The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-02-05 00:00:00

n itaras'S pSosperity—whose patronage was extended'
• .:tte riot atlrtime atihearpatiaMagif tens of "pecnliat valor,
and for whose kiwi and encouraging attentions, Berne I
gra:itoitle is indelibly recorded in his works.
The new Alembers of the Club,and may they incresso.:
and multiply.
The meoitorr.of the late Dr. Currie of Liverpool, the
accomplished *Biographer of Burns—thte jtitliciona Edi-
tor of his Works, and the benevolent sad powerful advo-
cate of the interests of his family.
Our fair Cdutrywomen,' from whose lips, even the
poetry of Burns derives additional sweetness.
Mr. LZWARS proposed the memory of the late Mr.
Miller, of Dalswinton, a toast in which he was joined
by Mr. Gillespie, who. pronounced a warm ealogium
on the alto naive scientific attainments, and distinguish-
ed public spirit' of that lamented individual.
Major hit t.i.aa briefly replied, thanking the company
for the honour they had dons his father's memory, in
very feeling and affectionate terms.
Mr.Sinctsag proposed the health of John Mayne.
*and also suggested the propriety. of addieg this
gentleinap's name to the list of honorary members ;
a suggestion which was instantly carried iota effect.
.lr. tiat.s.storta gave as A toast, " the Triumvirate of
Oenius—Scott. Byron, and Campbell,--a toast which
he prefaced with the following observations :
The these gtriteet poets of the present age are con-
Ussedly; Me6d, Byron, and Campbell. The former
has been createda Haronet since our last anniversary t
and it was 'honourable to his Alajestytliat this uas the
first title tvl;ich he conferred on ascending the throne,
a tribute justly due tossed' high intellectual superio-
rity. liontetinies the title tumours the man., but here
the man honours the title..
It would atthopt,teglire 4:fortiee their genitta In
apprecikteihP compatative Neritetif these three distiu-
gulalied individuals. Sitr halter it certainly the most
•• t•
universal genius ; for to 'his powerful, actit e, and ver-
satile mind, every species of composition seems alike
e•osv. He equally excels in the grave and the gay—
ttie aentinteutal and the grotesque—the beautiful and
the sublime in „Jthe• Just and glowing deserilition of
external nature, dr in the' graphle delineation of cha-
r %face and manners ; in poueiraying the comic scenes
ef vulgar life. a/ in Plow of courts, of castles, and of
inlaces. Poetry or prose seems alike to alike to
im convincing the judgement—affecting the heart•--or
delighting the imagination. Ills mind embraces every
s.lbject, and adorns every subject which it embraces.
• Boit above all, he exceli in the just and animated de-
s..ription of the feudal bones, which gives, even to his
works of imaaitiation, a value little inferior to history
itself: fur he is unquestionably the first Antiquarian,
• as Well an the most popular and celebrated Poet of bib
We have in him the rare occurrence of a most
• ingenious and beauifdi Writer, being also the most
voluminous ; and even when he wishes to conceal him-,
self, he is detected by his guilts, ;tool we discover the
mighty magician flashing behind his cloud. More-,
over, he has discovered a golderrroinc amid Me brrireir
rbeke of Pernasive, where other poets found nothing
but the firantain of pennty to hcolew their laurels ; and
1:r has realised an-Oriental fortune by his writings, in
a hitt Where commerce had been supposed to be the
only handmaid to opulence.
Lent Byron is the• most affecting of all poets. Ile
• is whittled a rival painting the del, and impastiottate
• werhltiga• of the human -soul. lie alike excels in de-
li nesting the tender breathins of love—the dark and
agonising writhing% of reenor.c—or the cold and
svitherhig horrors of despair. • Like the phantoms
which he conjures op from the gulph'of belt, he is stra-
fel and sublime in the midst of his Obsculity. Ills
fable's shear, more abrupt and less etolved than that
of Scott, his sentiment/ and style are more pithy aaf
y..•rolenscd, and the emotions which lie excites are more
rrofonnol. He is a Nobleman, and an aristocratical
cdtiratioon and the habits of fashionable life, have not
oiteol those natural feelings and sympathies to which
"y are generally supposed to be so unfavourable, a
c:rcumstanee, I concieve, not thr least remarkable in
tle history of lois genies. .He lituniatet in the fields
ut classical antiquity, anti when hr describes Athens
or Rouse, we think we hear the Genii of these devoted
4 !ties lamenting over the ruins of their country. Uy
Lis description of Turkish and Asiatic scenes and
tiqinners, he has given an air of originality and novel,
Sr to his productions ; but his great mastery lies in
exciting those profound emotions of the heart, which
Leloong to man in every age, and nation, anil
.trengtl, and feeling are the characteriaties of his
Ai use, and his tenderness is like that of Herenles we*
• ing as be loans over his elnh. • But there is a 'admin.
thrnpic gloom which broods over all iii..writingt, and
stet must deplore that virtue does not always find an
advocate in one of the -greatest poets of any age.
It is delightful to see talent enlisted nadir the banneiw
of religion, and the gifted sons of -genius repstying
" the invaluable boon" in gratitude to their benefiictor.
The last, but not the least of this triumvirate tar
genius, is Campbell, unquestionably the most classic
I.ort of bit age._ His .poetry is formed on. the
rhatest models of the ancient Muse. His dines are ex-
- tiotiaitively finished, and their polish it only surpassed
•by their brilliastyy, Ile is tender as livid, and pure
and majestic as Virgil: strains are like the
• •streams a/ paradise: which breathe only music, dog'
rAlect only beauty, 'lt may be said of him, tak
has been • finely observed of the. paintnr 41nino.
" that the Loges seem to " itaie mixed his Colouri;
and the Orares to have fashioned . his forum.- His,
•benevolent spirit loves to repo* on the moat PlemieS'
• scenes, and to picture to itself the most delightfal,
nyripects of human improvement and liappiactit; lie
• writes
.(for his productions 46 ave like' angel,
Visits, few and far between") becattitebeacrtti4 tot an:,
mortality, and lois•nanto will last as long atthinii
• jeers of nature which he has• admitted and itratriated,
•by the beautiful pencil of his imagination. He k the
poet bf Morality and of liberty, and -we rise with.heattei
at once affected and improved from the perusal of .his
works. He mores ut to virtue, and.ht anituatetin*
patsiotistn. He is-a •highlinder, and the wild an ofd
the Celtic Muse sometimes breathe from his harp,
whose seat, as tirotteipresses it, with his usual felicity,
6' is in the mist of the secret and solitary hill, and her
voice is the murmur oY tictinotiotairstream. tic
that woos her, must love the &Weep' rock more than
the fertile Tetley ; and the solitede of the desert better
than the festivity of the hall."—(Great applause).
Mr. itaxIIINK here roar, and proposed that a sub-
scription shonid .be entered into for the purpose of
employing an artist to paint, fur the use of the So-
ciety, a copy of the original portrait of the Poet, as
well as a likeness of his respectable widow, who was
fettanately still alive; hut whose portrait Might be

k --