Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/83

 INTRODUCTION Ixxix ���From the style and versification of this, so much her longest work, I conjecture that Lady Winchelsea had but a slender acquaintance with the drama of the earlier part of the preceding century. Yet her style in rhyme is often admirable, chaste, tender, and vigorous, and entirely free from sparkle, antithesis, and that over-culture, which reminds one by its broad glare, its stiffness, and heavi- ness, of the double daisies of the garden, compared with their modest and sensitive kindred of the fields. Perhaps I am mis- taken, but I think there is a good deal of resemblance in her style and versification to that of Tickell, to whom Dr. Johnson justly assigns a high place among the minor poets, and of whom Goldsmith rightly observes, that there is a strain of ballad-thinking through all his poetry, and it is very attractive. �Mr. Dyce was much impressed by Wordsworth's minute and apt criticisms, and apparently suggested the advisability of his publishing Lady Winchilsea's poems. Wordsworth answered, in a letter from Lowther Castle, dated September 23, but without any year. The reference in the letter to a possible visit from Mr. Dyce about the " tenth December," throws doubt on even the month. Mr. Grosart suggests August, 1833. The portion of the letter referring to Lady Winchilsea thanks Mr. Dyce for his care in collecting and transmitting particulars concerning her, and concludes: �I expected to find at this place my friend, Lady Frederick Bentinck, through whom I intended to renew my request for mate- rials, if any exist, among the Finch family, whether manuscript poems, or anything else that would be interesting; but Lady F., unluckily, is not likely to be in Westmoreland. I shall, however, write to her. Without some additional materials, I think I should scarcely feel strong enough to venture upon any species of publi- cation connected with this very interesting woman, notwithstand- ing the kind things you say of the value of my critical remarks. �It is a far cry from this Three Hours after Marriage of Pope, Gay, and Arbuthnot to Wordsworth's Essay and his Letters, but Ardelia's fame could well afford to wait a century for so pronounced a revolution in taste. Words- worth knew her poems minutely and sympathetically. He ��� �