The Unsex'd
Females: Note 3
I agree with the Author of "the Pursuits," both in his praises and his censures of
the writers of this country, with a few exceptions only. To his eulogia, indeed, I heartily assent: but,
I think, his animadversions on Darwin and Hayley in particular, are unmerited. In composing his
Botanic Garden, Dr. Darwin was aware, that though imagination refuse to enlist under the banner
of science, yet science may sometimes be brought forward, not unhappily, under the conduct of
imagination: and of the latter, if I am any way a judge, we are presented with a complete specimen
in that admirable poem. With respect to the structure of the poem, we have been told, that it wants
connexion--that there is a reciprocal repulsion between the scientific and imaginative particles, and
so little affinity even between the latter, that they cannot possibly cohere. But on this topic, let us
hear the Author himself; who invites us to contemplate, in his poem, "a great variety of little
pictures, connected only by a slight festoon of ribbons." And they are pictures glowing in the
richest colors---the most beautiful, in short, that were ever delineated by the poetic pencil. I defy
any one of Dr. Darwin's censurers, to point out a single picture, which is not finished with touches
the most exquisite--"with all the magic charms of light and shade." I had intended to examine the
style, the versification, the poetry; but rather let me desire my Reader to open either of the volumes,
at a venture, and take the first description that presents itself: and he will find painting sublime as
Fuseli's, or beautiful as Emma Crewe's. It is easy to run over the changes of "artificial glitter"--
"glaring varnish"--"deliciousness that cloys." Thus was Gibbon treated. Gibbon, forsooth, was required to bring down the haughtiness
of his style to a level with that of vulgar "prosers." And Darwin must lower his eagle wing, to
silence the clamour of the poetic sparrow-hawks, that, whilst they arraign his flights, are pining at
their own imbecillity.------Of the other poet, Mr. Hayley, whose merit has been much depreciated by the
Author of "the Pursuits," I have always entertained the highest opinion. In graceful negligence, and
in harmony of numbers, he surely stands unrivalled. He has all that lucid imagery, and that chaste
elegance which characterise the poet of Eloisa: and his imagery is his own. Pope's was borrowed.
In copiousness of expression, he is vastly superior to Pope. But from his command of language, he
is sometimes tempted to riot in redundancies, or to expand a sentiment where he ought to compress
it. I need not enumerate his various productions, both in verse and prose; all of which will probably
descend to posterity, with honor to his name. But his "Triumphs of Temper" is a poem, in which
the invention of Spenser is blended with the perspicuity and melody of Pope.---I might mention
other names which the Author of "the Pursuits" seems to have slighted--but I shall hint only, that
he has entirely omitted several names of literary respectability---particularly in the west of England.
What does he think of Whitaker? Doubtless, a gentleman of such high eminence as the historian of
Manchester, the memorialist of Mary Queen of Scots, &c. &c. must have his share "in affecting
public order, regulated government and polished society."