be remarked, in a few words, that his humour is fometimes gross, and feldom fpritely. Of the Moral Poems the firft is the Choice of Hercules, from Xenophon. The numbers are fmooth, the diction elegant, and the thoughts just; but something of vigour perhaps is ftill to be wished, which it might have had by brevity and compreffion. His Fate of Delicacy has an air of gaiety, but not a very pointed general moral. His blank verses, thofe that can read them may probably find to be like the blank verses of his neighbours. Love and Honour is derived from the old ballad, Did you not hear of a Spanish Lady—I wish it well enough to wish it were in rhyme. The School-mistress, of which I know not what claim it has to ftand among the Moral Works, is furely the most pleasing of Shenftone's performances. The adoption of a particular style, in light and short compofitions, contributes much to the increafe of pleasure we are entertained at once with two imitations, of nature in the fentiments, of the original author in the style, and be tween them the mind is kept in perpetual employment. The general recommendation of Shenstone is eafiness and fimplicity; his general defect is want of comprehenfion and variety. Had his mind been better stored with know ledge, whether he could have been great, I know not; he could certainly have been agreeable. YOUNG. YOU N G. TH HE following Life was written, at my requeft, by a gentleman who had better information than I could easily have obtained; and the publick will perhaps wish that I had folicited and obtained more fuch favours from him. r "Dear Sir, In confequence of our different converfations about authentick materials for the Life of Young, I fend you the following detail. It is not, I confefs, immediately in the line of my profeffion; but hard indeed is our fate at the bar, if we may not call a few hours now-and-then our own. |