-Say, when to kindle foft delight, O fay-but no, it must not be, Adieu, enchanting girl, adieu! TO THE KNAT. "When by the greenwood fide, at fummer eve, Lifts the broad shield, and points the sparkling spear. 1 -I wake in horror, and "dare sleep no more!" These pieces which are entitled to our praise as compofitions of elegance and feeling, are however in no respect fuperior to those which may now be met with among the poetry of our periodical works. Elegance is, indeed, almost the only attribute of the modern muse. Naucratia; or Naval Dominion: a Poem. By Henry James Pye, Esq. Nicol. THE poet Laureat is particularly happy in the choice of his subject. At all times our naval dominion has been the pride and boast of our countrymen. Now, our eyes are more especially directed to her efforts. Threatened with an invasion, our navy conftitutes our chief H 2 chief bulwark. To its valour we look up with no ordinary expectation; nor shall we look in vain. The poem is divided into three books. The bard takes an ample sweep into the history of Britain. He enumerates in animated and flowing verse, our various naval triumphs. We could select many beautiful pafsages. But we must refrain from numerous quotations. Our limits will not permit it. We however will present the reader with two specimens, which will afford him an idea of the manner in which the whole poem is executed. The first shall be a description of the British failor, and will not fail of commanding our approbation. "'Tis not the oak whose hardy branches wave Now Now rushing on the foe with frown fevere, The second specimen shall contain the poet's spirited apoftrophe to our naval heroes. " Imperial mistress of the briny plains, Ye laurel'd chiefs, who rais'd his billowy reign! an anfwer, politely fignifying, "That they did not think it would fucceed in representation." "With this answer the Tranflator rested fully fatisfied," until he saw the Stranger " announced for representation: but, when he saw it acted, with scarcely any alteration from his own manufcript, except in the names of the characters, and with the addition of a fong, and fome dancing, entirely unconnected with the fubjea, he could not help feeling that he had been ungeneroufly treated." "On comparing all circumstances," he thinks he may "stand excused for fuppofing that a manager 'who writes himfel,' may fometimes (as SIR FRETFUL PLAGIARY says) ferve the thoughts of others as gypfies do stolen children: disfigure them to make them pass for his own." This tranflation, we are informed, is " printed from the copy which was fent to the managers, and " most of the nonfenfe, which was hiffed on the stage, is omitted." The Tranflator has also ventured to deviate from the original plot in one delicate particular. He has not made the wife actually commit that crime which is a ftain to the female character, though she was on the brink of ruin, by eloping from her husband. This liberty he trufts will be excused; partly because he feels that, according to the dictates of nature, reconciliation would in fuch circumstances be more easily obtained: but chiefly, because he confidered it as more confiftent with the moral fentiment, and more congenial to the heart of an English audience, than the forgiveness of a wife who had been actually guilty." So much for the justice of managers and the encouragement of genius!-Eight or ten days was certainly a fufficient length of time, in which to mutilate, change the characters of, and introduce a fong into a dramatic piece:-one stanza of which fong, however, if not a direct theft, is a palpable plagiarim from Mr. Tickell. This play, neither in its acted nor printed state, is properly adapted to the English stage. It poffeffes all the weight without any of the intereft of tragedy. With the exception of its moral, all the objections adduced in our Dramatic Review attach with equal strength to the printed copy, and we again affert, it never can become a ftandard favourite with the Public. He's Much to Blame, a Comedy; in Five Acts. pp. 96. 8vo. 25. Robinfons. IN this degenerate age, the perufal of a legitimate comedy is a treat which we do not experience every day.-Mr. Holcroft is the reputed author of this play. if he be really so, we think him much to blame in not avowing it, as it is unquestionably a much better piece than any which have received the sanction of his name. He's Much to Blame is a comedy-it is not a five-act farce. We present our Readers with the following scenes: "Sir G. Nay then, I am on the wing! "Maria, (advancing) Whither? "Sir G. Ah! Have I found you again? So much the better! I have been thinking of you this half hour. "Mar. Ay? That must have been a prodigious effort! "Sir G. What? "Mar. To think of one person for so great a length of time. "Sir G. True. Were you my bitterest enemy, you could not have uttered a more galling truth. I am glad I have met with you, however. "Mar. So am I. 'Tis my errand here. "Sir G. You now, I hope, will let me fee your face? "Mar. I might, perhaps, were it but possible to fee your heart. "Sir G. No, no: that cannot be. I have no heart. "Mar. I am forry for it! "Sir G. So am I. But come, I wish to be better ac |