SOURCE: Review of May Day with the Muses by Robert Bloomfield. Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine 11 (January-June 1822): 722-31.

In the following excerpt, the author satirically meditates on “humble” poets before turning to extol Bloomfield as among the best of the uneducated poets, quoting extensively from his work as evidence.

A great many ploughmen—shepherds—ditchers—and shoemakers—nay, even tailors—have in this free and happy country of ours wooed the Muses. Apollo, on the other hand, has been made love to, (and in some instances very nearly ravished, as, for example, by that vigorous milk-woman, Ann Yearsley,) by vast flocks of young women in the lower walks of life, dairy-maids, nurses, house-keepers, knitters in the sun, and Cinderellas. A very droll volume or two might be made up of their productions. One thing we observe in the poetry of them all—male and female—a strong bias to the...