Page:The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, Volume 2.djvu/180

174 he excites will perhaps not be found so much to arise from any original humour, or peculiarity of character nicely distinguished and diligently pursued, as from incidents and circumstances, artifices and surprizes; from jests of action rather than of sentiment. What he had of humorous or passionate, he seems to have had not from nature, but from other poets; if not always as a plagiary, at least as an imitator.

Next to argument, his delight was in wild and daring sallies of sentiment, in the irregular and eccentrick violence of wit. He delighted to tread upon the brink of meaning, where light and darkness begin to mingle; to approach the precipice of absurdity, and hover over the abyss of unideal vacancy. This inclination sometimes produced nonsense, which he knew; as, Move swiftly, Sun, and fly a lover's pace, Leave weeks and months behind thee in thy race Amamel flies To guard thee from the demons of the air; My flaming sword above them to display, All keen, and ground upon the edge of day. Rh