us opens the other play with a description somewhat more
appropriate:

This is the secret centre of the isle:
Here, Romans, pause, and let the eye of wonder
Gaze on the solemn scene; behold yon oak,
How stern he frowns, and with his broad brown arms
Chills the pale plain beneath him: mark yon altar,
The dark stream brawling round its rugged base,
These cliffs, these yawning caverns, this wide circus,
Skirted with unhewn stone: they awe my soul,
As if the very genius of the place
Himself appear'd, and with terrific tread
Stalk'd through his drear domain--

we could fancy that both these personages had come fresh from the study
of the English garden. The distresses of Elfrida, and the heroism of
Caractacus, are in danger of becoming objects of secondary
consideration, while we are admiring the shades of Harewood, and the
rocks of Mona. He has attempted to shelter himself under the authority
of Sophocles; but though there are some exquisite touches of landscape
painting in that drama, the poet has introduced them with a much more
sparing hand. It is said that Hurd pruned away a great deal more
luxuriance of this kind, with which the first draught of the Elfrida was
overrun; and we learn from Gray, in his admirable letter of criticism on
the Caractacus, that the opening of that tragedy was, as it at first
stood, even much more objectionable than at present. Such descriptions
are better suited to the Masque, a species of drama founded on some wild
and romantic adventure, and of which the interest does not depend on the
manners or the passions. It is therefore more in its place in Argentile
and Curan, which he calls a legendary drama, written on the old English
model. He composed it after the other two, and during the short time
that his wife lived; but, like several of his poems, it was not
published till the year of his decease. The beginning promises well: and
the language of our old writers is at first tolerably well imitated.
There is afterwards too much trick and too many prettinesses; such is
that of the nosegay which the princess finds, and concludes from its
tasteful arrangement to be the work of princely fingers. The subordinate
parts, of the Falconer, and Ralph, his deputy, are not sustained
according to the author's first conception of them. The story is well
put together. He has, perhaps, nothing else that is equal in expression
to the following passage.

Thou know'st, when we did qu