Scribbleomania Or, The Printer's Devil's Polichronicon. A Sublime Poem. Edited by Anser Pen-drag-on [i.e. S. W. H. Ireland] |
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Lord Byron.
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Lord Byron.
Fac discas multa, et vites nescire doceri. Cato.
Take heed to learn many things, and shun not the opportunity to reap instruction.
Some strange combination must rule o'er the spheres,
Since our age teems with many Parnassian peers.
A Byron, not lacking of fancy some store,
Who, study possessing, hath purg'd mental lore,
With Strangford respectably gracing my poem,
Whom last I recorded, of lordlings the proem.
Childe Harold must needs with old phrase still be dressing:
A style of composing shall ne'er claim my praises;
The Muses thus robing in masquerade phases.
For, as planets will oft seem halv'd, gibbous, or horn'd,
These obsolete terms, to my mind, seem suborn'd
To torture our language, for ages corrected;
Which, now at its acme, must needs be neglected.
Having own'd that his lordship much fancy possesses,
May his flights henceforth throw off such harlequin dresses.
As a bard thus I grant him the praises his due,
And, with care, bid him Pegasus's journey pursue.
We are frequently told by the reviewers, that birth and fortune do not produce the smallest influence upon their decisions respecting any point connected with the republic of letters; which is, however, to my mind a very problematical assertion. Notwithstanding due praise be allowed to Lord Byron, on the score of assiduous labour, scholastic acquirement, and classical elegance, he most assuredly cannot at present lay claim to real genius or originality; and, with deficiencies so palpable, the productions of his lordship could never have received those unqualified eulogiums, had not the talismanic charm of nobility infused its balsam as an ingredient into the dose of criticism. Considered in the light of a didactic writer, Lord Byron is deserving a considerable portion of praise; but any attempt to soar into the heaven of heavens, is a task beyond the powers of this Parnassian nobleman.
Some time has elapsed since the former part of this note was committed to paper: since which period a few short ebullitions have met the public eye, that do infinite credit to the muse of Lord Byron. I would, however, most seriously advise this nobleman to apply his abilities to some more sterling and lasting topic: let him obliterate from his thoughts all recollection of the new school. His judgment is obviously much matured; and the style he adopts is seldom characterized by a want of perspicuity: and, as the sublimity of Alpine scenery elevates the soul to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, even so will the mental energies expand in proportion to the grandeur of the subject which is selected to put them into action. Under such an impression, therefore, do I advise Lord Byron to lay the ground-work of a poem, the superstructure of which may justly entitle him to the praises of futurity.
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