Kinder Wood

“ A rapid succession of ideas in the mind, and a power of delivering these ideas unimpaired, in words, seems necessary to constitute a poet; and the mind of the poet is as much shewn in painting or sculpture, as in that art, to which the term has been more particularly applied. Poetry has been defined, the art of painting ideas and objects to another, through the medium of language: and it has at one time been thought necessary to constitute poetry, that the words should be formed into an artificial arrangement, termed verse ”

“ But, riding over the high ground so constantly, at all times and seasons, it has led him frequently to wonder, that whilst numberless obscure spots have furnished subjects for descriptive poetry, so rich, populous, beautiful, and variegated a plain as that in which Manchester is placed, should have escaped observation. ”

“ In all pursuits, to which the anxious mind
Ardent impels—successful—still we find
The gnawing venom rancour in the breast,
Destroy the peace, and rob the mind of rest.
Stern discontent! thrice dipt in gall, thy dart
Slow breaks the health, and triumphs in the smart:
The wounded deer nor dies, nor health regains,
But, drooping, languid, slow moves o'er the plains ”

“ Stretch'd at her feet upon the grassy plain,
The cheerful labourer raises high the strain;
Nor tuneful art, nor polish'd verse requires,
To sing those charms, which every heart inspires.
Song.
SONG.
Dear girl, when around me the dark clouds are low'ring,
When loud o'er my head the deep thunder shall roll;
When fast o'er the wild heath the rain it falls pouring,
And the quick lightning's blaze shall illumine the whole,
Oh! ”

“ Amidst such a prospect as this, the partial eye of a native discovers many beauties, that would be lost to a casual observer, sufficient to influence the imagination. As particular spots attract attention, they recall to memory numerous private occurrences, sufficiently calculated to arouse emotions of the heart, favourable to the flow of numbers, and to the melody of verse. ”

“ When we consider how many have favoured the world with descriptive poems, and how few have succeeded in producing any thing, worthy the patience of the reader, it may be thought sufficient to intimidate any one, from giving a production of this kind to the press. The difficulty which has been found, of giving interest to a poem purely descriptive, has induced many to introduce scenery, through the medium of a tale. ”

“ Poetry should present the general outline, and leave the more minute touches to be filled up by the imagination of the reader: it is this very act of completing the image of the author, which forms one great source of pleasure; hence it is, that a reader of poetry should possess a quick imagination, or many beauties of a composition will necessarily escape him. When a writer delineates vigorously, he is followed with delight ”

“ Here hills on hills, extend their alpine reign,
Stretch their wide arms, and bound the fertile plain;
View of the Country—Bolton—The Earl of Derby.
To the far west, where rolling Mersey bends,
In one long view the wide champaign extends. ”

“ It is not upon this prospect, we can digress on the ruined abbey, or the mouldering castle: the country is nearly barren of antiquities, the whole being a structure of yesterday, and arising out of the commercial prosperity of Great Britain. We have here no Arcadia, in which to place shepherds with their pipes; for the country is to be looked upon as completely a manufacturing, and not as a pastoral. Descriptive poetry may, in some measure, be considered an account of the sensations of the writer, produced by a view of the country ”

“ Tell how my flute, from echoing Irwell's streams,
In softer murmurs sooth'd my nightly dreams.
The Source of Human Actions.
Bid memory tell, how still to friendships true,
She loads the passing gale with many a fresh adieu. ”

“ And pensive weep o'er noble Derby's [1] urn.
The Earl of Derby—Manchester—Its Manufactures.
In Charles's cause, our gallant youth he arm'd,
And his bright deeds each meaner bosom warm'd;
Till treason, mounting o’er his cold corpse flew,
Where Bolton's blushing spires fade in the distant view.
Lo! where Mancunium boldly soars on high,
Mocks the rude blast, and dares th' inclement sky:
Thrice happy spot, whose joys from commerce spring;
At her command thy genius spreads her wing ”

“ The beauties consist rather in objects of art than of nature; for, whenever a country becomes populous, nature is always compelled to give way to the convenience or the caprice of man. Travellers contemplating this prospect, are struck with the number of large towns and villages brought into view at one time, and from one point. ”

“ But the contrary of this takes place, when a description is spun out: the mind becomes fatigued, and we confess the dulness of the author, in our inability to follow him. "In vitium ducit culpæ fuga, si caret arte." ”

“ After his return from America, he came down to Chadderton, and seems to have relaxed his mind by the use of the pen. He wrote the Heiress, one of the most beautiful of our sentimental Comedies; and was the author of several other lighter compositions. He married Charlotte, daughter of the Earl of Derby and died in London, August 4th. 1792. He had the character of an accomplished gentleman, and scholar; of a fine writer; brave and enterprising; benevolent and liberal; and of a strong and vigorous mind, unimpaired by injuries or misfortune. ”

“ Then, proud of strength, the conscious mind shall rise,
Mount in the storm, and adverse fate despise.
FINIS.
R. & W. DEAN, Printers, Manchester.
↑ James, Earl of Derby, was beheaded at Bolton; he was an active supporter of the royal cause, against the unjust usurpations of parliament. He raised, by his personal influence, a body of thirty thousand men, in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, and brought them to, the support of his Sovereign. Some unfortunate prejudice, not yet cleared up by History, seems to have withheld from him the confidence of his royal master. ”

“ Tindal has the following remark in a note, "What reward his son had for this famous Earl's loyalty, will appear by the following inscription, fixed by the present Earl of Derby on a building erected at Knowsley, in Lancashire—James, Earl of Derby, Lord of Man, and the Isles, Grandson of James, Earl of Derby, and Charlotte, daughter of Clande Duke de la Tremonille, in France; whose husband James was beheaded at Bolton, on the 15th. ”

“ However injurious such a prejudice was to the Earl, his actions approved him a brave, active; and loyal man. He retired to the Isle of Man, which ha held for the king a considerable time; afterwards joining his son Charles the second, he was taken prisoner after the battle of Worcester; tried by a council of war, according to Rapin; and beheaded at Bolton, October 15th. ”

“ The library consists of about 20,000 volumes. ↑ The late Benjamin Gibson, Esq. was a man of the highest professional attainment and talent; a man warm in his friendships, communicative upon professional subjects, of a great delicacy of sentiment, and peculiar tenderness of honour. ”

“ Gibson—Alkrington-hall—Chadderton-hall and park—General Burgoyne—Retrospect—Broughton—Strangewayspark—The source of human actions—Discontent—Not diminished by riches—A character—Theapproach of Eve—The milk-maid—Evening sports—Song—Evening sports—Throwing the quoit or discus—The approach of an autumnal storm over the hills—Its effects beneficial—Surprise—the Maniac's song—The Maniac—Conclusion. ”