And breathes its balmy fragrance o'er the wild :
So flourish'd blooming, and unseen by all,
The sweet Lavinia; till at length, compell'd
By strong Necessity's supreme command,
With smiling Patience in her looks, she went
To glean Palæmon's fields.

The 259th line of this episode now stands :

And as he view'd her, ardent, o'er and o'er:

But in the edition of 1738, it is somewhat comically expressed :

Then blazed his smother'd flame avow'd and bold,

And as he run her, ardent, o'er and o'er, &c.

This, however, Thomson himself altered.

These emendations in the text of 1738, and many more, after a little additional polishing on the part of Thomson, were inserted in the edition of 1744; a fact which much enhances its value.

VI.-LORD LYTTELTON'S PROPOSED EDITION OF THE "SEASONS."

THE literary world was long entertained with the wonderful information, that a copy of the "Seasons was in existence, which contained extensive alterations by Lord Lyttelton, and which ought to be published. But since the facts concerning it have become known, it is deservedly consigned to everlasting oblivion. His Lordship, not content with his editorial feats upon the "Seasons" and Liberty," in 1750,* and heedless of the strong expression of public opinion against all unauthorized tampering with the works of a deceased author, commenced offensive operations upon the out-works of Thomson, by altering the titlepage of a copy of his former edition, 1752, into 1758, which marks the time of his second aggression. In one of the blank leaves before the poem, he wrote the following

46

In this edition, conformably to the intention and will of the author, some expressions in the 'Seasons,' which have justly been thought too harsh, or obscure, or not strictly grammatical, have been corrected, some lines transposed, and a few others left out. The Hymn, which was printed

*See an account of them in pp. 670, et seq.

at the end of the Seasons' in some of the last editions, is likewise omitted, because it appears to good judges, that all the matter and thoughts in that hymn are much better expressed in the 'Seasons' themselves."

The complaint against this Preface, as well as against that to "Liberty" in 1750, is, that Lord Lyttelton's language is designedly misleading. He either acted very culpably as editor of his friend's "Works" in 1750, by presenting to the world nearly a verbatim reprint of the best edition of the "Seasons;" (that of 1746;) or he intended to act more uprightly in 1758, by publishing an edition, "conformably to the intention and will of the author." "The intention and will of the author" himself undoubtedly was, occasionally to make emendations in the language of his "Seasons;" but he did not delegate this power even to a contemporary, much less to a successor in any shape whatever. Indeed, the elegant suggestions of his friend Pope were not in every instance adopted: they had to await the decision of his own taste and judgment in their favour. The destructive nature of his Lordship's proposed improvements may be learnt from that strange perversion both of taste and intellect, which could induce him to omit the exquisite "Hymn at the end of the Seasons," which has been the object of every reader's admiration, and obtained the high approval of all the critics. The Rev. John Mitford, having had an opportunity of examining this improved copy, gives the following brief character of it: "Lord Lyttelton did not approach his work with a very timid or reluctant hand. He struck out whole passages, transposed others; altered whole lines, and changed particular expressions at will." After quoting some curious specimens, he significantly remarks, "And this was improving the Seasons !'"

In the beautiful passage in "Spring," descriptive of the primeval state of innocence, (verses 242-271,) his Lordship, having expunged many of the preceding lines in the paragraph, metamorphoses the following verses :

This when, emergent from the gloomy wood,
The glaring lion saw, his horrid heart
Was meeken'd, and he join'd his sullen joy.
For music held the whole in perfect peace:

Soft sigh'd the flute; the tender voice was heard,
Warbling the varied heart; the woodlands round

Applied their choir; and winds and waters flow'd

In consonance. Such were those, &c.-Verses 264-271.

The following alteration of them by Lord Lyttelton seems to have been intended as a display of his Lordship's wonderful powers of compression, by which he could describe in nine lines that which had cost Thomson more than twenty::

As o'er the verdant mead

The herds and flocks, promiscuous, play'd secure,
On every hill, beneath each spreading shade,
The swains and husbandmen, rejoicing, hymn'd
Their bounteous God: then festive dance and sport,
Kind deeds and friendly talk, successive shared
Their blissful hours; while, in the rosy vale,
Love breathed his tender sighs, from anguish free,
And free from guilt. Such were those prime of days.

In Thomson's "Spring," verses 358-362 stand thus :-

-But you, ye flocks,

What have you done? ye peaceful people, what,
To merit death? you, who have given us milk
In luscious streams, and lent us your own coat
Against the Winter's cold?

These natural sentiments, enunciated in simple and appropriate language, are thus strangely altered by Lord Lyt telton :

-But, ah! ye flocks,

What have you done? ye peaceful people, what

To merit death? you who each year resign,

To undefended man, your own attire?

In "Summer," verses 1577-1579, Thomson's description of Chaucer is,-

Chaucer, whose native manners-painting verse,
Well-moralized, shines through the Gothic cloud
Of time and language o'er thy genius thrown.

This is his Lordship's harsh substitution :-
Chaucer, whose lively manners-painting verse,
Sharp with keen satire, strong with nervous sense
And moral truth, shines through the darken'd cloud
Of Gothic barbarism around him thrown.

His Lordship immediately adds another specimen of his own blank verse:

How sweet the concert of thy various bards,
Poetic island! Hark! they strike the lyre!
Harmonious Dryden, Waller, Denham, Rowe,

Gay, Prior, and judicious Addison.

But see! with perfect art the hand of Pope

Now tunes the strings! around the Graces dance,
And Wisdom's sober ear approves the song.

Of all thy numerous arts, Britannia, this
The most correct! But nobler fame belongs
To genius more sublime, &c.

This mutilated edition seems to have been a pet performance, and presented to his friend Mrs. Montague; by whose nephew it was given to the late Earl Spencer; but his Lordship, having found nothing in it peculiarly fascinating, returned it to the library at Hagley. In that convenient recess long may it slumber, as a real heir-loom!

THE END.

LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE.