'Come, listen to a tale of times of old! Come, for ye know me! I am he who sung The maid of Arc; and I am he who framed Of Thalaba the wild and wonderous song. Come, listen to my lay, and ye shall hear How Madoc from the shores of Britain spread The adventurous sail, explored the ocean ways, And quelled barbarian power, and overthrew The bloody altars of idolatry, And planted in its fanes triumphantly The cross of Christ. Come, listen to my lay!' This _modest ostentation_ was certainly derived from the verses imputed to Virgil; "Ille ego, qui quondam gracili modulatus avena Carmen; et egressus sylvis, vicina coëgi Ut quamvis avido parerent arva colono, Gratum opus agricolis: at nunc horrentia Martis, &c." In the very first part of the poem, also, we find Mr. Southey pursuing the Horatian precept, "_prorumpere in medias res_;" for he commences with the _return_ of Madoc to his native country. It is true that, like the Messenger in Macklin's tragedy, he "goes but to return;" and the critic is tempted to say, with Martial, _toto carere possum_.--Thus the grand interest of the work, which ought to consist in exploring a new world, is destroyed at once, by the reader at his outset encountering the heroes returning "sound, wind and limb," to their native country. It may be said that Camœns has thrown a great part of Da Gama's Voyage into the form of a narrative: but he has also given much in description; enough, at least, to have justified Mr. Southey in commencing rather nearer the commencement of his tale. That he might withdraw himself entirely from the yoke of Aristotle, Mr. Southey has divided his poem into two parts, instead of giving it a beginning, a middle and an end. One of these parts is concisely entitled, 'Madoc in Wales;' the other, 'Madoc in Aztlan.' A _middle_ might, however, have been easily found, by adding, _Madoc on Shipboard_.--The first of these Anti Peripatetic parts contains 18 divisions; the second, 27 which include every incident, episode, &c. introduced into the poem. This arrangement gives it very much the appearance of a journal versified, and effectually precludes any imputation of luxuriance of fancy in the plot. Respecting the manners, Mr. Southey appears to have been more successful than in his choice of the story. He has adhered to history where he could discover any facts adapted to his purpose; and when history failed him, he has had recourse to probability. Yet we own that the nomenclature of his heroes has shocked what Mr. S. would call our prejudices. _Goervyl_ and _Ririd_ and _Rodri_ and _Llaian_ may have charms for Cambrian ears, but who can feel an interest in _Tezozomoc_, _Tlalala_, or _Ocelopan_? Or, should ----'Tyneio, Merini, Boda and Brenda and Aelgyvarch, Gwynon and Celynin and Gwynodyl,' (p. 129.) "Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek, That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp[I],"