SOURCE: Observatons on "The Night Thoughts" of Dr. Young with Occasional Remarks on The Beauties of Poetical Composition, Richardson and Urquhart, 1776, 211 p.

In the following excerpt from his commentary on Young's Night Thoughts, Melmoth discusses the style, imagery, and language of the "Ninth Night"—writing in the form of a letter to his friend Archibald.

… Night the Ninth, as it is the last, so is it by much the longest of the work, and considered together, not inferior to the former parts. It is chiefly argumentative, and it is not very easy to unite argument and poetry. Poetry certainly has a fairer chance to delight in works of fancy, and argument in matters of fact. The spirit of poetry is imagination and fable; the spirit of argument is Truth, simple, single Truth. Poetry is the product of genius. Argument is the department of judgement. Not but poetical images...