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his demons as disputing on these intricate topics, and in his third book has introduced the Deity with a view to their solution; but M. Cumberland should have remembered that Judas was both ignorant and uneducated, and consequently unapt for nice and subtile. disquisitions.

Another impropriety, though of a different. kind, occurs in the character of Satan, who, notwithstanding his acute distress and torture, finds leisure for reference to the fables of pagan antiquity, and draws a comparison between himself and some of their most romantic personages:

Ah! who will lift me from this iron bed,
On which, Prometheus-like, for ever link'd
And riveted by dire necessity,

I'm doom'd to lie!

Who will unbrace

This scalding mail that burns my tortur'd breast
Worse than the shirt of Nessus!

Now it is contrary to nature and experience to suppose that a person in acute pain should have inclination thus fancifully to comment

upon and compare his sufferings; and though ancient mythology and fiction may, in the way of ornament, embellish the narrative part of a religious poem, they should never be referred to as matters of undoubted fact, and especially in a speech of a chief character whilst labouring under the utmost agony of mind and body.

It hath already been observed that in general, Mr. Cumberland has copied the simplicity and even adhered to the very words of Scripture but in a few instances he has deviated from this judicious rule, and in no place more than where, recording the denial of Peter, he exclaims;

Hark again

The cock's loud signal echoes back the lie
In his convicted ear; the prophet bird
Strains his recording throat, and up to heaven
Trumpets the treble perjury, and claps
His wings in triumph o'er presumption's fall.

How preferable, how simple, yet how beautiful and expressive the language of St. Luke, "Immediately the cock crew; and the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, and he

went out and wept bitterly." The imagery of Mr. Cumberland would make a figure in the works of Marino, but is totally unworthy of the dignity and sublimity of the theme he has chosen. Immediately subsequent, however, to these faulty lines, occurs a passage of the most exquisite taste and beauty, and which, in justice to our author, we shall quote in this place. They form an admirable comment upon these words of the Evangelist" the Lord turned and looked upon Peter." The poet supposes himself addressing the erring disciple, and exclaims;

Look upon his eyes

Behold, they turn on thee: Them dost thou know?
Their language canst thou read, and from them draw
The conscious reminiscence thou disownst?
Mark, is their sweetness lost? Ah! no; they beam
Celestial grace, a sanctity of soul

So melting soft with pity, such a gleam
Of love divine attemp'ring mild reproof,
Where is the man, that to obtain that

Of mercy on his sins would not forego

eye

Life's dearest comforts to embrace such hope?

O death, death! where would be thy sting, or where
These awful tremblings, which thy coming stirs
In my too conscious breast, might I aspire

To hope my judge would greet me with that look?
VOL. I.

D D

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L'una appresso dell' altra, infin che 'Irame

Rende alla terra tutte le sue spoglie;

Similemente il mal seme

Gittansi

ad una ad una

DANTE.

THE fable, characters, and sentiments having been noticed in the preceding number, a few observations on the versification and diction of Calvary, will conclude these preliminary remarks; and, in the first place, let it be observed, that of the various kinds of metre in which the poets of Great Britain have delighted to compose, none is of such difficult execution as blank verse, none more requiring a practised ear, or a more extensive knowledge

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