nson's
friends formed such a "school."

[16] Boswell praised Courtenay's "just and discriminative eulogy" on
Johnson's Latin poems, and quoted it. See _Boswell's Life of Johnson_,
ed. G. B. Hill, revised L. F. Powell (Oxford, 1934-1950), I, 62.

[17] See _European Magazine_, IX (April 1786), 266; _Gentleman's
Magazine_, LVI (May 1786), 415; _Monthly Review_, LXXV (September
1786), 229.

[18] It should be noted that the attack on Courtenay in this poem is
the mildest of the four. The famous caricaturist, Sayer, included
Courtenay in a poetic attack on Mrs. Piozzi appended to his print,
_Frontispiece to the 2nd Edition of Johnson's Letters_, published 7
April 1788. See James L. Clifford, _Hester Lynch Piozzi (Mrs. Thrale)_
(Oxford, 1952), p. 329.

[19] Boswell quoted Courtenay's compliment in _Life_, II, 268.

[20] _Letters_, II, 444.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

The text of this edition of _A Poetical Review of the Literary and
Moral Character of the Late Samuel Johnson, L.L.D., with Notes_ is
reproduced from a copy in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript
Library, Yale University.

A
POETICAL REVIEW
OF THE
LITERARY AND MORAL CHARACTER
OF THE LATE
_SAMUEL JOHNSON, L.L.D._

WITH NOTES.

BY JOHN COURTENAY, ESQ.
THE THIRD EDITION, CORRECTED.

Man is thy theme; his virtue, or his rage,
Drawn to the life, in each elaborate page. WALLER.

----_immensae veluti connexa carinae
Cymba minor._ STATIUS.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR CHARLES DILLY IN THE POULTRY.
M DCC LXXXVI.

A
POETICAL REVIEW, &c.

A Generous tear will Caledonia shed?
Her ancient foe, illustrious Johnson's dead;
Mac-Ossian's sons may now securely rest,
Safe from the bitter sneer, the cynick jest.[21]
The song of triumph now I seem to hear,
And these the sounds that vibrate on my ear:
"Low lies the man, who scarce deigns Gray to praise,
But from the tomb calls Blackmore's sleeping lays;
A passport grants to Pomfret's dismal chimes,
To Yalden's hymns, and Watts's holy rhimes;[22]
By subtle doubts would Swift's fair fame invade,
And round his brows the ray of glory shade;[23]
With poignant taunt mild Shenstone's life arraigns,
His taste contemns, and sweetly-flowing strains;
At zealous Milton aims his tory dart,
But in his Savage finds a moral heart;
At great Nassau despiteful rancour flings,[24]
But pension'd kneels ev'n to usurping kings:
Rich, old an