Critique on Lord Byron.* "Claudite jam rivos, pueri, sat prata biberunt."-VIRG. So the Public at length is beginning to tire on Some guess'd this would happen:-the presage proved true. Of all, or at least of each principal topic, Which serves as a theme for his muse misanthropic. Yet blithely, though sharply, the young minstrel caroll'd, But, first, with what glee did all palates devour The fragments, which bear the strange name of the Gaiour? * From Blackwood for April, 1822. — M. "The The Edinburgh reviewer, who vainly attempted to crush Lord Byron at the commencement of his poetical career, thus began his animadversions: poetry of this young Lord belongs to the class which neither men nor gods are said to permit. His effusions are spread over a dead flat, and can no more get above or below the level, than if they were so much stagnant water." Having made this estimate of the noble poet's powers, which, however justified by some of the Minor's Hours of Idleness, must preclude the Northern Seer from all pretension to the gift of second sight, he adds the following wholesome advice :— "Whatever success may have attended the peer's subsequent compositions, it might have been followed without any serious detriment to the public. We counsel him that he do forthwith abandon poetry, and turn his talents and opportunities to better account."- M. OD. Then next was our caterer pleased to provide us With an exquisite treat in the Bride of Abydos; — Zuleika, so lovely-so simple-so tender Yet firm, from her purpose no danger could bend her. By what happy means could these lovers contrive, Of the Harem's strict bondage to lengthen the tether, That Conrad, not Seyd, should be caught in the trap. That man could be cool to so kind a fair lady— But who is this Lara, that starts into view? If Conrad thou art, as some people suppose, Gloomy chief, thou'rt less qualmish with friends, and with foes! If strong were the "stuff o' thy conscience," oh say How was Ezzelin so snugly put out of the way? We see, too, the spirit and warmth of Gulnare in - 'Tis true, when the Corsair old Seyd's palace saw burn, But Jacqueline sues for the garland in vain, For Memory here brings us nothing but pain. Can the laud be much relish'd by Gifford and Crabbe, * Which is shared by the crazy-brain'd muse of Queen Mub? Would Dryden or Otway, or Congreve, or Pope, Sweet Burns, or the Bard who delights us with Hope, Be flatter'd to find they were join'd in this melée, And placed cheek by jole with dame Morgan and Shelley?† * The Poet in describing the faithful attendant on Count Lara, did not perhaps exactly recollect his former account of Gulnare's person That form of eye so dark, and cheek so fair, And auburn waves of gemm'd and braided hair." Dealers in fiction, both in verse and prose, require good memories. Whether this solution, or the suggestion in the text, best meets the difficulty, the sagacious reader will determine according to his fancy. -ED. + The noble Baron, in his appendix to the Two Foscari, is pleased to call Lady Morgan's Italy "a fearless and excellent work." The world in general will be more ready to subscribe to the first than the last half of the panegyric. In the same place he tells us that he "highly admires Mr. Shelley's poetry, in common with all those who are not blinded by baseness and bigotry." It might be wrong to advise readers to have recourse to Mr. Shelley's works and judge for themselves. Those who desire to see specimens, and to compare Lord B.'s opinion with that of other critics, will do well to consult the Quarterly Review, in which work may also be seen some useful remarks on the fearless Lady Morgan's literary labours. A few of the poets of former and the present times are here noticed as hav Next scowls the fell wizard, hight Manfred the bold, 'Tis a drama repulsive, but still it has force.— That quill which seems pluck'd from the wing of a raven, Are the pictures from fancy? fictitious or real? Surely Satan himself is the bard's beau ideal!* Yet 'tis strange that each image that glides through his lanthorn As in Hamlet, or Rolla, we still saw John Kemble. And levell'd at Elgin stern Pallas's curses; Mazeppa's long race, that intrepid rough-rider,— ing the good fortune to receive honourable mention from Lord B.; a glory they enjoy in common with the Hibernian Lady-errant, and the poetico-metaphysical maniac. David long ago designated the atheist as a fool; it is more charitable to consider him as a madman. M OD. *Mr. Southey has conferred the appellation of "the Satanic School" on a certain class of poets. The idea is as obvious as that of calling Venice the "Rome of the Ocean."-Let the worthy Laureat, however, have undisputed claim to the original invention. - M. OD. + Mrs. Joanna Baillie has illustrated different passions by a tragedy and a comedy on each subject. Lord Byron has also thus drawn a double represen tation of human depravity. In these, Don Juan performs the part of first Buffo, whilst Manfred leads those who are invested with the serious buskin.-M. OD. Much abuse has been lavished on Lord Elgin for having sent to this coun try the spoils of the Parthenon. If this celebrated temple could have remained in security, the removal of its ornaments might have been called a sort of sacri. lege. But it is well known that a Turk, who wants to white-wash his house, makes no scruple of destroying the finest remains of ancient art for that ignoble purpose. Was it not, therefore, better to place these precious relics under the protection of Britain, where they will be admired and appreciated, than to let them remain in the power of barbarians, who might speedily reduce them to dust in a lime-kiln ?-M. OD. Like a garden neglected these fences enclose But amongst these sarcastic and amorous sallies, * Aim'd at worth placed on high-nay, the most lofty station, On the banks of Euphrates you better regale us, *The ending of the first line of this and the following couplet is designed as an humble imitation of the manner in which Lord B. sometimes closes his lines in serious, as well as ludicrous poetry, in blank verse, as well as in rhyme. In compositions of humour it may be allowable to disjoin words at pleasure, and finish a verse with a most feeble termination; but the license granted to Beppo or Don Juan would be thought unreasonable in works of a graver character. Whoever takes the trouble of examining Sardanapalus, the Foscari, and the Mystery of Cain, will find that the lines are very differently constructed from the practice of the best preceding writers. The Italian poets may have adopted some such mode in their stanzas; but the following this example will not improve the majestic inceding step of the English Muse, as exemplified by Shakespere and Milton.- M. OD. |