Middle Temple; Author of "A Gene- AS the Author of the "Letters of Yorick," this ingenious Writer needs no introduction to our Readers; and many of them may thence be induced to peruse the present very learned disquisition, which is inscribed to Mr. Britton; "whose numerous publications, and in particular that great national work, The Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain,' have, in a manner, appropriated this subject." The Volume consists of two parts; in the first of which, "the several systems on this subject" are ably and candidly considered; and in the second part, called "The Historical System," Mr. Lascelles unfolds his ideas of the origin of Gothic Architecture, by referring it to a period as remote as the Deluge. "The first temple was a portable one -a mere altar-piece. It was borne aloft with poles, supported on men's shoulder's, and was not of larger dimensions than our communion-table. This was the first idea or model of a church, at the earliest institution of religious worship. But before we proceed any further, we must take notice, from Bryant, of three remarkable engravings in Pococke's Egypt, copied from the sculpture on Memnon, a marble of very high antiquity. These represent a boat, containing an old man seated in a shrine. The boat is borne along in great pomp on the shoulders of eighteen or fourscore priests; and doubtlessly related to some mysterious preservation of their first traditionary ancestor, who lived in a very remote age. In several parts of Greece, and at the Eleusinian mysteries, a ship was carried about in the same manner, accompanied with lamentations, as for some great general calamity, followed by rejoicings, as for some signal deliverance." After many other ingenious observations, Mr. Lascelles proceeds: "All the imaginable formulæ of the Pointed Arch are nothing else than the oblique, the perpendicular, and the horizontal sections of one and the same boat, ship, or ark. In all three alike the point is made by the keel. It would be an experiment well worth trial, to cause three small models in box-wood to be made of a well-shaped galley or hulk of a ship, each one foot long; and to have these sawn into layers, very thin, (in order to have as many as possible), and cut se. verally in horizontal, parabolic, and byperbolic planes. At each cut the span of the arch would vary; and we might thus discover all the properties, and arrive at the most elegant proportions, of the true pointed arch. From these an architect thic chapel, of a purer order than any of genius might form a design for a Goperhaps now existing. The outside roof, as well as the prebendal stalls within, and the termination crowning the towers without, should be after the form of the second arch above described; the inner roof, or ceiling of the nave, transept, and chancel, the aisles and doors, after that of the third; and the windows, the smaller openings between the aisles and nave, as well as the tiers of cells and alcoves along the nave, in successive stories, after that of the first of the three formulæ abovementioued. The solid piers between the arches should be invested with bundles of palm-trees, their trunks slim, and stretching to a great height; the rest of the jects given in the book of Exodus, such as sculpture scrupulously to follow the subflowers, opening roses, lilies, &c. with the Cherubin. [Perhaps not in England, nor in Italy, are vegetation, life, and voice, so truly rendered in sculpture, as they are in the wood-carving of St. Paul's Cathedral.] The painted windows might have for their story the incidents of the deluge, with the circumstances preceding and following it; not omitting the olive-branch and the dove." In the outset Mr. Lascelles says, "The ceremonial of the Coronation is now rapidly approaching, and is to be solemnized in the Church of Westminster Abbey: that Gothic pile, which may be said, without exaggeration, to combine in one 'a gorgeous palace, a cloud-capt tower, and a solemn temple.' Such a spectacle, of so rare occurrence, naturally suggests to the contemplative mind numberless affecting analogies, overlooked hitherto, or long since forgotten.” And in the conclusion he adds, "At the approaching coronation, there are many parts of the ceremonial, (not to mention the costume, the order of the procession itself, with the several armorial ensigns, as marshalled by the College of Heralds,) which will suggest numerous ideas in the analogy of those offered here, and confirmatory of them. But, above all, the circum-ambient skreen of stone, enchased with so many marble records of the illustrious dead-the Storied windows, richly dight, - these, and other circumstances, will open up fresh avenues of thought, and present new vistas of speculation on this so much debated subject." 21. Tel. 21. Travels in Brazil, in the Years 1815, 1816, 1817. By Prince Maximilian of Wied-huewied. Illustrated with Plates. 4to. DURING a long series of eventful years, an extended war had thrown many obstacles in the way of every attempt to extend the domain of Natural History and Geography, by travels into remote quarters of the globe. England alone, by her insular situation and the preponderance of her naval power, was enabled to furnish some additions to this branch of scientific research. Amongst the many other pleasing prospects now opened to us by the happy restoration of universal peace, is that of seeing men animated by an ardent desire for new discoveries in the various kingdoms of nature, successfully underand travels, and to voyages communicate those ample treasures, which they cannot fail to collect, to their countrymen, whom circumstances, inclination, or necessity, confine to their native soil. take Of the rich and interesting country described in the valuable work now before us, Europeans have long been destitute of any accurate knowledge. Until the emigration of the Portuguese Court, it was the narrow policy of the Brizilian Government to impede, by every possible obstacle, the researches of travellers in these regions. A more libera! policy is now adopted, which not only permits, but encourages, and assists, the investigations of scientific individuals. To this enlightened sytem we owe the important discoveries of Prince Maximilian of Wied-hue wied; who in the years 1815, 1816, and 1817, explored the Eastern coast of Brazil, much of the interior of the country of which, until the recent publication of his Travels, was wholly unknown, or at least not described. Among the most valuable and curious additions which the Prince has made to our knowledge of Natural History, Geography, Manners, and Customs, may be reckoned his communications relating to the barbarous tribes which inhabit the extensive forests that separate the East coast from the lofty and naked ridge of Middle Brazil, in the provinces of Minas Geraës, Goyaz, and Pernambuco. The description of the manner of living in the midst of those unculti vated regions is very interesting to the European. "To form some idea of our mode of life at Morro d'Arrara, conceive a wilderness, in which a company of men forms a solitary outpost, sufficiently provided by nature with the necessaries of life, in abundance of game, fish, and good water; but at the same time, by its distance from inhabited places, entirely confined to its own resources, and obliged to be constantly on its guard against the savage natives of the forest, by whom it is on every side surrounded. Patachos, and perhaps Botocudos, prowled about us daily, to watch over our motions; for this reason we went all armed; we numbered between fifty and Sixty able-bodied men. The wood on the side of a mountain, on the bank of the Lagoa, had already been felled, so that it lay confusedly together like a rude abatis. Twenty-four Indians, who were particularly serviceable for this purpose, went out daily to work; some of them were furnished with axes, others with a sickle-shaped instrument, fixed to a long handle; the former to cut down trees, the latter the underwood and young bushes, When a large tree was felled it drew down many other trees with it to the ground, because all these forests are interlaced and twined together by the strongest ligneous climbing plants; many truuks were broken off by others, and remained standing like colossal pillars: prickly plants, especially the stems of airi palm, which are covered with thorns, lay every where on the ground, and made these abatis perfectly impenetrable. The ouvidor had caused five or six huts to be built near the lagoa, the reofs of which were covered with uricanna leaves. Four of our Indians, who, like most of their countrymen, were very good hunters, and still better fishermen and boatmen, were sent out every morning for the whole day to fish, hunt, and examine our mundeos or traps for animals, and they always brought home in the evening, game and abundance of fish, principally piabanhas, trairas, piace, robal, and other species. As soon as our people were collected together in the evening, we had no cause to fear an attack of the savages. Against a surprise by night, which they do not readily attempt in the dark, we were secured by the vigilance of our dogs. A large dog belonging to the ouvidor distinguished himself above the rest; he seemed to scent the savages when they prowled about on the mountain, beyond the Lagoa. On these occasions he was quite furious, and barked long and without intermission towards the suspicious quarter. The patachos, from their dark lurking places, doubtless observed us, not without wonder and dissatisfaction, and and our hunters had need of great cau tion not to approach them unguardedly. We often heard these savages imitate the notes of the owls (curuja) of the capueira, and other animals, especially the nightbirds; but our Indians, who were equally skilled in this art, never failed to distinguish the imitation from nature. A person not acquainted with it, would perhaps have attempted to follow the call of the bird, when the arrows of the savages would have shewn him bis mistake." p. 221. It appears that all the savage tribes of those regions believe in several mighty supernatural beings, of whom the most potent is, the God of thunder, called by them Tupa or Tupan. The attempts which have hitherto been made to reclaim these people from their wild and wandering habits have constantly failed, because slavery was proposed to them as the price of civilization. We hope that, a more liberal and humane policy will be pursued in future; and have no doubt, that if settled independently, and engaged in agricultural pursuits, a friendly intercourse with them would be far more profitable to the Portuguese Brazilians, than the labour which might be extorted from them by an unjustifiable invasion of their natural liberty. Throughout this volume we observe the fruits of a mind highly cultivated, and embued with an ardent desire of elucidating the inexhaust able stores of natural history; and we shall hail with sincere pleasure the appearance of the second volume of the labours of this learned and accomplished Prince, who thus endeavours to render his knowledge and altainments useful to mankind. 22. The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1809. 8vo. pp. 1146. Rivingtons. ONCE again we have the satisfaction of congratulating our old Friends (the genuine Successors of Burke and Dodsley) on the completion of another large and interesting volume. Festina lentè may be properly applied to them-slow, but sure. "The portion of European Annals included in this Volume, is perhaps, beyond example, even in those of the years immediately preceding, marked with events of the deepest interest to the present age and to posterity. The War in the Peninsula continued to offer the spectacle of at gallant people persevering in the defence of their independence, under every discouragement which enormous disparity of force, and the imbecility, and not unfrequent treachery of their leaders, could oppose to their exertious. The reverses sustained by the patriots in the field, were, in many iustances, considerable; but they scarcely affected the opinions of those whose anticipations of the ultimate triumph of the cause, had been founded, not upon any calculation of the military means which the people might be able to oppose to their invaders, but in a reliance upon the moral resources, afforded by the pride, the ardour, the inflexible obstinacy of purpose, which was known to distinguish the Spanish character. new era in the War was marked by the advance of a British army, under Sır Arther Wellesley, to co-operate with the Spaniards in Estremadura. The political results of the bloody victory achieved by our troops at Talavera, might at first appear inadequate; but the pledge which it gave of the positive superiority of the British soldier in the day of battle, was, by many, considered as fully compensating all the hazard and losses of the campaign. A "The most distinguishing events of the year, however, took place in Germany: a fourth attempt was made by Austria to liberate herself and the Continent from the insolent tyranny of France, but met with il success more rapid and decisive even than that which had attended her former misdirected efforts in 1806. The separation and consequent destruction or dispersion of the several Austriau corps in Bavaria, was quickly followed by the fall of the capital. A conflict of almost unexampled obstinacy and bloodshed ensued in the neighbourhood of that city, and the hopes of Europe revived, when Napoleon was, for the first time, seen retiring from the field with immense loss, and under circumstances apparently of almost complete discomfiture. But the subsequent inaction, whether justifiable or not, of the Archduke, repressed these expectations, which were finally destroyed by the battle of Wagram, and the negociations which immediately followed. animating contrast to these scenes of Imperial weakness, was afforded by the insurrection of the Tyrolese peasantry; and cruel and melancholy as was the result of their attempt, the philosophical politician was, in some degree, consoled by the new testimony it gave of the energies of action and endurance, of which unperverted man is capable, when at length, aroused to the assertion of his right by the contumely of a tyrannous usurpation. The intimations of the tone of feeling prevailing in Germany, elicited by the movements of Schill and the Duke of Brunswick, afforded a presage presage not less encouraging of the advantages, which, under more favourable circumstances, might be taken of this disposition to overthrow the domination by which that people was degraded and oppressed. "A great revolution in Sweden, by which a foreign soldier of fortune was raised to the crown of that kingdom, seemed to complete the system of French influence on the Continent. Of the events more appropriate to English history, the expedition to the Scheldt stands unhap pily the most prominent. We have given the narrative of that ill-fated attempt with considerable detail, reserving for the following year the more direct discussion of its merits. "The Parliamentary proceedings of1809, are particularly interesting. The inves tigation of the charges brought against the Duke of York absorbed the public attention in a manner almost unprecedented in our history, and the whole talent of the house was exerted to the utmost in the lengthened discussions which took place upon it. The agitation of this matter naturally suggested the revival of the question of reform, the debates upon which are more especially remarkable, as containing the last, and, perhaps, the most admirable productions of the wisdom and eloquence of the late Mr. Windham." 23. The Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity briefly stated and defended: and the Church of England vindicated from the Charge of Uncharitableness in retaining the Athanasian Creed. By Thomas Hartwell Horne, M. A. of Saint John's College, Cambridge, Curate of the United Parishes of Christ Church, Newgate-street, and Saint Leonard, Foster-lane. 12mo. pp. 189. Cadell. THE Unitarians are at this very time, and for the last few months have been, very active in circulating their deadly tenets, and especially the objections which Mr. Horne has in this volume considered and refuted. "As various old objections (for most of those which are now commonly urged, were made and refuted nearly one hundred and fifty years since,) have been revived in the present day, and stated anew; and as they are now circulating with ardent zeal and indefatigable assiduity by those, who dispute or deny the Scripture doctrine of the Trinity, it becomes the duty of every one, who cherishes a regard for sacred truth, to resume the defensive armour of its departed champions, and to 'contend earnestly, with meekness and fear, for the faith once delivered to the saints.' Under this sense of duty the GENT. MAG. August, 1820. Author composed, and lately delivered at Christ Church Newgate-street, two Discourses, the substance of which is now offered to the candid attention of the pub. lick and, while he has endeavoured to supply the members of the Anglican Church with brief answers to those objections, and with a CONCISE MANUAL of the Scriptural evidence for the doctrine of the Trinity, he has also attempted to elucidate the principal clauses of the Athanasian Creed, and to shew its consistency with the tenor of Scripture. The form of sermons has for the most part been retained in the following pages; because it has enabled the Author to state certain arguments and illustrations in a more. popular manner. "In preparing the work for the press, he has availed himself of the opportunity thus presented to him, of giving many texts and some arguments in detail, the results only of which could be delivered orally; and he has added an Appendix, containing elucidations of the subject, compiled from the early Fathers of the Church, and from other sources, which, though familiar to every divine, are not known or accessible to ordinary English readers, for whose use the present manual is more particularly designed," The Appendix has evidently been a task of much labour; but the Ene my were in our Camp;" and, as one of the Watchmen of our Church (so the Clergy are styled in the Ordination Service), Mr. Horne seems to have felt it his duty to be on the alert. 24. Sermoni Propriora: or Essays in Verse. By William Helt, M. A. 8vo. pp. 80. Rivingtons. AFTER the commendation very justly given (p. 47.) to the Sermons of this venerable Divine, we are not disposed to censure his Poetical Effusions, which are of various descriptions, nearly 50 in number; which the Author thus fairly characterizes: "They have been committed to paper in a variety of dispositions of mind; of love and indignation, of hilarity and low. ness of spirits, of sorrow and merriment, during the course of a long and not unhappy life. Some of them were written when I was not much more than twenty years of age, others since I have been between sixty and seventy. Whatever may be their respective tendencies, I hope and trust that there is not to be found in them, either collectively or individually, a single sentiment or expression, which will cause any one good and honest man to become become my foe; or which will call up a suffusion into a cheek of the most delicate purity. Several of them have been oecasioned by my strong attachment to the fair sex. If this be a frailty, I plead guilty to the charge; and freely profess, that I have ever felt, and still continue to feel, an invincible predilection for good and amiable women; and deem them to be, what I bave ever found them, one of the main comforters and sweeteners of the life of man. I say one of the main comforters and sweeteners of the life of man; because I think there is another which is still more efficacious in this respect; I mean, a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men. W. H." The first Poem, addressed to an eminent Publisher, is thus introduced: "I sent the following collection to an eminent publisher of books, in London, and requested him to print and publish them at his own expence and his own risk. He declined the offer, and returned the manuscript, without assigning any reason for his refusal." [Why the offer was declined, we can readily conceive; but some reason might have been given.] "Go forth, my darling child, go forth to London, The mart of all that's splendid in this isle, Britain, the great, the noble queen of nations. If thy tongue utter what is just and lovely, Thy words be pertinent, thy sense instructive, Then tell the patron of the wise and good, To dress thee in a neat and simple garb, And send thee forth into the curious world, To be caressed awhile, and then forgotten. But if thy presence should be deemed offensive, [meaning; Thy manners rude, thy words devoid of If thy discourse be neither good nor pleasant, Let him return thee to thy parent's bosom. Yes, come to me, and I will give thee shelter, And love thee still, because thou art mine offspring." One of the longest and not least pleasing of the Poems is an encomium on the City of Lincoln; in a note on which, the benevolent Bard says, "I have now been an inhabitant of Lincoln for nearly the space of forty years; and I think I can take upon me to say that, in the promptness and extent of its occasional liberalities, Lincoln is not often equalled, and can scarcely be exceeded." 25. Religious Principle, exhibited as the Ground-work of Monarchy. By Francis Skurray, B. D. Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford. Svo. PP 44. Cadell and Davies. THE name of our Author and of his former publication cannot be unknown to our Readers. They have been noticed in our Reviewing department, and introduced into our columns by Correspondents. (See vol. LXXXVIII. ii. pp. 36. 585. LXXXIX. ii. 332. Mr. S. now comes before the publick as an eulogist of the departed King, grounding the success and glory of his reign on the basis of Religion. Our limits confine us to a single extract. "The Coronation presented another proof of the power of Religion on the heart and mind of the King, This interesting ceremonial is completed by the administration of the most solemn ordinance of our Church. When his Majesty approached the altar and beheld the symbols of our Redemption in the consecrated elements, |