little, as much perhaps as could have been expected in their circumstances. GEOGRAPHY. We have nothing here to notice but the work of Major Rennel, on the ancient Geography of Herodotus*. What modern knowledge, accuracy, and acuteness can effect in fuch a research, may here be fully expected. More we must forbear to fay, till our examination of the book fhall be completed. VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. The voyage of the able, but unfortunate La Pe roufe, has occafioned another voyage, for the purpose of discovering, if poffible, what was ultimately the fate of that navigator. The fearch proved fruitless, as to its primary object; but a work of fome merit and curiofity was produced in confequence, entitled "a Voyage in fearch of La Peroufe," drawn up by M. Labillardieret. Little more, that deferves particular notice, occurs at prefent under this head. A Tour through the Batavian Republic, by Mr. Fellt, and the Letters of M. Starke from Italy§, may be confulted, for want of other recent documents, refpecting thofe different countries; but as elaborate or important works they could not properly be mentioned. Dr. Mavor's British Tourift, is a compilation from our various domestic travellers, conveniently arranged for use. POETRY. The poetical clafs, in our present half-yearly regifter, is one of the largest that we have, and contains + No. II. p. 101. No. VI. p. 592. Ibid. Of the Voyage of La Europe, an account is ‡ No. V. p. 555. fome fome articles of importance. In eftimating these, the chief, beyond all competition, is the Poem of Richard I. by Sir James Burges*; a work for variety of matter, elegance of language, livelinefs of illuftration, intereft in the principal character, and many other epic requifites, not eafily to be furpaffed or equalled. Its fame will certainly be permanent. Though not an original performance, we must give the next place to Mr. Sotheby's tranflation of Virgil's Georgicst. The peculiar difficulties of the talk, we explained in our review of the work. Such difficulties completely overcome, give a moft decided title to applaufe. The works of Robert Burnst, the pupil of nature, detained our willing attention for a confiderable time. We clofed our account in the prefent volume, by paying him the tribute of praife which he fo eminently merits. Other poetical works, of various talent, ftill claim our attention. Among thefe, we must by no means omit to notice the Lyrical Ballads, now avowed to be the work of Mr. Wordsworth; affifted by a very few contributions from his friends. Though the ftyle of fimplicity, profeffedly adopted in thefe poems, may fometimes disappoint the reader, yet the principle of preferring the value of ideas to the found of words, and the truth of nature and paffion to the fplendour of ornament, is fo very falutary in the present state of public tafte, that we cannot feel a critical duty more strong, than that of recommending it by every favourable example; and many fuch will certainly be found in Mr. W.'s volumes. The collected Poems of Mr. Boscawen, form a pleafing affemblage of claffical fpecimens, in many ftyles of compofition, and demonftrate that the fchool of Horace teaches always what is terfe, and fenfible, and elegant. Of Mr. Dyer's three projected volumes, the first¶ alone • No. III. p. 221; V. p. 483. + No. II. p. 164; fee alfo vol. xv, p. 655• No. IV. p. 416; fee alfo vol. xv, p. 366. No. II, p. 125. No. V. p. 515. No. VI. F. 591. has has yet appeared; which we fufpect will prove the beft adapted to our tafte. His Goddefs, Liberty, to whom the other two are promifed, has a ftrong fufpicion of impofture refting on her character. Should the prove the very nymph whom Britannia honours with her confidence, our zeal will furely equal his, in paying homage to her. In the Poems of Mr. Fitzgerald*, we wanted only a more strict felection. The fpirit of fome parts will always be approved, in the clofet, as well as in recital. Mr. Dermudy, the author of Poems, moral and deferiptive, has talents of a lively nature, with taste and ear for poetry; but the title of a moral poet might be claimed, by Mr. Sanderfont, at leaft with equal juftice. The Poem of the Abbé De Lille, entitled L'Homme des Champs§, having been almoft made our own, by the circumftances of its publication, and of the author's fortunes, received a notice from us which we can feldom give to works of foreign origin. Very foon we shall have occafion to speak alfo of a tranflation, which has offered the elegancies of the Gallic author's genius to the knowledge of the English reader. ८ We fhall notice a few fmaller Poems, and conclude. Sanctioned by an academic prize, the Poem, entitled The Holy Land, by Mr. Wrangham, demands our first attention. We have met the author before upon poetic ground; and from thefe fpecimens thall be always happy there to meet him. The Sovereign, by Mr. Pybus**, though unfortunate in its period of appearance, encountered by many wits, and followed by the humorous Mince-Pyett, wilk retain a place in fplendid libraries; and from critics, unbiaffed by temporary circumstances, more mercy than it hitherto has found. As a defcriptive Poem, the Favourite Village, by Dr. Hurdis‡‡, will No. VI. p. 647. No. I. p. 9. **No. 1, p. 149. + No. I. p. 79. No. I. p. 8. I See vol. v, p. 5378 ‡‡ No. III. p. 2745 hold hold a refpectable rank; while in the mournful clafs, the monody of Dr. Trotter, entitled Sufpiria Oceani*, and employed in the celebration of Lord Howe, will be no lefs diftinguished. The whimfical collection, denominated Tales of Terrort, will clofe our prefent divifion; and if it would clofe alfo, by its ridicule, the reign of ghosts and goblins, we should heartily rejoice in the effect. DRAMA. We have feen no drama lately of fo much poetic fpirit, as the tragedy entitled the Confpiracy of Gowrie‡. its faults arife not from the want, but the partial mifemployment of good talents. Having faid this of one tragedy, we hefitate whether we should give it even a fingle companion, in the prefent divifion of our Preface. The Point of Honour§, which was acted with applaufe, and the Lakers, which was never acted, nor could be without much alteration, have the best pretenfions to be named. One general hint we could wish to give, to writers of dramatic pieces, whether merry, fad, or moral: which is, that, according to the best authority, the plot should be the foul of every drama. The want of this perhaps it is which leads them to defy the dreadful word applied, irreverently enough, to dramatic failure; but thefe authors fhould remember, that, though it may remove fome terrors, there is nothing very cheering in the profpect of eternal fleep. PHILOSOPHY. Under this very comprehenfive title, we fhall at prefent include all that is fubfidiary, or in any way related to it. The first place in it, pre meritis, is due No. III. p. 309. § No. II. p. 191. + No. VI. p. 649. BRIT. ERIT. VOL. XVII. ‡ No. VI. p. 614. undoubt undoubtedly to Profeffor Vince's Syftem of Aftronomy*, a work in which profundity of knowledge, and clear nefs of inftruction are happily and uncommonly united; while the Trigonometry of the fame authort is formed to lead the ftudent to that and other fci.ences. The Philofophical Tranfactions of the Royal Society of London have feldom been more rich than in the volume we have last noticed. They are full of great difcoveries, which feem to lead to many more. The Tranfactions of the Royal Society of Edinburghs, confew tained alfo, in half a volume, and under a very articles, much of interefting matter; fome part of which was of particular importance to the manufacturers of the nation. In a new and very curious branch of enquiry, Mr. Davy's Refearches concerning Nitrous Oxide, demand attention from all those who with to know the progrefs of the new difcoveries. They form a confiderable ftep in that which has been called the aerial chemistry. To the hiftory of Infects, well sketched by the original author, and still more illuftrated by his commentator, Lyonnet, in the Infecto-Theology of Leffer, a tendency is given, which alfo ranks it with the firft clafs in our Preface. It prefents to the reader, in a partial view, what our admirable countryman, Derham, traced throughout the works of creation. As books for practical ufe, we may mention here together, though widely feparated in their fubjects, Bent's Meteorological Journal** and Dr. Hull's Elements of Botanytt. The account may be at prefent clofed with the new edition of Euclid's Elements, by Mr. Ingram‡‡, who has thus offered to the students of pure mathematics, a work well published, and in fome few points improved. No. I. p. 46; II. p. 239; fee alfo vol xvi, p. 627. No. II. p. 132. P. 377. No. IV. I No. VI. p. 664. + No. IV. p. 406; V. P. 475. **No. III. p. 325. MEDICINE. |