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and the dignity of virtue, and he would have despised artifice, when he had felt the strength and security of wisdom. In estimating the promises of his genius, I would rather lean to the utmost enthusiasm of his admirers, than to the cold opinion of those who are afraid of being blinded to the defects of the poems attributed to Rowley, by the veil of obsolete phraseology which is thrown over them. If we look to the ballad of Sir Charles Bawdin, and translate it into modern English, we shall find its strength and interest to have no dependence on obsolete words. In the striking passage of the martyr Bawdin, standing erect in his car to rebuke Edward, who beheld him from the window, when

"The tyrant's soul rush'd to his face,'

and when he exclaimed

'Behold the man! he speaks the truth,
He's greater than a king;'

in these, and in all the striking parts of the ballad, no effect is owing to mock antiquity, but to the simple and high conception of a great and just character, who

'Summ'd the actions of the day
Each night before he slept.'

What a moral portraiture from the hand of a boy! The inequality of Chatterton's various productions may be compared to the disproportions of the unknown giant. His works had nothing of the definite neatness of that precocious talent which stops short in early maturity. His thirst for knowledge was that of a being taught by instinct to lay up materials for the exercise of great and undeveloped powers. Even in his favourite maxim, pushed, it

might be, to hyperbole, that a man, by abstinence and perseverance, might accomplish whatever he pleased, may be traced the indications of a genius which nature had meant to achieve works of immortality. Tasso alone can be compared to him as a juvenile prodigy. No English poet ever equalled him at the same age.'

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SELECT POEMS.

ECLOGUES.

The three first Eclogues are printed from a MS. furnished by Mr. Catcott, in the hand-writing of Thomas Chatterton. It is a thin copy-book in 4to. with the following title in the first page: Eclogues and other Poems by Thomas Rowley, with a Glossary and Annotations by Thomas Chatterton. There is only one other poem in this book, viz. the fragment of Goddwyn, a Tragedie. The fourth Eclogue is reprinted from the Town and Country Magazine for May 1769, p. 273. It is there entitled, Elinoure and Juga. Written three hundred years ago, by T. Rowley, secular priest. And it has the following subscription: D. B. Bristol, May, 1769. Chatterton soon after told Mr. Catcott, that he (Chatterton) inserted it in the magazine.

ECLOGUE THE FIRST.

ROBERTE AND RAUFE.

wounde,

WHANNE Englonde, smeethynge from her lethal [awaie, From her galled necke dyd twytte the chayne Kennynge her legeful sonnes falle all arounde, (Myghtie theie fell, 'twas honoure ledde the fraie,) Thanne inne a dale, bie eve's dark surcote graie,

Twayne lonelie shepsterres dyd abrodden flie (The rostlyng liff doth theyr whytte hartes affraie,) And wythe the owlette trembled and dyd crie;

First Roberte Neatherde hys sore boesom stroke, Then fellen on the grounde and thus yspoke.

ROBERTE.

Ah, Raufe! gif thos the howres do comme alonge,
Gif thos wee flie in chase of farther woe,

Oure fote wylle fayle, albeytte wee be stronge,
Ne wylle oure pace swefte as our danger go.
To our grete wronges wee have enheped moe,
The baronnes warre! oh! woe and well-a-daie!
I haveth lyff, bott have escaped soe

That lyff, ytsel mie senses doe affraie.

Oh Raufe, comme lyste, and hear mie dernie

tale,

[dale. Comme hear the balefull dome of Robynne of the

RAUFE.

Saie to mee nete; I kenne thie woe in myne;
Oh! I've a tale that Sabalus mote telle.

Swote flouretts, mantled meedows, forestes

dygne;

Gravots far-kend arounde the errmiets cell;
The swote ribible dynning yn the dell;
The joyous daunceynge ynn the hoastrie courte ;
Eke the highe songe and everych joie farewell,
Farewell the verie shade of fayre dysporte:
Impestering trobble onn mie heade doe comme,
Ne on kynde seyncte to warde the aye encreas-
ynge dome.

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