of arraigning the present ftate of things fhould fall to my fhare; while he, at an age that is naturally querulous and diffatisfied, was employed in defending it. Whether this be a proof of his wisdom, or good fpirits, I pretend not to say. But it gave me a pleasure to hear the old man indulging himself in the prospect of better days, of which, as young as we are, and as warmly as we wish for them, you and I had always despaired.

LET

Serving to illuftrate some

Paffages in the THIRD DIALOGUE,

Guarda, che mal fato,

O giovenil vaghezza non ti meni
Al magazino de le ciancie. ah faggi,
Fuggi quell incantato alloggiamento.
Quivi habitan le maghe, che incantando
Fan traveder, e traudir ciascuno.

TASSO.

Letter 1. THE Subject propofed.

II. Origin of Chivalry.
III. Characteristics of, accounted for:
IV. Heroic and Gothic manners, com
pared.

v. Their differences, noted.

VI. Gothic manners more poetical,
than the Heroic.

VII. Their effect on SPENSER, MIL-
TON, SHAKESPEAR.

VIII. Fairy Queen criticized-the me-
thod of that poem explained
and juftified.

IX. TASSO's Gier. Lib. confidered
history of the Italian poetry.

x. Fairy way of writing-vin-
dicated.

XI. Gothic poetry, whence fallen into
difrepute.
X11. Steps of its decline, traced.

LET