(_To be continued._) MISCELLANY. QUIZZICAL CRITIQUE ON THE SONG OF "BILLY TAYLOR." "Et tragicus dolet plerumque sermone pedestri: Telephus ac Peleus, quum pauper et exul uterque Projicit ampullas ac sesquipedalia verba Si curat cor spectantis, tetigisse querela." _Hor. Art Poet._ I hope that I shall not appear to degrade the office of criticism by making a ballad the subject of it, especially since that now before me is of so excellent a nature. If it is objected to, I must shelter myself under the authority of Addison, who has written a critique on Chevy-Chace, to which, I venture to affirm, this ballad is infinitely superior. That I may not appear too presumptuous in my assertion, let us proceed to the examination of this justly celebrated poem. I call it a poem--I had almost called it an epic, seeing it has a beginning, middle, and end: the action one, namely the death of the hero Taylor: it is replete with character, but suggested by incidents the most interesting and touching. Let us first examine it verse by verse. The author has no tedious prelude, not even an invocation; but, like Homer, immediately enters into the middle of his subject, and in a few words gives us the name, character, and amour of his hero. Observe the gayety of the opening:-- "Billy Taylor was a brisk young feller, Full on mirth and full on glee." How admirably, how judiciously is this jocund beginning contrasted with the melancholy sequel! how affecting to the reader's feelings when he reflects how soon Billy's joy will be damped! Unhappy Taylor!--Let us proceed to the next lines:-- "And his mind he did diskiver To a lady fair and free." Taylor was a bold youth: he feared not to tell his mind to the lady; he did not stand shilly-shally, like a whimpering lover. But we are here presented with a new character, a lady fair and free. Some commentators have thought that she was a lady of easy virtue, from the epithet free; and indeed the violence of her love and jealousy seems to favour the suspicion: but let us not be too severe; free may signify no more than that she was of a cheerful disposition, and thus of the same temper with her lover: _concordes animae!_ Thus far all is pleasant and delightful: but the scene is now changed--and sorrow succeeds to joy. "Four and twenty brisk young fellers, Drest they vas in rich array, They kim and they seized Billy Taylor, Press'd he vas and sent to sea." Taylor, the brisk, the mirthful Taylor is pressed and sent to sea. I cannot help observing here the art of the poet in letting us into the condition of Taylor: we may guess from his being pressed that he was not free of the city, and was most likely a journeyman cobler, coblers being famous for their glee. I will not positively say he was a cobler: Scaliger thinks he was a lamp-lighter; "_adhuc sub judice lis est_." But to proceed--Taylor is on board ship: what does his true-love?