TOR.[J.]S.KNOWLES,ESQ.

tor.[j.]s.knowles,esq.

onhistragedyofvirginius

(1820)

twelveyearsagoiknewthee,knowles,andthen

esteemedyouaperfectspecimen

ofthosefinespiritswarm-soul'direlandsends,

toteachuscolderenglishhowafriend's

quickpulseshouldbeat.iknewyoubrave,andplain,

strong-sensed,rough-wittedabovefearorgain;

butnothingfurtherhadthegifttoespy.

suddenyoure-appear.withwonderi

hearmyoldfriend(turn'dshakspeare)readascene

onlytohisinferiorintheclean

passesofpathos:withsuchfence-likeart—

erewecanseethesteel,'tisinourheart.

almostwithouttheaidlanguageaffords,

yourpieceseemswrought.thathuffingmedium,words,

(whichinthemoderntamburlainesquitesway

ourshamedsoulsfromtheirbias)inyourplay

wescarceattendto.hastierpassiondraws

ourtearsoncredit:andwefindthecause

sometwohoursafter,spellingo'eragain

thosestrangefewwordsatease,thatwroughtthepain.

proceed,oldfriend;and,astheyearreturns,

stillsnatchsomenewoldstoryfromtheurns

oflong-deadvirtue.we,thatknewbefore

yourworth,mayadmire,wecannotloveyoumore.