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 164 On Song Writing. [March.
As I have been attemptingto draw methodically, my time would not be
a hasty sketch of national manners, totally wasted. I know not yet in
I shall add another trait in which what particularAs methodI may arrange
I thinkthe English have the advantage them, the, present letter 6nly
over my countrymen, in not indul- contain a few general observationson
can.
ging so freely in the excesses of the such as happenedparticularlyto occur
table after dinner. In general they to my memory; but if I have leisure
vre more sober. A literary or to pursuethis subject, I promiseyou
Thoral subject is seldom introduced somethinglike methodin My handling
into conversationafter dinner in Ire- the theoryandpracticeof song-writing.
land, yet it is common in England; In love songs,whichI shallconsiderfirst,
where if they have less conviviality, seems to be 'anestablishedrule with it
and what is erroneouslycalled good the writers of them to steer as clear
fellowship, they have more rationalityr as possiblefrom commonsense, indeed
and literary taste, as I have expert- there-is but little robm for this pro-
enced on many occasions during my perty in the brains of a love sick
occasional visits to that country. To He takes leave of the present
Poet._ and flies to the regions of fancy,
this cause I attributethe greate'rde- world
gree of intellectualilnprovement,ma- where he seeks no other guide, and
nifested among many ofthe mercan, wishes for no other resting placethan
tile class in England. Some of them Rhime. Confident that the music
are very
deeply, engagedin business; master will hide all his failings and
and yet they find time 'for literary cover all his defects with quaversand
pursuits. The time gainedfromundue crotchets, he violates every rule of
indulgences of the table is given to propriety, every law: of providence,
reading and other means of improve- and distorts every image of nature.
ment withoutencroachingon business. He walks upon stilts,' and although
ThiS is a more rationalentertainment perhapsno methodisttalks more fami-
than the noisy contests of politics, liarly of heaven and hell, complains
and the news of the day, or talk of heavilyof sufferingthe torments of the
the technicalroutineof trade generally latter, and is ever, but in vain, by his
occupying that portion of the con- own account, solicitingthe blessedness
versationwhich is sparedin manycon- of the former.
vivial companies fromdogsand horses, The language of love songs is pro-
where the language and mannersof fusely metaphorical;the mistressis gen-
jockeys and groomsare well imitated. erally a monstroushumanbeing, armed
Noisy companies are too common with darts, flames and tormenting
in all countries, but- I am inclined engines, and the aim of the Poet is,
to think that on settling the account, to disarmher of those deadly weapons.
the balance in favour of sobriety and The followingis a small specimen of
rationality lies with our neighbours, the true metaphorical:
and that our mannerswould be im-
With her I Couldfor ever dwell,
proved in.an imitation of their more ,' There's haven within her arms;
prudent plan. K. But absent from her I'm in hell,
Dire g ief my soul alarms:
Tothe Editor of the BelfastMagazine. I rave, I burn, I pine, I die,
Nought can my. heart relieve,
ON SONG WRITING. But at her sight my sorrowsfly,
SIR3
Her presence bids me live."

C fANCE, accident,design,or idle- The distress of a man is certainly

ness, or what you will, threwa remarkable,, who at one and the same
very large collectionof old andnew time raves, burns, pines, and dies:
Songsin my way, and I read them it is also to be noticed that there is
over, with no immnediateviewof im- one circumstance in his case still
provement youmaysuppose,butrather more Thepoor gentleman
to divert an idle hour, as harmlessly is in deplorable.
he l, a very unpleasant situation;
aspossible. It occurredto me however, where however I must leave him
that if I could extract any remarks to take notice of a lover of another
from those songs, and arrange thetm
 1809.] On the Spinning of Fine Yarn. 165
kind, who has thoughtproper, I will Where the stomachs are lost and the vic-
not say, to invert the whole course tuals grow cool,
of nature, but at least to stop Beforemensit down to their dinners."
its progress, to keep the birds The poet's idea seems to be less
from flying, and even prevent the unreasonablethan any I have men-
blowing of the winds: tioned, for be considershis mistress
"Thus she mourn'd, what a scene all a- in the same light as he cdnsidersa
round, joint smoaking on the table. He
The birds flagtheir wings at her sighs rejects courtshipbecause it resembles
The vallies her sorrows resound, a long grace before dinner; so
And the stream shows her bluboered up his knife and fork, and whips
eyes; helps
All naturetakes part in her woe,
himself like an alderman'at a city
A black cloud o'er the heavens is feast. Indeed the song. smacks so
spread, strongly of the kitchen, that I should
The winds have forgotten to blow, almost suspect a member of the
And the willows bend over her head." cook's company had written it. It
was a very great favouritesome time
What is an Earthquaketo this? that back, and the ladiesmust own
the winds should lose their memory their obligations to thecertainly
author for
and forget to blow; yet such liberties the delicate comparison he has drawn.
are fiequently taken by Poets, but, In my next letter, Mr. Editor,
in my opinion, they are very un-
I shall probably pursue the subject,
zwarrantable,for nothing can be so and if I find it agreeable to your
cruel as to annihilate the world for readers, shall go through a course of
the sake of one inhabitant of it. It lectures on most of our commonand
would allow the Poets to hold con- fashionablesongs, with aview to as-
versation with the woods and valleys, certain tilhepqrtioneach has, of
and to call the streams or beasts of and comnmorsense. Mean time,poetryI am,
the field to witness, but to prevent Sir, your very obedientservant.
the poor birds from flying, and the
winds from blowing, is not to be Belfast, February, 1809. CURaso[jVs.
justified by any of the laws of Par-
nassus.
It appears too, that the language To theEditor of the Belfast Magazine.
of lovers, when they speak of heaven
and hell, is not always metaphorical, SIR,
Witness the following: SNthe present sittuationof this
country, from the exorbitant price
" Nice virtue preach'd religions laws, of Flax, and the probable want of a
Paths to eternal rest, sufficient quantity of Flax-seed for
To fight his king and country's cause, the ensuingseason, every circumstance
Faine counsel'd him was best, connected with the linen-manufacture,
But love opposed their noisy tongues,
Aid thus their votes out-braved : and the support of those employed
Get, get, a mistress, fair and young, in its various branches, is worthy of
Love fiercely, constantly, and lonIg, serious consideration. Should it fail
And then thou shalt be savd. from want of rawmaterial, the spin-
ners must suffer first ; but the dis-
Here is a receipt for eternal sal- tress, if not ruin, of others must soon
vation; for this song is modestly en- follow. In the counties of Down and
titled "the way to be saved," and Antrim, notwithstandingthe extent
no doubt there are many who tried of their manufacture, the dearth of
the experiment ; with what success flax, or of flax-seed,is only a lesser
1 cannot at presenttake time to with that which must
quire. This author,however, differs in, evil,feltcompared
in the other partsof the king-
in his sen- be
very materially religious dom. From the finenessof their yarn,
tirnents from the following: a small quantity of flax employs a
" Long courtship's the vice ofa phlegmatic great number of spinners, and pro-
fool, duces a profit, as the price of labour.
Like the grace of fanatical sinners, equally great.