Now to the Longitude's vast height he soars, At once the Sage, the Hero, and the Cook, He weilds the Sword, the Saucepan, and the Book. Declaims with GARRICK, or with SHUTER drolls; With RICHARD's pangs th' ORLOPIAN CAVERN shake! When Pea Soup entering shews 'tis time to dine. But think not meanly of this humble Seat, Whence sprung the Guardians of THE BRITISH FLEET: Revere the Sacred Spot, however low, Which formed to Martial acts-an HAWKE! an HowE!* We now approach the most important event in the literary life of FALCONER; who, like both his friends, Captain, and Lieutenant HUNTEr, urged on his course through every threatening obstacle: without becoming dependent on any assistance but that of Providence, he emerged at length from obscurity, and gained the utmost summit of his ambition. The first edition of THE SHIPWRECK was printed in quarto by MILLAR, in May 1762; and was dedicated to His Royal Highness EDWARD Captain HowE, in 1755, commanded the ALCIDE in a memorable action with the Lys. He also led the van in the MAGNANIME, 1757, under Admiral KNOWLES, in the attack on Aix. Duke of York, who then had hoisted his Flag, as Rear-Admiral of the Blue, on board the PRINCESS AMELIA of 80 guns; attached to the Fleet under Sir EDWARD HAWKE. This Fleet was sent after M. DE TERNAY, and afterwards cruised off the Coast of FRANCE. The Poem succeeded from the moment it appeared; its Author was deservedly called a second HOMER; and the Duke of YORK, eager to honour FALCONER with every possible mark of his favour, advised him to quit the Merchant Service for the Royal Navy: accordingly before the summer had elapsed, he was rated a Midshipman on board Sir EDWARD HAWKE's Ship, the ROYAL GEORGE.* During the same year the following opinion of THE SHIPWRECK was delivered by a celebrated Literary Journal; which, as it considerably tended to increase the fame of FALCONER, deserves mention in this Memoir : "It has frequently been observed, that true Genius will surmount every obstacle which opposes its exertion: how unfavourable soever the situation of a Seaman may be thought to the Poet, certain It was in this Ship that Governor HUNTER, then a Midshipman, commenced an acquaintance with FALCONER, which continued until his death: being both of them from the same part of Scotland, their friendship, and intimacy soon increased. it is the two characters are not incompatible; for none but an able Sailor could give so didactic an account, and so accurate a description of the Voyage and catastrophe here related; and none but a particular favourite of the Muses could have embellished both with equal harmony of numbers, and strength of imagery. "The main subject of the Poem is the loss of the Ship BRITANNIA, a Merchantman, bound from ALEXANDRIA to VENICE, which touched at the Island of CANDIA; whence proceeding on her Voyage, she met with a violent Storm that drove her on the Coasts of GREECE, where she suffered shipwreck near Cape COLONNE; three only of the Crew being left alive. "The Ship putting to sea from the Port of CANDIA, the Poet takes an opportunity of making several beautiful marine descriptions; such as the prospect of the Shore; a shoal of Dolphins; a Water-Spout; the method of taking an Azimuth; and working the Ship. In the Second Canto, the Ship having cleared the Land, the Storm begins; and with it the consultation of the Pilots, and operations of the Seamen; all which the Poet has described with an amazing minuteness, and has found means to reduce the several technical terms of the marine, into smooth and harmonious numbers. HOMER has been admired, by some, for reducing a Catalogue of Ships into tolerably flowing verse; but who, except a poetical Sailor, the nursling of APOLLO, educated by NEPTUNE, would ever have thought of versifying his own sea-language? what other Poet would ever have dreamt of Reef-Tackles, Haliards, Clue-garnets, Bunt-lines, Lashings, Laniards, and fifty other terms equally obnoxious to the soft Sing-Song of modern poetasters. Many of his descriptions are not inferior to any thing in the NEID; many passages in the third and fifth books of which, our Author has had in view they have not suffered by his imitation; and his Pilot appears to much greater advantage than the PALINURUS of VIRGIL. "Nor is the Poet's talent confined to the description of inanimate Scenes: he relates, and bewails, the untimely fate of his Companions in the most animated and pathetic strains. The close of the Master's address to the Seamen, in the time of their greatest danger, is noble and philosophical. It is impossible to read the circumstantial account of the unfortunate end of the Ship's Crew, without being deeply affected by the Tale, and charmed with the manner of the *relation." The beauty of this Poem may perhaps appear in * Monthly Review, vol. xxvii. p. 197. a still more favourable light to the learned reader, if I subjoin the following passages from the First Canto, which the taste of an honourable, and classic Native of Ireland has lately clothed in Virgilian verse: "If e'er with trembling Hope I fondly stray'd." (Introduction, Canto I. p.2, 1.9.) "Si quondam, speransque simul trepidusque, vagabar, Mille via casus, et naufraga fata per undas." "The Vessel parted on the falling Tide."-(P. 31, 1. 18.) "Jamque Ratis, pelagi sensim refluentibus undis, |