The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-02-07
From The Lonaon Courier.
Tic l.lBI,RAIm

Hla1 seem nafsD hui We know no Bttp
In the lang lag,' when 81 neafl, expresses
IFS character. or the writers. we are in
utter ignorance, beyond what common re-
port has buzzed about the town aud il is
with melancholy feeling for the prostitu-
ted dignity OF genius that We are taught "a
look for the master hand of onn. whose
dazzling talents, aud thclr poisonous use,
IKE the FURNISHED crest of the "gfecn and
gilded serpent which glides asioss our
path, I'll MS nj once with delight and terror.
With a brain from heaven aid a heart from
hell--wilh a pcll that can write rs angels
speak, ana Yet that riots IN thoughts that
fi"nds might envy-with the power TO
charm, instruct aud elesatc--bui with the
ruling passion To provoke our lnaihng and
deserve our scorn-ths compound Of rot
tennr.s aud bcauty-this unsexed Gree,
who gems the poisoned cup he offers us,
and eXtOrts our admiration OF its rare and
curious workmanship, while the soul sick
ems at the draught wilhin-sccmed 10 have
lived only that the world might learn from
his example, how worthless and how per
niclous thing ls genius, when divorced
from religion, from morals, and from huma-
nifty.
Associated with the one, whom we have
thus described, in the work before us, is
another, as we have heard, who has all his
rancorous mailgnity, without one glimmer-
ing ray of hls Intellect. 4 vain and pnerlle
egotist--a writer Of much glib nonsense"
but not "pnt forth in we'll sounding En-
glish, "a manufacturer OF ltck-a -das,l
prose-and nanny PANTY poctics--a re-
taller Of t. mightest inl>hornisms," las Bi-
shop Hall called the conccitcd nohings
which the literary small fry OF his day were
wont 10 disgorge upon the town and, TO
crown the whole, IA rural senlimentaiist,
who makes love ~ daily down dilirs, and
falls CRYING al the sight of hay-coek.-
But Pope has drawn tine character better
than we can pretend IL do.
. Let sporns tremlle. WHAT That ting of silh,
Sporus that mere white eurd of nsscs milk
Satire Of sense, ala, can sporus feel
WHO breaks a butterfly upon a wheel
Yet let nae Dap tiI bug wif gildcd wing,
his iain-e ed child of TT that snks and sungs.
Eternal smiles HI, emptiness belray,
As shallow stream dimpnl all the Way
Nhcth,r IN iloiid mpotence he speak,
Aud ne the prompec breathe. thc pu 4 Ell sqneahs
Or nj the of Eve, familiar tnnd,
Half frodi, hall venom, pts himself abroad
III puns, Of ppitirs, or Iales, on lies.
Or spite, or smut, ar RI. mrs, o. blaSphemes,
His wit MI ,ee-saW between that and tins,
Nov high, nov low nor master up, nov miss,
And lie himself one vile nnliihe,i>."
A third has been named as a c0ad tutor
in the production Of this foul blot upon our
national literature. We allude to the inf
del Shelly, oil whom We should speak In
no compromising terms, were lie still caPa-
bic Of future mischief But he il dead
and the world has 40 more to dowilh him.
His pernicioas writings are the legacy he
has left us-aud with them We shall deal as
freely as we would with the obscenlties OF
Rochester, OF the impiety Of Folialrc,
Perhaps some Other candidates for such
renown as any participation IN the L,be-
roP can besldw, may have poured their
tributary of1al into the nausrous rrccpia-
Gle. But they are not spoken of, aud II
they have YET chara. tel to lose, they viii
do well 10 remain unknown. If, On the %
ther hand, their reputation is OF the proper
stamp, they ought not 10 he ashamed Of
seeing it in proper company.
We shall row proceed To cnrsory cNa-
mination of the contents N this work
Passing over the preface, which is an inva-
liable specimen of cant, largon, aud non
sense, we come Ia the first article, poctl-
cal one, called "The \ islon of Judgment"
THIS is AN atowed parody upon poem
with the same title, recently published by
Mr.. Southev. We shall indulge III no com
parisons. Our business is not with Mr..
Southry, but with the Iibcrat" We
shall not inquire whether Mr.. Soothey' 5
poem was one which might fairly invite the
cheap aud vulgar experiment OF II parody.
Two Of the nobest lyrical productions of
any age or country-those of Gray-caiied
forth "A worthless parody from the Joint
pens OF Lloyd and the elder Colman they
were relisIrd, too, in their day hut the
fcrting ridicnlc has persisted, while the
lofty object OF it remains proud memo
nal of the inspiration of genius.
A parodlst should have Wit and humour.
liz should possess the power of iaeeilously
applying to ludicrous or familiar topics the
sentiments, language and imagery which
hid been applied to grave aud srroos
ones. Where this is deXteronsly done, a
momentary delight may be produced in the
mind Of the reader, by unexpected simiIl-
tudes happily drawn. But the worthless
eilu8ion before us has no prrtentions TO
merit. We have rarely seen more ahor-
tive attempts al humor, aud AS TO wit, we
will do the writer the justice To say that he
has made no attempt at all. A fierce and
implacablr feeling Of hatred towards the
dead, is the only quality that relieves the
BDtan dulnr-s Of the whole We will Sc
lcct one or two specimens of what is in
tended for hlimui-
g The angels were all snging out of tune,
And hnar,e with havin. IT, else TO do,
Enc, pr ne 10 1tSnd up mr. sun md moon,
Or curt riunrgdy youiig STAY " f1so,
Or rid cOh gta COMET
He must be- very determined laugher