Note 305 — APPENDIX. (continued 3)

Lydgate’s Minor Poems, in vol. ii of the Percy Society’s publications, p. 179 ff.—Ritson, the censorious, styles honest Dan Lydgate “a voluminous, prosaic, drivelling monk.” This is hard measure. That the drivels is just as true as it would be to say that Ritson had no gall in his composition. That he is sometimes prosaic can’t be denied; but he has many fine passages of true poetry. If to be voluminous be a sin—then may Heaven pity our popular novel-spinners!