimes obfervable in the writings of a poet lately deceased; though I believe no one ever threw fo much fenfe together with so much eafe into a couplet as Mr. Pope. But, as an air of constraint too often accompanies this metre, it seems by no means proper for a writer of elegy.

fre

The previous rhyme in Milton's Lycidas is very quently placed at such a distance from the following, that it is often dropt by the memory (much better employed in attending to the fentiment) before it be brought to join its partner: and this feems to be the greatest objection to that kind of verfification. But then the peculiar cafe and variety it admits of, are no doubt fufficient to overbalance the objection, and to give it the preference to any other, in an elegy of length.

The chief exception to which flanza of all kinds is liable, is, that it breaks the fenfe too regularlį, when it is continued through a long poem. Aid this may be perhaps the fault of Mr. Waller's xcellent panegyric. But if this fault be lefs difcerrible in fmaller compofitions, as I fuppofe it is, I fatter myfelf, that the advantages I have before mentoned refulting from alternate rhyme (with which stanza is, I think, connected) may, at least in shorter elegies, be allowed to outweigh its imperfections.

I fhall fay but little of the different kinds a elegy. The melancholy of a lover is different, no doubt, from what we feel on other mixed occafions.

The

mind in which love and grief at once predominate, is foftened to an excess. Love-elegy therefore is more negligent of order and defign, and being addreffed chiefly to the ladies, requires little more than tenderness and perfpicuity. Elegies, that are formed upon promifcuous incidents, and addreffed to the world in general, inculcate fome fort of moral, and admit a different degree of reafoning, thought, and ardour.

The author of the following elegies entered on his fubjects occafionally, as particular incidents in life fuggefted, or difpofitions of mind recommended them to his choice. If he describes a rural landskip, or unfolds the train of fentiments it inspired, he fairly drew his picture from the fpot; and felt very fenfibly the affection he communicates. If he speaks of his humble fhed, his flocks and his fleeees, he does not counterfeit the scene; who having (whether through choice or neceflity, is not material) retired betimes to countryfolitudes, and fought his happinefs in rural employments, has a right to confider himself as a real fhepherd. The flocks, the meadows, and the grottos, are his own, and the embellishment of his farm his fole amufeAs the fentiments therefore were inspired by nature, and that in the earlier part of his life, he hopes they will retain a natural appearance; diffusing at least fome part of that amusement, which he freely acknow leges he received from the compofition of them.

ment.

There will appear perhaps a real inconfiftency in the moral tenor of the feveral elegies; and the subfequent ones may fometimes feem a recantation of the preceding..