Diomed's mutton-fists; which the author seems fond of displaying upon most occasions. Thus in another place, p. 13: grasping in his mighty hand 66 The regal staff.” Again, p. 67: "Andremon first, beneath his mighty hand, Of life bereft, lay stretch'd upon the sand." The hands of Minerva, too, though a lady, were, it seems, cast in the same mould with those of her favourite Tydides-vide the prayer of Ulysses: Great Queen of Arts! on thee my hopes depend: By thee my infant-arms were taught to throw The dart with certain aim, and bend the bow: To guide the shaft, thy mighty hands were laid." 66 Rhyme the rudder is of verses, With which, like ships, they steer their courses.' And therefore, "Those who write in rhyme still make The one verse for the other's sake; For one for sense, and one for rhyme, I think's sufficient at one time." Our handy poet seems to have profited by this obser vation; and therefore we need not wonder to see him, like a good steersman, so constantly keep his hands to the rudder; of which we have the following, among other instances: 66 66 grasping in his mighty hand, The regal staff, the sign of high command." p. 13. "in whose superior hand, Consenting Princes plac'd their chief command." p. 14. "the Prince, whose sov'reign hand Sways the dread sceptre of supreme command." Supine he fell amidst his native bands, And wrench'd the fixed dart with dying hands." p. 30. Only be men, and make the Argive bands Dread in succeeding times your mighty hands.” "Their valiant Chief resign'd to hostile hands, p. 38. He thus aloud address'd the scatt'ring bands." p. 44. "In the devoted line myself I stand, And here must perish by some hostile hand." p. 53. "Silent amidst th' assembled peers he stands, And wipes his falling tears with trembling hands."(1) p. 78. "Thebes on ev'ry side assembled stands, And supplicates the Gods with lifted hands." p. 80. Now in full view before the guards they stand, The priest displays his ensigns in his hand." p. 81. "the princely band, By turns presented each his friendly hand." p. 83. And rue that e'er they touch'd Trinacria's strand." "with his weighty hand, p. 90. Their flight oppress'd, and mix'd them with the sand." p. 92. "Oblations vow'd, if, by his mighty hand, Conducted safe, I found my native land." p. 99. 66 These eyes beheld when, with a ruthless hand, My wretched mates you murder'd on the strand." p. 101. "If heav'n's dread sov'reign, to my vengeful hand His wasting flames would yield, and forked brand." p. 102. "Who still intent to catch it where it stands, And grasps the shining meteor with his hands." p. 103. "equity and public right demands, That Thebes should fall by our avenging hands." p. 110. "Now round the flaming hearth th' assembly stands, And Theseus thus invokes with lifted hands." p. 118. Any bold warrior of the Argive bands, Against a Theban lifts his hostile hands. Ibid. "The chief of Argos, warriors! first demands 66 Funereal honours from our grateful hands.” p. 123. As when the sire of Gods, with wrathful hand, Drives the swift lightning and the forked brand." p. 133. (1) The imagery in this couplet being perfectly just, we are somewhat concerned that two such good lines should fall into such bad company. "Him Tydeus lov'd, and in his faithful hand, Had plac'd the sceptre of supreme command." p. 146. "Never, obsequious to thy mad command, Against the foe I'll lift a hostile hand." p. 150. "The scourge of Thebes, whose wide destroying hand "That no bold warrior of the Theban bands, This maid shall violate with hostile hands." p. 173. 66 Whose feeble age the present aid demands, And kind assistance of my filial hands." p. 179. He dealt destruction 'midst the Theban bands." Ibid. "the bow commands, And arrows sacred, from his mighty hands." p. 189. "round this heart the furies wave their brands, And wring my entrails with their burning hands." p. 199. Obsequious for your last commands, And tenders to your need his willing hands." p. 204. 66 With an unrelenting hand, p. 209. 66 "the forked brand, Which for destruction arms thy mighty hand." p. 233. "In his mighty hand, Brandish'd with gesture fierce a burning brand." p. 243. Myself, my daughters, dragg'd by hostile hands, Our dignity exchang'd for servile bands." p. 266. "Such sacrifice Cassandra's ghost demands, A rampart to oppose my vengeful hand." Ibid. With sharp reproaches and vindictive hands." p. 286. To the foregoing citations we could have added many others of the same sort; but these are more than sufficient to convince the critics at George's and the Bedford, that verses have hands as well as feet. Our northern bard frequently seems, indeed, at some loss for a variety of language, which has led him into many disgustful repetitions. Thus, p. 13, Diomed charges Talthybius: 66 to convene from tent to tent The Kings to Eteon's lofty monument." Where they meet accordingly, p. 15, and Tydides is exhorted 66 to declare What cause convenes the senate of the war." Tydides thus replied : "Princes! I have not now the host conven'd, For secrets by intelligence obtain’d.” It is said this poem is a Scotch production; but p. 31, we meet with the following notorious Londonism : "Presumptuous youth forbear, To tempt the fury of my flying spear, That warrior there was by my javelin slain." That there, and this here, had, doubtless, their origin in Cheapside; but how they found their way down to Scotland, is a mystery which our poet is best able to unriddle. Elsewhere, however, our bard seems more strongly attracted towards the Hibernian shores; particularly where he makes Jupiter apprehensive lest fate should forget to be fatal, and, harlequin-like, jump down her own throat. To explain this enigma, we must give our author's own words; for no others can do him equal justice. Jove's messenger thus addresses Apollo, p. 74: "Ruler of light! let now thy car descend, So Jove commands, and night her shade extend, Than fate decrees: for, like devouring flame, But it is no uncommon thing for this poet to employ his celestials in a manner somewhat incomprehensible to mere mortal understandings. Page 76, War, like a brawling brat, who cries and frets himself to sleep in his cradle, rocks itself to rest in much the same mood: "the martial clangors cease, And war tumultuous lulls itself to peace." As contending countries and cities severally claimed the honour of having produced the author of the Iliad, so, we foresee, will various parts of the British empire contend for that of having given us the author of the Epigoniad. And as the authority of the review will, doubtless, be quoted, in support of the conjectures and proofs that shall in future times be advanced on this occasion, we have been careful to note our several observations with regard to this matter. England, Ireland, and Scotland, have been mentioned; but here comes a line that seems to vacate all their claims, and by its gurgling, or turkey-cock sound, to point out some other part of the world,-but whether Wales, or Germany, or the Cape of Good Hope, let the reader determine. Here it is, taken from p. 114, where Discord is described in her flight from hell: 66 Gliding meteorous, like a stream of flame." But if sometimes a rumbling line chance to offend the nicer ear, it will meet with more frequent opportunities of lulling itself to peace, by the help of many a soothing couplet, like the following: "In ev'ry art, my friends! you all excel, "here, in doubtful poise, the battle hings, (1) (1) What country word is this? (2) Precisely half? |