ed with a sweetness and harmony of versification peculiar to that poet. There is indeed nothing in poetry either fictitious or descriptive, but what a didactic writer of genius may be allowed to introduce in some parts of his work, provided that the episodes arise naturally from the subject, that they be not out of proportion to the length of it, and that the author knew how to descend with propriety to the plain, and elevate himself to the most figurative style.

Much has at all times been said of the colouring of poetry, and more exalted power of affecting and amending the heart. Splendour of colouring and richness of imagery are calculated to please the imagination; but tenderness in the poet will produce a corresponding tenderness in the soul of his reader. He should at all times study rather to enlarge the heart, than to exalt the fancy. The recollection of any interesting objects, the observations which it will naturally excite; occasional strains of melancholy, and even of softness, if produced by such remembrance, and not by the languor of the poet; alternate symptoms of joy, sympathy or pity; as the different objects present themselves to his imagination; bursts of enthusiasm or indignation; in a word, all that nature can inspire, or eloquence display, should enliven or intenerate a didactic poem; particularly if the subject be interesting to man, nearly affect his happiness, and can produce a serious influence on his mind. The subjects of commerce or navigation, if poetically treated, might, for instance, produce these effects; for it were to be wished that the principles of every art should be consecrated by poetry. In the infancy of letters, the first and most essential principles were thus committed to the memory of mankind. The didactic poem was perhaps the first-written lesson, the first school of morals, the first register of laws. To bring it back to its former utility and to its primitive dignity, should be the object of emulation among the poets of an enlightened age.

To these emotions of the soul should be joined the power of poetical elocution. This will vary according to the sentiments or images employed. The different character of each passion, description or picture, must point out the different style and language in which they are to be delineated or represented. We cannot better express our meaning than by quoting the following lines of Pope, which have frequently been cited as a beautiful example of adapting the sound to the sense.

4

Johnson, indeed, has remarked, and endeavoured to prove, that Pope failed in this instance. But, of what Pope endeavoured to inculcate as a lesson, Virgil has given us many examples, and such as have not been imitated since.

In recommending to the didactic poet to obviate the sterility of his subject, we must add that the opposite extreme would be to employ the style and language of the ode, the epic, or of tragedy. The "eloquentiæ genus" should be of a more temperate kind. The language should be dignified, but easy and modest; higher than that of an epistle, but less lofty than the epopea. may be compared to a philosopher, whose wisdom we venerate, and whose lessons are intended for our improvement.

He

Whether the English didactic poem, as well as the epic, should be composed in blank verse or in rhyme, must be left to the taste or judgment of the poet. Opinions have so much varied on this point, that nothing like a rule can be laid down. The elegance and uncom mon accuracy of Pope have, in general, recommended rhyme for didactic poetry; though we have many poems of that description, which lose none of their merit or beauty by being written in blank The latter, indeed, seems more verse. particularly appropriate to the epic, which, since the "Paradise Lost," has seldom been composed in rhyme. But we must not, in blind idolatry, allow Milton the honour which he seems to ar

our blank verse.

gate to himself, and which has seldom been denied, of being the inventor of In the tragedies of Shakspeare are several passages as harmonious as any in the Paradise Lost, and as elegantly correct; though it must be admitted that Milton invented that variety of pauses which render English blank verse so suited to the heroic fable; where rhyme, how well constructed so

ever,

7ILL you allow me, through the

the fortitude our philosophy would furnish, we fastened our horses to the trees, spread our blankets on the ground, and used our saddles for pillows. This, however, was not done on my part without some fear, least under my pillow a viper might be folded, or that my weight might disturb the torpid quiet of a rattlesnake. whilst an evil we thought not of pestered These fears were however groundless, us for days after. voured by flies so small that they could We were nearly de

miscellany, to make some enquiries respecting Katherine Parre. She is said by some writers to have been married to Edward Brugh, or Borough, before her union with John Neville Lord Latimer, and others represent her to have been only once married before she was advanced to the throne. I shall feel greatly indebted to any of your corre spondents, who can refer me to such authorities as will clear up this point, or who will favour me with any particulars relative to these men. After the death of Henry the Eighth, she married Lord Thomas Seymour, to whom she bore a daughter, but survived her delivery only a few days. I find no mention made of the death of this child, of whom I would gladly collect some information. I also wish to know whether there is a portrait of Katherine preserved, and where it to be found. Your's, &c. December 30, 1807.

is

H.

Twas on the morning of the 13th of June

that not an open part of the body eswhich were a most tormenting itching, caped their poisonous bite, the effects of that nothing I could procure would allay. To add to our mishaps, about one in the morning of the 14th the sky began to lower, soon flashed the lightening, and a thunder gust commenced, which ended in a perfect hurricane.

On the spot where

we encamped, the trees were lofty, had great girt; the winds bowed these tops monstrous tops, but young, and of no almost to the ground, and at any other time most probably would have impressed us with fear; but feeling that we had no retreat, we conformed to the destiny of man, and submitted to irremediable evils with patience, and surveyed the uproar with tolerable composure. lasted about an hour and an half, and wetThe storm ted us to the skin. Duringits continuance, I was convinced that I heard the crowing of a cock, but it was impossible to impress my belief upon my companions; however, when we proceeded on our journey, we found that had we rode two hundred yards farther, we should have reached an habitation; at which having refreshed ourselves, and procured some useful information as to the road for War

ing on our road stopped to breakfast with Judge Huntingdon, passed through the new settlements of Hudson, and crossed Tinker's Creek, famous for excellent stone on its banks. We expected to have got to a friend's house sometime before sun-set, but unluckily, taking a wrong direction, we wandered in the forests until it was quite dark, having been so weakly confident as to leave our compass, tinderbox and matches, at Cleveland, conceiving them no longer useful. When dark we did not dare to proceed, lest we should further wander into the endless labarynths of the wilderness, or plunge our horses into an impassable morass. Arming ourselves, therefore, with all MONTHLY MAG. No. 167.

was a day of incessant rain, and the thunder was as loud as I ever heard, whilst the lightning blazed in every direction. After refreshing at Hiram, where we were told there were about ten settlements, we proceeded through Rootsburgh, a township celebrated, surely, for the worst road in the world, and a natural opening in a rock, through which that road passes. The land in this township is very rich, and the trees principally beech and maple, whose roots running horizontally across and on the surface of the road, form a network at all times dangerous for a horse, and more especially it becomes after much rain, when it is extremely slippery. We were obliged to F

travel

travel through this township with great caution, our horses' feet often catching in the network, froin which they with dificulty, extricated themselves. The rotten parts also frequently gave way, when the horses would sink deep into slimy mud. We however arrived at our hospitable friend's comfortable house at Warren before it was night, and refreshed ourselves with some excelient Lisbon wine. Three days rest recovered my companions from their fatigues, as well as our horses, whose hoofs were much injured by the Rootsburgh roads; my own health, however, was not so speedily restored*. We parted from our Warren friends on the 19th, and trayelled twelve miles to dinner at Young's Town, the best settled township then in the district, with the greatest quantity of cleared land. After partaking of some roasted mutton, green peas, and currant tarts, at a very neat tavern, we examined the township, the land of which falls far short of that nearer the lake; nor was the timber any thing like that we had been accustomed to, either in girt or height; however, we were gratified by some very pleasing prospects and a view of several very neat houses. Young's Town then

* I may be permitted to mention the consequences arising to myself from the journey from Cleveland to Warren, as they may afford a practical lesson to medical men. For a day or two I was very unwell, had some fever, and a troublesome cough; the former left me, but the cough continued without sensible increase until the middle of the following August; when it became very violent, and continued to increase until October. By that time my strength had very much failed me, my cough was very violent, I had cold sweats. during the night, with other general symp; toms of debility. My medical friends agreed with me in opinion, that I could not long continue a member of this world, when, on the 18th of October a most violent and ex

At

hausting coughing fit, which lasted full six hours, forced from my lungs a stone which weighed upwards of eleven grains and a half, with a large quantity of blood. Presuming that an ulcer was formed in the lungs, tincture of foxglove was prescribed, but I appeared to make no approaches towards health. last thinking I could not live, I lett off my medicine, and took a small quantity of some excellent Philadelphia porter, which had been prohibited me. The next day I encreased the quantity and so continued to do, until I took a bottle a day; after which I rapidly recovered my health, and bave never since been troubled with any pulmonary affection.

contained one hundred and eight families, and is well supplied with excellent water. Land sold high, and good town-lots of a quarter of an acre each, for one hun dred dollars. Boards were ten dollars the thousand. The crops were appa rently heavy and good. On the 20th, after winding for about three miles along the banks of the Beevor, we crossed that river at a fording-place, rendered difficult by rocks and stones, and proceeded to breakfast at Poland, the township by which we entered this beautiful country. That night we slept at Greensburgh, and the following at Beevor town. The future importance of this rising town was now clearly apparent. Situate in a country where excellent coal is extremely cheap, at the mouth of a large river, navigable even now through a most extensive and productive country, and which will undoubtedly be soon connected by canals with the navigable waters which empty into Lake Erie; supplied with the ne cessary articles of Lake Salt and Lake fish, at reasonable prices, and which hereafter must be cheaper; it is by nature marked as the seat of future manufactures, particularly when we consider that the price of the carriage for foreign ma nufactures, will act as a bounty on Beevor town industry, and that industry may supply the vast country watered by the Ohio and its connecting rivers. Having arrived at Pittsburgh on the 22nd, we pushed on for Washington by the way of Greensburgh on the 25th. This town is the capital of Westmoreland, and is called after the celebrated General Green. It consists of about twe hundred houses, and has a very neat court-house and public offices attached sixth we got to Stomatown, after riding to it. On the evening of the twentythirty-eight miles. It lies at the foot of the Chesnut, the most westerly of the great line of mountains, has a good tavern, and about thirty-eight families settled therein. From Lais town it is twelve miles to the summit of the Alleghany. Having crossed the Chesnut, we had next to encounter the Laurel Mountain, which has its name from the abundance of that shrub, with which it is covered, and which was now in all its elegance and blossom. From the foot of the Laurel for three miles and a half, the road is extremely steep and rocky; it then became good across the Alleghany, whose summit is thought to be here the highest point of land in this part of America. It is remarkable,

that they have rashly expended their power in endeavouring to defend that which is untenable: it is secondly injurious to the character of our fleet and army, who are not allowed the merit of daring to face the enemy. It is unnecessary to make any further comment on this subject; let us proceed to give such a description of the situation of the island, relatively to the neighbouring continent, in order to shew the false ground of this absurd notion, and hence to point out what advantages may be reaped from it, as long as the present situation of public affairs requires that it should remain under our protection.

The Island of Sicily is divided from the Italian shore in the narrowest parts by the Streights of Messina. The Point of Pelorus, which runs out in a narrow neck, is that which approaches nearest to the Continent; the streights to the southward gradually widen. The whole tract of country on the Sicilian shore is occupied by a chain of excessively high and rugged mountains, except a narrow slip of land on the sea beach, not an hundred and fifty yards broad in some places, whilst in others the mountains are termi nated by precipices running out into the

sea.

The whole of this strong chain of posts, backed by mountains rising over mountains of amazing height, forms the surface of the district of the island towards Italy. The harbour of Messina, capable of holding a very large navy, with the anchoring ground, which extends northwards above ten miles, is on the Sicilian shore, whilst the opposite side has neither harbour for ships nor any safe anchorage, arising from the depth of water, the rapidity of the current, and various other considerations. From the Bay of Naples to the Port of Taranto, the whole coast of Italy has not one single harbour, whilst the convenient Port of Messina affords shelter for any number of ships destined to defend the island. Now it is evident, that should the French meditate an expedition to that country, there are but two methods for them to attempt it; the one, to depart from some distant port, as Toulon or Naples, &c. or to build a flotilla on the opposite shore. In the first case, the safety of Sicily may be considered as on a footing with that of any other part of the world which we defend; and any argument urged on this ground would be equally applicable to the Isle of Wight, or Ireland or Jersey, &c. &c. but the principal grounds of the pub

lic apprehension being founded on its vicinity to Italy, let us turn our attention to this subject. It is urged that the French forces may be transported in boats and landed on the opposite side. In the first place, these boats do not exist, but they may be built; green timber may be cut in the mountains five and twenty miles off, and roads must be made through the same for its transportation; they will be built on the sea-shore, which is a deep sandy beach, and all the gun-boats, galleys, frigates, fire ships, &c. of the British fleet, will have the civility to look patiently on without offering them the least mo lestation! This would be a farther accusation of apathy and stupidity against our forces and their commanders, which it can hardly be said that they deserve. But let us even suppose that all our attempts to burn these boats were to prove fruitless, let us ask how many will be necessary to transport a sufficient number, with their ammunition and provision, to overpower the British force? From the nature of the currents, the point where they will land will be very precarious, and as the whole operation may be plainly seen, how would they hope to make this little voyage without annoyance? Let us suppose that they have got over in spite of the current, which sets so many different ways an immense army of men are to jump on shore, and form on a beach so narrow that two thousand men will not be able to stand, and this without any hindrance from the British artillery playing on them from the heights, as well as the thunder of our men of war, gun-boats, &c. &c. As the French could not find ground to stand upon, so it is not probable they would perform evolutions with ten thousand men, where two would not have room.

During the civil wars in Rome, in the time of Octavius, Marc Antony, and Lepidus, Sextus Pompeius had seized on Sicily. The western empire was the share of Octavius, whilst Antony went to Asia, and the coast of Africa was allotted to Lepidus.

The posts occupied by Pompey were precisely those at the present of the British troops. As long as Pompey had the superiority at sea, it was in vain his enemies could attempt to land. The empire held by Octavius was precisely the dominious and dependencies held by Bonaparte; whilst the coast of Africa, filled by warlike inhabitants, co-operated with him under Lepidus. When Agrippa beat

the