a ditch; and Alexander was poisoned. Then as
to the cause: Sampson (though to be sure the polite reader will call
that fabulous, and think me a fool for quoting such an old wife's tale)
owed his death to a woman; Agamemnon was even killed by a woman;
Hippolitus lost his life by a woman; so did Bellerophon; and Antony lost
the world and his life too by a woman. Upon the whole Billy's is a mixed
sort of character, composed of good and bad qualities, in which,
according to the established character of heroes, the bad predominate.
Thus, in the character of Achilles, it would be difficult to find a
single good quality; he is "impiger, iracundus, inexorabilis, acer," and
a great deal more of the same sort. AEneas is indeed pious: but then he
is a perfidious deserter of an injured lady; he invades a country where
he has no right, and kills the man who has the audacity to oppose the
usurper of his own throne, and the ravisher of his own wife. And as to
Alexander, he was a mere brute: he overthrew cities, as children
overthrow houses made of cards, for his mere amusement; and, like the
same children, wept when he had no more to knock down; he killed some
millions of men, for the same reason that country 'squires shoot
swallows, for exercise, and because they have nothing else to do: and,
in the time of peace and conviviality, he slew two of his best friends,
merely to keep his hand in practice. Compared to these heroes, Billy is
a perfect saint: and indeed I have often thought that he is too good for
a hero; and that a few rapes, and thefts, and murders, would have made
a very proper and interesting addition to his character. As to the
incidents, I shall merely observe that they are numerous, well chosen,
interesting and natural. Let me next speak of the moral to be drawn from
the poem. Whether the poet, according to Bossu's rule, and Homer's and
AEsop's practice, chose the moral first, I cannot pretend to say, though
some, who resolve the whole poem into an allegory, favour that opinion.
Certain it is, the moral is excellent: the ill effects of inconstancy;
and I am sure the fair sex will be obliged to the poet's gallantry.
There are also some of what I may call collateral truths to be derived
from the poem; such as not to trust too much to prosperity, exemplified
in the mirth and downfall of Taylor; and the reward of virtue, in the
lady's being made a first lieutenant. I shall conclude with a few
remarks on the diction, or, to