THE ECLECTIC REVIEW, For FEBRUARY, 1805. Art. I. The Triumph of Music; A Poem: in six Cantos. By William Hayley, Esq. Quarto, pp. 150. Price 10s. 6d. Payne, Johnson, Evans, Longman and Co. 1804. MR. Hayley is known as a literary veteran, too well to stand in need of our suffrage to his merits. It is not indeed as a combatant, that he has aimed at applause, (for his satire never indicates hostility ;) but as a zealous and skilful cultivator of the Parnassian soil, which he has fertilized and embellished, to no small extent, and with no small variety of productions. In the didactic, the dramatic, and the lyric departments of poetry; and as an essayist, and a biographer; he has frequently favoured the public with compositions in which the useful is happily blended with the agreeable. One striking feature characterizes every offspring of his genius--benevolence. And if there be any exception from this general remark,---if (in this view) there should be found, "One line which dying he could wish to blot," it is obviously where his mind has been diverted from its prevailing course, by the current of popular prejudice. The title of the Poem before us, will remind most readers of another of the author's works, which appears to have surpassed the rest in its public attractions. In that performance, as in his didactic poems, Mr. Hayley seems to have regarded Pope as his model but, while the "Triumphs of Temper" was evidently formed on the plan of the Rape of the Lock, the former belongs rather to the moral, than to the mock-heroic class. The present work is wholly serious; and it differs, not only from the author's preceding works, but likewise from those of most other writers, in mingling lyric measures with the heroic. Dramatic operas have long been in vogue; but we conceive an Epic opera, as this may be called, to be a novelty. We shall introduce our account of the work, with that which Mr. H. has given of it in his Preface. 'It has been the purpose of the Author in the following Poem, not to display all the various efficacy of music, but to commemorate one very striking example of its moral influence. G Those Those who consider this powerful art as a mere amusement, may think it hardly credible, that music could have such a sudden moral influence on two men, whose habits of life were barbarous in the extreme: but the extraordinary occurrence, to which I allude, (described in the second Canto) is, in truth, an incident of personal history. I read it many years ago, with singular delight, in the memoirs of an Italian musician, and treasured it in my mind, as a circumstance, that might serve for the basis of an interesting poetical composition. The incident was so powerful, it occurred continually to my recol→ lection, and I imagined it might be advantageous to a Poem founded upon it, to introduce a variety of persons, whose peculiar characters and situations might naturally give rise to great varieties of verse. I hoped such an introduction of brief compositions for music might produce a desirable effect in relieving that monotony, of which many readers are apt to complain, in perusing successive books of heroic rhyme, though composed by the most harmonious of our Poets. 'I have now made the experiment; but the full success of it is only to be learnt from the voice of our country. 'I will not attempt to recommend the work, except by saying, that a few of the occasional verses, which are blended with the narrative, have been medicinal to my own mind under severe affliction. If they are fortunate enough to produce a similar effect on any of my afflicted fellow-creatures, the Author will have obtained that kind of success, which he regards as the noblest object of literary ambition.' A sketch of the story which extends through the author's six cantos, with specimens of the narrative, and of the lyric pieces interspersed in various parts of it, will best enable our readers to judge of this singular poem, and may conduce to their instruction, as well as to their amusement. The heroine of the tale is Venusia, educated as the daughter of Donado, a Venetian senator, but really sprung from another nobleman named Manfredi. After losing his wife, and only son, he placed this child under the care of a woman, who at the same time nursed a daughter of Donado. The latter dying, her father, in order to retain an estate which depended on the life of his child, bribed the nurse to exchange the living for the dead, and to report to Manfredi that his daughter had suddenly expired. That worthy man, overwhelmed with a succession of calamities, which he imputed to his own misconduct, (having been the involuntary occasion of his son's death), withdraws from all society, and immures himself in a beautiful villa near Bergamo, whence, unseen, he imparts to the neighbouring poor, those comforts of which he denies himself the enjoyment. The events which stand thus at the commencement of the poem, are occasionally developed in its progress. The first lines contain a brief address to the fair sex, and the character and circumstances of Venusia, at that period. 'Fav'rites Fav'rites of Heaven, who, with delight profound, Ye fair! whose beauty mental charms endear, In pleasure's palace, her Venetian dome! The rays of fancy in her features shone ; She much excell'd in all; but most in vocal charms. He destin'd her to be a brother's bride; The partner destined by Donado for his supposed daughter, being very unsuitable to her, a variety of circumstances concurs to excite and cherish a mutual affection between her, and Lucilio, a man of eminent genius and merit, who is as much her inferior in fortune, as he is her superior in age. He had lost a wife and daughter in early life; and his afflictions, combined with an admirable taste for music, give occasion to many of the lyric pieces introduced. By the advice of Donado's sister, Venusia hazards a stolen marriage with her lover; and they take refuge at Milan, in a convent to which they are introduced by a friendly priest. Donado traces them to this retreat; and employs two G2 assassins assassins to accomplish his revenge on Lucilio: but the latter, by the united powers of melody and piety, melts the stern hearts of his intended murderers, who had concealed themselves in a chapel where he performed his daily oraisons. This event, founded in fact, suggested the title of the poem. The vengeance of Donado, frustrated, not appeased, obliges the affectionate pair to seek a different shelter; and, as the most retired and secure spot, Manfredi's villa is opened to them. The hospitable but dejected owner, converses with his guests only on paper, and indulges himself no farther than to listen to their harmonies in a separate apartment. More than a year is spent in this concealment; and Lucilio, who had unexpectedly received an accession of wealth previous to his removal from Milan, is afterwards gratified with a daughter by his beloved bride. Donado in the mean time, the slave of his appetites, becomes nearly their victim; but persisting in his rancour against Lucilio, and having at length discovered his retreat, obtains means of introducing himself in disguise, for the purpose of destroying his reputed son-in-law. Being, however, detected and seized by Manfredi, he acknowledges the latter to be Venusia's father, resigns the property he had fraudulently kept from his own relations, and becomes reconciled to the happy couple, whose bliss is enhanced by the consolation and joy of Manfredi at the restoration of his daughter. This interesting narrative is made the vehicle of many pathetic and devotional pieces, of which Mr. H. avows some to "have been medicinal to his own mind under severe affliction." Various passages in his Essay on Sculpture, and in his biography of Cowper, tend to illustrate this intimation. The following Lyrics, doubtless, allude to his loss of that admired friend, and of his own darl ing son, at the same juncture. Their metres are adapted to tunes deservedly admired; the former set to the words " Here's a health to those far awa;" the next by Purcell, to Dryden's song, "On a bank beside a willow." O my friends! who are gone to the skies, And have left upon earth a good name! Το your virtue my song shall arise, And yours be affection, and fame, For ever! But sweeter the vision, that shows In the season of silence and night, For ever! No, never! p. 7. By a tomb, that held his treasure, Thus a father mourn'd his child: When in death my darling smil'd. Gracious Pity cheer'd his sight: Bliss more tender In eternal scenes of light. p. 10. From the numerous Sonnets interspersed through the poem, we select the following two. To thee, Redeemer of a ruin'd race! Tho' long immers'd in grief's severest gloom, Acknowledg'd Son of Heaven's approving Sire! G 3 In |