LYRIC POETRY imitates violent and ardent

paffions. It is therefore bold, various, and impetuous. It abounds with animated fentiments, glowing images, and forms of speech often unusual, but commonly nervous and expreffive. The compofition and arrangement of parts may often appear disordered, and the tranfitions fudden and obfcure; but they are always natural, and are governed by the movements and variations of the imitated paffion. The foregoing ode will illuftrate thefe obfervations.

The Introduction is poetical and abrupt.

Thy fpirit, Independence, let me share !

Lord of the lion-heart and eagle-eye,

"Thy steps I follow with my bofom bare, JM7 "Nor heed the form that howls along the sky." The picture exhibited in thefe lines is ftriking, because the circumftances are happily chofen, briefly, and diftinctly delineated. It is fublime, because the images are few, and in themselves great and magnificent. The

" lion-heart and eagle-eye" fuggeft an idea of the high fpirit and commanding afpect of Independence: and the poet following with "bofom bare" denotes, in a 0. M

picturesque manner, the eagernefs and enthufiam of the votary. The laft circumftance is peculiarly happy.

"Nor heeds the ftorm that howls along the sky". It marks the fcene: it is unexpected, and excites furprize it is great and awful, and exites aftonishment. Combined with the preceding circumftance, it conveys a beautiful allegorical meaning; and fignifies, that a mind truly independent is fuperior to adverfity, and unmoved by external accidents. We may obferve too, in regard to the diction, that the notions of found and motion communicated by the words " howl" and

along," contribute, in a peculiar manner, to the fublimity of the description.

"Lord of the lion-heart and eagle-eye,

Thy steps I follow with my bofom bare,

Nor heed the ftorm that howls along the sky." These lines are written in the true fpirit of Lyric poetry. Without preparing the mind by a cool artificial introduction, rifing gradually to the impetuofity of paffion, they affail the imagination by an abrupt and fudden impulfe; they vibrate through the foul, and fire us inftantaneously with all the ardour and enthusiasm of

the

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the poet. Many of the odes of Horace are compofed fimilar are compofed in the fame fpirit, and produce fimilar effects. With

out any previous argument or introduction, in the fulnefs of paffion and imagination, he breaks out in bold, powerful, and impetuous figures.

Quo me, Bacche, rapis, tui

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"Plenum? Quae nemora aut quos agor in fpecus "Velox mente nova ?

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Qualem miniftrum fulminis alitem".

The poet, full of enthufiafm and admiration, continues his profopopeia; and, in a strain of poetry exceedingly wild and romantic, gives us the genealogy of Independence.

"A goddefs violated brought thee forth,

"Immortal Liberty, whofe look fublime

Hath bleached the tyrant's cheek in every varying " clime."

According to the acceptation of our author, Liberty means the fecurity of our lives and poffeffions, and freedom from external force: Independence is of higher import, and denotes that internal fenfe and confcioufnefs of freedom which beget magnanimity, fortitude, and that becoming pride which leads us to refpect ourfelves, and do nothing unworthy of our condition. Liberty therefore is, with perfect propriety, faid to be

OBSERVATION S.

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Eglagron que a Fe? to sto ide da the mother of Independence, and Difdain his fatherDifdain arifing from indignation against an oppreffor, and triumph on having fruftrated or escaped his malice. This ftern perfonage is ftrongly characterized in the following direct defcription.

"Of ample front the portly chief appear'd:

The hunted bear fupply'd a fhaggy veft;

The drifted fnow hung on his yellow beard; "And his broad shoulders braved the furious blast." Men may enjoy liberty without independence: they may be secure in their perfons and poffeffions, without feeling any uncommon elevation of mind, or any fenfe of their freedom. But if their liberty is attacked, they are alarmed, they feel the value of their condition, they are moved with indignation against their oppreffors, they exert themfelves, and if they are fuccefsful, or efcape the danger that threatened them, they triumph, they reflect on the happiness and dignity conferred by freedom, they applaud themfeves for their exertions, become magnanimous and independent. There is therefore no less propriety in deducing the origin of Independence from Difdain and Liberty, than in fixing the æra of his

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birth. The Saxons, according to our author, free,

fimple, and inoffenfive, were attacked, efcaped the

violence of their adverfary, reflected on the felicity of their condition, and learned independence.

The

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The education of Independence, and the scene of his nativity, are fuited to his illuftrious lineage, and to the high atchievements for which he was deftined."

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"The light he saw in Albion's happy plains, "Where under cover of a flowering thorn, "While Philomel renewed her warbled ftrains, "The aufpicious fruit of stol'n embrace was born"The mountain Dryads feized with joy, "The fmiling infant to their charge confign'd; "The Doric mufe careffed the favourite boy; "The hermit Wisdom ftored his opening mind.'The imagery in these lines is soft and agreeable, the language smooth, and the verfification numerous.

Independence thus defcended, and thus divinely inftructed and endowed, diftinguishes himself accordingly by heroic and beneficent actions.

"Accomplish'd thus, he winged his way, "And zealous roved from pole to pole, "The rolls of right eternal to display,

"And warm with patriot thoughts the aspiring foul." The ode may be divided into three parts. The poet fets out with a brief addrefs to Independence, imploring his protection. He fees, in idea, the high object of his adoration, and, tranfported by an ardent and irrefiftible impulfe, he rehearses his birth, education, and quali