148 165 The Royal George, of 108 guns, whilst undergoing a partial careening at Spithead, was overset about 10 A.M. Aug. 29, 1782. The total loss was believed to be nearly 1000 souls.--This little poem might be called one of our trial-pieces, in regard to taste. The reader who feels the vigour of description and the force of pathos underlying Cowper's bare and truly Greek simplicity of phrase, may assure himself _se valde profecisse_ in poetry. 151 167 A little masterpiece in a very difficult style: Catullus himself could hardly have bettered it. In grace, tenderness, simplicity, and humour, it is worthy of the Ancients: and even more so, from the completeness and unity of the picture presented. 155 172 Perhaps no writer who has given such strong proofs of the poetic nature has left less satisfactory poetry than Thomson. Yet this song, with 'Rule Britannia' and a few others, must make us regret that he did not more seriously apply himself to lyrical writing. 156 174 With what insight and tenderness, yet in how few words, has this painter-poet here himself told _Love's Secret!_ 157 177 l. 1 _Aeolian lyre_: the Greeks ascribed the origin of their Lyrical Poetry to the Colonies of Aeolis in Asia Minor. 158 -- _Thracia's hills_ (l. 9) supposed a favourite resort of Mars. _Feather'd king_ (l. 13) the Eagle of Jupiter, admirably described by Pindar in a passage here imitated by Gray. _Idalia_ (l. 19) in Cyprus, where _Cytherea_ (Venus) was especially worshipped. 159 -- l. 6 _Hyperion_: the Sun. St. 6-8 allude to the Poets of the Islands and Mainland of Greece, to those of Rome and of England. 160 -- l. 27 _Theban Eagle_: Pindar. 163 178 l. 5 _chaste-eyed Queen_: Diana. 164 179 From that wild rhapsody of mingled grandeur, tenderness, and obscurity, that 'medley between inspiration and possession,' which poor Smart is believed to have written whilst in confinement for madness. 165 181 _the dreadful light_: of life and experience. 166 182 _Attic warbler_: the nightingale. 168 184 _sleekit_, sleek: _bickering brattle_, flittering flight: _laith_, loth: _pattle_, ploughstaff: _whyles_, at times: _a daimenicker_, a corn-ear now and then: _thrave_, shock: _lave_, rest: _foggage_, after-grass: _snell_, biting: _but hald_, without dwelling-place: _thole_, bear: _cranreuch_, hoar-frost: _thy lane_, alone: _a-gley_, off the right line, awry. 175 188 _stoure_, dust-storm; _braw_, smart. 176 189 _scaith_, hurt: _tent_, guard: _steer_, molest. 177 191 _drumlie_, muddy: _birk_, birch. 178 192 _greet_, cry: _daurna_, dare not.--There can hardly exist a poem more truly tragic in the highest sense than this: nor, perhaps, Sappho excepted, has any Poetess equalled it.