"Where wit and learning jointly shine, "No, no! 'tis friendship's kindly ray, Of friendship's power, of love's fweet wound! Alive like mine to blifs and woe! "Few then 'twill pleafe, fince nature's hand Yet thou her laws can't understand, And I devote thefe lines to thee." P. 122. ART. 18. The Afs on Parnafus, and from Scotland, Ge ho!! comes Roderigh fich heddy Dhu, Ho! Fero!!! Cantos I. II. of a Poem entitled, What are Scots Collops? a prophetic Tale, written in Imitation of the Lady of the Lake. By Jeremiah Quiz. 4to. 3s. 6d. Richardfon. 1811. There is fome humour in this attack on Walter Scott, but not force or acutenefs enough to do his reputation harm; fummo elypei telum umbone pependit fine ictu. ART. 19. The Rhapsody; or, a Wreath for the Brow of Bonaparte. 55. Derby, Wilkins; London, Bell. 1811. So many wreaths have been woven for the brow of the Tyrant of France, that it is hardly to be expected any new opinions fhould be delivered on fo common an occafion. Thefe lines, however, evince much good feeling, and are evidently the production of one of thofe writers, whofe principles we have ever endeavoured to ftrengthen and propagate. But we cannot entirely approve of the price of the pamphlet, indeed we are inclined to think that fuch a crown was no more deferving of a rhapfody, than fuch a rhapfody is worth a crown. The following lines relating to Walter Scott, we fubjoin for two reafons;-firft to show the scope the author has allowed to his imagination, and fe condly, becaufe in a preceding article we have alluded to a "Quiz upon that author." "Yes, "Yes, wond'rous Scott, in thee confpire, Thine not the flourish of a vain pretence, Sure I remember, in my youthful day, ART. 20. The Crufade of St. Lewis and King Edward the 1811. This is Poetry of a higher order, and we are always glad to recognize the name of this writer who combines in all his compofitions great vigour, much elegance and tafte, and a familiar knowledge of early English History, and his country's literature. The first Poem is on the well known fubject of the Capture of Lewis and his Army in Egypt, in the vain attempt to retake Jerufalem. This is a fpirited apoftrophe, in which the moving columns of fand as defcribed by Bruce, and the delufion of the mirage, an appearance of water where none exifts, is happily introduced. The Affaffination of Edward the Martyr by order of Elfrith his mother in law, at the gates of Corfe Castle is the fubject of the fecond Poem. The story is well told, and with all the advantages of poetical embellishment. The author has unneceffarily troubled himfelf to repel the infinuation, which malice or envy has propagated, concerning his being a plagiarift from Walter Scott. There is in all Mr. Rofe writes fufficient internal evidence of original taste and genius. This was well de. monftrated in his pleafing poem of Parthenopex. ART. 21. Poems. By Lieut. Charles Gray of the Royal Marines. 12mo. 6s. Longman. 1811. We have had of late a moft extraordinary influx of Poetry, fome of which we have found fo furpaffing all badrefs, that our aftonishment has been excited that any Publifher should lend his name to fuch trafh. Perhaps this Gentleman might have employed his time better in accomplishing himself in the duties of his honourable profeffion, and might have omitted many of these poems without injury to his fame. The following fpecimen is, however, very creditable to his pen.— "TO A LADY "WITH A VENETIAN GOLD CHAIN. "Could I a cunning workman find It never more fhould wander free, Thefe links though wrought with niceft art, And wind thy chain round Delia's heart.” ART. 22. A Monody to the Memory of the Right Honourable the Lord Collingwood. By Lady Champion de Crespigny. 38. 6d. Pp. 23. Cadell and Davies. 1810. We Lady Crefpigny has fo frequently been before the public, and her works have been fo generally attended with fome portion of approbation, that it is hardly neceffary on the prefent occafion to bestow our meed of praife on this her recent production. cannot however, refrain from obferving, that her talents could never have been better employed than in weaving the hard earned laurels of a valiant Briton into a wreath to adorn his brow; and that the has done this with taste and judgment will appear from the following fpecimen. With ardour for his king and country's weal, We, in his bofom higher merits find, How well Lord Collingwood merited the compliments paid him in the lines above quoted will appear from the following extract from one of his private letters." To my own children I am fcarcely known; yet, while I have health and strength to serve my country, I confider that health and strength due to it; and if if I ferve it fuccefsfully, as I have ever done faithfully, my children will not want friends." As long as fuch fentiments exift in the minds of our gallant Seamen, we need not fear the threats of the Gallic Defpot, and we earneftly hope that this coun try will effectually evince its gratitude. ART. 23. the Rev. Dr. Lucas. Author's Life. 8vo. Longman and Co. Dr. Lucas, it appears, has written verfes from the year 17723 his friends have probably admired them; and he has thought them worthy of preferving, and at length of printing. It is likely, therefore, that he thinks himfelf a poet; and who fhall tell him that he is not? We certainly do not wish for the invidious task, but a ftill more powerful feeling forbids us to tell him that he is; unless modern courtefy is to allow of a cla's which Horace exprefsly excludes. His verfes, indeed, are of the middling kind, and the prefs is more likely to diminish than increase their celebrity. The most valuable part of the volume is the translation of Homer's hymn to Ceres, in which the author appears as a claf fical fcholar, and gives to the English public a new discovery, which perhaps has not been better given. But we ought to quote from the original poems, of which that on Boughton Green fair is the compofition of greateft effort, and the defcriptive opening affords a favourable fpecimen. Deep in the bofom of this happy ifle, : Who yet, where time's confederate hand could reach, GREEN." We fee fermons, by the fame author, advertised at the end of the volume, but we have not yet had an opportunity of infpecting them. છે. ART. ART. 24. DRAMATIC. Dramatic Romances: containing the Poison Tree, and the 12mo. 127 pp. 45. 6d. 4s. 6d. Murray. 1809.. Thefe dramas exhibit many marks of a ftyle and genius fuperior to the common clafs, and one of them would, it feems, have been acted, but for circumftances not uncommon, probably, at theatres. The conflagration of Drury-lane theatre proved the final extinction of the author's hopes, and the public is invited to enjoy them in this form. The incidents are very novel, and the lyric parts eminently good. For example. "SONG. " Oft when sever'd by the ocean, Sad, the heart is fix'd on home." P. 24. We will not fay that the plot of the Poifon-Tree is probable, but it is interefting; the inconfiftent character of the lady is the worst part. The other was intended merely for an after-piece, but has a good deal of whimsical humour, befides its other me rits. HISTORY. ART. 25. An Effay on the Study of the Hiftory of England. By Major Samuel Dales, F.S.A. 8vo. 215 pp. 75. 6d. Cadell and Co. 1809. Major Dales is a chatty, punning, very eccentric writer, but found in his principles, and often very fagacious in his remarks. A young man will eafily be induced to run through a book written in fo familiar a ftyle, and in fo doing he will obtain no inconfiderable knowledge of the facts and sources of our history. We do not recommend the major's ftyle as a fubject for imitatation, and it is not likely that it will be imitated. It is the effufion of blunt oddity, and we firmly believe of honesty, but both ingredients muft prevail in an equal degree, to occafion a Ee, fimilar BRIT, CRIT. VOL XXXVII. OCT. 1811. |