65. Meantime his bufy mariners he haftes, 66. Straight to the Dutch he turns his dreadful prow, More fierce th' important quarrel to decide: Like fwans, in long array his veffels show, Whose crefts advancing do the waves divide. 67: They charge, recharge, and all along the fea They drive, and fquander the huge Belgian fleet. Berkley alone, who nearest danger lay, Did a like fate with loft Crëufa meet. 68. The night comes on, we eager to pursue 266 269 The combat ftill, and they asham'd to leave: Ver. 267. Berkley alone, &c.] Among other remarkable paffages in this engagement, the undaunted refolution of vice-admiral Berkley was particularly admired. He had many men killed on board him, and though no longer able to make refiftance, yet would obftinately continue the fight, refufing quarter to the laft. Being at length thot in the throat with a musketball, he retired to his cabin, where, ftretching himself on a great table, he expired; and in that pofture did the enemy, who afterwards took the ship, find the body covered with blood. DERRICK. Ver. 269. The night comes on,] The four next stanzas are worth the reader's particular attention; and the contrast betwixt the Till the laft ftreaks of dying day withdrew, ceive. 69. In th' English fleet each fhip resounds with joy, And loud applaufe of their great leader's fame: 274 In fiery dreams the Dutch they ftill destroy, And, flumb'ring, smile at the imagin'd flame. 70. Not fo the Holland fleet, who, tired and done, Stretch'd on their decks like weary oxen lie: Faint fweats all down their mighty members run; Vaft bulks which little fouls but ill fupply. 71. In dreams they fearful precipices tread : 279 Or, fhipwreck'd, labor to fone distant shore: feelings of the triumphant English and conquered Dutch strongly fupported. The dreams in the 71ft ftanzaire painted with true poetic energy and much propriety. Dr. J. WARTON. Ver. 280. Vaft bulks which little fouls but'll supply.] So Milton, in the fpirited speech which he gives to Samfon as an anfwer to the cowardly language of the giant Harapha, Sam. Agon. ver. 1237. Go, baffled coward! left I run upon thee, TODD. Ver. 281. In dreams, &c.] Probably alluding to Virgil, Æn. iv. 465. "Agit ipfe furatem "In fomnis ferus Eneas: femperque rlinqui TODD, Or in dark churches walk among the dead; They wake with horror, and dare fleep no more. 72*. The morn they look on with unwilling eyes, 285 Till from their main-top joyful news they hear Offhips, which by their mould bring new fup plies, And in their colours Belgian lions bear. 73. Our watchful general had difcern'd from far, This mighty fuccour, which made glad the foe: He figh'd, but, like a father of the war, 290 His face fpake hope, while deep his forrows flow. 74. His wounded nen he first fends off to fhore, 295 And think them happy who with him can ftay. 75. Then to the reft, Rejoice, faid he, to-day; *Second day's battle. Orig. ed. Ver. 292. His face, &c.] "Spem vultu fimulat, premit alto corde dolorem' Virg. Orig. ed. Among fo brave a people, you are they prize. 76. If number English courages could quell, 305 We should at firft have fhunn'd, not met, our foes: Whofe numerous fails the fearful only tell : Courage from hearts, and not from numbers, grows. 77. He faid, nor needed more to say: with hafte 78. 312 Nor did th' encourag'd Belgians long delay, But bold in others, not themselves, they ftood: 315 So thick, our navy fcarce could fteer their way, But feem'd to wander in a moving wood. 79. Our little fleet was now engag'd fo far, That, like the fword-fish in the whale, they fought: Ver. 317. But feem'd to wander in a moving wood.] Pindar, fpeaking of the many noble buildings with which Camarina had been embellished and enriched, ufes a noble figure radi Daráμwr i↓íyvov äños. A lofty foreft of folid edifices. Pindar. Olymp. Od. 5th. John Warton. VOL. I. I The combat only feem'd a civil war, 320 Till through their bowels we our paffage wrought. 80. Never had valour, no not ours, before Done ought like this upon the land or main, Where not to be o'ercome was to do more Than all the conquefts former kings did gain. 81: The mighty ghofts of our great Harries rose, 326 And armed Edwards look'd with anxious eyes, To fee this fleet among unequal foes, By which fate promis'd them their Charles fhould rife. 82. Meantime the Belgians tack upon our rear, 350. And raking chace-guns through our fterns they fend: Close by, their fire-fhips, like jackals, appear, Who on their lions for the prey attend. 83. Silent in smoke of cannon they come on: Such vapours once did fiery Cacus hide: 335 In these the height of pleas'd revenge is shown, Who burn contented by another's fide. Ver. 326. The mighty ghofts] This is finely imagined. Dr. J. WARTON |