Page:The Journal of English and Germanic Philology Volume 18.djvu/177

 Satire's View of Sentimentalism 171 its best. The political content of the parody is only typical, though more wittily managed than in some of the others. The mockery of the Ossianic style is the happiest quality of the piece; and that mockery brings out so plainly the sentimental affectation of the Ossianic rhythms dear to young Werther that it seems justifiable to quote the entire ode: DUAN In the True Ossian Sublimity Does the wind touch thee, O Harp? Or is it some passing Ghost? Is it thy hand, Spirit of the departed Scrutiny! Bring me the Harp, pride of CHATHAM! Snow is on thy bosom, Maid of the modest eye! A song shall rise! Every soul shall depart at the sound!!! The wither'd thistle shall crown my head!!! I behold thee, O King! I behold thee sitting on mist!!! Thy form is like a watery cloud, Singing in the deep like an oyster!!!! Thy face is like the beams of the setting moon! Thy eyes are of two decaying flames! Thy nose is like the spear of ROLLO!!! Thy ears are like three bossy shields!!! Strangers shall rejoice at thy chin! The ghosts of dead Tories shall hear me In their airy hall! The wither'd thistle shall crown my head! Bring me the Harp, Son of CHATHAM! But thou, O King! give me the Laurel! 35 Sentimentalism in the drama was viewed with gradually increasing hostility by the English writers of verse-satire 35 The Rolliad, in two parts, Probationary Odes for the Laureatship; and Political Eclogues; with criticisms and illustrations. Revised, corrected, and enlarged by the original authors. (London, 1797), 302. The Duan was the work of John Ellis. For information about the authorship of the various pieces in the Rolliad series, see Walpole's Letters, XIII, 342, and Notes and Queries, II, 114, 242, 373. Cf. also Sir Patrick Colquhoun, V. P., The Rolliad and the Antijacobin, on pages 229-264 of the Transactions of the Royal Society oj Litera- ture of the United Kingdom for 1883.