II.

SPENSER.

HE that was unacquainted with Spenfer, and was to form his ideas of the turn and manner of his genius from this piece, would undoubtedly fuppofe that he abounded in filthy images, and excelled in defcribing the lower fcenes of life. But the characteristics of this sweet and allegorical poet are not only strong and circumftantial imagery, but tender and pathetic feeling, a mott melodious flow of verfification, and a certain pleafing melancholy in his fentiments, the conftant companion of an elegant taste, that cafts a delicacy and grace over all his compofitions. To imitate Spenfer on a subject that does not partake of the pathos, is not giving a true representation of him; for he seems to be more awake and alive to all the softnesses of nature than almost any writer I can recollect. There is an affemblage of disgusting and disagreeable sounds in the following ftanza of Pope, which one is almost tempted to think, if it were poffible, had been contrived as a contraft, or rather as a burlesque, of a moft exquifite ftanza in the Fairy Queen :

"The fnappish cur (the paffengers annoy)

Close at my heel with yelping treble flies;

The whimp'ring girl, and hoarser-screaming boy,
Join to the yelping treble, fhrilling cries;
The fcolding Quean to louder notes doth rife,
And her full pipes thofe fhrilling cries confound;
To her full pipes the grunting hog replies;
The grunting hogs alarm the neighbours round,
And curs, girls, boys, in the deep bafe are drown'd."

The very turn of thefe numbers bears the clofest resemblance with the following, which are of themselves a complete concert of the most delicious mufic:

"The joyous birds shrouded in cheerful shade, Their notes unto the voice attempred sweet;

VOL. II.

Th'

Th' angelical, foft trembling voices made To th' inftruments divine respondance meet; The filver-founding inftruments did meet With the bafe murmure of the water's fall; The water's fall with difference difcreet, Now foft, now loud unto the wind did call, The gentle warbling wind low answered to all." Book ii. cant. 12. f. 71. Thefe images, one would have thought, were peculiarly calculated to have struck the fancy of our young imitator with so much admiration, as not to have fuffered him to make a kind of travefty of them.

The next ftanza of Pope reprefents fome allegorical figures, of which his original was so fond :

"Hard by a fty, beneath a roof of thatch,

Dwelt Obloquy, who in her early days

Baskets of fish at Billingfgate did watch,

Cod, whiting, oyfter, mackrel, fprat, or plaice;

There learn'd she speech from tongues that never cease.
Slander befide her, like a Magpie, chatters,

With Envy, (fpitting Cat) dread foe to peace;
Like a curs'd Cur, Malice before her clatters,

And vexing ev'ry wight, tears cloaths and all to tatters."

But these perfonages of Obloquy, Slander, Envy, and Malice, are not marked with any diflinct attributes; they are not thofe living figures, whofe attitudes and behaviour Spenfer has minutely drawn with fo much clearness and truth, that we behold them with our eyes as plainly as we do on the cieling or the banquetinghoufe. For, in truth, the pencil of Spenfer is as powerful as that of Rubens, his brother allegorift; which two artifts refembled each other in many refpects: but Spenfer had more grace, and was as warm a colourist.

WARTON.

II.

SPENSER.

THE ALLEY.

I.

IN ev'ry Town, where Thamis rolls his Tyde,
A narrow Pass there is, with Houses low;
Where ever and anon, the Stream is ey'd,
And many a Boat foft fliding to and fro.
There oft are heard the notes of Infant Woe,
The short thick Sob, loud Scream, and fhriller Squall:
How can ye, Mothers, vex your Children fo?
Some play, fome eat, some cack against the wall,
And as they crouchen low, for bread and butter call.

5

II.

And on the broken pavement, here and there,
Doth many a stinking fprat and herring lie
A brandy and tobacco fhop is near,
And hens, and dogs, and hogs are feeding by ;
And here a failor's jacket hangs to dry.
At ev'ry door are fun-burnt matrons feen,
Mending old nets to catch the scaly fry ;
Now finging fhrill, and scolding eft between;
Scolds answer foul-mouth'd fcolds; bad neighbour.

hood I ween.

U 2

10

15

The

III.

The fnappifh cur (the paffengers annoy)
Close at my heel with yelping treble flies ;
The whimp'ring girl, and hoarfer-fcreaming boy,
Join to the yelping treble, fhrilling cries;
The fcolding Quean to louder notes doth rife,
And her full pipes thofe fhrilling cries confound;
To her full pipes the grunting hog replies;
The grunting hogs alarm the neighbours round,
And curs, girls, boys, and fcolds, in the deep bafe
are drown'd.

20

V.

Her dugs were mark'd by ev'ry Collier's hand,
Her mouth was black as bull-dogs at the stall:

25

IV.
Hard by a Sty, beneath a roof of thatch,
Dwelt Obloquy, who in her early days
Baskets of fish at Billingfgate did watch,
Cod, whiting, oyfter, mackrel, fprat, or plaice:
There learn'd fhe fpeech from tongues that never cease.
Slander befide her, like a Magpie, chatters,

With Envy, (fpitting Cat) dread foe to peace;
Like a curs'd Cur, Malice before her clatters,
And vexing ev'ry wight, tears clothes and all to tatters.

35

30

She

NOTES.

VER. 30. Baskets of fifb] How different from thofe enchanting imitations of Spenfer, The Castle of Indolence and the Minstrel!

WARTON.

40

She scratched, bit, and spar'd ne lace ne band,
And bitch and rogue her answer was to all;
Nay, e'en the parts of shame by name would call :
Yea, when fhe paffes by or lane or nook,

Would greet the man who turn'd him to the wall, And by his hand obfcene the porter took,

Nor ever did afkance like modest Virgin look.

VI.

45

Such place hath Deptford, navy-building town,
Woolwich and Wapping, fmelling strong of pitch;
Such Lambeth, envy of each band and gown,
And Twick'nam fuch, which fairer scenes enrich,
Grots, ftatues, urns, and Jo-n's Dog and Bitch,
Ne village is without, on either fide,

51

All up the filver Thames, or all adown;
Ne Richmond's felf, from whofe tall front are ey'd
Vales, fpires, meand'ring ftreams, and Windfor's
tow'ry pride.