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POETRY.

Ode for the New Year, 1783, By William Whitehead, Efq. Poet Laureat,

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Harlas Owain; or, the Drinking Horn of Owen. Tranflated from the Origi nal Welch of Owen Cyveliog, Prince of Powis, who flourished about the

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To William Hayley, Efq.

To Mr. Warton,

[ibid.]

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To Dr. Watson,

[ibid.]

To the Duke of Richmond,

ibid.

Concluding Stanzas of Mifs Williams's Ode on the Peace,

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Defcription of an Aged Ruftic,

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The Village Apothecary and Clergyman,

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Ode for his Majefty's Birth-day, June, 4, 1783. By William Whitehead, Esq.

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The Method of Studies for a Young Painter,

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Complaint of Poetry's not being encouraged in the prefent Age,

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Praife of Poetry,

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Advice to a Young Gentleman at Winchefter School,

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Profpect of the Author in the Expectation of his Son's Return from School, at

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A

SHORT VIE W

OF THE

STATE OF KNOWLEDGE,

LITERATURE, AND TASTE,

IN THIS COUNTRY,

From the NORMAN CONQUEST, to the ACCESSION of King EDWARD the Firft.

THE

HE Norman Conqueft, whilft it was a most important Revolution with regard to the political ftate of this country, could not fail of having fome influence on the understandings and the manners of the people in general. The Normans, from their refidence in France, had acquired certain ideas of fplendour and refinement; and the complete eftablishment of the feudal fyftem introduced new magnificence and elegance among our unpolifhed ancestors. The great lords, who came over with the Conqueror, having obtained large allotments of land in the different parts of the kingdom, diffufed the knowledge of various improvements which had been entirely unknown in the most flourishng periods of the Saxon government, and gave a more liberal turn to the minds even of the provincial inhabitants. From the greater degree of extent and flatelinefs with which caftles and churches were now built, it is evident that the Norman adventurers brought with them a 1783. fuperior

a

fuperior acquaintance with the arts. With refpect to literature in particular, feveral circumftances concurred to make it арpear with a luftre which it had not hitherto attained *.

William the Conqueror was a patron and a lover of learning. He had received a good education, was fond of reading, and was pleafed with the converfation of men of letters, whom he raised to the higheft dignities and richest benefices in the church. This had excited a great ardour for literary pursuits among the clergy in Normandy, and was afterwards productive of the fame effect in England. In confequence of William's generofity, fome of the most emiment scholars from the continent came into Britain, and contributed, both by their example and instructions, to promote the defire and advancement of knowledge. The king paid a particular attention to the education of his children; and his youngest fon, Henry the First, became the most learned prince, and the greatest promoter of learning, of the age in which he lived. Hence it was that he obtained the furname of Beauclerk, the title by which he is ufually diftinguished t.

We must not, from this account of things, form any very high ideas of the literature of the times. A progrefs was made in it which, perhaps, may be deemed confiderable, when compared with the ignorance of the preceding period but the ftate of knowledge was ftill extremely imperfect, and what degrees there were of it were confined to a few perfons. What was more unfortunate ftill, the learning of the age, instead of being applied to the true enlargement of the human mind, was converted to the support of bigotry, fuperftition, and ecclefiaftical power.

It was during the government of the Norman line, that the abfurdeft principles, and the moft extravagant claims of the church of Rome, made their way into the island. The doctrine of tranfubftantiation gradually gained ground, and at length, by the encouragement and influence of Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury, was univerfally received. A little after, Anfelm, his fucceffor, obtained the victory in

* Mr. Warton.

+ Dr. Henry.

the

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