Parodies of Ballad Criticism | Page 6

R---- B---- was a Member of the Faculty, to have made honourable mention of him who has spoke so honourably of the Profession, on the Account of the Sickness of his Hero.
I have an old Edition of this Author by me, the Title of which is more Sonorous and Heroical, than those of later Date, which for the better Information of the Reader, it may not be improper to insert in this Place. *Tom Thumb* his Life and Death, wherein is declar'd his many marvellous Acts of Manhood, full of Wonder and strange Merriment: Then he adds, which little Knight liv'd in King *Arthur*'s Time in the Court of *Great Britain*. Indeed there are so many spurious Editions of this Piece upon one Account or other, that I wou'd advise my Readers to be very cautious in their Choice, and it would be very wisely done, if they wou'd consult the curious ?lianus concerning this Matter, who has the choicest Collection of any Man in England, and understands the most correct Editions of Books of this Nature.
I have took a great deal of Pains to set these Matters of Importance in as clear a Light as we Criticks generally do, and shall begin with the first Canto, which treats of our Hero's Birth and Parentage, and Education, with some other Circumstances which you'll find are carry'd on in a manner not very inelegant, and cannot fail to please those who are not Judges of Language, or those who notwithstanding they are Judges of Language, have a genuine and unprejudic'd Tast of Nature.
In Arthur's Court Tom Thumb did live; A Man of mickle Might, The best of all the Table round, And eke a doubty Knight, In Stature but an Inch in Height, Or quarter of a Span; Then think you not this worthy Knight Was prov'd a valiant Man.
This Beginning is agreeable to the best of the Greek and Latin Poets; Homer and Virgil give an Idea of the whole Poem in a few of the first Lines, and here our Author draws the Character of his Hero, and shews what you may expect from a Person so well qualify'd for the greatest Undertakings.
In the Description of him, which is very fine, he insinuates, that tho' perhaps his Person may appear despicable and little, yet you'll find him an Hero of the most consummate Bravery and Conduct, and is almost the same Account Statius gives of Tydeus.
--------Totos infusa per artus, Major in exiguo regnabat corpore virtus.
If any suppose the Notion of such an Hero improbable, they'll find the Character Virgil gives Camilla to be as far stretch'd:
Illa vel Intact? segetis per summa volaret Gramina, nec teneras cursu l?sisset Aristas: Vel mare per medium, fluctu suspensa tumenti Ferret Iter: celeres nec tingeret ?quore plantas.
But to proceed,
His Father was a Plowman plain, His Mother milk'd the Cow, And yet a Way to get a Son This Couple knew not how, Until such time the good old Man To learned Merlin goes, And there to him in deep Distress In secret Manner shows, How in his Heart he wish'd to have, A Child in time to come, To be his Heir, tho' it might be No bigger than his Thumb. Of which old Merlin was foretold, That he his Wish should have, And so a Son of Stature small The Charmer to him gave.
There is nothing more common throughout the Poets of the finest Taste, than to give an Account of the Pedigree of their Hero. So Virgil,
----?neas quem Dardanio Anchis? Alma Venus Phrygii genuit Simoentis ad undas.
And the Manner of the Countryman's going to consult Merlin, is like that of ?neas's approaching the Oracle of Delphos.
----Egressi veneramur Apollinis Urbem.
And how naturally and poetically does he describe the Modesty of the Man, who wou'd be content, if Merlin wou'd grant him his Request, with a Son no bigger than his Thumb.
The Two next Stanza's carry on the Idea with a great deal of Probability and Consistence; and to convince the World that he was born to be something more than Man, he produces a Miracle to bring him into it.
Begot, and born in half an Hour, To fit his Father's Will.
The following Stanza continues the Miracle, and brings the Fairy Queenand her Subjects, who gives him his Name, and makes him a Present of his Apparel.
Whereas she cloath'd him fine and brave, In Garments richly fair, The which did serve him many Years In seemly sort to wear.
So Virgil of Queen Dido's Present to Ascanius:
Hoc Juvenem egregium pr?stanti munere donat.
And again,
--------Quem candida Dido Esse sui dederat Monumentum & pignus Amoris.
The Description of his Dress is very agreeable, and is not unlike what I have met with somewhere of a Giant going a Fishing, with an Account of his Implements equal to his Proportion.
His