Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

And keeps them ever by delufion
In dark irregular confufion.

The fureft calm that can allay
The ftorms of life's tempeftuous fea,
Is found in undisturb'd repofe,
Whence every juft contentment flows:
Thus in the thoughtlefs, careless mind,
The feat of real blifs we find.

O Ignorance! thou darling child
Of nature, like thy parent mild;
Thou precious gift, beftow'd at birth,
To form our happiness on earth;
Involv'd in thee, we bid defiance
To all the rocks and crags of science:
In thy fafe port fecure we fleep,

While Learning ploughs the toilfome deep :
Thy influ'nce makes the blockhead fcribble
Conundrums quaint, and far-fetch'd quibble;
Makes Anti-Christian

preach,

And cow-boys Greek and Latin teach;
Phyficians gravely mix a potion,
That cures all ills by ftopping motion
The foggy lawyers make defence
Against all rules of common fense;
Dull magiftrates on benches nod,
And vainly hold the ufelefs rod :
Make ftatefmen loll in fplendor, brewing
Their mafter's and the nation's ruin.

From love, the choiceft boon that Heav'n
Has by its kind indulgence giv'n,

Is ev'ry store of sweetness flown,
When fecrets once are too well known;
Thus, all the joys of life's short trance
Confift in downright Ignorance.

+

Knowledge! withdraw thy hated rays;
We love obfcurity and ease:
Extend thy glimm'ring light no more,
But let us yawn, and fleep, and fnore :
Since not e'en Berkley's vifions faw
Th' intrinfic parts that form a firaw
Nor Newton, more than mortals wife,
Who fathom'd earth, and feas, and skies,
Cou'd ever truly understand

The effence of one grain of fand.

[ocr errors]

The

B

The WINTER'S WALK.

By SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL, D.

EHOLD, my fair, where'er we rove, What dreary profpects round us rife The naked hill, the leaflefs grove,

The hoary ground, the frowning skies

Nor only through the wafted plain,
Stern Winter, is thy force confefs'd;
Still wider fpreads thy horrid reign,
I feel thy power ufurp my breaft.

Enliv'ning hope and fond defire,
Refign the heart to fpleen and care,
Scarce frighted love maintains her fire,
And rapture faddens to despair.

In groundless hope, and causeless fear,
Unhappy man behold thy doom
Still changing with the changeful year,
The flave of funshine and of gloom.

Tir'd with vain joys, and falfe alarms,
With mental and corporeal ftrife,
Snatch me, my Stella, to thy arms,
And fcreen me from the ills of life.

:

ACCOUNT

ACCOUNT of Books for 1767.

THE Hiftory of the Life of King Henry the Second, and of the age in which he lived, in five Books: to which is prefixed, a Hiftory of the Revolutions of England from the Death of Edward the Confeffor to the Birth of Henry the Second. By George Lord Lyttelton. [3 vols. 4to.]

A

S there is, perhaps, no ftudy fo delightful as that of hif tory, fo there is no history so useful as that of our own country. The very early accounts of England, as of all other ancient nations, being founded on fable, the reading of any thing relating to thofe dark ages may be confidered merely as an amufement. But from the time that the different kingdoms of the heptarchy were united under one government; that the Anglo-Saxon conftitution began to be compleatly formed; and that many facts became properly afcertained; every part of the hiftory of England becomes an object of confideration.

The noble author of the excellent work before us, has chofen one of the moft critical, the most diftinguished, and the moft interefting periods, for the fubject of his hiftory. To his age of Henry the Second he has prefixed a history of the revolutions which happened in England from the death of Ed. ward the Confeffor to the birth of that prince. And as the hiftory of king Stephen is included in the

first book of the age of Henry the Second, we have thereby a compleat hiftory of England and of its continental connections, for that interefting period of above an hundred years. In this period we see the conqueft of one mighty nation by another; the union and incorporation of both nations; the manner how by flow degrees they were melted into one; and their united acts under fome of the greatest mo. narchs that ever lived. The noble writer traces out, with the greatest accuracy, the degrees by which the Norman feudal fyftem was engrafted upon and interwoven with the Anglo Saxon conftitution; from whence, through various modifications, proceeds that excellent form which we enjoy at prefent.

This is a part of our hiftory, which requires the greateft labour, judgment, and knowledge, to inveftigate,; and which, though effentially requifite to be known by every Englishman of confideration in his country, is the moft involved in obfcurity, the leaft generally understood, and the part as to which modern writers differ moft in opinion. this, many caufes may be affigned; most of our writers have been influenced by fome or other of the parties into which we have been fo frequently divided, and which are perhaps fo neceffary for the prefervation of a free ftate. From hence it has proceeded, that too

For

many

many of our hiftorians have adopted favourite fyftems, to which every thing that came in their way was obliged to fubmit, which, as it has leffened our character as hiftorians, has equally prevented our acquifition of the most useful knowledge. It cannot however be denied, that the materials for this fubject are often defective; many things are overlooked at the time of writing, as matters that are generally known, and that can never be forgotten, which if recorded would afford the greateft lights to pofterity. It is probably owing to this want of precision in the antient writers, and to the fondness of system in the moderns, that we now find it fo difficult to trace the hiftory of our ancient conftitution, or to define the exact powers of the different parts of it; and from thence arife the great diverfity of opinions relative to thefe fubjects.

1

It happens fortunately, with refpect to the work before us, that the age of Henry the fecond produced better writers than had appeared for feveral hundred years before or after that era, so that it may not perhaps be an abfolute impropriety to call it the middle claffical age. The noble author has alfo availed himself of some materials, which are to be found in few other periods of antient or modern times, viz. collections of letters, written on affairs of great moment, by fome of the principal actors in thofe affairs, or perfons employed by them, and deep in their confidence, From these he takes almost all the particulars of Henry's quarrel with Becket, and they ferve to throw light on many other important tranfactions. His Lordship has peglected nothing that could eluci

date his fubject; he has examined the most antient records that are in being; the fcarceft manufcripts; the pipe-rolls of the exchequer; and whatever else that could in any degree ferve to remove error, or to afcertain fact; and from this laborious courfe of enquiry, we find the series of events in this hiftory better afcertained, than perhaps in any other work of the kind that ever was published.

Henry the fecond was one of the greateft princes, in extent of dominion, in magnanimity and in abilities, that ever governed this nation. Whether we confider him as a hero, or a flatefman; whether in the field giving law to his ene, mies, or at home adminiftring juftice to his people; we find him. equally great, and his actions equally furprizing. His life is particularly inftructive, from the un common variety of the events it contains; from its being diftinguifhed by great virtues and great faults; by fudden and furprizing changes of fortune in the affairs of this kingdom; by the fubjection of Wales, of Scotland, and of Ireland; and by a glory furpaffing all military atchievements, the reformation of government, and the establishment of good laws and wife inftitutions, beneficial to the public.

Though this period has been included in the general histories of other writers, yet it must be acknowledged, that in works of fo vaft an extent, there cannot be fuch a full detail of particulars, nor fo much exactnefs and accuracy, as in those that are confined to narrower limits. It is only in the latter, that the feveral fteps and preparatory measures, by which

great

great actions are conducted, and great events are brought on, can be fhewn with any clearness. Much, therefore, in this hiftory will be new to many readers; and many matters, which have been already fubjects of difcuffion, will here appear in a new light. In particular, the researches which the noble author has made into the antient laws and conftitution of England, and the feudal inftitutions and tenures, will be found well worth the attention of every Englishman. The ftate of the church, of the royal revenues, of the exchequer, and of the military government, are treated with equal perfpicuity and elegance, and new lights thrown upon fome of them which they had not before received. The account his Lordfhip gives of the croifades, and the orders of knighthood, are highly curious and entertaining; and the warmth with which upon all occafions he vindicates the general rights of mankind, muft procure him the fuffrages of all lovers of liberty.

The prefent publication confifts of three volumes in quarto; but the work is unfinished, three of the five books only of which it confifts, being contained in thefe volumes. The first volume contains, befides the hiftory of the revolutions, which we have already taken notice of, the first book of the life of Henry the fecond, containing the hiftory of that prince, from his birth till he afcended the throne; and includes the principal occurrences of the life of King Stephen. The fecond voJume contains the fecond and third books of the hiftory, which bring

it down to the death of Becket is

1170.

The 3d volume confifts of notes upon the fecond, and the autho rities upon which the former vo lumes are founded. The history from the death of Becket in 1170, to the death of Henry, which happened in 1189, nineteen years af terwards, is wanting; but though we have no particular information upon the fubject, we have fome reafon to hope it will foon make its appearance,

Upon the whole, whether we confider the work with refpect to the labour attending it, the weight of the matter it contains, the clearnefs, accuracy, and perfpicuity of its manner, or the elegance of its compofition, we cannot help thinking it one of the best hiftories that has appeared in the English language, and a most valuable acquifition to the knowledge of our country.

From the nature of this work, it is fcarce poffible to make any abftracts of it, without mutilating or difgracing the original. We fhall however, as we go along, occafionally touch upon fome particular paffages, which we apprehend are put in a new light, or where the noble author differs in opinion on material points from fome other writers.

His Lordship obferves that William the firft was fo far from grounding his title to the crown of England upon a fuppofed right of conqueft, that he used his utmost endeavours to establish the notion of his being heir to King Edward, from the appointment of that momarch. And that he was crowned, not without the appearance and forrá

[ocr errors]
« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »