CONTENTS OT Page Mr. Hughes's Effay on Allegorical Poetry, with Remarks on the Faerie Queene, with Mr. Spence's Dissertation on the Defects of Spen- Mr. Warton's Remarks on the Plan and Conduct of Remarks on Spenser's Imitations from old Romances, with Notes Ixvi The Editor's additional Remarks Remarks on Spenser's Stanza, Versi- • fication, and Language, with Notes cxxvi The Editor's additional Remarks Mr. Upton's Remarks on the A&tion and History of Dr. Hurd's Remarks on the Plan and Conduct of clv Verses addressed to the Author, with Notes Verses addrefled by the Author to several Noble- The first Book of the Faerie Queene, Canto I-VI. 1 MR. HUGHES'S ESSAY ON ALLEGORICAL POETRY. It is a misfortune, as Mr. Waller observes, which attends the writers of English poetry, that they can hardly expect their works thould last long in a tongue which is daily changing ; that, whilst they are new, envy is apt to prevail against them; and, as that wears off, our language itself fails. Our poets, therefore, he fays, thould imitate judicious ftatuaries, that choose the most durable materials; and should carve in Latin or Greek, if they would have. their labours preferved for ever. Notwithstanding the disadvantage he has mentioned, we have two ancient English poets, Chaucer and Spenser, who may, perhaps, be reckoned as exceptions to this remark: There seem to have taken deep root, like old British oaks, and to flourish in defiance of all the injuries of time and weather. The former is, indeed, much more obsolete in his style than the latter ; but it is owing to an extraordinary native strength in both that they have been able thus far to survive amidst the changes of our tongue, and seem rather likely, among the curious at least, to preserve the knowledge of our ancient language, than to be in danger of being destroyed with it, and buried under its ruins. |
