ABSTRACT
Mr. Clare’s muse, at all times chaste and elegant, and frequently reaching a pathos and feeling uncommon enough in these days of superficial writing, has contributed some of his happiest productions to grace the present volume. The reader will also be pleased to observe a far superior finish, and a much greater command over the resources of language and metre in the later compositions of this truly pastoral writer, who, presented at first to the public notice by the genuine spirit of poetry displayed in his less experienced days, has gone on constantly improving, and enlarging his claim to popular approbation. The poem which opens his last work, an ‘Address to the Rural Muse,’ will be found a very favourable illustration of what we have observed. It is a fine specimen of manly feeling, and of that quiet inspiration which, without any ostentatious attempt at display, speaks directly and powerfully to the heart. ‘Summer Images’ is another beautiful poem, and affords a pleasing example to show from what common materials a superior composition may be produced under the touch of a skilful hand. The pieces which follow are of various degrees of merit, but almost all of a character likely to add to Mr. Clare’s fame. We would particularly specify ‘The Eternity of Nature,’ Stanzas ‘On seeing a Skull on Cowper Green,’ ‘The Autumn Robin,’ and ‘The Skylark.’ Of the sonnets we are not inclined to think so highly. It is given but to few names in literature to overcome the difficulties attending the most common, and at the same time most wayward and perplexing kind of composition. The simply pathetic and pleasing,—all the more gentle emotions, whether joyful or melancholy,—which the contemplation of Nature in her most familiar garb is qualified to inspire, fall legitimately within the province of Mr. Clare’s singularly felicitous power of song. As long as he keeps to these, there is no fear of his being accounted otherwise than as a poet who must be a general favourite with all in whom a love of his art is inherent; to his name, we may add, the volume he has just published will add no trifling increase of reputation.
