Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-09-04
By DAVID DIARY AND OTHERS.
REVIEW.

by DAVID DIARY AND OIhEhs'
REVIEW.
The Curse Of Kshamn; Poem' 0y no
bert SOuthy.
Among the poets of the day, il we GIG
not assign TO Mr.. Southy the first place.
we should unquestionably give him very
eminent rank. Indeed we have always
been inclined to believe notwithstanding
the great and deserved popularity OF Mr..
Scott. and the pleasure we receive from
the ehaste and classical productions OF
CamDbeiI. that he is perhaps superior 10
either of those poets in original seRiu>
and poetical fire. But with The NNsei'!
MIR. Southy has great deal oil TIE
cceentririty of genius and IN gossip
inc incredible fc,isus or ehantins i'ns
winded epies. has la,ishEd that richness
Of poetical invention and Imagery. anu
that oyeriowirg eopioa>re>s vi htnoh'
which. if employed II Hsere pr'pi'i0Ss
Subjects. might have attAIaei llm not on
Ka greater share Of popularity. Out d
permanent station among eur classical
writers.
Mr.. Southy, we dare say. would never
have been fashionable or popular peel !;
but he has been somewhat unfortunate lii
HAVING sueh rival as Walter Scott; anu
if even the nervous and pathetic poetry oil
the original Crabbe, Astounding as 1T does
In Messages switch come home to the
passions and bOsoms Of men, has been
thrown into the shade by the romantic le-
pepds of the Scottish bard, it is not sur
prizing that that of MIR. Southy, burdenec
as it is by the load of innovation, both IN
its matter and manner. should have Deen
thrown still further into the back ground.
While Mr.. Scott has poetised the legends
of those feudal days which. in every cIr-
cnmstanee. have the strongest hold on our
;maeinatioas, and Crobbe has depicted
{" daily scenes and domestic occurrences
with all the sweetness OF Goldsmith, and
Campbell hasinvested his productions with
the ehaste and use-sanct;oned ornaments
of polished diction and regular ,crsIiiea-
ton, Mr.. Southy has generally advances
with the epic tome. or transporting us HI
tn scenes which desire no attraction from
either oar classical or familiar assocla-
lions, and amidst people with "hose man
ner. weare unacquaintcd, and with whose
modes Of thiaking and feeling we canno'
.ym,athize, has told US an arabian tale III
xers;6eation at least as Wild and .GrateS-
oue. as the story it reiates.% None oi
these things are propitious to MIR. south
ey's popularity as living poet ana ho'
perhaps more favorable TO his postumous
fame.
With all these faults, (and they are We
ryimportapt ones to those OF ,.r. sou'he! ;
readers who GO not peruse has poems 10
estimate the extent OF vivacity OF his ge-
Minis. hut to amuse themselves for the pas
SING hour he must be allowed to have We
ny great and very various merit too. As
we think him by far the greatest master
ofdiction Of any living poet. we claim Tor
h;rl likewise very great share oil tlae
yiyacity and bOidness OF penciliins, ana
that harmonious coloring which form the
distinguishing excellence of Walter Scott !;
and were we to venture an opinion On the
prominent feature OF MIR. Southey's poet
zeal character, we should give it in favor
of his descriptive powers. The poem be-
fore ms is the best evidence that could be
brought in confirmation of this opinion. as
Notwithstanding the startling" wildness
ofits tictions (Which, We would observe by
the way. do not appear less wild, because
those Of the Hindu mythology are wilderD
the remoteness OF the manners, charac-
tiers, imagery and illusions from those
with which we are all conversant, and.
what is not the least blemisll, the novel ir-
regularity of the versification, the author
has contrived, and principally by the vari-
ety, the strength, and the alternate subii-
sVid. Thalaba.
However startling the fctions may appear,
they might almost be called credible, when
compared with the genuine tales OF Hindu
,,,ytnainry