Page images
PDF
EPUB

D Y E R.

OHN DYER, of whom I have no other account

JOHN

to give than his own Letters, published with Hughes's correfpondence, and the notes added by the editor, have afforded me, was born in 1700, the second fon of Robert Dyer of Aberglafney, in Caermarthenshire, a folicitor of great capacity and note.

He pafled through Weftminfter fchool under the care of Dr. Freind, and was then called home to be inftructed in his father's profeffion. But his father died foon, and he took no delight in the ftudy of the law, but, having always amufed himself with drawing, refolved to turn painter, and became pupil to Mr. Richardfon, an artist then of high reputation, but now better known by his books than by his pic

tures.

Having ftudied awhile under his master, he became, as he tells his friend, an itinerant painter, and wandered about South Wales and the parts adjacent; but he mingled poetry with painting, and about 1727 printed Grongar Hill in Lewis's Mifcellany.

Being, probably, unfatisfied with his own proficiency, he, like other painters, travelled to Italy; and coming back in 1740, published the Ruins of Rome.

If his poem was written foon after his return, he did not make much ufe of his acquifitions in painting, whatever they might be; for decline of health, and love of ftudy, determined him to the church. He therefore entered into orders; and, it feems, married about the fame time a lady of the name of Enfor; "whose grand-mother," fays he, "was a Shakspeare, "defcended from a brother of every body's Shakfpeare;" by her, in 1756, he had a fon and three daughters living.

His ecclefiaftical provifion was a long time but flender. His firft patron, Mr. Harper, gave him, in 1941, Calthorp in Leicestershire, of eighty pounds a year, on which he lived ten years, and then exchanged it for Belchford in Lincolnshire, of feventy-five. His condition now began to mend. In 1751, Sir John Heathcote gave him Coningsby, of one hundred and forty pounds a year; and in 1755 the Chancellor added Kirkby, of one hundred and ten. He complains that the repair of the houfe at Coningsby, and other expences, took away the profit..

In 1757 he published the Fleece, his greatest poetical work; of which I will not fupprefs a ludicrous ftory. Dodiley the bookfeller was one day mentioning it to a critical vifiter, with more expectation of fuccefs than the other could easily admit. In the converfation the author's age was asked; and being reprefented as advanced in life, He will, faid the critick, be buried in woollen.

He did not indeed long furvive that publication, nor long enjoy the increase of his preferments; for in 1758 he died.

Dyer is not a poet of bulk or dignity fufficient to require an elaborate criticifm. Grongar Hill is the happiest of his productions: it is not indeed very accurately written; but the fcenes which it difplays are fo pleafing, the images which they raife fo welcome to the mind, and the reflexions of the writer fo confonant to the general fenfe or experience of mankind, that when it is once read, it will be read again.

The idea of the Ruins of Rome ftrikes more, but pleases lefs, and the title raises greater expectation than the performance gratifies. Some paffages, however, are conceived with the mind of a poet; as when, in the neighbourhood of dilapidating Edifices, he fays,

At dead of night

The hermit oft, 'midft his orifons, hears,
Aghaft, the voice of Time difparting towers.

Of The Fleece, which never became popular, and is now univerfally neglected, I can fay little that is likely to recall it to attention. The woolcomber and the poet appear to me fuch difcordant natures, that an attempt to bring them together is to couple the ferpent with the fowl. When Dyer, whofe mind was not unpoetical, has done his utmost, by interesting his reader in our native commodity, by interfperfing rural imagery, and incidental digreffions, by cloathing fmall images in great words, and by all the writer's arts of delution, the meannefs naturally adhering, and the irreverence habitually annexed, to trade and manufactute, fink him under infuperable oppreffion; and the

difguft

difguft which blank verse, encumbering and encumbered, fuperadds to an unpleafing fubject, foon repels the reader, however willing to be pleased.

Let me however honeftly report whatever may counterbalance this weight of cenfure., I have been told, that Akenside, who, upon a poetical question, has a right to be heard, faid, "That he would regulate ❝his opinion of the reigning taste by the fate of Dyer's "Fleece; for, if that were ill received, he should not "think it any longer reasonable to expect fame from "" excellence,"

[blocks in formation]

SHEN STONE.

WILLIAM SHENSTONE, the fon of Thomas

W

Shenftone and Anne Pen, was born in November 1714, at the Leafowes in Hales-Owen, one of thofe infulated diftricts which, in the division of the kingdom, was appended, for fome reafon not now difcoverable, to a diftant county; and which, though furrounded by Warwickshire and Worcefterthire, belongs to Shropshire, though perhaps thirty miles diftant from any other part of it.

He learned to read of an old dame, whom his poem of the School-mistress has delivered to pofterity; and feon received fuch delight from books, that he was always calling for fresh entertainment, and expected that, when any of the family went to market, a new book should be brought him, which, when it came, was in fondnefs carried to bed and laid by him. It is faid, that when his request had been neglected, his mother wrapped up a piece of wood of the fame form, and pacified him for the night.

As

« PreviousContinue »