ANTIQUARIAN BIBLIOGRAPHY, OR, ACCOUNTS OF OLD AND SCARCE BOOKS. ARTICLE I.-COUNTRY CONVERSATIONS. Being an account of some discourses that happen'd in a visit to the country last summer, on divers subjects; chiefly of the modern comedies of drinking, of translated verse, of painting and painters, of poets and poetry. Recubans sub tegmine fagi Sylvestrem tenui Musam meditaris avena. London: Printed for Henry Bonwicke, at the Red Lyon in St.Paul's Church yard, 1694. Small 8 vo. p. p. 86. In a short preface addressed to "to the Wits" the anonymous authour says, "I have made bold to borrow one of your pens last summer, and employed it merely for a pass time, during the intervals of angling, and such like diversions of a country retreat; la maniere de bien penser fell in my way, I know not how, and I had a mind to try how something of that nature would look in our language. I endeavoured to imitate (though faintly, and afar off) the original draught of Le Pere Bouhours." The work is divided into five sections according to the arrangement in the title, and from the fifth the following extract will not be unamusing to those who have been entertained by a modern dramatic authour at the conceit of a man falling in love with "my grandmother." "Among other arts which have interfered with poesie, I have observed, in a more especial manner, that of painting to live together in the same person. You seldom knew a poet but he was a lover of pictures, nor a painter who had not the like affection for poems and musick (which is really an inarticulate poesy). Some persons have attained to a great great perfection in both those arts; such was Leonardo da Finci; I could name other Italians, and several of our own A young nation ; but it is sufficient to instance only in one. lady of eminent virtue and beauty, was when she lived (which was not many years since)incomparable for her performances both with the pen and pencil; I mean Mrs. Ann Killegrew, whose picture, drawn by herself, is printed before her book of Poems, published soon after her death. A gentleman of our acquaintance, though he had never seen her when living, fell really in love with her memory, and on the first view of her picture and poems, composed some verses which I think I can still remember. Often have I conquered been, With the beauties I have seen; Often have uncommon faces Pleas'd and wounded with their graces; But till this hour, I never found That the fair sex unseen can wound ; Till now I never was a slave To charms and beauties-in a grave. Nor time can cure, nor hope can ease my care; Ah! sweet remains of that lamented maid! Ah! lovely shadow of a shade ! Where's now the hand which this fair image drew? A face, and verse, both so divine? Where in the sex shall we her virtue find? Absurd inquiries! can such beauty dye, Can such accomplishments as hers create, NO. 1.-VOL. 2. K See, profane infidel, see here and find, Her very self; her wit, her face, and mind. } "This seems, indeed, to be writ with as great affection as encomium, and more love than art. But you know Philaster, he is the authour." "I did imagine, (said Mitis) it must be he; he is himself a pretender to both these arts; and that with as much success as he desires, since he never made either of them his business, but diversion. NO. 3. THE VIGIL. -OF WOMAN: CHARACTER OF SERENA. Fram'd to give joy the lovely sex are seen ; Beauteous their form and heavenly in their mien. Words when pronounc'd by them, bear each a dart, Seals all his hopes; and in the bridal kiss I have received from a correspondent the following communication which he assures me conveys but a feeble idea of one who is really in full life and existence. Among the cynical, many will be found who will be disposed to regard it as the amorous effusion of a person who entertained particular notions of the true excellence of the female character, and imagined, in the object of his admiration, the perfection of that excellence : as the romantick rhapsody of one who prescribes no bounds to his praise : ..ultra Finem tendere opus.Hor. Yet my female readers may probably think otherwise. Some may think it is so far from being an overcharged portrait, that the authour's fancy has fallen far below what many ladies possess: and that the writer might have found in Baltimore, many females who far surpass this boasted paragon. Others may esteem him a mere dull philosophizing fellow, to suppose that the excellence of the female sex consisted in the perusal or display of musty learning: and that he can have neither feeling nor fancy to say so little of their personal charms. They will think that books are useless after the female is emancipated from the tyranny of the school, and that she has more delight in speculating on the changeable shapes of fashionable drapery or the memoirs of visits and parties, than on the idle dreams of poetry or the histories of buried generations. I shall not attempt to defend my correspondent: but leave him to find consolation in his own particular notions on this subject. SIR, I had for some time the happiness of an intimate acquaintance with SERENA; a young lady whose character I am about to sketch-I know that my delineation will display but a faint image of the beauties of her mind and person; but those who are unable to see the statue of the Venus de Medici can imagine the perfections of the original from the roughest copy. Her mind exhibits the most perfect harmony of strength of understanding and mildness of disposition; like a well toned organ, which at the same time awes us with the majesty and soothes us with the sweetness of its tones. Nature has endowed her with that vigour of judgment which is generally esteemed the distinction of the stronger sex, blended in so just a proportion with the softer graces as to give them dignity and respect, without impairing their attraction. Hence results the utmost propriety in her opinions and deportment, and an inflexible adherence to what is right: while her refusal to deviate from this path is accompanied with a politeness which renders it more attractive than the most yielding acquiescence of others. Until I saw her in pain I thought that Shakespere's image of Patience smiling at grief but a poet's vision. Yet this virtue in her maintains so happy a dominion that she seems to have erected her throne in the bosom of Serena, presenting her to the beholder as a model to admire and imi tate. But the sweetness of her temper defies the power of description. Like the vernal sun it diffuses every where cheer fulness and delight. Not a general undistinguishing good nature, so often the product of indolence and weakness of mind, and which is rather a fault than a virtue: but that active mildness which is the result of an indulgence of the follies of others and of an uniform desire to please. Her's is not the smile of vacancy or frivolity; but the cheerfulness and tranquillity of the mind impressed by habit on the features of the face. A good education and a taste for reading have improved the natural qualities of her mind. The strictest principles of decorum and virtue having been implanted in a soil, prepared by nature for their growth, derive strength and maturity from an increase of knowledge. Her selection of books marks the correctness of her judgment and the soundness of her taste. Those pernicious novels, the offspring of degeneracy and corruption and the idols of dissipation and lassitude, are never the companions of her privacy. History, Poetry, Morals-in short, all the range of elegant literature which tends to enlarge knowledge, to refine conversation, to embellish the manners and to fortify religion and virtue, are the sources to which her leisure is studiously directed. Who can wonder to find SERENA in the garb of a female, converse with the elegance of a Poet and the wisdom of a Sage? |