Yon East, his chamber, with a bridegroom's grace [race. And giant's strength he quits, to run his Men praise THE SOURCE! while Nature's self, restor'd [Lord. To light and life, salutes with smiles her The jucund morn, the dew-bespangled field, For me have pleasures, Sloth can never yield: E'en tho' she can the Conqueror's eye- And rock both vice and virtue to repose; Her opiate too th' avenger's fury tames Physicians * take the credit, and the fees. Who, though that pen he wielded in his "My late Uncle, Sir G. Staunton, related to me a curious Anecdote of old Kien Long, Emperor of China, He was inquiring of Sir G. the manner in which ́ Physicians were paid in England. When, after some difficulty, his Majesty was made to comprehend the system; he exclaimed, Is any man well in England, that can afford to be ill? Now I will inform you,' said he, how I manage my Physicians. I have four, to whom the care of my health is committed: a certain weekly Salary is allowed them; but the moment I am ill, that Salary stops, till I am well again. I need not inform you my illnesses are usually short.' The majestic title, WE, is a signature under which the Critics have very suc cessfully dealt out vast cargoes of intellectual Physic; that is to say their critical catharticum, emeticum, and "omne quod exit in um," (or rather in hum) præter remedium. The Gentlemen of the Faculty, observing this success of the Critics, have now adopted a similar phraseology. A Country Gentleman, who visited Bath for the sake of his health, was thus addressed by his Physician: Well, Sir, and how did our Physic agree with us?' He, being not exactly up to the fashionable slang of the place, replied, I cannot, Sir, pretend to say how it agreed with you; but this I know that it made me confoundedly sick.' Were Critics to put the same question to their Patients, I suspect they would receive a similar reply. "Adam Smith, the great Author of the Wealth of Nations,' could not draw for one farthing on Mount Parnassus. He often attempted to put together two lines in rhime; but without success. In good truth, he was much better employed; Felix curarum, cui non Heliconia cordi Serta, nec imbelles Parnassi e vertice laurus; Sed viget Ingenium, et magnos accinctus in usus, -Animus.' "Paley is another instance of the possibility of possessing a strong head, and a feeling heart, without being an enthusiastic admirer of Poetry. He has been heard to say he never could effect a couplet. The only Latin Poet he could tolerate, was Virgil; and his false quantity Profūgus is well known. The walls of St. Mary's trembled at the unusual sound, as Mr. Bowles informs us did the Woods of Madeira, at the first kiss performed in them, by his pair of Lovers. "Paley's error was handed about in the following Epigram. 'Italiam Profugus Lavinaque littora venit, Errat Virgilius, forte Profugus erat.' "I have heard of a boy who committed a similar mistake, but who escaped a flogging by a similar Epigram. He had pronounced Euphrates Euphrates, but saved himself by these extemporaneous lines. 'Venit ad Euphratis juvenis perterritus undas, Ut citò transiret, corripuit fluvium.' "Such stern admirers of Truth as Smith and Paley may be allowed to prefer reality to fiction; demonstration to probability; and the exercise of the judgment to that of the imagination. And we can even forgive so eminent a Mathematician as Dr. Vince, when he shuts up his Milton with this laconic comment, 'Very fine, but it proves nothing.' But what are we to think, when a deservedly popular Poet of the present day very lately observed to a friend, • That man must be possessed of no common share of stupidity who can read Milton through!'" More Expose each Hypocrite to public view; No more should Cant for sound Religion pass, Degrees defend, nor wigs conceal an ass.' "But ab, my lays no dying Patriot † read, [his head. While Holland wept, and Baillie shook But think not, Crabbe, though Fox approv'd thy lays, I envy thee, that glory of thy bays. Few! few! deserve, their talents to caress, So great a Patron more, or need him less." Mrs. Cowley, in the following spirited lines, is very justly appreciated: "That ample wreath by Sydney borne away, Left his poor Poet not one sprig of bay; Wielding, like Cæsar, both the pen and sword, His own Gazettes his glories best record; In the short pause of fury, blood, and rage, [page; His fire unquench'd illumes his ardent Fierce from the fervor of the unfinish'd fight, With the free spirit of a youthful Knight, He boldly blazons each brave feat, and [of fame. name, And stamps their memory on the scroll But io! the living tempest sweeps the plain, He springs indignant to the field again; Again the war-cloud blackens all the beach. Again he meets it, in the deadly breach! In vain Napoleon gives the fatal shock, An heart like thine, O Richard, guards thy Rock: That fatal force which makes whole Empires fall, Finds Acre's ruins an impervious wall. Such mighty deeds transcend a woman's pen, The rage of combat is a theme for men: As soon her hand might rule the scythed Car, [War. As justly paint th' infuriate scenes of In the light sock with sportive ease she treads, [leads; Or graceful follows where fair Burney Or, with the Enchantress from the TusWhence wizard Bards oft charm'd their can cave, [Arno's wave, Seeks, with the hurried step and gaze of fear, Udolpho's turrets ‡, and the forest drear; But let her not attempt Ulysses' bow, Nor rashly strive Achilles' lance to throw." We copy four lines more for the sake of introducing the note: "Hail Devon §, hail each rhime-reechoing stream, Famed for poor poetry, and richest cream! That might with love of tea the Nine inspire, [fire." While Epic Bards by dozens blow the And now let modern Critics read and tremble at the Poet's lash. "Such daily die, like thorns that choak the land, [son stand. To clear that wood where Parr | and Por "To attempt a Translation of Juvenal after Mr. Gifford, was certainly a bold, perhaps an unnecessary task. It has, however, been performed, with spirit and success, by Mr. Hodgson. Neither of these Gentlemen follow their Author at a servile distance; they walk by his side; nor has Juvenal any reason, ' misere discedere quærens,' to be ashamed of his companions." "That Mr. Crabbe's Poems were read to Mr. Fox on his death-bed, is a fact as creditable to the talents of the one, as to the taste of the other." "Mrs. Radcliffe's Mysteries of Udolpho, and her Romance of the Forest; the two mightiest efforts of a female pen!" § A Lady at Exeter lately gave a tea-party to six Gentlemen; on comparing notes, it came out that every individual of this marvellous Symposium had written an Epic Poem. I shall not mention their names, as their knuckles are still sore from the gentle rapping of some Northern Critics; but, on mutually condoling with each other on this tender subject, they were heard to exclaim, Et nos ergo manum ferulæ subduximus, et nos.' This covey of Bards was a meeting purely accidental-miserum est cum tot ubique vatibus occurras.' "I have beard my Father relate the following anecdote; it may be authentic, as he was extremely intimate with one of the parties. Dr. Samuel Gash bad carried away in his head an amazing cargo of Greek, from Eton and Cambridge, into Warwickshire; there it grew a little mouldy. Dr. Parr paid him a literary visit: so much Greek was quoted, and talked, amidst such a dearth of English, that, if Lord Monboddo had been present, he might have fancied himself transported to his beloved Attica,—'When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. After a very late hour, for these Grecians were no starters, poor Gash knocked under, confessing himself out-greeked, out-smoked, and out-quoted; but he concluded his concession with this apology: that he had lived so long in the country, On Fox's English, or on Pindar's * Greek." We know not what dealings Mr. Colton may have had with Booksellers; but he must have formed a most contemptible opinion of the whole fraternity, before he could have penned the following notorious untruth: "Each of the Trade, from Aldgate to Pall-mall, ['twould sell." Would print the Bible backwards-if If these be his real sentiments, we are not surprized at the following sagacious observations: "It is evident that the publisher of any work is merely the friseur, or valet of his author; inasmuch as it is the sole business of the former, to see the latter decently dressed before he makes his appearance in public. And, were things as they ought to be, then could Booksellers and Publishers do no more for a book, than dress for a female. Thus, if a woman happen to be either very handsome, or very plain, we may observe that the most splendid dress cannot heighten her beauty on the one hand, nor hide her deformity on the other. But, if she be neither handsome, nor plain, but something between both, she may then receive some assistance from dress. About as much as this, we might permit a Bookseller to do for a Book." After the anecdote of Archdeacon Paley's prize in the bookselling lottery, we hope that Mr. Colton has secured his thousand, by a prudent bargain with his Booksellers. We now turn with satisfaction to the more pleasant parts in the vo lume now before us; many of which will be found in the entertaining notes. The Freedom of the press thus animates the Poet: "Wisdom, to banish ignorance and night, Bestow'd the Press, and said, 'Let there be light!' In a Boeotian atmosphere appear'd That beam that Luther hail'd, and Leo fear'd; Gross Papal darkness fled the rising ray, Scorn'd and expos'd, each Tyrant felt dismay; His Captive too, in Dungeon doom'd to dwell, [priz'd his Cell! Then hail'd the day-spring that surOf Intellect's bright world thou brightest Sun, Pursue thy proud career so well begun! O may'st thou still, by Freedom's sacred voice [joice! Refresh'd, to run thy Giant-course, reBy Envy blighted, may thy warmth revive, [thrive; And bid each drooping plant of Genius Still may thy beams, unwarp'd by Virtue's foes, shed, Corruption's foul and murky Den expose; O'er Albion still their full effulgence [be dead! Though gall'd Napoleon lives! and Fox Though Science weep, while Literati smile, [file; Drawn up on Gallic ground in rank and Prepar'd with ready pen their Tyrant's will To perpetrate-like Soldiers at a Drill! The British Press, Palladium of the world! Hath to Napoleon calm defiance hurl'd; With the red record of successful crimes; On Jaffa's plain the Plague of Egypt Mid slaughter'd foes, the mandate sign'd that sends Unwept, to sleep eternal, poison'd Friends! country, insulated as it were, from all literary society, that he was become Bagbagos uela Bagbagus.' Dr. Parr, without the slightest hesitation, or a moment's pause, consoled the vanquished Grecian with this fine fragment (I think) of Menander, συγε βαρβαρος; Ειθεν γενοίμην αυτός, αυτός Bagcagos.' * "Some Reviewers lately fell foul on an unfortunate passage of Greek. After proving, to their own great satisfaction, and, as they supposed, to the chagrin of Mr.P.Knight, that his Greek was a barbarous modern jargon, Mr.Knight thus replies: 'Gentlemen, if you will turn to such a page, and such a verse, you will find the passage you have made yourselves so merry withal, to be verbatim a quotation from Pindar; if Pindar's Greek is not good enough for you, I am very sorry for it." That That scroll of Death the mute Physician tains rein, [plain; And bend indignant o'er the whitening Count in the bleaching piles their Country's loss, [Cross. While the pale Crescent blushes for the The spot, those Pyramids of bones declare, [air; That taint full many a league the putrid That ghastly monument a Coward built, Of unresisting blood, in coolness spilt; Then fled stern Kleber's + glance, and dying groan! [a Throne! And where he fear'd a scaffold-found Tby dark career, Usurper! mark me well, The British Press shall ever dare to tell; Ordain'd with torch of Truth that union dread [head! To show, of blackest heart, and brightest Doom'd to disclose, though wrapp'd in Tyrant, to mar thy fame, and mark thy These sentiments were prophetic. Since the publication of “ Hypocrisy" in 1813, the press has indeed had to record many wonderful events, one of which the same Author has selected as the subject of the next Poem; and has since happily bad to mark the Tyrant's Fall-we trust to rise no more." "I was myself a witness to the following fact. A few years ago this paragraph was posted up at the window of a Coffee-room in Tiverton: Two thousand Turks were murdered in cold blood at Jaffa by the order of General Buonaparte.' General Boyer was at that time a prisoner on parole in Tiverton, and happened to have had a command in the Army of Egypt. He read this bulletin, and with true French sang froid took out his pencil, and altered the words 'two thousand into three thousand five hundred,' the true amount of the sufferers. Should this anecdote be ever circulated in France, the General will thank me for having been instrumental in his promotion." +"General Kleber was assassinated by a fanatic Turk in a garden at Cairo. The death of this great man is involved in a cloud of mystery; if it was not contrived by Buonaparte, yet it is no secret, that the intelligence of that event was highly gratifying to him; in consequence of some very unpleasant communications, which that General was prepared to make, to his own Government, of the conduct of his Chief in Egypt. Observe, in this short but eventful part of the Corsican's career, how much Fortune effected for her favourite child, and how very little, in these particular instances, he was indebted to any resources, or exertions of his own. Having deserted from his army in Egypt, which he left in want of every thing, and almost without a livre in its military chest, he arrives safe in France, having escaped, in a solitary frigate, a superior British force, by the intervention of a fog. • Sed qualis rediit, nempe unâ nave cruentis Fluctibus.' His greatest Enemy in Egypt is now suddenly taken off, and Menou, one of his own creatures, succeeds to the command. Shrinking from the just indignation of the people, he displays in the Council of Five Hundred, at a most critical juncture, a contemptible want of firmness; but he is compelled, as it were, to rally his scattered spirits, by the magnanimity of his brother Lucien: who, with the fraternal feeling and courage of Telamon, rushes to the assistance of this fallen Teucer, and protects him with his shield. His popularity is at the lowest ebb; but, by the intrigues of the now neglected Sieyes, and the discarded Empress Josephine, he is appointed First Consul, and soon afterwards sets out to command the army of Italy. He loses the battle in the plains of Marengo; he exclaims to Berthier that all is lost;' and even wonders that Melas does not send a detachment of Cavalry, to make both him and his staff prisoners of war. But, in direct disobedience to the orders of his General, Dessaix returns at the heel of the Engagement, and recovers the Victory; snatching the short-lived and reeking laurels from the brows of the Austrians. Dessaix falls at the head of his grenadiers, and by this last event Fortune confers on her minion the undivided glory of that bloody day. He returns to Paris, to grace a triumph, who had otherwise been doomed to perform the principal part in an Execution." of The Philosophy of Nature; or, The Influence of Scenery on the Mind and Heart; 2 vols. 8vo. Murray. 52. Amusements in Retirement; or, The Influence of Science, Literature, THESE Works, though written and published at distant periods, are here placed together, to meet a wish expressed by the Author "For the purpose of inducing the Reader to compare the one Work with the other: the former having been written during a period of high mental enjoyment; while the present operated as a refuge and sanctuary, during a period of great and complicated difficulty.Most Works take a tincture from the circumstances under which they are composed; and as it is not often, that the Reader, or the Critic, has an opportunity of comparing a writer so immediately with himself, under circumstances involving a contrast of so marked a character, the Editor hesitates not to express a hope, that if any merit belongs to either, the two Works may constantly be found in the society of each other." "The Philosophy of Nature," we are informed, "was the result of hours, stolen from an application to higher interests, and from the severity of graver subjects. GENT. MAG. October, 1816. It was written in the privacy of retirement, among scenes worthy the pen of Virgil, and the pencil of Lorrain: Scenes, which afford perpetual subjects for meditation to all those who take a melancholy pleasure in contrasting the dignified simplicity of nature, with the vanity, ignorance, and presumption of man.-There is no one,' says one of the best and soundest Moralists of our age, there is no one, however limited his powers, who ought not to be actuated by a desire of leaving something behind him, which should operate, as an evidence, that he once ful enjoyment in which these pages existed.'-During those hours of peacewere composed, such was the ambition by which the writer was animated." Neither the name of the Author, nor his situation in life, appears; but the "Amusements in Retirement" are inscribed to "Senhor Hypolito Da Rosa, now resident at Lisbon, whose friendship embellished some of the happiest moments of my life; and to her, whose mild and unsophisticated manners relieved difficulty of its formidable features." It appears clearly through all the volumes that the Writer possesses an elegant mind, which has been successfully cultivated by classical and scriptural study, and that the Author has travelled with an observing eye, through books, and through many of the picturesque situations he so well describes, more especially in the romantic parts of Wales. The observations, which are given throughout are on numerous subjects connected with Natural History or Polite Learning. He commences with Rivers, Fountains, Grottos, Lakes, Waterfalis, Cataracts, Woods, Groves, Forests, and Mountains; and on each of these heads will be found much amusing information, both from antient and modern lore. From this part of the work, an interesting article shall be taken. "The use which the Poets have made of Trees, by way of illustration, are moral bellishes his subjects with references to and important.-Homer frequently emthem; and no passage in the Iliad is more beautiful, than the one where, in imitation of Musæus, he compares the falling of leaves and shrubs to the fall and renovation of great and ancient families. Illustrations of this sort are frequent in the Sacred Writings.-' I am exalted like a cedar in Libanus,' says the |