The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-09-19
LETTER XIX.

My talk now, my dear Mary, draws TO a coucluti-
en- for although linee the time OF Sherfone leve-
raj poets Nave appeared who have enjoyed their day
ofreputation and have been conGgned to poieri,y in
the volumes OF colleions yet few of then, have fur.
vived even this thort interval III the voice of popular
lame. ! have one, however, tn mention vino may
be eonhdered fully stabliihed in his feat among
the moi eminent Of the poetea fraternity and whole
works are AS much coniecrated by the lanp OF pub
lie aPplauie they had recsved the appreciation of
centuries This is CoLpsMIrH, one of the minor
poets, with regard the bulk Of his productions hu,
perhaps the imnedate iiiccenor of Dryden and Pope
If efnated by their excellence
His two principal pieces, z" The Traveller" and
The Deferted Village" come under the head of
deicripuve poems; but the defcription is 70 blended
with fenment, aud 70 pointed and consolidated by a
moral deiign thar they claima higher place than il
uuaiy allotted to that clafs of competitions. It is
true, Goldimth was more Of poet than of philo-
icPher or politician and therefore II is rather for the
enter,a,nc::. :. tiIsl rney afford
tkkt theie performances be valued yc, there
Is much in them to the heart we'll as to de-
light the imagination.
IL is not derogatory the merit of Goldfnth's po-
ery that it is calculated pleaie the general tate.
The qualities by which it effects this purpofe are re-
Tnarkabie eearnefs and perfpicuty of ityIe na.u-
raj unaffected dction that rejeas every ar,;fice Of
fPeeeh which has been employed force up language
into poetry by remoteneis from common ufe and
er
attention to languih His imagery all taken from
human life and natural objects and though freasen,
y new 10 the generality OF readers, eaiy compre-
heHded His ieltinients, if not always accurately
jn, are fuch as obtain ready admon, and find forne
thing correspondent in every breaf.. The nervous
ooneI!enes with which they expreifed imprints
them 90 the memory ssxrhe the nlelodious flow of
ms verie gratiies the ear, aud aids the impreRion
The poem of" The, Traveller confiits of def.
eriPtive ikereh Of various European counries with
the manners and characters of the inhabitants drawn
ny the author on the ipot for the moral purpofe of
eontraiting their advantages and disadvantages and
dedueing the general maxim, tina, te former are ba-
iancedby the latter, and that the FUN of happinefs
does not greatly diferin any. Whatever be thoupbt
of the truth Of this propoition, it mui be acknow
LEGGED that national picture, never before drawn
with 70 much force and beauty and the reader is
a. lois whether inoR admire the representations
ofVible nature prefeued 70 his fancy, or the moral
porTai,ures addrehed to his understanding. The
different figures afo happily placed for the effect
OF eontrah the hardy Swiis after the eGemnate Tia
Ian, and the phlegmatic lIosnder after the volatile
Frenehmafr AS the writer generally adheres cIofIy
10 his topic, he has introduced few adventurous orna
inenis but fueh as he has employed are in good
,afte his nies in this ard the companion piece are
enliGsH.ly beautiful.
The Deferred Village" is the enlargement. of a
topic JUN touched upon TIE eofe OF the PRECEDING
P"Suit u'ciuPPoieu appropriation III the country IN
eoDiequenee of the entertainments of luxurious opu-
leuee' The writer imagines village, which from
infancy he had known happy in all the humble
charms and Plsafures Of rural life delivered at length
to the hand ofdeloIa,iOn under the fway Of Jingle
'InlseIing matter while it's former inhabitants are dr
ven tn exile in rsnfailantic emgration !, is in the
eontrat between thofr two nates of PROPERTY and
dsfertion that the dsferpve part of the poem con-
fits ard the dsfgn affords mach fcope both for the
piSureffIe aud the pathstie Views Of rural life are
indeed among the conmonea products OF poetry and
II disuit to avoid the beaten ,rask Of imitation
b. treating fueh fubjed. Ba, GolJGnith wifely
drew from the foureeo of bis own obleryation. lie
did not 20 fancied Arcadia for the draught Of an
Engbih village, bp. made. copy of the reality,
warni from the life, AID eoloured with the vivid tnts
Of a trulypos;iesl imagination. Every crc1maance
i,|-eesd with the t1Ee and feeling Of one who vas
thoroughly acquainted with the effect Of his art
What an inicre ng picture &c may 70 cali it) has
Ie competed Of 5gqS', where he deIer,be3 ;he Wiz
lage nIarmgr" Rfikiug wi'h lnteoed tones upon the
d'tsn ear. sud conveying notices Of all the various
buiinfis goos On among the hHhan ADD san'al iaha
hasDts