There is a prettiness in fuch expreffions as thefe, but is there not likewise fomething finical?-Something that, deviating from the fimplicity of nature, fubftitutes an artificial and affected delicacy?

Now follows a defcription of the cell of Solitude:

Dim as the fleeting vifions of the night,

A dark tower tottering clos'd the extended view;
While round its fpires, illum'd with feeble light,
The flitting bat and boding raven flew.

Rent was the hanging arch, the domes o'erthrown;
Nor tread was heard along the defert pile,
Şave when the troubled ghost with hollow moan
-Strode flowly o'er the long-refounding isle.
One only cell withstood the wafte of Time:

'I was where a turret rear'd its mofs-clad brow:
Gloomy it flood, in fading pomp fublime,

And fhew'd the mouldering wrecks that frown'd below.
Here on her hand her drooping head reclin'd,
Wrapt in deep mufing fat the lonely Power;
Penfive the fat, and heard the howling wind
Die faintly murmuring round her ivy'd bower.
In graceful ringlets fell her amber hair;

Black as the raven's plumes her mantle flow'd
No Cupids round her fann'd the fullen air,

Nor feftive Echo chear'd her lone abode.
But the wild harp that to the blast complains,
Sooth'd with melodious plaint her raptur'd ear:
Deep, folemn, awful roll'd the varying trains,

Such ftrains as Seraphim with transport hear.

There is fomething well imagined in placing the cell of Solitude in the ruins of a deferted old caftle: but the introduction of the ghoft wants the merit of novelty, or rather, indeed, is too trite a circumftance; for, wherever a poet has given us a description of a long ifle in an ancient building, he has infallibly made a troubled ghost stalk folemnly through it.

Solitude, at the requeft of Fancy, conducts our allegorical Bard to the Elyfium of the Poets, where he describes the fituation and employments of Chaucer, Spenfer, and Milton ;Shakespeare and Offian are next introduced, finging their fublime fongs alternately.This is, in our opinion, the fineft part of the poem; and, for the entertainment of our Readers, as well as in juftice to Mr. Ogilvie, we fhall give it entire :

But sweeter lays now charm'd the wishing mind.

I turn'd; and eager, as they pour'd along

What Powers, I cried, what heavenly Powers combin'd,
Wind yon deep ftream of foul-dissolving song?

Nought

Nought fpoke the Goddefs; but her arm upheld
Shew'd where a beetling cliff o'erlook'd the plain:
Bloom'd from its top each flower-enamell'd field,
And rowl'd behind the far-refounding main.
Th' aereal forest cloath'd its ragged fide:

Here spread the myrtle bower's harmonious maze ;
The torrent's voice in lulling murmur's died,
And Beauty's boundlefs wafte o'erpower'd the gaze.

Of toil no trace th' untrodden wild retain'd;
But Fancy's hand the fheltering arch had wove,
Fairer than Poet eyed, or Lover feign'd

Of clime Hefperian, or Idalian' grove.

For there, obfequious to her varying call,
The Fairy region at the magic found,

Girt with the hanging wood, or mouldering wall,
Now bloom'd a Villa, or a Defart frown'd.

And airy tenants o'er the dimpling stream

Hung loofe; or high in aim, in effort bold,
Suck'd hues ethereal from the dazzling beam,
To tinge the violet's velvet coat with gold;

Or spoil'd the citron of its rich perfume,

Or caught the light drop in the liquid air;
Or from the wren's breaft pick'd the little plume,
To braid the treffes of the Naiads hair.

O'er all bright Ariel fhone. His devious wing
Now fwept foft fragrance in the fpicy gale;

Or fluttering from the dewy lip of Spring

Brush'd nectar'd balm, and shower'd it o'er the dale.

O'er the dim top a gloomy arbour bow'd,

The boughs dark-fhadowing veil'd the vaulted blue;
But opening fair beneath, the viftoed wood
Gave the gay
Here Shakespeare fat in regal glory bright,

climes that radiant burst to view.

And mark'd spontanous flowers around him blow,
With fcenes ftill fhifting footh'd his raptur'd fight,
Or drunk the mufick of the lawns below.

Graceful he mov'd, and feann'd the waffe of air,
As his ftrong arm th' avenging bolt could wield,
Or catch the Tempeft by the ragged hair,

Or bid an Earthquake whelm the blafted field.
Young Fancy near her higheft influence fhed,
Her keen eye kindling flash'd the blaze of noon :
The peacock thus in glittering plumes array'd
Sails, while each orient hue reflects a Sun.

Rev. Feb. 1766.

Kこ

Not

Not diftant far another Bard was feen,

(The place was varied, but their height the fame)
Where heaved the wide deep's placid wave ferene,
Oft flow, with melancholy ftep he came.
The Power of musing to his thoughtful mind
Had lent her eagle pinions. O'er the main
He hung the Spirit of the hollow wind
Wak'd on his harp the long-lamenting ftrain.
Loofe fell his hoary locks; the fanning air

Sigh'd thro' the venerable hairs;-his head
A crown adorn'd ;-his fwelling chest was bare;
His limbs the Warrior's rougher vesture clad.
No film o'erfhadowing dimm'd his piercing fight,
Nor felt his vigorous form the waste of Time;
But tall and ardent as the fons of light,

O'er the rude beach he look'd, he trode fublime.

The Mufe was near, who points beyond the sky;
Whofe notes divine each meaner care controul,
Sail on the wings of Harmony, and high

To scenes all-glorious lift th' expanded foul.

O Goddefs of the folemn mantle, hail!

Queen of the heart, who mov❜ft its thrilling strings, Waft'ft rapt attention on thy wondrous tale Beyond the little range of mortal things!

As Offian once, ah! let thy genial ray

Me too illumine; while to thought difplay'd Flit the dim fhapes that fhun the eye of day,

And forms that fwim through pale Oblivion's fhade.

A Maid, yet fair in Beauty's vernal bloom,

Sat on the beach with listening ardour near;
Her eye, like dew-drops fpangling thro' the gloom,
Dropt, as he fung, th' involuntary tear.

Yet then no grief had touch'd the throbbing breast:
Pure from its influence was that scene refin'd:
But Joy's ftrong beam the kindling foul confefs'd,
Such as alone infpires th' exalted mind.

Each Bard melodious pour'd th' alternate strain :
Rufh'd the full tide of Shakespeare's magic fong,
From defert ifles that hear the roaring main,

To climes where lightly dance th' aereal throng.

Now howl'd with fhrieks of woe th' unbounded waste,
Or way'd the brown wood's long-bewildering maze;
Or lower'd the blackening noon by fpells o'ercaft,
Or bloom'd the lawn, where fportful Fancy strays ;

Or Ghofts indignant burst the marble tomb,

Or pin'd in filent woe the drooping Maid; Or wail'd the Lover mid the blackening gloom With trembling lips, and call'd on death for aid. To thrill the Murderer's fhuddering nerves, unveil'd Thro' Night's ftain'd fhade the ghaftly Phantom flood; Mutter'd his livid lips, to fight reveal'd,

And on his rent throat hung the clotted blood.

Back ftarts the Tyrant at the threatening nod:
His loofe teeth chatter, and his broad eyes glare:
The Furies o'er him fhake their fcorpion rod,
And Horror's grey hand lifts his icy hair.
I faw where England's awful Sov'reigns rofe.
Gloomy they ftrode along the darken'd field;
This roll'd the battle o'er his proftrate foes,
That shook the burnish'd helm and gleaming shield.
Yet vain their boaft, when at th' appointed hour
Fate wing'd the dart that lays the mighty low;
Vain was the downy couch, the roseate bower,
To feal in reft the weeping lids of Woe.
Nor themes fublime alone employ'd his thought,
But oft gay scenes th' unbended mind beguil'd;
Exulting Nature claim'd the finish'd draught,

And Care's grim front, and canker'd Envy smil'd.

But deeper plain'd the Caledonian lyre :

Slow, wild, and folemn, wail'd the melting lays: Of dying groans it fung, of combats dire,

And told the mournful tales of ancient days;

Of Ghofts dim-gliding on the Moon's wan beam,
Of feeble founds that tell the Hero's doom,
Of Chiefs once fam'd, that o'er his midnight dream
Lower dark, and point him to the lonely tomb.
He fung the narrow houfe with grafs o'ergrown,
Where oft, as night involves the dusky sphere,
The Spirit hovering o'er the mofs-clad stone

Shrieks to the Hunter's pierc'd and startled ear.

I faw Balclutha's towers!-No festive strain

Of Mirth loud echoing fhook the vaulted hall; But there, vain hope! to feed his clamorous train The fearless fox o'erlook'd the hanging wall

Around was Ruin, Silence, and Despair,

Bleak waftes, and hills with rifted pines o'erfpread,
Th' enormous rock whofe ragged front was bare,
And trees that nodded o'er the mighty dead,

There is a noble dignity in the defcription of the person of Offian; and the effect of Shakefpear's magic powers, particularly in the stanza's beginning with, To thrill the murderers, &c, and Back starts the tyrant, &c.' is painted with great force. But the stanza, where the glittering effulgence of fancy is compared to the peacock's tail, has, we are afraid, something of the Bathos. In the chain of fimilitude, inferior images generally produce that confequence.

Upon the whole, we are of opinion that the fpecies of verfification Mr. Ogilvie has here made choice of is not well adapted to his fubject, or, at leaft, to the manner in which he has executed it. Perfpicuity of images, and an easy fimplicity of expreffion, are either most naturally annexed to the stanza of alternate rhyme, or by being often made the vehicle of such imagery and expreffion, cuftom has rendered it improper for any other. But Mr. Ogilvie's descriptions, however ftrong, are frequently elaborate; his images too, are of a very abstracted nature; and his diction fometimes acquires a stiffness and affectation, from an apparently laboured felection of compound epithets. The elegy* fubjoined to this poem has nothing of novelty to recommend it.

To the memory of the late Earl of Findlater and Seafield.

A Difcourfe upon the Inflitution of Medical Schools in America, delivered at a public anniverfary Commencement, held in the College of Philadelphia, May 30 and 31, 1765. With a Preface, containing, among other things, the Author's Apology for attempting to introduce the regular Mode of practifing Phyfic in Philadel phia. By John Morgan, M. D. F. R. S, &c. 8vo. Is. 6d. Philadelphia printed, and fold by D. Wilfon in London.

BE

EFORE we proceed to speak of this difcourfe, we prefume it will be thought neceffary to inform our readers, that hitherto, throughout the whole continent of America, the Practice of Phyfic, Surgery and Pharmacy have been conftantly united in the fame perfon; for whilft the colonies were yet in their infancy, we may naturally fuppofe that none of them were fufficiently populous, or opulent, to fupport each of the profeffions feparately. In thefe refpects the cafe is now altered. Within thefe few years, feveral young gentlemen, from different provinces, have come over to European univerfities, particularly to Edinborough, in purfuit of a regular medical education. The Author of this difcourfe is among the first of thofe who have returned; and who, from this fpecimen of his abilities,