always suggest a doubt whether the spot inspired his verse, or whether in the scenes which he formed, he only realized the pastoral images which abound in his songs." Yes! Shenstone would have been delighted, could he have heard that Montesquieu, on his return home, adorned his "Chateau gothique, mais orne de bois charmans, dont j'ai pris l'idee en Angleterre;" and Shenstone, even with his modest and timid nature, had been proud to have witnessed a noble foreigner, amidst memorials dedicated to Theocritus and Virgil, to Thomson and Gesner, raising in his grounds an inscription, in bad English, but in pure taste, to Shenstone himself for having displayed in his writings "a mind natural," and in his Leasowes "laid Arcadian greens rural." Recently Pindemonte has traced the taste of English gardening to Shenstone. A man of genius sometimes receives from foreigners, who are placed out of the prejudices of his compatriots, the tribute of posterity! Amidst these rural elegancies which Shenstone was raising about him, his muse has pathetically sung his melancholy feelings-- But did the Muses haunt his cell, Or in his dome did Venus dwell?-- When all the structures shone complete, Ah, me! 'twas Damon's own confession, Came Poverty, and took possession. _The Progress of Taste._ The poet observes, that the wants of philosophy are contracted, satisfied with "cheap contentment," but Taste alone requires Entire profusion! days and nights, and hours Thy voice, hydropic Fancy! calls aloud For costly draughts.---- _Economy._ An original image illustrates that fatal want of economy which conceals itself amidst the beautiful appearances of taste:-- Some graceless mark, Some symptom ill-conceal'd, shall soon or late Burst like a pimple from the vicious tide Of acid blood, proclaiming want's disease Amidst the bloom of show. _Economy._ He paints himself:-- Observe Florelio's mien; Why treads my friend with melancholy step That beauteous lawn? Why pensive strays his eye O'er statues, grottos, urns, by critic art Proportion'd fair? or from his lofty dome Returns his eye unpleased, disconsolate? The cause is, "criminal expense," and he exclaims-- Sweet interchange Of river, valley, mountain, woods, and plains, How gladsome once he ranged your native turf, Your simple scenes how raptured! ere EXPENSE Had lavish'd thousand ornaments, and taught Convenience to perplex him, Art to pall, Pomp to deject, and Beauty to displease. _Economy._ While Shenstone was rearing hazels and hawthorns, opening vistas, and winding waters; And having shown them where to stray, Threw little pebbles in their way;