are very slightly and imperfectly noticed. The poem is in quartains, of ten-syllable-lines, and alternate rhymes, which Dryden, in the preface to his "Annus Mirabilis," written in that manner, declares to be "more noble and of greater dignity than any other verse in use among us." We doubt whether Dryden were sincere in this judgement: he had written a long poem in that measure, and it was necessary for him then to recommend it to the public as the best in the language. But in truth, this heroic stanza is heavy, and if Dryden did not feel the weight of it himself, he made his readers feel it, and his poem has sunk beneath it: so will Human life; thus contracted in its cradle, it will die in its infancy; and no quotation that we can select, will reprieve it a single day. Art. XI. Pious Meditations, designed to excite mankind to make such an improvement of time, as will tend to prepare them for a blessed immor tality. Partly original, and partly selected. By the Rev. W. Kirk. patrick, Minister of the Scotch Kirk, Liverpool. pp. 331. Price 4sv Button, Ogle, 1805. THIS HIS is a re-publication, in substance, of a little work, en titled "Divine Breathings, &c." consisting of short de votional meditations, written above a century ago. The editor, a respectable clergyman of the church of Scotland, would have rendered a valuable service to the religious world, had he only made these excellent effusions of a pious mind more generally known;* but, beside modernizing the stile when antiquated, and correcting some inaccuracies, (and these alterations might have been with advantage multiplied,) he has supplied the place of a few less interesting pieces, and made considerable additions from his own pen, and by extracts from Saurin and other eminent divines; he has thereby retained what was most valuable in the original work, and more than doubled the number of sub, jects. It will be found highly pleasing and useful, to those who wish to employ short intervals of leisure by reflections on religious truths, and as a help to the devotions of the closet, Preachers also, as the editor suggests in his preface, may be occasionally assisted in the choice of a theme, by the variety of topics here embraced; and those who love to meet with scriptural ideas clothed in elegant language, will be amply gratified in several of the numbers. Many of them are valuable for the style and elevation of thought, and all for the vein of evangelical sentiment, which runs through the whole volume. The following extracts may serve as a specimen; one, taken from the original work, the other, from Mr. K.'s pen. * The original work is by no means so scarce as the editor imagines, cies. Meditation and prayer are like the spies that went to search the land of Canaan; the one views and the other cuts down; and both bring home a taste of the fairest and sweetest fruits of heaven. Meditation, like the eye, views our mercies; and prayer, like the hand, reacheth in those mer, Or, meditation is like a factor, who liveth abroad to gather in what we want; and prayer like a ship, goes forth and brings in what we desire. It is my misery, that I can not be so perfect, as not to want; but it is thy mercy, O Lord! that prevents me from being so miserable as not to be supplied. Meditation cannot discover a real want, but prayer will fetch in an answerable comfort. If mercy be so free, I will never be poor; but I will meditate to know it-when I know it, I will pray for a supply according to my necessities; and yet not rest, until Thou, O Father of Mercies! shalt do more for me than I am able to ask or think.' pp. 47, 48. 'How exalted is that sentiment or desire of Job, "I would not livealway!" though the divine decree, as if he had said, prevents me from continuing here always; yet if it were matter of choice with me, I would not desire to be always confined to the body. To live here always, as things are now constituted, in a world where sin and affliction prevail, would to me, even with every carnal delight thrown into my cup, be an insupportable burden. For I know, that never to die, is never to be happy. With the same desire the Apostle Paul expresses himself,--" I desire to depart, and to be with Christ which is far better." The real Christian joins with the patriarch and with the apostle. And why? Because he is born from above. Heaven is the native country of the regenerate soul. As soon as we are made children, we begin to desire the portion of children, "the inheritance of the saints in light.' "I would not live alway, I desire to depart, and to be with Christ." What makes the Christian think and say so? The Spirit dwelling in his soul as an earnest, and giving him the first fruit and foretaste of heaven. As horror of conscience, which is a foretaste of hell, makes the wicked weary of this world, so an earnest of heaven makes the saint weary of it too. Often does the longing soul exclaim, if the taste be so ravishing, what will the whole feast be? If the first fruit be so rich and glorious, what will the whole harvest be? If the provision I receive at the different stages be so refreshing and supporting, what inexpressible comfort and delight shall I enjoy, when I arrive at the end of my journey, and taste of happiness from its inexhaustible source!' Art. XII. History of the Campaign of 1805, in Germany, Italy, the Tyrol, c. By William Burke, late Army Surgeon, 8vo. pp. 300, price 7s. boards. Ridgway, 1806. IN N contemplating the awful crimes and calamities of war, it is happy that the faith of the Christian relieves the feelings of the man. The eye, purged with celestial euphrasy, beholds, in the tumult of contending nations, the dispensation of punish ment, and the promise of tranquillity. It descries, in the midst of the tempest, a band that guides its fury, and expects that darkness and devastation will introduce a brighter, happier day, than ever rose on the children of Adam. The annals of time never before recorded within so short a period as the campaign of 1805, a combination of events so diversified in their nature, so interesting in their developement, so important in their result. In describing it, Mr. Burke has chiefly availed himself of the French bulletins, and in digesting them has insensibly caught a little of their spirit. The terms in which he alludes to the atrocious murder of the Duc d'Enghien, we think sufficient to establish our opinion; he calls it "quick severity,"-" a violation of territory," "a circumstance that occurred." pp. 13, 14. We think too that Mr. B. should have endeavoured to verify the statements of these bulletins, some of which have been positively contradicted by more re. spectable authorities. We place not the smallest reliance on official papers of this nature, where there is any reason to think that falsehood would be more expedient that truth, The reflections which our author introduces, are on the whole, just and pertinent, but, unfortunately, they are such as every person who reads or hears, must by this time be pretty well acquainted with. In the present active and mutable æra of the political world, it is dangerous for a man to publish the speculations in which he indulged a few months ago. One part of his conjectures appears idle, because they have not been realized; the other appears trite, because they have. Yet there is one circumstance that we are surprised to find, has entirely escaped Mr. Burke's attention. He bas related military manoeuvres in sufficient detail, but he has said nothing of the poor, harmless, ruined, inhabitants of Suabia and Moravia, who have endured, or perished under, an amount of woe which even fancy cannot adequately depict. The idea we have formed of this accumulation of all that is deplorable in famine, war, and pestilence, we owe, not to any hint of Mr. Burke's, but to the solicitude of a few generous Englishmen to mitigate its severity ;-men in whom our country has reason to glory, and whose bounty is more truly honourable to the national character, than even the triumphs of its flag, or the efforts of a less disinterested liberality. In referring to the illustrious catalogue of contributors to relieve the distress of our unfortunate and friendless allies, we feel an exultation which it is difficult to repress.. We find it contain many names commonly stigmatized with odious epithets, which are now becoming venerable; and we look in vain for certain soidisant philosophers, patriots, philanthropists, cosmopolites, practisers of virtue for its own sake, men of feeling, or by what other names they prefer to be distinguished. They choose to demonstrate that the principles they follow are insufficient for such exertions: and that the claims of gross or elegant selfishness are far more persuasive, than the distant la mentations of a nation in distress. Art. XIII. Tales in Verse; critical, satirical, and humorous; by Thomas Holcroft. 2 vols. 12mo. pp. 322. Price 8s. Symonds. 1806. WE E did not think that Mr. Holcroft could utter two volumes so barren of interest and amusement; his tales are of the very tritest order, and his Pegasus is a lame hack, we think blind, we are sure broken-winded, whose shoes clattering against each other, remind us, to our sorrow, of the absent lyre of Parnassus. We do not deny, that there is something humorous in the work,-just enough to weary our muscles with a contraction that amounts not even to a smile, and to excite a vain expectation which has dragged us through many tiresome and unmeaning paragraphs. There is also something critical, for the tribe of reviewers is severely handled in the person of one Doctor Scoggins; besides which, there are some rhymes to prove the absurd consequences of using the article an before an aspirated word. The satirical part of the performance relates to Mr. Thomas Hope, Master Betty, and Miss Mudie. The following lines describe, and exemplify, though very inadequately, the hobbling gait of this gossiping performance. On reading them aloud in presence of an excellent Echo, she repeated some of the passages very distinctly; but we are not answerable for her petulance. I love to saunter as I go. Yes, I must be distinguished from the crowd: If such like liberties are not allow'd, I'll take affront, lay down my pen, and write no more Think not I'll be confin'd by rule: I'll chuse my pace, like ass, or mule; Or Bond-street beau, or Piccadilly fop; Quite at my ease, I'll yawn, laugh, lounge, or go or stop. There is much good sense in many of Mr. H.'s remarks, and we have frequent reason to regret that he did not attempt poetry instead of buffoonery. We are sorry too, that he has made his work still more unworthy of public acceptance, by using several words and phrases which are inconsistent with a due respect for decency and religion. Art. XIV. A Walk through Leeds, or Stranger's Guide, to every thing don. 1806. THIS HIS neat little work aspires to no high commendation; it will be found useful to strangers, and this is the extent of its pretensions. It contains several documents, which it would not be easy for them to obtain, and modestly directs their attention to the objects which are most likely to gratify it. The population of this grand clothing mart in 1775, was 17,117 being 43 to a family. In 1801, the return was 30,669. After describing the cloth halls, and the nature of the cloth trade, our guide informs us, that in 1769, the quantity of broad cloth stamped, was 1,771,667 yards. In the last year, ending March, 1806, it was 10,079,256, and narrows 6,193,317. Coal is abundant in the parish of Leeds," and to the cheapness of this indispensable mineral, the flourishing state of the manufactories is to be attributed. It is delivered at the coal staith, in the town, at 15s. per waggon load. The waggon to contain 24 corves, each corve weighing 210 lbs." (6s. 8d. per ton.) The manufactures of Leeds and its vicinity, among which are some of linen and earthen ware, beside a variety of woollens, are transported to a distance, by the navigable river Aire, and by a canal opened in 1777, which connects it with Liverpool. The latter part of the work describes, among other neighbouring curiosities, the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, and the settlement of the United Brethren at Fulneck. The views of the Infirmary, and of Kirkstall Abbey, are tolerably executed. Art XV. An Introduction to Geography, intended chiefly for the use of schools including a short account of the solar system, and the use of the terrestrial globe; with some remarks on the pronunciation of the names of foreign countries, &c. By Isaac Payne. 12mo. pp. 152. price 2s. 6d. Phillips and Fardon, 1806. WE TE have read this book with considerable care, and we find its defects and errors so frequent, and its typography so incorrect, that we should betray the public confidence, in recommending it to general adoption. The part, however, concerning the use of the globes has merit, and the plan of the whole is much superior to the execution.. |