I have lately been amusing myself by reading the small volume with this
title published in Clarke's _Cabinet Series_, 1845.
Among the many pleasing passages that I met with in its pages, _two_ in
particular struck me as being remarkable for their beauty; but I find that
neither of them is cited by either Ellis or Campbell. (See Ellis,
_Specimens of the Early English Poets_, 4th edition, corrected, 1811; and
the Campbell, _Specimens of the British Poets_, 1819.)
Indeed Campbell says of Browne:
"His poetry is not without beauty; but it is the beauty of mere
landscape and allegory, without the manners and passions that
constitute human interest."--Vol. iii. p. 323.
Qualified by some such expression as--_too often--generally--in almost
every instance_,--the last clause might have passed,--standing as it does,
it appears to me to give anything but a fair idea of the poetry of the
_Pastorals_. My two favourites are the "Description of Night"--
"Now great Hyperion left his golden throne," &c.,
(consisting of twenty-six lines)--book ii. song 1. (Clarke, p. 186.) and
the "Lament of the Little Shepherd for his friend Philocel"--
"With that the little shepherd left his task," &c.,
(forty-four lines)--book ii. song 4. (Clarke, p. 278.)
If you will allow me to quote a short extract from each passage, it may
enable the reader to see how far I am justified in protesting against
Campbell's criticism; and I will then try to support the pretensions of the
last, by showing that much of the very same imagery that it contains is to
be found in other writings of acknowledged merit:--