may

be

poems.

bacco by Dr. Browne, which found in Dodsley's Collection of 2d vol. p. 280.

Our readers are now so far ad. vanced in the knowledge of poetry, that they will easily discover the sources of these imitations.

Some of the popular poets of the present day have been successfully parodied in a collection of poems, called the "Rejected Addresses."-These pleased the public, by the happiness of the imitation, and by their freedom from ill-nature, and as we have been assured, have amused many of the authors, whose works were the subject of parody.

Bat of all modern parodies, "The Loves of the Triangles," in the Antijacobin is by far the best, it combines science, invention, and the charms

of beautiful poetry, so as to give an air of originality that would please the reader were he totally unacquainted with Dr Darwin's poem.

One of the authors of this book read the Loves of the Triangles to Dr. Darwin, when this number of the Anti-jacobin first appeared. It was impossible that the Doctor should not feel some pain at the recital, but he most certainly felt high admiration for the talents of the writer, and some surprise at finding so powerful a rival in a species of composition which he had cultivated with uncommon success.

There is another species of parody which is denominated travestie; this is a burlesque imitation of the best authors, with a view to depreciate their merits. It is generally ill-na

tured and frequently dull-and when it is drawn out to a considerable length is absolutely intolerable; it is thus that mediocrity and selfishness revenge themselves, as it were, upon superior genius and sensibility.

It should be observed that this talent for imitating the style and caricaturing the faults of other writers is found often in those, who do not themselves excel in original composition.

We forbear to expatiate farther, or to give farther instances of these different species of poetry lest we should anticipate or destroy the fu ture pleasure which our young readers may some day have, in discovering these beauties for themselves. It is sufficient for our purpose to have pointed out the way, they will

in future follow it, without the assistance, or the incumbrance of a guide. We have been desirous rather to excite the mind, to think and to reflect upon its own feelings than to induce our young readers to adopt implicitly our opinions or tastes.We do not wish merely to supply them, with ready-made critical observations, but to give them the power and the pleasure of judging for themselves. It would be more satisfactory to us to hear young persons make one observation of their own, it would be more satisfaction to us, to see the pleasure lighten in their eyes, on the discovery of an allusion, an imitation, a parody, on the perception of any beauty of poetry discerned for themselves, and by themselves, than it could possibly give us

to know that every word in this book, that all the criticisms of Warton, or Johnson, or of all the best critics that ever wrote, were merely impressed on the memory of the pupil.

We have often had the pleasure of seeing the sort of delight and triumph with which young people, who have early discerned beauties in literature afterwards discover that what they admired from their own judgment and feelings had been approved by the best critics: we have often seen the surprise and satisfaction with which our pupils trace stolen ideas, or allusions, and as they advance in their acquaintance with literature, discover fresh allusions and new beauties in passages or lines of poetry long familiar to them, but of which they had at first perceived only the obvious