SOURCE: "Firmilian: A Tragedy," in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. LXXV, No. CCCCLXIII, May, 1854, pp. 533-51.

Here, Aytoun continues his criticism of the Spasmodic poets. Claiming to have discovered a Spasmodic tragedy, The Firmilian, written by a hitherto unknown author. T. Percy Jones, Aytoun provides extensive quotes from the tragedy—which is in fact his own satire of the Spasmodic style—interspersed with an ironic commentary. While the essay does not mention Smith by name, by this time Aytoun had identified the few writers he considered Spasmodic, of which Smith was one. This parody further damaged Smith's reputation, and he was unable to shake the Spasmodic label even as his writing matured.

We have great pleasure in announcing to our readers the fact, that we have at last discovered that long-expected phenomenon, the coming Poet, and we trust that his light will very soon become visible in the literary...