[433] “King Edward IV and Tanner of Tamworth.” [434] “The King and the Miller of Mansfield.” [435] “Adam Bell.” [436] “Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne.” [437] For the forest in mediaeval poetry see Vernon Lee, “Euphorion,” p. 122. [438] “Hardyknute.” [439] “Young Waters.” [440] “Young Waters.” [441] “The Heir of Linne.” [442] Schiller, “Ueber die Naive und Sentimentale Dichtung.” [443] The poem is quoted entire by Gosse in his “Eighteenth Century Literature.” [444] In this poem about 16 per cent. of the lines have something to do with Nature. In Wordsworth’s “Descriptive Sketches” over 50 per cent. of the lines treat of Nature. [445] “The Minstrel,” Preface. [446] Wordsworth, “The Excursion,” i, 108–300. [447] _Ibid._, iv, 466–600. [448] Wordsworth, “The Prelude,” “Advertisement.” [449] “The Minstrel,” i, 52. [450] _Ibid._, 10. [451] _Ibid._, 9. Of this stanza Gray said in a letter to Beattie, March, 1771: “But this, of all others, is my favorite stanza. It is true poetry; it is inspiration; only (to show it is mortal) there is one blemish; the word garniture suggesting an idea of dress, and, what is worse, of French dress.” Beattie said he had often wished “to alter this same word, but had not been able to hit upon a better.”--Dyce, “Memoir of Beattie,” p. xxxvii. Gray’s praise of Beattie was faint compared to Beattie’s admiration of Gray. In 1765 he declared that he had “long and passionately admired” Gray’s writings. He thought Gray’s poems finer than those of his contemporaries in any nation. He thought his taste most exact, his judgment most sound, and his learning most extensive. See Dyce, “Memoir of Beattie,” pp. xvi, xviii. [452] Dyce, “Memoir of Beattie,” p. xxxvi. [453] Cowper, Letter to Rev. William Unwin, April, 1784. [454] Dyce, “Memoir of Beattie,” p. xxxv. [455] His chief poems are, “Four Moral Eclogues” (1778); “Four Elegies” (published 1760 but written earlier); “Amwell, A Descriptive Poem” (published 1776 but written 1768); and “Odes and Amoebaean Eclogues” (1782). His “Epistle on the Garden” and “Essay on Painting” will be spoken of later. It is interesting to note the spirit of apology with which Scott’s friends and admirers comment on his choice of subjects. In such poetry there is little opportunity for genius, for, says Mr. Hoole, “A hill, a vale, a forest, a rivulet, a cataract, can be described only by general terms; the hill must swell, the vale sink, the rivulet murmur, and the cataract foam.” Mr. Hoole recognizes the “slight estimation” in which descriptive poetry is commonly held, but thinks there are devices to render it attractive and calls attention to the skill with which Mr. Scott has made his poems “interesting by the introduction of historical incidents, apt illusions, and moral reflections.” [456] At this line Mr. Hoole’s admiration broke down. He could only regret that Mr. Scott’s desire for novelty had led him to admit such circumstances as no versification can make poetical.