Note 99 — EPISTLE TO THE REV. DR WILLIAM BAGSHOT STEVENS, OF REPTON, DERBYSHIRE, WRITTEN IN 1783.
Reading edition
l. 16. Talents wither’d—Referring to Mr Stevens’ beautiful descriptions in his poem, Retirement, of the hard fate of those great poets, Spencer, Milton, Otway, Collins, and Chatterton, each of whom struggled with the evils of neglect and poverty; and all, except Milton, became their victims. I am tempted to instance here the passages which relate to Collins and Chatterton, to prove that in praising the genius of Mr Stevens, I have not been influenced by partiality.
Collins——quoted from Retirement.
“But who is he whom later garlands grace? “Lo! his worn youth, beneath the chilling grasp “Of penury, faints; and in her mournful shroud, “Darkening all joy, all promises of bliss, “All health, all hope, dire melancholy saps, “In drear decay, the fabric of his mind! “See shuddering Pity, o’er his fallen soul “Wring her pale hands!—Regardless of the guide “That lifts his steps, regardless of the friend “That mourns, nor sadly conscious of himself, “Silent, yet wild, his languid spirit lies! “The light of thought has wander’d from his eye, “It glares, but sees not!—yet this breathing corse, “This youthful driv’ller, Nature’s ghastliest form,— “O! who would love the lyre!—in all the courts “Of fancy, where abstracted beauty play’d “With wildest elegance, his ardent shell “Enamour’d struck, and charm’d the various soul.
Chatterton——quoted from Retirement.
“See later yet, and yet in drearier state, “Where dawning Genius, struggling into day, “Sinks in a dark eclipse!—No friendly heart, “With love propitious, and no angel-hand “With prosperous spell his labouring sun relieve, “And chace the gather’d clouds that drop with blood!
Charles the First——quoted from Retirement.
1. 2.———————— “in mockery see, “O’er royal sorrow sits, in stern array, “The traitrous judgment! In the eye of Heaven “O’er his meek brow dishonourable death “Unwinds her sable flag.
Elizabeth——from the same Poem.
See in Hume’s History, the death of that Queen.
“O mark, where Gloriana lies!—behold! “On the cold pavement for the jewell’d throne! “Mark, as the soothing friend, or to her ear, “In wily humour creeping, the base speech “Of adulation breathes!—Dread sovereign queen! “Imperial Mistress! Arbitress of Earth! “Mark, if the Goddess, at the alluring sound, “Unveil her sorrowing eye!—Mark if the pride “Of empire, glistening on her crown, adorn “Her brow’s wan horror!—if a nation’s prayer “Gladden her heart!—Stern at her bosom hang, “Bath’d in her blood, and twisted with the strings “Of life, the inexorable Fiends of Woe!