He seems to have been one of those poets who take delight in
writing. He contributed to the papers of that time, and probably
published more than he owned. He left many compositions behind him,
of which Pope selected those which he thought best, and dedicated
them to the Earl of Oxford. Of these Goldsmith has given an
opinion, and his criticism it is seldom safe to contradict. He
bestows just praise upon "The Rise of Woman," "The Fairy Tale," and
"The Pervigilium Veneris;" but has very properly remarked that in
"The Battle of Mice and Frogs" the Greek names have not in English
their original effect. He tells us that "The Bookworm" is borrowed
from Beza; but he should have added with modern applications: and
when he discovers that "Gay Bacchus" is translated from Augurellus,
he ought to have remarked that the latter part is purely Parnell's.
Another poem, "When Spring Comes On," is, he says, taken from the
French. I would add that the description of "Barrenness," in his
verses to Pope, was borrowed from Secundus; but lately searching for
the passage which I had formerly read, I could not find it. "The
Night Piece on Death" is indirectly preferred by Goldsmith to Gray's
"Churchyard;" but, in my opinion, Gray has the advantage in dignity,
variety, and originality of sentiment. He observes that the story
of "The Hermit" is in More's "Dialogues" and Howell's "Letters," and
supposes it to have been originally Arabian.

Goldsmith has not taken any notice of "The Elegy to the Old Beauty,"
which is perhaps the meanest; nor of "The Allegory on Man," the
happiest of Parnell's performances. The hint of "The Hymn to
Contentment" I suspect to have been borrowed from Cleveland.

The general character of Parnell is not great extent of