The Poetical Register (January 1802), 426-27

The Poetical Register (January 1802), 426-27

[Review of] Rural Tales, Ballads and Songs, by Robert Bloomfield, Author of the "Farmer’s Boy." Small 8vo. pp. 130.

SECOND productions not infrequently disappoint the expectations which had been formed of an author by the success of his first. In the present instance, however, this is not the case. The reputation of Mr. Bloomfield will be increased by his volume of "Rural Tales." Too much praise cannot be given to his delineations of rural subjects, feelings and manners: they have a correctness, spirit and grace, which indicate the hand of a master. In pastoral, true pastoral, he stands almost alone. Nor is the manner in which he treats his subject less worthy of applause, than his choice of subject itself. His versification is unaffected, flowing and elegant. One thing only in the volume calls forth censure; but this censure does not affect Mr. Bloomfield. At the end of every poem, Mr. Capel Lofft has, with great kindness, given a sort of direction to the reader what opinion he must form on what he has just read. That impertinence of commentary cannot be too severely reprobated. We recommend to Mr. Bloomfield to expunge, as soon as possible, this obtrusive nonsense.