button to main menu  Gents Mag 1851 part 1 p.12

button introduction
button list, 3rd qtr 19th century
button previous page button next page
Gentleman's Magazine 1851 part 1 p.12
Since this edition in 1802 a valuable addition has been made to T. Warton's works in Chalmer's edition, by the discovery of five pastoral eclogues, the scenes of which are laid among the shepherds of Germany. They were published in 1745, and ascribed to T. Warton on the authority of Isaac Reed. He was only eighteen years of age when they were printed. We do not enter on the subject of T. Warton as an editor of Theocritus or of the Anthologia, or we could give such information on that head as we believe would be quite new to his admirers and editors; but we may observe, that there are a few poems by him at present not placed in his collected works, and a new edition would be useful both of him and his contemporary Collins. On Southey's proposed plan of continuing Warton's History of Poetry, see p.245 of this volume.
P.82. "The evidence concerning its authenticity (The Eikon Basilike) is more curiously balanced than in any other case, except perhaps that of the two Alexander Cunninghams. but the internal evidence is strongly in its favour," &c.
list, The controversy concerning the authorship of this celebrated work is in much the same state as that of Junius, only that the rival disputants on the former work are more dogmatic and decided than the latter. Lord Melbourne used to say of a celebrated poetical and party writer of the present day, "M--- is always so cock-sure of every thing." That this is the case with some of the Eikon disputants, may be seen by a few extracts from the fly-leaves of our copy of the work. We give them just as they occur, and as they were written down. "The arguments concerning this work, whether it was written by Charles or Bishop Gauden, may be seen in Hume's History of England, vol.vii. p.154, &c. See also Zouch's edition of Walton's Lives, p.463; and Bishop Warburton's works, vol.vii. p.920, who says, "It is the most uncertain matter I ever took the pains to examine. There is strong evidence on both sides, but I think the strongest and most unexceptionable is on that which gives it to the King." See also the General Dictionary, vol.iii. p.389, and vol.x. p.76. "Clarendon is silent on the subject. Burnet against it. It passed through fifty editions in a twelvemonth." In Burnet's introduction to Milton's Prose Works, vol.i. p.xxxv. "it has been proved, beyond the possibilty of a doubt, that it was written by Dr. Gauden; as the evidence is detailed in Laing's History of Scotland, and Symmons's Life of Milton, it need not be repeated." Mr. Southey's opinion seems to be stated in an article in the Qtrly Review, No.L. October, 1821, p.298 note: "The authenticity of this book has been attacked and defended with such cogent arguments and strong assertions, that, as far as relates to external proofs, perhaps there is scarcely any other question in bibliography so doubtful. The internal evidence is wholly in its favour. Had it been the work of Gauden, or any person writing to support the royal cause, a higher tone concerning episcopacy and prerogative would have been taken. There would have been more effort at justification, and there would not have been that inefficient but conscientious defence of fatal concessions, that penitent confession of sin when weakness had been sinful, that piety without alloy, that character of mind and even magnanimity, and that heavenly-mindedness which render Eikon one of the most interesting works in our language." In this argument of Mr. Southey's it may be observed, that he seems to have overlooked, or rather not sufficiently remarked, that Gauden was writing in the assumed character of the King, and that he would of course carefully and studiously adopt the sentiments and even copy the expressions which would characterise the original with the utmost fidelity and verisimilitude. In such a work as this, we must give the fictitious writer credit for deep and careful study of his subject, as we do to a first-rate actor, as well as for abilities equal to his undertaking. If Gauden wrote in the character of Charles, he would endeavour to assume the qualities which he well knew were conspicuous in Charles, which would be expected to appear in a work attributed to him, and which would establish in the mind of the reader its claim to authenticity. More of this subject may be read in Todd's Life of Walton, pp.139-147, who is said to have proved that the work is written
button next page

button to main menu Lakes Guides menu.