ms of the
other; the proper emblems of the genius of his poetry.

Langhorne, who gave an edition of Collins's poems with all the fervour
of a votary, made an observation not perfectly correct:--"It is
observable," he says, "that none of his poems bear the marks of an
amorous disposition; and that he is one of those few poets who have
sailed to Delphi without touching at Cythera. In the 'Ode to the
Passions,' _Love_ has been omitted." There, indeed, Love does not form
an important personage; yet, at the close, _Love_ makes his transient
appearance with _Joy_ and _Mirth_--"a gay fantastic round."

And, amidst his frolic play,
As if he would the charming air repay,
Shook thousand odours from his dewy wings.

It is certain, however, that Collins considered the amatory passion as
unfriendly to poetic originality; for he alludes to the whole race of
the Provencal poets, by accusing them of only employing

Love, only love, her forceless numbers mean.

Collins affected to slight the urchin; for he himself had been once in
love, and his wit has preserved the history of his passion; he was
attached to a young lady who was born the day before him, and who
seems not to have been very poetically tempered, for she did not
return his ardour. On that occasion he said "that he came into the
world _a day after the fair_."

Langhorne composed two sonnets, which seem only preserved in the
"Monthly Review," in which he was a writer, and where he probably
inserted them; they bear a particular reference to the misfortunes of
our poet. In one he represents Wisdom, in the form of Addison,
reclining in "the old and honoured shade of Magdalen," and thus
addressing

The poor shade of Collins, wandering by;
The tear stood trembling in his gentle eye,
With modest grief reluctant, while he said--
"Sweet bard, belov'd by every muse in vain!
With pow'rs, whose fineness wrought their own decay;
Ah! wherefore, thoughtless, didst thou yield the rein
To fancy's will, and chase the meteor ray?
Ah! why forget thy own Hyblaean strain,
Peace rules the breast, where Reason rules the day."

The last line is most happily applied; it is a verse by the
unfortunate bard himself, which heightens the contrast with his
forlorn state! Langhorne has feelingly painted the fatal indulgences
of such a character as Collins.

Of fancy's too prevailing power beware!
Oft has she bright on life's fair morning shone;
Oft seate