The Sun.
London, England, 1815-10-27 00:00:00

TIIE-:SUN REVIEIii%

I

(No. CI.)

Wit 1 .
ont,,ermr..r : a Poem. , by truv.Aat) Third Dragoon Gua
liurst rd;% pn. 177, Prictibs.-.-Lougur
Rees', Orme, and Drown:
A PrOfesSion ‘vl-tielt .earls 'its votaries to drink
frenue
ntiy at the fountain of Inspiration has sel-
°n 'telt them time, or fostered in them inclina-
tion to drink deep. The nightly watch which
°Jetts to the soldier the contemplations of the
sherrysa Heavens, or gives him to sPectilate opon
teiripesitiOns rack
;• the mountain march wilich
efills levates his soul ; the field of slaughter which
hint with all that is dread and terrible ;—the
Ililriety, of scenes and occupation through which
with
all
Passes, are enough indeed to agitate the mind
the emotions which are the sources of
119etieal enthusiasm, but yet how seldom do WC
I;,ee hint exchange the sword for the pen, and,
bee
nil the contest for bays than for laurels,
at
`d forth the candidate for the- Poets crown.
When such a candidate does come beforeour criti-
vlV tribunals, he ,ought to have a soldiers welcome.
may imagi
Iver ne What our trepidation would be
e
we to venture upon his province, and ex-
change the pen for the sword : and something of
~r sec tiny will.make us kind.
, la" in the present instance we must not he Ito-
geestnod to have been carried away into a favour-
thte opinion, 'in spite of our judgment, by the
4'‘lndition of the writer. What we shall say of
/Wien/ter is founded upon his merits.
..',Arohthermer is a mixed poem, which. dashes
No,
In ltlar grave to gay" without any very deter-
-4t ite Plan. Captain QUILLINAN seems to have
liti4. rt°w'n no precise rule for himself ; he felt
l! e,
Muse. imagined a general outline of his story,
sat down to write as the gods
might will.
th. hi is course, if it takes away front the consistency
teeest of his story, gives it an air of unpre-
4dilated ease, and we seedily reconcile our-
to 'es to the 'wh p
ole plan of the author, which was
nlt:e a 'slight vehicle for the conveyance of a
°B"lerahle quantity of stores and equipa;4e, and
tieov unable to frolic a
"
1, route.
11,7" ere is in this volume a good deal of very pleas-
Ploetry, and a good deal of humour; the whole
i
bisevdetltly the production of an acute and polished
l"
accustomed to observation and reflection. It
of seem necessary for us to detail the p
wrogress
t the catnpaig-ns an;l loves of the heroes, lose
litPloits in arms are the ground-work on which
°rrnalnellt of verse is wrought like the efftl-
-0::14 .I.`" the mouths of the dramatis personcr
on
to' alleje„.
‘‘, tapesttv. Suffice it to say, that in
Tlihr`ve find the usual difficulties and' triumphs.
ereer .h,.et "Pon Which the denouement turns, how-
ton- worthy of the Poem, and possesses very
4ist4idetable interest. The heroine, rendered
t raeted by an alarm,• when on thp eve of ruin,
eStQred to sanity, to her family, and to her '
Beret gnat lover, by the performance of an awful
vire'll"Y, at the conclusion of which the. same
quiastanee which originally shook her reason,
16-,,IY""i"slY repeated,- and she wakes as if from.
air•dream.
isTalt dphiiosopliescribed,
eratn. d imPres-
•
thr }having absolved ourselves from following the
~itesof Ahntiternter's theme, we Cannot deny ,
hrztetlees the satisfaction of presenting three se-
the4ee eitracts from this volume, The first of
)14,40ftraY be adduced as a fair specimen of the
Poetic ')l4 talent of the Author—the second 'of
4NI tL-al imagination and descriptive powers—
ue thira.and last of the fatter quality only.
rAt4CIFUL MILITARY COMPARISON.
-
,
lte General comes ! in regulation suit
ct 44 the trumpets! Officers salute!
11:4tes'te files to view the passing host,
fiti ranks survefd, he takes his wonted post;
ott his sober steed he solemn sits,
4r,fitt brow, and nods his will by fits.
asi;nicY tiling of flutter, froth, and pride,
,jpeoxeotuh. Aide-de-camp is seen beside;
4.11i140, t Kings in ambush coach, they say,
itlrLibEr), :thee Belle,
ite.busYsTachals itart the latent prey.
elate with triumphs won,
Nor el Coach appears the Chariot of the Sun,
4"! ed General who so solemn sits,
Vctlr
awful brow Nor , and nods his will by fits,
ii,,noct°,l("ll,l) Aide-de-camp that smirks
1,,t„ 11' thing of flutter, froth, and pride,
i'lllinstthc hold
~.7self.eSterm the expanding soul pereade
Colonel of that cavalcade.
T4.11.'005 Leader of the pompous train !
.t to guide their movements o'er the plain
cjr. h*hembt. the long slaw measured march they ply,
The 13agtlan's trot jog steady hy;
etYide big, with lungs exerted hoarse,
th'hce thundering simultaneous course,
Ande lrnethe spherics, theY urge as fleet a race,
144
.etl) mechanical like Them their place.
44" • what direful fate the proud pursues!
31ri,,,D."sr.lilc despots may their sceptres lose,
Acrd u:
their fame, young Cornets soil their lace,
1.01,10 l Colimeis sink into disgrace.
his l. 14! 'secures him Pudic Tllaults;'‘
llenius flies along the ranks.
11,4_ I'm is her n:trae; by Her inspired;
t'ne ray st
"-si With sudden Lui-.el:ief End

With stapor seiz'd, Eheir Piders dully stare,
And right and left thelabbing numbers beer.
Captains and corporals position change, . •
Troops ride o'er troops; through squadrons squadrons
range ;
There flies a Major on his racing mare,
A stung Lieutenant yonder cleaves the air,
A Farrier here, a dapper Cornet there.
Wide O'er the field the awkward mob disperse
And Brevet-Majors shout, and tied rants curse;
Curses and shouts comhin'd but make the medley worse.
Thus when a Poet, seiz'd with fit sublime,
Resolves to conquer the applause of time,
He bids his Trumpeter Apollo, sound !
The inspiring call reverberates around..
Out pour the ideas ! a refulgent train,
Fresh from the crowded Barrack of his brain
The Chief exultant views his force divine,
And wheels the bright Divisions into line:
File covers File, in just proportion terse,
Clad in the radiant uniform of verse
With chequering shade the fields of white they tint;
Lock'd in the ehon panoply of print.
Slowly at first, a staid and ordered throng,
The close-compacted squadrons. march along.
By fine degrees, the cautious pace forgot,
They try the ambulation of a trot.
Teas'd with that champing timid carped dance,,
The fiery tlippogriffs begin to prance;
Then scorn the rein, then toss the head at large,
Break on a gallop, burst into i charge;
And soon they stray, o'erleaping every fence,
Beyond, above, the vulgar hounds of sense.
Then the Reviewer comes, with withering frown,
And calls the Corps of Winged HOrses down;
Tumbling they come ; the Poet's fame alone—
Plides evanescent into worlds unknown."

TI-1?. VISIONS OF A YOUTHFUL LoVER ; ANT) DE-
SCRIPTION OF MORN IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE.
" Before Alvine more blissful visions rose
That nit, than e're enchanted her repose.
Tier fickle dreams a thousand shapes assumed,
.In various worlds, hyr arions spheres Monied,
By heavenly music ebarnid, and heavenly airs uerfuna'd:}
A thousand shapes inhright perfection each;
And worlds too :-.2autiFil for ,irthly speech;
And seat ter'd sTilieres that brii :it Holly threw.
More mild rich lights, and all of separate hue,
Than e're before e'en fairy fancy knew :
Music more soft than !Bolus ''er flung
From airy Irirp by Elf-mnsician strung,
Amid the yellow hr

.;owerg of n3,ltruful autumn bung :
Airs feedier far than over woo'd the Jay,
Eloping after showers from isp of liberal May.
Whit!,ersoe'er she roved, a yoUthful guide,
Th 4 genius of the scene, was at her side.
Whithersoe'er he led, ihe wander'd free,
Frog:: change to change, throuch earth, or air, or sea.
So courteously he look'd, sokindle spOke,
His every gesture instant charm awoke.
But still the close black locks that clustering twined
O'er brow where manly candour sat defined,.
The goodly form and careless easy mien,
And large dark eyes so Bright yet softly keen,
Were wondrous like a youth that happy evening. seen."}
I I I * I tF

" As if for hint the prospect to adorn,
Exuberant in i.nlendour rose the morn,
When, by the Sire attended and Alvine,
He first beheld the bold encircling scene.
The heavy battlement aloft that tow -r'd
Dark o'er the vale in sullen grandeur lower'd.
Its eastern aspect o'er the blue-roof d town
Lool'd in the pride of its protection down.
Biiiem the west, from southern mountains roll'd,
GAVE at his feet was thundering nncontrol'd;
Twisting along his proud capricious course,
Ile polled his waves, exulting in their force.
Romantic Gate ! whose lucid currents strong
Foam, wheel, and whirl, and roar and rush along,
And in their desultory visits greet
All that is wild and beautiful and sweet.
And far around, where'er the lively green
Of chestnut hills allow!d i view between,
Were orchardsand vine-swells in youthful promise seen.}
Beyond, the Pyrennean mountains rose, •
Their huge beads radiant with impassive snows;
From south and west the noble scene they crown'd,
And girt the amphitheatre around."

IibETICA DESCRIPTION OF SUN-SET.
" The sun is sinking ; and, since hour of morn,
She bath not seen who left her so forlorn.
The sun has sunk ; but all his glory's train
Has left, the twilight meek to entertain. •
Thousands of clouds caparison the sky, ,
Refulgent masses of unnumber'd dye.
In every strange. fantastic form they wreath,
And fling their hues o'er all the land beneath.
Ventures the gale but just enough to blow,
To waft them on majestically stow,
Volume devolves on volume, wave on wave,.
One rich suffusion seems another's grave;
Now in abrupt collisiOn hold they meet,
Now melt and mingle, singularly sweet.
Aloft in chasten'd pomp the moon appears,
Salutes the gale, and through the clouds careers;
•
And as they pass alternate in review,
"lathes. her void cheek in every various hue.
Now in a shower of fretted gold she sinks;
Now, wanly seen, the browner vapour drinks ;
Nose through a sheet of scudding azure drives;
Now in a mass of deep vermillion dives;
Now in a fleecy stream her forehead steeps;
Now front behind a purple curtain peeps; •
Now under billows of o'erfluent black
She hides all trace of her resplendent track;
Now o'er its startled edges sudden breaks,
So bright that Vision with the contrast aches. •
On such an eve the finer moulded breast •
Feels each full sense deliciously opprest.
On such an eve affliction finds its grief .
More sad, yet it) that sadness is relief.
On such an eve the maid of gentle soul
Reflects on him her willing heart that stole."

To these extracts we shall add nothing:' If an
affected phrase or uncouth word has, Qccasionally
vexed, Os in .illonthernier, .there still so much
stet lin, stiff in him, that 'we readily forgive the
partia;,oTors,..and will not iniicliOtuiy point: chilli
ouc, , .

6RiGIN:IL- POr'''TltY'''.

• pArtont
son a Sonnet to Lord By tux, in THE SUN of yesterday.

BYRON, whose .s.pells
.i!Tiognatioo bilk!,
Strange spells'. which.turn the .1..11y head at will, ,
Alt! since thy muse can.paint, with equal skill,
-Thy Prince a ‘.‘ Vice," or father most unkind
(Rapt in the glowing energy or mind,)
Let not the-plans of rage and faction still
Whelm us with falsehood, or with rancour chill,
ror sure thou nwe may'st fitter subjects find.
And siate the Parish Priest has jolted thy fate,
To one thou must, since all who knOw, admire,
Led by thy nose, pray moderate thy hate,•
And tune to loyal themes thy shameless lyre;
So may ye share on Earth a safe estate,
And not exalted in_the fljr expire.
W. J. EXTEMPORE, Poet Laurect.