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the third their effects are confidered, under the refpective heads of Medical Influence of the Paffions," "Influence of the Their Influence on Paffions on Thoughts and Language,

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Character," and "Their Influence on Happiness." On each of thefe fubjects the writer's obfervations are ingenious, and almeft invariably judicious. We fay almeft, becaule in the remarks on the Paffions, as they influence the human character, fome pofitions appear to us to be laid down in terms fcarcely confiftent with thofe doctrines which our religion inculcates, and which reafon and attention to human nature, though they would not have difcovered, confirm. We allude particularly to the expreffion, that infenfibility would invite injuries, and give to unreasonable and wicked men a fuperiority over the moderate and juft." If by infenfibility is meant patience and forbearance, we think the obfervation dangerous, and tending to encourage that fpirit of revenge, which the author afterwards very properly condemns. We think too the affertion, that "both virtue and vice are the offspring of paffions in themselves innocent," liable to a mifconftruction that may flatter the bad paffions of mankind. It may be true, as the author feems to mean, that, philofophically speaking, fome of the worst paffions may be traced to fources not in themselves impure. Yet if the ftream (as too often happens) be poisoned almost at the fountain head, if the perverted inclination takes poffeffion of the mind before the fuppofed original paffion has been manifefted, or perhaps diftinctly felt (as in fome cruel and envious difpofitions feems to be the cafe) it is an over-refined, as well as a dangerous theory, which tends to palliate every vice by fuppofing it to originate in fome virtue. With this caution, the remarks on the human character may be read with much profit as well as pleafure. But in no part of his work has Dr. Cogan been, in our opinion, more fuccefsful than in his obfervations on the Influence of the Paffions on human Happinefs, with which the Treatife concludes. We will extract a part of them, as our laft fpecimen of this valuable work.

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"Love, confidered as an affection placed upon a deferving object, and recompenfed with reciprocal affection; joy, ecitafy, complacency, fatisfaction, contentment, lively hope, thefe are decidedly the fources of prefent enjoyment. The focial affections of benevolence, sympathy, compaffion, and mercy are alfo other ingredients of happinefs from a lefs felfifh and more refined fource than the preceding. fteady, uniform difpofition manifefted by inceffant endeavours to promote happiness, is invariably rewarded with a large portion of it. Benevolence places the mind at a remote distance from little jealoufies and envyings it tempers the irritative nature of anger, and teaches Y y BRIT, CRIT. VOL. XVII, JUNE, 1801.

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compaffion to fubdue it. Through benevolence, the good enjoyed by another becomes our own, without a robbery or privation. This di vine principle harmonizes the mind with every thing around, and feels itfelf pleafingly connected with every living being. In a word, it ge nerates, communicates, and enjoys happiness. When benevolence manifests itself by fympathy, compaffion, and mercy, fome portion of uneafinefs, it is acknowledged, accompanies the fenfation congenial to its nature; but the exercife of these affections communicates a pleafing pain. The degree of uneafinefs is more than recompenfed by the fa tisfaction enjoyed from the relief of diftrefs; and even from the con fcioufnefs of a difpofition to relieve. There is a luxury in fympathe tic forrow, and every tear thed over diftrefs becomes a pearl of incitimable price. Every fpecies of benevolence poffeffes the quality which our great dramatic poet has afcribed to a merciful "difpofition." P. 318.

"In fome of thefe kindly emotions, circumftances and fituations in themselves difpleafing are rendered capable of communicating pleafure. Thus in the fudden poffeffion of good conferred by a fuperior, Gratitude, though it is fo closely connected with the idea of our own wants, and the dependency of our ftate, rises above these natural causes of depreffed fpirits. The attention is arrefted by the good received, and the heart glows with affection towards the benefactor; which is a more pleafing fenfation than independency itfelf could enfure. Thus in the contemplation of the unrivalled excellencies poffeffed by another, lively enjoyment becomes intimately connected with the deepest fenfe of inferiority as in the emotions of admiration, reverence, and awe. Nor is Humility fo abject as to be devoid of dignity. It is accom panied with a strong affection for the excellencies which it laments that it cannot attain: and a confcious wifh, to fubdue its remaining defects, infpires more fatisfaction than the felf-fufficiency of Arrogante can boaft. Even defire itfelf, which is an eager longing for gratification, if it be not intemperate; if it be united with hope; if it be not prolonged to the wearinefs of patience, it is cherished with a great degree of pleafure. The expectancy of enjoyment more than counterpoifes the pain created by fufpenfe." P. 320.

After the remarks we have made on this Treatife, and the extracts we have given from it, the reader need not be told that we think very highly of its merits. We cannot mention any work on the fubject that, in our opinion, contains an analyfis of the Paffions detailed with more philofophical precision, or expreffed with more attractive eloquence.

BRITISH

BRITISH CATALOGUE.

POETRY.

ART. 16. Mifcellaneous Poems, dedicated to the Right Honourable the Earl of Moira. By William Thomas Fitzgerald, Efq 8vo. 190 pp. 8s. Wright. 1801.

The author of these poems is much admired, in the circle of his acquaintance, for lively and impreffive recitation; and many of his effufions have been produced with a view to the exercise of this talent. Several have been written alfo for public recitation by others, as the Prologues, which derived advantage, doubtlefs, from the skill of the author himself in the art of fpeaking. Several among them have been published before, fingly, or in other collections. The poem of the Battle of the Nile, in particular, was noticed by us in our 13th vol. p. 663, and feveral of those written for the Literary Fund, have been mentioned with the tranfactions of that fociety. On a collection of Poems, the moft material part of which has thus already received its public commendations, it is unneceffary for us largely to expatiate. Among the lighter productions, we are inclined to felect the fol lowing:

"Lines written in Mrs. Crefpigny's Grotto at Camberwell.
May no rude gale difturb this calm retreat,

The fane of friendship, and the Mufes' feat!
But cooling fhow'rs, and fresh'ning zephyrs bring
'Th' ambrofial fweetness of perpetual fpring!
While all the feather'd warblers from above,
Chant their wild notes in eloquence of love!
May Envy wither if she enters here,

And drooping Mis'ry check the starting tear!-
Or if the miftrefs of the grot be nigh,.

Let the poor wretch drink comfort from her eye;
Which melts in pity at another's woes,

Gracing the boon her charity beftows."

Of these smaller pieces, if we had fuperintended the revifion, fome would undoubtedly have been omitted; but the volume of an amateur must not be fcrutinized like the works of an established poet; and indulgence will readily be granted, where no very arrogant pretenfions are urged. The volume is beautifully printed by Bulmer.

ART. 17. The Pleafures of Retirement, in three Cantos. With other
Poems. By John Jefferys. 12mo. 103 pp. 35. 6d, Longman

and Rees. 1800.

It would hardly, we believe, be an exaggeration to affirm, that there are, at the prefent day, almost as many writers as readers of verses, Y y 2

Young

Young men, in particular, who, from the perufal of Pope, and other mellifluous poets, have acquired fome power of verfification, haften to inlift in the Parnaffian corps, and as haitily call upon the public to confirm their claims to diftinction. To this clafs, in our opinion, the author before us belongs. He feems to think a good ear alone fufficient to place him in the rank of poets. The "Pleasures of Retirement" are a trite, but will ever be a pleafing theme. They are here celebrated with enthufiafm; but with no great genius, and fill lefs judgment or tafte. The first canto is almoft wholly occupied by the ftories of Cincinnatus, Pompey, Cato, Brutus, and other Roman worthies. Criticism," fays Dr. Johnson, " difdains to chase a schoolboy through his common places." In the fecond canto, the poet in. deed difmiffes his Greek and Roman heroes; but we have anecdotes, fcarcely more novel, of Abelard, Petrarch, and Orlando Furiofo ; none of which lovers, perhaps, afford a very ftriking inftance of the pleafures of retirement. The third and laft canto exhibits, for the most part, the fame indiftinctnefs of ideas, and want of precision in applying them. Yet there are, in this poem, many harmonious lines, and fome pleafing paffages; of which the following, though not free from faults, will how that the writer, with more practice, and a diligent attention to the best models, may poffibly become an elegant and not uninterefting poet.

"Thus in the world the man of virtue strives,
Impell'd promifcuous as the tempeft drives.
As, when the winds their ftormy fury roll
O'er heaving billows from the Northern pole,
And through the deep the yielding veffel hurl;
Their fhatter'd fails the fkilful feamen furl,
Now here they run, now here they haffe, to keep
Their tottering veffel from the yawning deep,
Till o'er the furface of the foaming feas
An harbour opens to their eager gaze;

They hail the land, they pafs with transports through

The wifh'd-for haven which appears in view.

Thus does the virtuous man, expecting, wait

With equal pleafure for that happy ftate,

When far retiring from the public noise,

The world he quits, and all its tranfient joys." P. 49.

The fhorter poems feem to have been added only to make up a book. In tranflating the celebrated dialogue between Horace and Lydia, an unpardonable error is committed, by confounding the past and prefent tenfes, whereas the fenfe and turn of that beautiful Ode, peculiarly requires that they fhould be accurately diftinguished. Upon the whole, if this author is, as we guefs, young and inexperienced, we would not wholly difcourage him from future poetical attempts, but recommend an attentive study of the beft writers, and much more pains in the compofition and revifion of his works, before he ventures upon a fecond publication.

ART.

ART. 18. Tales of Terror, with an Introductory Dialogue. 8vo. 7s. 6d. Bell. 1801.

The reader will remember certain Tales of Wonder, which we know not hy, except for their eccentricity, caught hold for a short time of public curiofity. Perhaps he may not remember, but fuch there were; and thefe Tales of Terror appear, by their enormities, to be a well-imagined and well executed burlefque on the faid Tales of Wonder. The Introductory Dialogue has fome fpirited lines, as, for example:

"Fashion dread name in criticism's field,

Berore whofe fway both fenfe and judgment yield,
Whether she loves to hear, midst deserts bleak,
Th' untaught favage moral axioms speak;
O'er modern fix-weeks' epic ftrains to dose,
To tigh in fonnets, or give wing to profe;
Or bids the bard, by leaden rules confin'd,
To freeze the bofom, and confuse the mind;
While feeling ftagnates in the drawler's veins,
And fancy's fettered in didactic chains."

As to the Tales themselves, they are terrible indeed; but our great favourite is the Tale of Little Red-Riding Hood, refpectfully inferibed to Mr. Lewis. The Wolf King fees Red-Riding-Hood going to her grand-mammie, and is determined to have her for fupper, but first he cats grand-mammie herself.

"He dafh'd her brains out on the ftones;
He gnawed her finews, crack'd her bones;
He munch'd her heart, he quaff'd her gore,
And up her lights and liver tore."

Then comes poor Riding-Hood's turn, who, with her cuftards three, undergoes the fame fate.

This is really a happy piece of humour; but the plates of Raw-heads and Bloody-bones, Gholts, Witches, and in particular that which accompanies Red Riding-Hood, and defcribing the Wolf-King as in the laft line above quoted, might as well have been omitted,

ART. 19. Tales of the Devil. From the original Gibberish, by Profeffor Lumpwitz, S. U. S. and C. A. C. in the University of Snorin berg. 4to. 2s. 6d. Egerton. 1801.

These alfo are a ridicule on the Tales of Wonder, and are ornamented with a very humourous frontispiece, reprefenting the Profeffor mentioned in the title-page at his ftudies, with his diabolical attendant at his back. The name of Lumpwitz we recollect to be taken from certain burlefque lives of painters, replete with a fingular species of humour, and attributed to Mr. Beckford. The title of "The Phantom of Funkingberg," which is the fecond tale, is well chofen; and a good deal of humour, rather broad than refined, pervades the collection. The Tales feem to have been written rather for a frolic than with any am

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