Edited by

JOHN DENNIS.

"Fortunatus et ille, Deos qui novit agrestes,
Panaque Sylvanumque senem Nymphasque sorores!"

LONDON:
EDWARD MOXON & CO., DOVER STREET.

1865.

270. f. 14.

Prologue

CONTENTS.

PAGE

1

CHAPTER I.

Hartley opens his Chaucer-A discussion about Chaucer's Eng-

lish-Mr. Bell's edition-Dryden's imitation of Chaucer's

tales-Chaucer in the fields-His love of Spring, of flowers,

and of early rising-The cheerful character of his poetry—

His residence in cities-Edmund Spenser-The leading

facts of his life-A great Christian poet-Variety of his

powers-One reason for reading the "Faerie Queene"-

Why that poem is considered tedious-Religious literature

-Mr. Craik's Spenser and his poetry-Extracts from the

work-Spenser as a rural poet-The Shepherd's Calendar

-Pope's definition of pastoral poetry-Dr. Johnson's

definition-His Lives of the Poets-Hartley expresses his

dislike of the eclogue Cites the opinion of James Mont-

gomery-The old pastoral obsolete-Modern poets, their

gains and losses

CHAPTER II.

A drive through Exmoor Forest-Shakspeare's dramas deficient

in rural passages-Extracts from his plays-His love of

nature subordinate to higher feelings-His description of

natural objects-His female characters-Collins's opinion of

them, and Sir Walter Scott's-Men of genius not often good

critics-Michael Drayton, his poetry and his fame-A sonnet

-His copiousness contrasted with the fertility of Spenser

-Remarks of Professor Wilson

6

31

PAGE

CHAPTER III.

Summer pleasures at Lynton-Eclogues piscatory and pastoral

-Gay's burlesques-Southey's remarks upon them-

William Browne and his Britannia's Pastorals-Ben

Jonson's eulogistic lines-And Drayton's-Browne's style,

its defects and beauties-His love of rural scenes-Extracts

-His ambition as a poet-Posthumous renown-Ben

Jonson-His enjoyment of country life-To Penshurst-

To Sir Robert Wroth-Extracts-Herrick's Hesperides

-His philosophy and his love-making-His love songs

-Extracts of rural passages-His dislike of the country

-Modern style of his poetry-His portrait

CHAPTER IV.

Society necessary to the literary man-A word about Southey

-Milton and Dryden-Milton and Jeremy Taylor-Milton

not appreciated in his own age, and not sufficiently appre-

ciated in ours-His descriptions of nature-Dr. Johnson's

statement regarding them-And Mr. Keightley's-Was

Milton's knowledge of natural objects derived from books or

observation ?-Illustrations from other poets-What is a

plagiarist ?--L'Allegro and Il Penseroso-Lycidas-John-

son's criticism criticised

CHAPTER V.

Pope's Pastorals-Mr. Ruskin's two orders of poets-In the

fields-Thomson and Shelley-A catalogue of poets-

Blair's Grave-Somervile-Shenstone's Pastoral Ballad

Gray upon Shenstone-Thomas Aird-Gray's Elegy-His

diction condemned by Talbot-The friendship between

Gray and West-West's Ode to May-Collins not one of

the minor poets-Thomas Warton-The Hamlet-Warton's

ignorance of rural life.......

CHAPTER VI.

Thomson's Seasons-His character-Letter to Miss Young-A
poet dying for love-A select library-Britannia and
Liberty-The Castle of Indolence-Walpole's criticism-

66

91

121

CONTENTS.

Wordsworth upon Thomson-Fallacy of his argument-

Thomson as a rural poet-Comparison between Thomson

and Cowper-Sunshine in England-Anatomy of Melan-

choly-A snow scene-Winter within doors and without—

Thomson and Cowper should be read at the same time—

Extracts Field sports-Town and country life-The evils

of the latter-The agricultural labourer-Government

education-The author of Friends in Council-The worth

of poetry-A ghost laid.

CHAPTER VIII.

Excursions in Devonshire-Praise of the country-Foreign and

home travel-Cowper's blank verse-Are field sports law-

ful?-Cowper's gentleness of disposition-His letters-

Hugh Miller's visit to Olney-Cowper a vigorous writer-

Professor Wilson on Cowper's satires-Cowper's regard

for dress

V

CHAPTER IX.

Sensational literature-The poetry of Wordsworth-Mr.
Matthew Arnold on the difference between ancient and
modern poetry-A discussion of his argument-Words-
worth's theories injurious to his poetry-His sonnets-Mr.
Henry Taylor on Wordsworth-Wordsworth's descriptions
of nature-His greatness and his weakness-The fathers of
the modern pastoral-Wordsworth's pastorals-His pathos

PAGE

CHAPTER VII.

A lesson from the Lyn-Poets of the second order prone to

melancholy-The greatest poets eminently sane and cheer-

ful-William Cowper-His life and poetry-His eminence

as a rural poet-Earl Stanhope on Cowper-Character of

his poetry-Reasons why it is so popular-The Task-

Extracts-Southey's opinion of the poem-Something

about genius-The fame of poets more secure than the

fame of warriors or statesmen-Poets prophesy their own

immortality-Cowper's views on the subject—The delight

of poets in their work-The law of compensation—

Southey's Life of Cowper-His honesty as a biographer ... 186

155

205