New-York tribune., 1899-10-07

Vi thoSe TWO WOrtnes In anecdotes OF the doctor the
one tries to outdo the other and Sir John Hawkins Is
umpire They are made to look very absurd for Peter
paraphrases their writings and gives the refer
ences to the passages in the margin In time the um-
pire begs them to stop and while be is asleep John
son comes to him in a dream and
" Wake. Hawklns" growled the doctor with frown,
And knock that fellow and that woman down,
He dissecs Boswell and Mrs. Piozzl with admirable
skill, and gives a message also to Peter:
Tell Peter Pindar should you chance to meet him,
like his genius; should be glad to greet him.
Still on his Pegasus continue Jogging
And give that Boswells back another foggng'
Peter respected Johnson, and writes a eulogy Of him
in the Introduction to tLss piece, but he in his
writings the fautness Of his pompous style then when
it was regarded with general admiration:
own like not Johnson's turgid style
lhat gives an inch the importance Of mile;
Bids ocean labor with tremendous roar.
10 hea'e a cookie shell upon the shore.
One Of Peters best pieces is his Complimentary
Epistle 10 James Bruce in which he falls into the
error Of dscredng the travellers naratye-an error
common enough. We must leave it here untasted, but
who turns it up for himself will be rewarded
But let rs look at Peter in his higher moods and
see what there is in him that needs not to fear coming
to the light For
a,
And boldly challenge tine most piercing eye.
Some please for once some will forever please.
As one object is 10 send readers to Peters pages,
we must give fair all-round samples Of his wares.
There among them pieces which excite regret that
he so much narrowed his mind TO subjects Of transient
interest for in these he unmistakaby strikes the
key and sings with the muses. robe upon him. But
space VIII allow US 10 DO little more than name
them We might point to the third canto Of " The
Lusiad as ahomding in both tragic and comic power,
showing high invention felicity Of expression marvel
lao ~ i efrtf inn md mn
at case with The broken English of the vulgar German
as with the dialect Of Detonshre. Take the descrip
tion Of night tho King ard Queen in bed the OF
the Prncesses closed in sleep:
Eyes Loves bright stars but doomed in vain TO shne
For ah' what youth shall say those Orbs mine?"
Then what are eyes. alas! The brightest eyes
Forbid TO laaguish a lovers sighs?
The poutng lip, the soft, luxurant breast,
If coldly fated never to be pressed?
All viny hose like dew-cad cherries glow;
And this yainly yies with Alpine snow.
Then the description of Dscord her person her
dwelling its interior and surroundings, and her work
Again the passage commencing,
Not with less glee an old and hopeless maid,
and ending with
Wrapped in the darkness of the midnight storm,
Of which The Centeman's Magazine of that day-his
special and bitter enemy-says it contains
quisite pearls in a string Of beautiful SMILES
Take again the story Of The Magpie and the
France. 1t was the evening hour, when,
Perched on the wall, he cocks his tail and eye.
and suddenly starts and wonders. for,
Soft from a bush below, diyinely clear
modest Warble melted on his ear,
4 paintivo soothing. solitary song
\ stealing, tmid unpresuming sound,
Afraid dim Natures deep repose to wOur-,
That hushed "a deathlike pause) the rude Sublime.
With nimitable address Mag approaches Robin, and
says
What-Bobly. Damme is it you.
That thus Your pretty phiz TO music screw?
and tries by every inducemen to entice Robin to Lon
don where they will initiate the geniuses OF France,
and "diyinov play the devil" lie gives description
French ways of thinking and doing under the Di-
rectorv bu they have attractions for Robin There
fore Mag tells him to be id. and flies off raying.
Peter adds in n postscript:
In Thomas Paine the Magpe doth appear;
That I'M poor Robin is quite clear,
OF his many brics we will but mention his songs
10 CYNTHIA. TO Della TO Laura All Ope Lord Grego~v-
thy door, and the sonnet 10 Jackson already refer
to- am of which. and others with them. may rank amc
tha best songs Of The seventeenth century We
quote two sf4nzas of the last named:
O say. what minstrel Of the sky hath given
To swell ho lrge so musically lorn?
Declare hath doye-eyod Pity left her heaven.
And lent thy happy hand her Tyre 10 mourn?
So e7d. thv sounds of hopeless hearts complain,
Love from his Cyprian isle. prepares 10 fly.
Tie hasfes 10 listen to thy tender strain.
Ar.f b. -r.,r hoo 70 brf4 fht q ctroaf 1irh