The Sun.
London, England, 1818-10-21 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1818.

LITERA.ItY REVIEW.

ENDYMION, a POETIC ROMANCE, by Jrnix KEATs, Bvo.

We present our Readers with a few more ex-
tracts. from this Work, evidently the production
of a young man of comiderable,genius, and we
think of much promise. The Poem has certainly
many faults, and betrays throughout more care-
lessness than is quite. pardonable in a young
author making his first appearance before an en-,
lightened, and even a fastidious public. But
this carelesness seems to proceed from a bold
consciousness of superior powers ; and in al-
most every page are to be found passages of the
highest poetical merit, and marks of the most ele-
gant -fancy. We regret that he should have given
any occasion for the severe remarks which have
recently been made on him.; but he has shewn
that he possesses not only " powers of language,
rays of fancy, and gleams of genius," but a
strength of mind and an ardour of pursuit which
will enable bim, • we trust, to achieve something
truly great, and '' fitto live."
We have merely „selected a few passages from
various parts of the Poem, without attempting a
regular crhicism, or a sketch of the plan of the
work, which would exceed our present limits.

His youth was fully blown,
Strewing like Ganymede to manhood grown;
And for.those simple times his garments were •
A chieftain king's; beneath his breast, half bare,
Was hung a silver bugle, and betwLen
His nervy kNees there lay a boar spear keen.
A smile was on his countenance, he seem'd
To common lookers on like one who dream'a
Of idleness in groves Elysian :
But there were some wh,, feelingly could scan
A lurking trouble in his nether lip,
And see that oftentimes the reins would slip
Through his forgotten hands: then would they sigh
And think of yellow leaves, of owlets' cry,
Oflogs piled solemnly.—Ah, well a day,
Why should our young Endyruionpine away !"—Page I.

I feel this thine endearing-love
All through my bosom : thou art as a dove
Trembling its closed eyes and sleeked wings
About me; and the pearliest dew not brings
Such morning incense from the fields of May,
As do those brighter drops that twinkling stray
From those kind eyes,—the very home and haunt
'Of sisterly affection. Can I want
Aught else, aught nearer heaven, than such tears?"—P. 25.

Wh;' did I'dreamthat sleep o'erpowered rue
In midst of all this heaven ? why not see,
'Far off, the shadows of his pinions dark,
And stare thew from nie ? But no, like a spark
That needs Must die, although its little beam
Reflects upon a diamOnd, my sweet dream .
Fell into nothing—into stupid sleep."—Page 35.

" In midst of all, there lay a sleeping youth
Of fondest beauty; fonder, in fair sontb,
Than sighs could fathom, 'or contentment reach : •
And coverlids gold-tinted like the peach,
Or ripe October's faded marygolds,
Fell sleek about him in a thousand folds—.
Na hiding up au Apollonian curve
Of neck and shoulder, nor the tenting swerve
Of knee from knee, nor ankles pointing light;
But rather, giving them to the filled sight
Officiously. Sideway his face reposed
On one white arm, and tenderly unclosed,
By tenderest pressure, a faint damask mouth
tu ra bevy pout ; just as the morning south
Disports a dew-lipp'd rose. Above his head,
Four lilly stalks did thin white honours wed
To make a en; onal ; and round him grew
All tendrils green, of every bloom and hue,
Together intertwined and trammed fresh :
The vine of glossy sprout ; the ivy mesh,
Shading its Ethiop berries ; and woodbine,
Of velvet leaves, and bugle blooms divine ; .
Convolvultis in sticaked vases flush ;
The creeper, mellowing for an autumn blush :
And virgin's bower, trailing airily,
With others of the sisterhood. Hard by
Stood serene Cupids watching sileptly.”—Page 73.

" 0 Moon ! the oldest shades'mong oldest trees
Feel palpitations as thou Roiliest in
0 Moon ! old boughs lisp forth a holier din
The while they feel thine airy fellowship.
Thou dust bless every where, with silver lip
kissing dimd things to lite. The sleeping kine,
Couched in thy brightness, dream of fields divine :
Innumerable mountains rise anti rise,
Ambitious for the hallowing of thine eyes;
And yet thy benediction passeth not
One obscure hiding place, one little spot
Where pleasure way be sent; the nested wren
Has thy fair face within its tranquil ken, •
And. from beneath a sheltering ivrleaf •
Takes glimpses of thee."—Page 108.

"I was a fisher once upon this main,
And my bcu; danc'd in every creek and bay;
Rough billows wee my home by night and day—
The sea-gulls nut more constant,
I tonch'd •no lute, I sang not, trod no measures;
I was a lonely youth on desert shores.
My sports were lonely, 'mid continuous roars
And craggy isles and sea-mews plaintive cry."—p. 121.

" Dos t weep for me ? Then should Ibe content.
Scowl on ye fates ! until the firmament
Outblackens Erebus, and the full cavern'd earth
Crumbles into itself. By the cloud-girth
Of Jove, those tears have given me a thirst
To meet oblivion."—Page 165.
" Forth from a rugged arch, in the dusk below,
Came Mother CYBILE alone—alone—
In sombre chariot ; dark foldings thrown
about her Majesty, and front death-pale,
With turrets crown'd. Four maned lions hale
The sluggish wheels ; solemn their toothed IllaWS,
Their surly eyes brow-hidden, heavy paws
Uplifted drowsily, aud•nervy"tails
Cowering their tawny brushes. Silent sails
This shadowy Queen athwart, and faints away
IU another gtowuy arch."—Page 83.