ON ENGLISH POETRY, FROM THE REIGN OF EDWARD THE THIRD TO THE TIME OF BURNS AND COWPER: WITH SHAKSPEARE'S SUPERNATURAL CHARACTERS. AN ESSAY; BY HENRY NEELE, 66 AUTHOR OF THE ROMANCE OF HISTORY," ETC. ETC. Fruits of a genial morn, and glorious noon, THIRD EDITION. BYRON. LONDON: JOSEPH THOMAS, 1, FINCH-LANE, CORNHILL, T. TEGG; AND SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO. 1839. INTRODUCTION. HENRY NEELE was the second son of a respectable engraver in the Strand, where he was born January 29th 1798. He was educated at a day school in Kentish Town, where, although he acquired "little Latin and less Greek," he became an excellent French scholar; but, at no time, displayed any very devoted application, or even aptitude, for any description of study. To Poetry, however, he evinced thus early a decided inclination; and he produced several specimens of considerable merit, for so juvenile a writer. On leaving school, he was articled to am attorney; and, after the usual probationary term, was admitted to practice as a Solicitor. During his clerkship, appreciating the value of those attainments he had neglected at school, he added a general knowledge of German and Italian to his previous acquirements; and in January, 1817, made his first appearance as an author by publishing a Volume of Poems; the expenses of which were borne by his father, who properly estimated and encouraged the dawning genius of his Son. This work displayed evident marks of youth and inexperience; but it was decidedly characterised by a depth of thought and feeling, and an elegance and fluency of versification, which gave the surest promise of future excellence. The Poems were chiefly lyrical, and the ill-fated Collins was avowedly his model. The publication of this volume introduced the young Poet to Dr. Nathan Drake, author of "Literary Hours," &c.; who, though acquainted with him "only through the medium of his writings," devoted a chapter of his "Winter Nights" to a critical examination and eulogy of his Poems; of which, he says, "the merit strikes me as being so considerable, as to justify the notice and the praise which I feel gratified in having an opportunity of bestowing on them." And, in a subsequent paragraph he observes, that "when beheld as the very firstlings of his earliest years, they cannot but be deemed very extraordinary efforts indeed, both of taste and genius; and as conferring no slight celebrity on the Author, as the name next to be pronounced, perhaps, after those of Chatterton and Kirke White." How little at that time did Henry Neele dream, that while he emulated the fame of these two writers, he would in some measure share their fate! The duties and responsibilities of active life, however, now necessarily withdrew much of his attention from writing; yet, he still found frequent leisure to devote to composition. In July, 1820, he printed a new edition of his "Odes," &c. with considerable additions; and in March, 1823, published a Volume of Dramatic and Miscellaneous Poetry, which was, by permission, dedicated to Joanna Baillie, and at once established its |