Preface
The text of this collection of poetry is authentic and not bowdlerized. The general reader will, I hope, be gratified to find that its pages display no pedantic or scholastic traits. His pleasure in the poetry itself will not be distracted by a marginal numbering of the lines; by index-figures and footnotes; or by antiquated peculiarities of spelling, capitalization, and elision. Except where literal conventions are essential to the poet’s purpose,—as in The Castle of Indolence, The Schoolmistress, or Chatterton’s poems,—I have followed modern usage. Dialect words are explained in the glossary; and the student who may wish to consult the context of any passage will find the necessary references in the unusually full table of contents. Whenever the title of a poem gives too vague a notion of its substance, or whenever its substance is miscellaneous, I have supplied [bracketed] captions for the extracts; except for these, there is nothing on the pages of the text besides the poets’ own words.
Originality is not the proper characteristic of an anthologist, and in the choice of extracts I have rarely indulged my personal likings when they conflicted with time-honored preferences; yet this anthology,—the first published in a projected series of four or five volumes comprising the English poets from Elizabethan to Victorian times,—has certain minor features that may be deemed objectionably novel. Much the greater portion of the volume has of course, as usual, been given to those poems (by Pope, Thomson, Collins, Gray, Goldsmith, Crabbe, Cowper, and Burns) which have been loved or admired from their day to our own. But I have ventured to admit also a few which, though forgotten to-day, either were popular in the eighteenth century or possess marked historical significance. In other words, I present not solely what the twentieth century considers enduringly great in the poetry of the eighteenth, but also a little—proportionately very little—of what the eighteenth century itself (perhaps mistakenly) considered interesting. This secondary purpose accounts for my inclusion of passages from such neglected authors as Mandeville, Brooke, Day, and Darwin. The passages of this sort are too infrequent to annoy him who reads for aesthetic pleasure only; and to the student they will illustrate movements in the spirit of the age which would otherwise be unrepresented, and which, as the historical introduction points out, are an integral part of its thought and feeling. The inclusion of passages from “Ossian,” though almost unprecedented, requires, I think, no defense against the literal-minded protest that they are written in “prose.”
Students of poetical history will find it illuminating to read the passages in chronological order (irrespective of authorship); and in order to facilitate this method I have given in the table of contents the date of each poem.
E. B.
John Pomfret the Choice (1700)
DANIEL DEFOE
THE TRUE-BORN ENGLISHMAN (1701),
ll. 119-132, 189-228, 312-321
A HYMN TO THE PILLORY (1703),
STANZAS 1, 3, 5-6, 28-30
JOSEPH ADDISON
THE CAMPAIGN (1704),
ll. 259-292
DIVINE ODE (1712)
MATTHEW PRIOR TO A CHILD OF QUALITY (1704) TO A LADY (1704) THE DYING HADRIAN TO HIS SOUL (1704) A BETTER ANSWER (1718)
BERNARD DE MANDEVILLE
THE GRUMBLING HIVE (1705, 1714),
ll. 1-6, 26-52, 149-156, 171-186,
198-239, 327-336, 377-408
ISAAC WATTS THE HAZARD OF LOVING THE CREATURES (1706) THE DAY OF JUDGMENT (1709) O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST (1719) A CRADLE HYMN (1719)
ALEXANDER POPE
AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM (1711),
ll. 1-18, 46-51, 68-91, 118-180,
215-423, 560-577, 612-642
THE RAPE OF THE LOCK (1714),
CANTOS II AND III
TRANSLATION OF THE ILIAD, BOOK VI (1717),
ll. 562-637
AN ESSAY ON MAN (1733-34),
EPISTLE I; 11, 1-18; IV, 93-204, 361-398
MORAL ESSAYS, EPISTLE II (1735),
ll. 1-16, 87-180, 199-210, 231-280
EPISTLE TO DR. ARBUTHNOT (1735),
ll. 1-68, 115-214, 261-304, 334-367, 389-419
FIRST EPISTLE OF THE SECOND BOOK OF HORACE IMITATED (1737),
ll. 23-138, 161-296, 338-347
EPILOGUE TO THE SATIRES (1738), DIALOGUE II, ll. 208-223
THE DUNCIAD (1728-43), BOOK i, ll. 28-84, 107-134; iv. 627-656
Lady Winchilsea to the Nightingale (1713) a Nocturnal Reverie (1713)
JOHN GAY
RURAL SPORTS (1713), ll. 91-106
THE SHEPHERD’S WEEK: THURSDAY; OR, THE SPELL (1714),
ll. 5-14, 49-60, 83-136
TRIVIA (1716), BOOK II, ll. 25-64
SWEET WILLIAM’S FAREWELL TO BLACK-EYED SUSAN (1720)
MY OWN EPITAPH (1720)
SAMUEL CROXALL
THE VISION (1715), ll. 41-56
THOMAS TICKELL
ON THE DEATH OF MR. ADDISON (1721), ll. 9-46, 67-82
THOMAS PARNELL
A NIGHT-PIECE ON DEATH (1721), ll. 1-70
A HYMN OF CONTENTMENT (1721)
ALLAN RAMSAY
THE GENTLE SHEPHERD: PATIE AND ROGER (1721),
ll. 1-52, 59-68, 135-202
Ambrose Philips to Miss Charlotte Pulteney, in Her Mother’s Arms (1725)
John Dyer Grongar Hill (1726)
GEORGE BERKELEY
VERSES ON THE PROSPECT OF PLANTING ARTS AND
LEARNING IN AMERICA (WR. c. 1726; PUBL. 1752)
JAMES THOMSON
THE SEASONS (1726-30)
WINTER, ll. 223-358
SUMMER, ll. 1630-1645
SPRING, ll. 1-113, 846-876
AUTUMN, ll. 950-1003
A HYMN
RULE, BRITANNIA (1740)
THE CASTLE OF INDOLENCE (1748), STANZAS 1-11, 20, 57-59
EDWARD YOUNG
LOVE OF FAME: SATIRES V-VI (1727-28),
SATIRE V, ll. 227-246, 469-484; VI, 393-462
NIGHT-THOUGHTS (1742-45), NIGHT I, ll. 68-90;
III, 325-342; IV, 201-233; VII, 253-323
Anonymous the Happy Savage (1732)
SOAME JENYNS
AN ESSAY ON VIRTUE (1734), ll. 148-165, 170-183, 189-199
Philip Doddridge Sursum (1735?)
WILLIAM SOMERVILLE
THE CHASE (1735), BOOK II, ll. 119-171
HENRY BROOKE
UNIVERSAL BEAUTY (1735), BOOK III, ll. 1-8, 325-364;
V, 282-297, 330-339, 361-384
PROLOGUE TO GUSTAVUS VASA (1739)
CONRADE, A FRAGMENT (WR. 1743?, PUBL. 1778), ll. 1-26
MATTHEW GREEN
THE SPLEEN (1737), ll. 89-110, 624-642
William Shenstone the Schoolmistress (1737), Stanzas 6, 8, 18-20, 23, 28 Written at an Inn at Henley (1764)
JONATHAN SWIFT
THE BEASTS’ CONFESSION (1738), ll. 1-128, 197-220
VERSES ON THE DEATH OF DR. SWIFT (1739),
ll. 39-66, 299-338, 455-482
Charles Wesley for Christmas-Day (1739) for Easter-Day (1739) in Temptation: Jesu, Lover of My Soul (1740)
WRESTLING JACOB (1742)
ROBERT BLAIR
THE GRAVE (1743), ll. 28-44, 56-84, 750-767
WILLIAM WHITEHEAD
ON RIDICULE (1743), ll. 27-52, 153-171, 225-226, 233-236, 287-301
THE ENTHUSIAST (1754)
MARK AKENSIDE
THE PLEASURES OF IMAGINATION (1744), BOOK I, ll. 34-43, 113-124;
III, 515-535, 568-633
JOSEPH WARTON
THE ENTHUSIAST; OR, THE LOVER OF NATURE (1744),
ll. 1-20, 26-38, 87-103, 167-244
JOHN GILBERT COOPER
THE POWER OF HARMONY (1745), BOOK II, ll. 35-51, 125-140, 330-343
WILLIAM COLLINS ODE WRITTEN IN 1746 (1746) ODE TO EVENING (1746) ODE ON THE POETICAL CHARACTER (1746) THE PASSIONS (1746) ODE ON THE POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HIGHLANDS (WR. 1749, PUBL. 1788)
THOMAS WARTON
THE PLEASURES OF MELANCHOLY (1747), ll. 28-69, 153-165, 196-210
THE GRAVE OF KING ARTHUR (1777), ll. 31-74
SONNET WRITTEN IN A BLANK LEAF OF DUGDALE’S MONASTICON (1777)
SONNET WRITTEN AT STONEHENGE (1777)
SONNET TO THE RIVER LODON (1777)
THOMAS GRAY AN ODE ON A DISTANT PROSPECT OF ETON COLLEGE (1747) HYMN TO ADVERSITY (1748) ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD (1751) THE PROGRESS OF POESY (1757) THE BARD (1757) THE FATAL SISTERS (1768) ODE ON THE PLEASURE ARISING FROM VICISSITUDE (1775)
SAMUEL JOHNSON
THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES (1749), ll. 99-118,
133-160, 189-220, 289-308, 341-366
Richard Jago the Goldfinches (1753), Stanzas 3-10
JOHN DALTON
A DESCRIPTIVE POEM (1755), ll. 222-227, 238-257, 265-272, 279-290
Jane Elliot the Flowers of the Forest (Wr. 1756)
CHARLES CHURCHILL
THE ROSCIAD (1761), ll. 963-986
THE GHOST (1762), BOOK II, ll. 653-676
James Macpherson
“Translations” From Ossian Fingal, an Epic Poem (1762), Book VI, §§ 10-14 the Songs of Selma (1762), §§ 4-8, 20-21
CHRISTOPHER SMART
A SONG TO DAVID (1763), ll. 451-516
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
THE TRAVELLER (1764), ll. 51-64, 239-280, 423-438
THE DESERTED VILLAGE (1770)
RETALIATION (1774), ll. 29-42, 61-78, 93-124, 137-146
James Beattie the Minstrel, Book I (1771), Stanzas 4-5, 16, 22, 32-33, 52-55
Lady Anne Lindsay Auld Robin Gray (Wr. 1771)
JEAN ADAMS
THERE’S NAE LUCK ABOUT THE HOUSE (c. 1771)
Robert Fergusson the Daft Days (1772)
ANONYMOUS
ABSENCE (c. 1773?)
JOHN LANGHORNE
THE COUNTRY JUSTICE, PART I (1774), ll. 132-165
Augustus Montagu Toplady Rock of Ages (1775)
John Skinner Tullochgorum (1776)
THOMAS CHATTERTON SONGS FROM AELLA (1777) THE BODDYNGE FLOURETTES BLOSHES ATTE THE LYGHTE O, SYNGE UNTOE MIE ROUNDELAIE AN EXCELENTE BALADE OF CHARITIE
THOMAS DAY
THIS DESOLATION OF AMERICA (1777), ll. 29-53, 279-299,
328-335, 440-458, 489-501
GEORGE CRABBE
THE LIBRARY (1781), ll. 1-12, 99-110, 127-134,
AND A COMMONLY OMITTED PASSAGE FOLLOWING l. 594
THE VILLAGE (1783), BOOK I, ll. 1-78, 109-317; II, 63-100
John Newton a Vision of Life in Death (1779?)
WILLIAM COWPER
TABLE TALK (1782), ll. 716-739
CONVERSATION (1782), ll. 119-162
TO A YOUNG LADY (1782)
THE SHRUBBERY (1782)
THE TASK (1785), BOOK I, ll. 141-180; II, 1-47, 206-254;
III, 108-l33; IV, 1-41; V, 379-445; VI, 56-117, 560-580
ON THE RECEIPT OF MY MOTHER’S PICTURE (1798)
TO MARY (WR. c. 1795, PUBL. 1803)
THE CASTAWAY (WR. c. 1799, PUBL. 1803)
William Lisle Bowles Evening (1789) Dover Cliffs (1789)
ROBERT BURNS
MARY MORISON (WR. 1784?, PUBL. 1800)
THE HOLY FAIR (WR. 1785, PUBL. 1786)
TO A LOUSE (WR. 1785, PUBL. 1786)
EPISTLE TO J. LAPRAIK (WR. 1785, PUBL. 1786), STANZAS 9-13
THE COTTER’S SATURDAY NIGHT (WR. 1785-86, PUBL. 1786)
TO A MOUSE (1786)
TO A MOUNTAIN DAISY (1786)
EPISTLE TO A YOUNG FRIEND (1786)
A BARD’S EPITAPH (1786)
ADDRESS TO THE UNCO GUID (1787)
JOHN ANDERSON, MY Jo (WR. c. 1788, PUBL. 1790)
THE LOVELY LASS OF INVERNESS (WR. c. 1788, PUBL. 1796)
A RED, RED ROSE (WR. c. 1788, PUBL. 1796)
AULD LANG SYNE (WR. c. 1788, PUBL. 1796)
SWEET AFTON (WR. c. 1789, PUBL. 1796)
THE HAPPY TRIO (WR. 1789, PUBL. 1796)
TO MARY IN HEAVEN (WR. 1789, PUBL. 1796)
TAM O’ SHANTER (WR. 1790, PUBL. 1791)
AE FOND KISS (WR. 1791, PUBL. 1792)
DUNCAN GRAY (WR. 1792, PUBL. 1798)
HIGHLAND MARY (WR. 1792, PUBL. 1799)
SCOTS, WHA HAE (WR. 1793, PUBL. 1794)
IS THERE FOR HONEST POVERTY (WR. 1794, PUBL. 1795)
LAST MAY A BRAW WOOER (WR. c. 1795, PUBL. 1799)
O, WERT THOU IN THE CAULD BLAST (WR. 1796, PUBL. 1800)
ERASMUS DARWIN
THE BOTANIC GARDEN (1789-92), PART I, CANTO I, ll. 1-38;
PART II, CANTO I, ll. 299-310
WILLIAM BLAKE
TO WINTER (1783)
SONG: FRESH FROM THE DEWY HILL (1783)
TO THE MUSES (1783)
INTRODUCTION TO SONGS OF INNOCENCE (1789)
THE LAMB (1789)
THE LITTLE BLACK BOY (1789)
A CRADLE SONG (1789)
HOLY THURSDAY (1789)
THE DIVINE IMAGE (1789)
ON ANOTHER’S SORROW (1789)
THE BOOK OF THEL (1789)
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (PRINTED 1791), ll, 198-240
A SONG OP LIBERTY (c. 1792), §§ 1-3, 12, 18-20, AND CHORUS
THE FLY (1794)
THE TIGER (1794)
HOLY THURSDAY (1794)
THE GARDEN OF LOVE (1794)
A LITTLE BOY LOST (1794)
THE SCHOOL-BOY (1794)
LONDON (1794)
AUGURIES OF INNOCENCE (WR. c. 1801-03), LL. 1-44, 73-90
VERSES FROM “MILTON” (ENGRAVED c. 1804)
AND DID THOSE FEET IN ANCIENT TIME
REASON AND IMAGINATION
VERSES FROM “JERUSALEM” (ENGRAVED c. 1804-11)
TO THE DEISTS
GEORGE CANNING
THE PROGRESS OF MAN (1798), CANTO XXIII, ll. 7-16, 17-30
THE NEW MORALITY (1798), ll. 87-157