No. LXXVII.

THE poem in the preceding letter had also been sent by our Bard to Dr. Gregory for his criticism. The following is that gentleman's reply.

From DR. GREGORY.

DEAR SIR,

Edinburgh, 2d June, 1789.

I TAKE the first leisure hour I could command, to thank you for your letter, and the copy of verses inclosed in it. As there is real poetic merit, I mean both fancy and tenderness, and some happy expressions in them, I think they well deserve that you should revise them carefully, and polish them to the utmost. This, I am sure, you can do if you please, for you have

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have great command both of expression and of rhymes; and you may judge from the two last pieces of Mrs. Hunter's poetry, that I gave you, how much correctness and high polish enhance the value of such compositions. As you desire it, I shall with great freedom give you my most rigorous criticisms on your verses. I wish you would give me another edition of them, much amended, and I will send it to Mrs. Hunter, who I am sure will have much pleasure in reading it. Pray give me likewise for myself, and her too, a copy (as much amended as you please), of the Water Fowl on Loch Turit.

The Wounded Hare is a pretty good subject; but the measure or stanza you have chosen for it, is not a good one: it does not flow well; and the rhyme of the fourth line is almost lost by its distance from the first; and the two interposed, close rhymes. If I were you, I would put it into a different stanza yet.

Stanza 1. The execrations in the first two lines are too strong or coarse; but they may pass. "Murder-aiming" is a bad compound epithet, and not very intelligible. "Bloodstained," in stanza iii. line 4, has the same fault; Bleeding bosom is infinitely better. You have accustomed yourself to such epithets, and have

no

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no notion how stiff and quaint they appear to others, and how incongruous with poetic fancy and tender sentiments. Suppose Pope had written, Why that blood-stained bosom gored," how would you have liked it? Form is neither a poetic, nor a dignified, nor a plain, common word: it is a mere sportsman's word: unsuitable to pathetic or serious poetry.

"Mangled" is a coarse word. "Innocent" in this sense is a nursery word; but both may pass.

Stanza 4. "Who will now provide that life a mother only can bestow," will not do at all: it is not grammar-it is not intelligible. Do you mean "provide for that life which the mother had bestowed and used to provide for?"

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There was a ridiculous slip of the pen, Feeling" (I suppose) for "Fellow," in the title of your copy of verses; but even fellow would be wrong: it is but a colloquial and vulgar word, unsuitable to your sentiments. "Shot" is improper too.-On seeing a person (or a sportsman) wound a hare; it is needless to add with what weapon: but, if you think otherwise, you should say, with a fowlingpiece.

Let me see you when you come to town, and I will shew you some more of Mrs. Hunter's poems.

* It must be admitted, that this criticism is not more distinguished by its good sense, than by its freedom from ceremony. It is impossible not to smile at the manner in which the poet may be supposed to have received it. In fact it appears, as the sailors say, to have thrown him quite aback. In a letter which he wrote soon after, he says, " Dr. G is a good man, but he crucifies me.”—And again, "I believe in the iron justice of Dr. G; but, like the devils, I believe and tremble." However he profited by these criticisms, as the reader will find, by comparing this first edition of the poem, with that published, vol. iii.

E.

No. LXXVIII.

To MR. M'AULEY, of DUMBARTON.

DEAR SIR,

4th June, 1789.

་་

THOUGH I am not without my fears re specting my fate, at that grand, universal inquest of right and wrong, commonly called The Last Day, yet I trust there is one sin, which that arch-vagabond, Satan, who I understand is to be king's evidence, cannot throw in my teeth, I mean ingratitude. There is a certain pretty large quantum of kindness for which I remain, and from inability, I fear must still remain, your debtor; but though unable to repay the debt, I assure you, Sir, I shall ever warmly remember the obligation. It gives me the sincerest pleasure to hear by my old acquaintance, Mr. Kennedy, that you are, in immortal Allan's language, "Hale and weel, and living;” and that your charming family are well, and promising to be an amiable and respectable addition to the company of performers, whom the Great Manager of the Drama of Man is bringing into action for the succeeding age.

With