The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott, with memoir of the author.

CANTO VI.] ROKEBY. 293
taste of an author who employs his utmost strength of description on a compound of bad qualities; but we must
observe, in the way of protest for the present, that something
must be wrong where poetical effect and moral approbation
are so much at variance. We leave untouched the general
argument, whether it makes any difference for poetical purposes, that a hero's vices or his virtues should preponderate.
Powerful indeed must be the genius of the poet who, out of
such materials as those above mentioned, can form an interesting whole. This, howgver, is the fact; and Bertram at
times so overcomes hatred with admiration, that he (or rather
his painter) is almost pardonable for his energy alone. There
is a charm about this spring of mind which bears down all
opposition,' and throws a brilliant veil of light over the most
hideous deformity.' This is the fascination-this is the
variety and vigour by which Mr. Scott recommends barbarous heroes, undignified occurrences, and occasionally, the
most incorrect language, and the most imperfect versification"Catch but his fire-' And you forgive him all.'
1Monthly Review.
" That Rokeby, as a whole, is equally interesting with Mr.
Scott's former works, we are by no means prepared to assert.
But if there be, comparatively, a diminution of interest, it is
evidently owing to no other cause than the time or place of
its action-the sobriety of the period, and the abated wildness of the scenery. With us, the wonder is, that a period
so late as that of Charles the First, could have been managed
so dexterously, and have been made so happily subservient
to poetic invention.
" In the mean time, we have no hesitation in declaring our
opinion, that the tale of Rokeby is much better told than
those of'The Lay,' or of' Marmion.' Its characters are introduced with more ease; its incidents are more natural; one
event is more necessarily generated by another; the reader's
mind is kept more in suspense with respect to the termination of the story; and the moral reflections interspersed are