was over their heads, was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a fapphire ftone. -This was the appearance of the glory of the Lord. Ezekiel i. 20, 26, 28. P. 90. Clos'd his eyes in endless night.] Οφθαλμῶν μὲν ἄμερσε· δίδε δ ̓ ἡδεῖαν αοιδήν. Ibid. Two courfers of ethereal race.] Meant to exprefs the ftately march and founding energy of. Dryden's rhymes. ། , Ibid. With necks in thunder cloth'd, and long-refounding pace.] Haft thou clothed his neck with thunder? 2 JOB. Ibid. Thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.] Words that weep, and tears that speak. Ibid. But ab! 'tis heard no more COWLEY. We have had in our language no other odes of the fublime kind, than that of Dryden on St. Cecilia's day for Cowley, who had his merit, yet wanted judgment, ftyle, and harmony, for fuch a tafk. That of Pope is not worthy worthy of fo great a man. Mr. Mason indeed, of late date days has touched the true chords, and with a masterly hand, in fome of his chorufes, above all in the laft of Caractacus: Hark! heard ye not yon footstep dread? &c. Pindar P. 91. That the Theban Eagle bear.]. Διὸς πρὸς ὄρνιχα θεῖον. Olymp. 2. compares himself to that bird, and his enemies to ravens that croak and clamour in vain below, while it purfues its flight, regardless of their noife. P. 95. They mock the air with idle ftate!] Mocking the air with colours idly spread. SHAKESPEARE's King John. Ibid. Helm, nor Hauberk's twisted mail.] The Hauberk was a texture of fteel ringlets, or rings interwoven, forming a coat of mail, that fat close to the body, and adapted itself to every motion. P. 96. -the crefted pride.] The crefted adder's pride. DRYDEN'S Indian Queen. P. P. 96. As down the steep of Snowdon's fhaggy fide.] Snowdon was a name given by the Saxons to that mountainous tract which the Welsh themselves call Craigian-eryri: it included all the highlands of Caernarvonfhire and Merionethfhire, as far as the river Conway. R. Hygden, speaking of the caftle of Conway, built there by King Edward the First, says, "Ad ortum amnis Conway ad clivum montis. Erery;" and Matthew of Westminster (ad ann. 1283), Apud Aberconway ad pedes "montis Snowdoniæ fecit erigo caftrum forte." Ibid. Stout Glo'fter stood agbaft] cr Gilbert de Clare, furnamed the Red, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, fon-in-law to King Edward. -] Ibid. To arms! cried Mortimer Edmond de Mortimer, Lord of Wigmore. They both were Lords Marchers, whofe lands lay on the borders of Wales, and probably accompanied the King in this expedition. Ibid. Loofe his beard, and hoary hair.] The image was taken from a well-known picture of Raphael, representing the Supreme Being Being in the vifion of Ezekiel. There are two of these paintings, both believed original, one at Florence, the other at Paris.. P.96. Stream'd, like a meteor, to the troubled Shone, like a meteor, ftreaming to the wind. P. 98. On dreary Arvon's fhore-] The fhores of Caernarvonshire oppofite to the isle of Anglesey. Ibid. The famifh'd eagle fcreams, and passes by.] Camden and others obferve, that eagles used annually to build their aerie among the rocks of Snowdon, which from thence (as fome think) were named by the Welsh Craigianeryri, or the crags of the eagles. At this day (I am told) the highest point of Snowdon is called the Eagle's Neft. That bird is certainly no ftranger to this island, as the Scots, and the people of Cumberland, Westmorland, &c. can teftify: it even has built its neft in the Peak of Derbyshire. [See Willoughby's Ornithol. published by Ray.] P. P. 98. Dear, as the light that visits thefe As dear to me as are the ruddy drops SHAKESPEARE'S Jul. Cafar. Ibid. And weave with bloody hands the tiffue of thy line.] See the Norwegian ode that follows. P. 99. Shrieks of an agonizing King!] Edward the Second, cruelly butchered in Berkley-caftle. Ibid. She-wolf of France -] Ifabel of France, Edward the Second's adulterous Queen. Ibid. From thee be born, &c.] Triumphs of Edward the Third in France. Ibid. Low on his funeral couch he lies!] Death of that king, abandoned by his children, and even robbed in his laft moments by his courtiers and his miftrefs. P. 100. Is the fable warrior fled?] Edward the Black Prince, dead some time before his father. I P. |