The Poetry of Mary Robinson: Form and Fame

Bell’s Laureates II 81

that makes the original poem so striking. The revised version devel-

ops the allegory, in addition to performing a greater metrical versa-

tility, and is perhaps more elegant—at least according to Robinson’s

standards of taste.

For Bell and for his readers, Robinson’s taste was refined enough.

Robinson’s first published sonnet appeared in the Oracle on 29 July

1789 (1: 62). And in his editorial headnote, Bell himself makes the

first association between Robinson/Laura Maria and Sappho—two

years before the Monthly Review proclaimed Robinson “the English

Sappho”:

We are happy to introduce to Public View any Specimen of Classic

Elegance, however short.—A Fragment of SAPPHO is dearer to the

Reader of real Taste, than a whole Epic Poem that reaches not beyond

Mediocrity. The following little Sonnet RELISHES of the true Attic

Taste; it breathes the tender Strain of SAPPHO, with the soft pathetic

Melancholy of COLLINS.

The point is the continued assertion of the paper’s good taste and of

Laura Maria’s refinement, the product of which—the sonnet begin-

ning “Night’s dewy orb”—might correspondingly have produced in

readers an appreciative sigh before they passed on in the column to

read news of a “GR AND CRICKET MATCH.”

Laurels and Laureates

As Bell’s laureate, Robinson clearly tried to distinguish herself from

the poetically inebriate crowd of poets that formed the Della Crusca

network, but she did not mean to distance herself from the Della

Crusca avatar or from Robert Merry himself. Merry, although still

friendly with Topham, maintained a business relationship with Bell,

who continued to publish the poet’s work. Although Merry went back

to the World to help Topham with political coverage of the 1790 elec-

tions, he was not dependable and found writing for a Ministry paper

disaffecting; he joined the Morning Post in early 1791 (Werkmeister,

London 207). At the same time Merry continued to contribute poetry

for Bell at the Oracle, but this time as “Rinaldo.” Merry, Cowley,

and Robinson brief ly revived their poetic love triangle, attempting to

recapture at the Oracle the spirit of the Della Crusca network. Cowley

was the author of the corresponding “Armida” poems, playing again

the jealous harpy. Although the original publication in the Oracle is

lost, Robinson’s “To Rinaldo” was reprinted in her 1791 volume and

praises Rinaldo in similar terms to those applied to Della Crusca. It

9780230100251_04_ch02.indd 819780230100251_04_ch02.indd 81 12/28/2010 11:08:28 AM12/28/2010 11:08:28 AM

10.1057/9780230118034 - The Poetry of Mary Robinson, Daniel Robinson

Cop

yright material fr

om www

.palgra

veconnect.com - licensed to Univer

sitetsbib

lioteket i

Tr

omso - P

algra

veConnect - 2011-04-13