The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-10-29

oeiofe any alarm can De gwen. Lord Cranitouns
page is fomethng unearthly. IL is little miihapen
dwarf, whom he found one day when he was hunting,
in iolitary glen, aud took home with him. IL
yer fpeaks, except now and then TO cry Lot loR |!
lott and is on the whole hateful, malicious little
urehin, with no one good quality but his uhaecount
able astaehment and fidelity to his matter. This per-
tonnage, on approaching the wounded Borderer, diff
covers the mighty book in his hofon, which he finds
ione difficulty in opening, and has fcarcey had time
to read Jingle fpell in it, when he is ifruck down
by an nv'!ibe hand, and the caips of the magic
lunie !hut fuddcnly clofely than ever. This
one iPsll, however, enables him to practife every
kind OF illuiioa. He lays the wounded Lngh. on his
horie, and leads MIN into the cattle, while the var
der' fee nothing but vain of hay. He throws
nm down, unperceived, at the door of the lady's
chamber, and turns to make good his retreat. In
paing through the court, however, he fees the young
heir OF Buccleueh at play, and, affirming the form Of
one OF lns companions, rempts him to go out with
HIM TO the woods, where, foon as they pats RI
vnet, he reiumes his own fhape, and bounds away
lie bewildered child is met by two Ensiih srchers
who make prize of him. and carry him off, while
| the gohlng page returns the cattle, and per-
donates the young baron, to the great annoyance
| oil the whole inhabitants.
| The lady hnds the wounded knight, and eagerly
employs charms for his recovery, that fc may learn
The tory OF his daler. The lovely Margaret in the
mean time, Is fitting OH her turret, gazing OH the
"ehern tar, and mulng the fcenes of the morn
.ne, when ihe dcovers the blazing beacous that an
nounee the approach of an Englilh enemy. The A.
farm Is immediately given, and bulling preparation
made throughout the manGon for defence. The En-
gum force under the command of the Lords Howard
ana Dacre, fPeediy appears before the cattle leading
with them the young Bucceuch, and propoe that the
lady ihould either give up Sir William of Deloraipe
VINO had been her meflenger to Melrefe), as having
incurred the guilt of march reafon or receive an En-
| her,v WALL
much iplrit that her Linian will clear himiel of the
mPutatlon OF tresion by Jingle combat, and that no
Toe mall ever get admttance into her fortrefs The
Enshih Lords, being fecretly apprifed of the ap-
proach OF powerful fuccours the befieged, agree
TO the propolal of the combat and tipuate that the
boy HAL be- re!torsd to liberty detained in bond
age, according to the ire Oft the battle The lbs are
appointed for the enlung day and truce being pro-
Canned IN the meantime, the oppolite bands nlrgle
| IN hoiPitaty and frendfhip.
Deiorane being wounded, was expected to appear
by his champion and fome contention arifes for The
honour OF that fubGisu,on. This, however, is fpe.
any terminated by perfon in the armour of that
WARRIOR VINO encounters the Engh champion, nay,
.h ana leads his captive chietain to the embraces of
ms mother. AT this moment Deoraine himleu an
Pea's, haif-ciothed and unarmed, to claim the combat
Which mas been terminated in his ablence and all
nocs around the itranger who had perforated him
10 iucceisf',lly. He unclalps his helmet and be-
i'oiu Lord Cranlloun Of Teviotfide The lady.
overcome with gratitude, and the remembrance Of
the fpirits prophecy, content. to foreoo the feuS
and to give the fair band of Margaret to thar of tb
enamoured Baron. The rites OF betrotbn,ept ar.
Gsp celebrated with great magniicence and f,len-
uo entertainment given TO all the Rnsilh and Scot
lin ehietalns whom the alarm had aIembled at Drank
rome Lord Cranftonn's page plays ievera unlucky
during the ie!tival, and breeds foms diGention
among the warriors. To tooth their ireful mood
the nlinilres introduced who recite tbra. b.II.S
pieces oi eonhderabls merit. luif a, their fono. are
sdrd aiuPernatursl darknef. fpreads itfeIf .broub
the haii' tremendous Rah of lightning and peal of
thunder enue, which break JUN on the fpo, where
me page had been ieated who is heard 10 nv Fonnd
tonnd found A.! and i, no to be feen, when the
u'i hiiel' clears away. The whole party is chilled
with terror at this extraordinary incident and Delo
ra'ne protes that he dtnely faw the figure of the
ancient wizard Michael Scott in the middle of the
nShtning. he lady renounces for ever the unbal
lowed fudy OF magic; and all the chieltains, ffruck
with awe and conformation, VOW to make a pilqrin
age 70 naslrole % implore ref and forgiveness for
t'e iPirit OF the departed forcerer. With the def
OF tfls ceremony the minitrel cloles his Law
FROM this little fketch ofthr TORY our readers will
eany perceive, that, however well calculated it NAV
be for the introducti.n of piaurcfque imagery, or
the diPlay of extraordinary dent, it has but little
preeniion to the Praie Of regular 2r cohereet mar
rative. The magic of lady, the n,idn;gic Witt TO
Meirofe and the mighty book of the enchanter, wc;
occupy nearly one third of the whole poem, aod en-
grois the attention of the reader for long time after
the commencement, Of the narrative, are OF no u(e
what,cever in the fubiequent deyelopement of the
table and do not contribute, in Any degree, either
10 the production or explanation of the incidents that
io!o". lie whole character and proceedings of the
goblin page, IN like manner, may be confidered a,
merely ePhodtal; for enough ne is employed in fome
OF the subordinate incidents, it is remarkable tina, no
material part OF the fable requires the intervention
OF supernatural agency. The young Buccleuch might
have wandered into the wood although he had not
been decoyed by agoblin and the dame might have
gwen her daughter to the deverer of her fop. al
though ihe had never haened to the prattleuent of
the river and mountain fprit. There is, befides all
TINS a great deal Of grstuitous aud digrefIye def
erPtion aud the whole fixth canto may be faid to
be redundant. The tory naturally concludes with
the unien OF the lovers and the account of the feat
and the mnirefy that lolemnifed their be,rotbm.n,
is tort OF epogae, iuPer-dded after the catarsphe
is complete.
But though we feel it to be our dsty To po;n, ont
theie obvious defects in the hruGpre Of the fable
we have no hef'ation in conceding to the author,
that the fable is but fecondsry confederation in per
forln"Tces OF this nature. A poem is intended To
Pieaie by the images is luggeGs and the feelings i,
niPires; and if it contain delightful image. and
affecting ieDtinents, plesfure win not be mater;
L