Much reason, indeed, has France to rejoice in the recall of Louis XVIII., if this writer's character of him be just : Not only does Louis XVIII. possess those fixed ideas, that moderation, that good sense, so necessary to a monarch, but this Prince is also fond of literature, well informed, and eloquent like many of our kings, of a capacious and enlightened understanding, of a firm and philosophical character.' As an enthusiast for the Bourbons, and the hater of Bonaparte, M. Chateaubriand writes up to the times: but his pamphlet, we con ceive, is in too mad à strain to please the judicious even of his own party. NOVELS. Art. 26. Patronage. By Maria Edgeworth, Author of "Tales of Fashionable Life," "Belinda," "Leonora," &c. Second Edition. 12mo. 4 Vols. 11. 8s. Boards. Johnson and Co. 1814. Those writers who wish to be moral generally exhibit, as warnings, the downfall of schemes raised on false principles: but Miss Edgeworth, with superior skill, deters her female readers from artifice, and those of the other sex from abject dependance, by pourtraying characters whose attempts to obtain patronage are successful, but who remain unhappy in the midst of worldly prosperity, for want of self-esteem and affectionate family-union. If she be somewhat backward in suggesting religious motives for amiable conduct, she has drawn such attractive examples, that no one can rise from perusing this story without an impression favourable to virtue. It abounds with sensible observations and masterly strokes, and furnishes many excellent models for young people. Among these, the character of Rosamond is peculiarly well imagined; her generous acquiescence in her sister's superiority, and her affectionate zeal for promoting Caroline's triumphs, are touchingly pleasing. The exemplary perse. verance of her brothers also affords an useful lesson, and the praises bestowed on the Percys by their former dependants are admirably introduced. The sketch of Lord William, in the third volume, with the personification of mauvaise-honte, is also new and ingenious. Above all, the prominent character of Lord Oldborough is forcibly drawn, and uncommonly well preserved: but the concluding incident, of the discovery of his son, might as well have been avoided, as derogatory to his fame. Perhaps the story includes too many personages; though, as they have all their appropriate features, their number proceeds rather from the author's exuberance of fancy than from a repetition of imagery. Several, however, of the individuals who appear, are not allowed to speak; and this is to be lamented, because the dialogues are among the most striking and lively parts of the work. The letters from the young Percys to their parents are natural, but too long; and, in our old-fashioned estimation, "Tour's truly" is not a respectful conclusion of a letter to a mother. Most of the cures performed by Erasmus, the physician, are trifling and improbable; the legal inci dents are inaccurately conceived; the history of Mr. Henry and Miss Panton is an hors-d'œuvre, neither interesting nor illustrative; and the the anecdote of Buckhurst Falconer saving the Bishop from choking is disgusting, and unworthy of the pen of this superior writer. These pages contain also a few verbal inaccuracies, which must have been overlooked in the hurry of publication: viz. Vol. i. p. 9., Rosamond was so much excited by what had happened, that she continued talking.'--Vol. ii. p. 167. As to friends of your own making, they are as much your own earning, and all the advantages they can be to you is as honourably your's,' &c. Vol. iv. p. 58., Alfred shewed that, without Buckhurst yielded, law must take its course.'— Page 354.,There was no noisy acclamations,' &c. In the preface to this edition, Miss Edgeworth disavows her having drawn living characters: but her candour is so generally acknowleged that this vindication scarcely seems necessary; and if, like Mr. By-ends in the Pilgrim's Progress," it is her luck to jump in her judgment with the way of the times," and thus to give the effect of real portraits to the creations of her own genius, let her not repine, "but rather count it a blessing." Art. 27. O'Donnel, a National Tale. By Lady Morgan, (late Colburn. 1814. This fair author professes to have now for the first time made "the flat realities of life" the subjects of her pen; and, accordingly, she has attempted to delineate persons of fashion, and poor Irishmen. Among the former we find too much sameness in the language, and too great an intermixture of French phrases: but the spirit of the woman of ton and the sleepy indifference of modish fine gentlemen are well depicted. The speeches of M'Rory, though too long, are often humorous; and, in general, Lady Morgan has succeeded in her patriotic attempt to exhibit her countrymen in a favourable light, and has skilfully entered the lists with Miss Edgeworth in the delineation of Irish character and manners. O'Donnel, however, though meant to be grand, is lowered by childish vanity when he adorns himself in his hut with the order of Maria Theresa and the Cross of St. Louis; and by the credulity and irritability which expose him to mortification, whenever he is not shielded by the Duchess of Belmont's common sense and presence of mind. The heroine, also, is not more natural than was Miss Owenson's Glorvina; and she is far from being equally attractive, since she displays even in the most tender scenes a pert flippancy which seems to be incompatible with feeling. Though the fair writer may escape the reproach of having coloured too highly in this work, which will be deemed the most proper of all her performances, yet she retains her predilection in favour of reformed rakes; describing Lord S. as having been "un grand roué," and telling us that O'Donnel himself formed his opinions respecting the female character in scenes of licentiousness. (Vide Vol. iii. page 17.) In many passages, the grammar is incorrect, as in Vol. i. p. 6., We made up since we come here.' -P. 44., 'I wish you had not have taken advantage. P. 190., The stranger whose graceful figure threw threw into exertion exhibited a model," &c. It all come to this that she amused her,' &c. may be merely typographical. Vol. ii. page 236., These errors, indeed, In volume iid, page 228., O'Donnel errs in ascribing to the Egyptian Isis the motto, "I am what I am." This was the name by which the Lord announced himself to Moses; (see Exodus, c. iii. V. 14.) and the appellation which most resembles it, among those that have been given to "the goddess with a thousand names," was probably that which was inscribed on the pavement of Minerva's temple at Sais: "I am whatsoever was, is, and shall be, and no mortalˇas yet hath drawn off my veil." EDUCATION. Art. 28. The first Dictionary of two Languages, under a single Alphabet, English and Spanish. By the Rev. Don Felipe Fernandez, A.M., Native of Spain, and Founder of the Royal Economical Society of Xerez de la Frontera. 8vo. Printed for the Author. No. 26. Noble Street, Falcon Square; and sold by Lackington, Dulau, &c. The distinguishing feature of this publication is announced in the title-page; viz. the placing of the Spanish and English words indiscriminately under one alphabet. This plan appears to have been adopted for the sake of presenting to the eye a comparative table of the two languages, and of preventing the loss of time which is often occasioned by looking out a word at the wrong end of a dictionary. Against this recommendation, must be set the disadvantage of having the work in a less divisible, and therefore less portable form. Under the present arrangement, also, Spanish words may in many instances be mistaken, at first sight, for English, and vice versa: an inconvenience which might have been avoided by printing one language throughout in italics. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 29. The History of the distressing Loss and happy Recovery of little Thomas Dellow, who was stolen from St. Martin's Lane, Upper Thames Street, London, on the 18th of November 1811, and discovered at Gosport in Hampshire on the 28th of December following. 12mo. Is. Darton, Harvey, and Darton. 1812. This little tract details all the circumstances yet known, relative to a strange affair by which the public was considerably interested; and the narrative will excite sympathy in those young readers who may meet with it. CORRESPONDENCE. The Author of "Travels at Home" begs leave to observe to the Editor of the Monthly Review, that he has been misunderstood by the critic who noticed his work in the Number for April, when represented as assigning to Mount St. Gothard the route of Hannibal. He refers to "these abodes of eternal snow," the Alps, generally, and never thought that the passage in question was that of the Punic chief. He cannot help remarking also that, as his plan is totally dif ferent ferent from that of Mrs. Wakefield and Mr. Evans, and indeed that of every other preceding writer, there can be no competition between them on the ground of novelty and originality.' We have inserted the above note just as we received it: but we shall now copy the short passage in the work on which we animadverted, relative to Hannibal, and enable the reader to judge whether the context did not justify our remark: (Vol. ii., p. 187, 188.) We must clothe ourselves in furs and flannel to mount to the frozen summit of the St. Gothard. How astonishing it is that armies should have mastered these abodes of everlasting snow! Hannibal shewed the way, whose passage has been rendered famous by the historians of ancient times.'If the author does not mean Hannibal's troops, by "the armies which have mastered these abodes of snow,' what armies does he mean? for he must recollect that Bonaparte's forces were led over Mount St. Bernard; — and if these abodes' do not mean St. Gothard, where is the other antecedent to which they refer? As to the similarity of the design of these Travels with that of others, we must still observe that the leading idea of forming imaginary excursions is the same; and as to minor shades of difference, we did not mean to discriminate them. The request in the (perfumed) letter from Wells is partly answered in this Number: but the writer attaches too much importance to his (her) favorite departement of reading, and expresses his (her) wishes with an amusing importance. We have not yet seen the work respecting which A. F. H. appears to be particularly sollicitous. The subject of the communication from Preston, as well as the plain-speaking in the note, would have led us to doubt that a lawyer was our correspondent; but, when we observed that his partiality was for a preamble, and when we scrutinized the hand-writing, we sub. mitted to the truth of the writer's description of himself. We shall attend farther to this letter when we have more leisure than we have at this moment. Mr. Flower wishes us to observe that the Essay on the Character of Charles I., by Mr. Towgood, which we recommended in our account of Mr. T.'s Tracts, (Rev. for April,) is published in a separate volume, at the price of 3s. 6d. We must decline the notice of the pamphlet mentioned by Mr. F., being so much pressed by new publications. He will see that Mr. R.'s works have a place in our current Number. Matilda will excuse us for differing totally with her, on both the points of her second letter. *The APPENDIX to Vol. lxxiii, of the M. R. is published with this Number, and contains, as usual, FOREIGN LITERATURE, with the General Title, Table of Contents, and Index, for the Volume. THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For JUNE, 1814. ART. I. Voyage round the World, in the Years 1803, 1804, 1805, and 1806, by Order of his Imperial Majesty Alexander I., on board the Ships Nadeshda and Neva, under the Command of Captain A. J. von Krusenstern, of the Imperial Navy. Translated from the Original German by Richard Belgrave Hoppner, Esq. 2 Vols. 4to. pp. 718. 21. 12s. 6d. Boards. Murray. 1813. THE HE discovery of Kamtschatka took place, with other discoveries in Russia, in the reign of Peter the Great, and, dates from the year 1696. In subsequent years, expeditions were undertaken to examine the position of the Kurile islands, a long range which stretches from north to south, and almost connects the southern point of Kamtschatka with the northwest point of the Japanese island of Jesso; and, with his usual ardour for maritime enterprize, Peter, shortly before his death, prepared the well-known expedition from Europe to Kamtschatka, which was commanded by Commodore Behring, one of the objects of which was to ascertain the distance between the respective continents of Asia and America. Though that point was not attained, a considerable additional stock of information was acquired with regard to the navigation of the eastern ocean; and a farther voyage being undertaken by Behring in 1741, the western coast of America was discovered in the high latitudes of 56°, 57°, and 58°, together with the island since known by the name of Aleutic or Aleutian. Since that time, successive attempts have been made by the Russian government to extend their knowlege of these seas; and the Petersburg merchants have been animated by a strong desire to establish a trade in furs and seal-skins, between these northerly regions and China. The high price given in China for these articles induced speculators to persevere, amid the innumerable difficulties which are encountered in carrying on the trade: the Chinese being accustomed to alter their dress on the occurence of slight changes of weather; and even at Canton, which is near their southern frontier, they wear furs in winter. We need not wonder, therefore, that the Russians were tempted to VOL. LXXIV. cultivate I |