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    nearly lose sight of Saul till towards the close of the poem , when he relents on account of David sparing his life , visits the witch of Endor , sees Samuel , and at length after fighting with the fury * of despair , kills himself .

    The two exceptions . which we have noticed to the general defect in this poem are the description of Saul troubled by an evil spirity and his visit to the witch of Endor . These shew indeed that the poet has not taken a subject—< ,

    Quidferre rccusent

    ——hum en , but that his defects rbust be attributed to the want of that labor improbuS } " without which no talents will enable their possessor to obtain the wreatH destined to

    adorn the brow of the successful votary of the epic muse . In a happy moment of inspiration the poet gives this fine description of the spirit , by which Saul was distressed : —

    And oft gay scenes of blissful days gone by , O ' er Saul came troublous . Then , distinctly seen , A form accordant with each

    vision , rose Before him * Now the spectre shape put on Bright imag ' ry of one in bloom of years ' Just opening into manhood . On his brow

    Dwelt peace , dwelt innocence , dwelt gentle joy . Gay hope and youthful ardour brightly beam'd ^

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    Like sunshine from the radiance of his eye Looking delight on all . That form teas Saul * Saul beautiful , Saul guiltless , Saul bclov'd , .

    s Unsceptre'dyet n © t wearing other pomp Than you Mi ' s celestial graces . Such its shape . 1 st Book . The second book is chiefly occupied with a description of the armies , and with addresses made by Abner to each of the tribes distinctly ; and these addresses we are constrained to acknowledge appeared to us

    intolerably heavy . We have heard of some persons invited to be guests at a feast , who pleaded naturally enough such excuses as these , — < i One said \ I have bought a yoke of oxen , and I must needs go and prove them , I pray thee have mfc excused ; and another said , &c . ; " the para

    ble is well known . But there is peculiar originality and we fear very little couformity to truth or nature in these excuses adopted in the heat of battle , to justify the soldier in quitting his post . Let the reader judge . Some made plea

    Of roofs new rais'd , not dedicated : Some Of vineyards newly set , whereof their hands

    Had gathered no increase : others alleg'd Vows incomplete , the bonds of love betrothed . And these , shameless , fled

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    2 xj 2

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    Sotheby ' s Said , a Poem . 323

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1807, page 323, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2381/page/35/