equals; fo that every order is excited to a reftlefs and dangerous fermentation; while the meaneft, and the worst of mankind, trample in bloated wealth and honours, on the necks of the people, because they are the most fupple and useful inftruments of the temporary purposes of

a minifter."

A fpecimen, from the 7th chapter, of our author's poetical talents, will be highly pleafing to every reader of taste and feeling. Fitz-Albini, foreboding the alienation of the ancient domain of his family, vents his forrow in the following animated and pathetic lines.

"O hark! See Ruin enters! By his fide,

O view the gaunt relentless fiends that ride!
See Peculation, and perverted Law,

And bloated Wealth, whom hounds of Murder draw;
Extortion, mounted on the pamper'd feed,

Which the laft tears of ftarv'd Misfortune feed;

And black Malignity, all dreft in fmiles;
And Avarice, ftriving to conceal his wiles:
And yet an hundred harden'd imps behind,
That feaft upon the forrows of mankind!
Hark, they approach!-Ye fiends of Hell, away!
Dear native fields, ye must not be their prey!
Shades of my fathers, which the circling Sun,
As twice three centuries his courfe he run,
Has feen, in fafety, o'er the faithful head
Of the fame race, your antient umbrage spread!
Shall cruel hands pollute your dark retreats?
Shall Infamy defile your facred feats?

Ye fawns, on which my happy childhood play'd;
Ye parlis, where firft my infant footsteps ftray'd;
Ye boughs, which first I twisted into bowers;

Ye primrose banks, where first I pick'd your flowers;
Your long-lov'd charms fhall foreign matters own?
Shall foreign ears infult your flighted moan?
Along your filent copfes, and your dells,
Shall puff'd up Folly shake her cap of bells?
In name of Tafte direct the axe's blow,
Laugh at your fhrieks, and lay your glories low?
Ye towers, that long have rais'd your head fublime,
Firm and unfhaken, 'mid the ftorms of Time!
Ye halls, that oft with echoing founds have rung,
When the rude minstrels tales of heroes fung:
When Feaft, and Hofpitality, and roar

Of Mirth went round, the genial goblet o'er;
Where ftill the blazing hearth, at Christmas tide,
The froft and fnow, and wind and rain, defy'd;
And Eafe at loaded boards, the village crew,
Still to their lord in clofer union drew!

Ye

Ye rooms, where poets nurs'd their golden dreams;
Where ftatefmen fram'd their country's glorious fchemes;
Where wits their brilliant rays were wont to dart,
And Beauty's radiant forms to melt the heart!
Shall the coarfe upstart wretch, who never knew
A thought beyond the figur'd fpells, that drew
The needy to Deftruction's net, difplay,
Within your facred walls, a fcoundrel's prey;
New fentiments; new modes of life unfold,
Corrupt with luxury, and blaft with gold!-
Great God of Mercy! fince it is a crime,
To end this wretched life before its time;
If the dire fiends at yonder gate I view,
Be not mad Fancy's forms, but fhapes too true,

O now direct the pitying dart of Death,

And in my native forefts close my breath!" Vol. i, p. 163.

In the first chapter of the fecond volume the author introduces himself, and with great elegancy of expreffion pourtrays a character abounding with interefting and uncommon features. We will give a fhort extract from it, and conclude.

"Here then," fays he, fpeaking of the country in which he refides," it is in vain to feek for fociety, which is better found amongst the illiterate cultivators of the foil, who will be content to talk upon fubjects on which their neceffary employments must give them fome information. And how few fubjects are there more interefting than this, of which the habits of life of thefe men give them some intelligence! Next to the knowledge of the principles and the paffions of human beings, it is certainly one of the most important that can Occupy our thoughts. Of all the modes of exertion whereby a livelihood or riches are obtained, it is certainly at once the most healthy, the moft pleafant, and the moft honourable. To watch the progrefs of the feafons, to live in the open air, to produce the food of life, is truly to mingle utility with delight.

"This is that more humble employment which, in rural folitude, can fill up with the best fatisfaction thofe long intervals between the flights of fancy, which all muft require. For who has ftrength to be always on the wing?

"To feel the airs of Heaven blow around one; to anticipate in the fhort gleams of a wintry funfhine the first days of fpring; the fpreading verdure of the fields; the budding of the hedges and trees; the opening fongs of birds, and the refurrection of Nature; to receive an involuntary expanfion of the heart, and a gratitude for the mere pleafure of exiftence; will put to flight the remembrance of difficulties, and ill-ufage, of neglect, malignity, and ignorance. Thus at least has the writer of thefe memoirs fought and found his best confolation. In the grand scenery of the creation has he found an antidote to difappointment, perfidy, and bafenefs. After having feen fomething of the world; after having early fled from the litigious, nonfenfical, and difgufting, fubtleties of the Bar; after having experienced a little of the

vacant and barren life of a Soldier; it is in the folitary charms of Nature, and the fimpleft and earliest of all human occupations, that, fince Fate has fhut him from those congenial employments of which his boyish ambition was wont to dream, he can find fatisfaction and oblivion of his wrongs during the long periods when his enfeebled mind cannot continue its literary purfuits. Vol. ii, p. 16.

We fincerely hope, and the readers of this novel will join us in that hope, that fuch periods may feldom occur; and we are almost selfish and mischievous enough to with, that the author may retain that vein of melancholy which contributes so much to the intereft of the volumes before us; which in him, instead of a caufe of indolence, is a motive to action; and which, without enfeebling his mind, has foftened, refined, and polished it.

BRITISH CATALOGUE.

POETRY,

ART. 13. The Patrons of Genius, a Satirical Poem; with Anecdotes of their Dependents, Vetaries, and Toad-Eaters. Part the Firft. 4to. 2s. 6d. Parfons. 1798.

There is a class of readers and of writers who fee nothing in a work of merit except its form. Thus, because the Pursuits of Literature are thrown into the form of dialogue, with copious remarks on characters in the notes, writers of the kind above-mentioned flatter themfelves that they have only to obferve that plan, in order to fecure the fame fuccefs. They forget that the lion's fkin will not give the voice or qualities of the lion to any beaft that may affume it. The ears of this writer are manifeftly not of the fame conftruction as those of the author of P. of L. otherwise he would not write,

Yet blefs'd with talents and an active mind,
The road to fortune ftill my friend shall find.
Or these lines;

Or to fing bawdy fongs in Spital Square,
Than try by verfe to gain a monarch's ear.

And yet the work one DAVID had begun,
Well by another DAVID had been done.

Yet the verfification is, on the whole, the beft part of the perform-
The author fets out on falfe grounds in his Preface," No

ance.

period

period of the English hiftory," he fays, has so obviously and loudly required the chatlifement of fatire as the prefent." This is very difputable, but may always be faid, because not easily confuted. All the vices of which human nature is fufceptible are sheltered under the masks of Religion, or Law, or Patriotifm, or Loyalty." Indeed, good Sir! and are there no other mafks? Is not Philofophy, is not Philanthropy, &c. worn for much worfe purposes? Then follows one of those general affertions which are always easily made, at no other expence than a total difregard to their truth or falfehood. "Churchmen are clamourous for the externals of religion, while they are known to have difcarded its fundamental evidences and principles." A very fweeping claufe, with no other fault than that of being abfolutely and totally falfe. The other three heads of accufation, the author does not take up diftinctly; but he talks at random, about "commerce and trade being ill-directed," which certainly was never lefs true than at the prefent moment. In one of the notes, Mr. Burke is faid to have had a fcanty portion of learning, with fcarce any acquaintance with the elements of science." So much for the author's judgment. The grofs abufe of Mr. Burke, and many other perfons of the highest merit, gives a fair intimation of the texture of his heart. His information is alfo generally as incorrect, as his cenfure is unjuft. Yet he attacks all parties, and feems to be one of thofe very virtuous men who, fecing the world in the mirror of their own hearts, are surprised to find it black.

ART. 14. The Literary Cenfus, a Satirical Poem, with Notes, including free and candid Strictures on the Pursuits of Literature, and its anony mous Author. By Thomas Dutton, A. M. Tranflator of the Life and Opinions of Sebaldus Nothanker. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Lowndes. 1798. Another very humble imitation of the Purfuits of Literature. The author means to be equally vigorous and fevere; but it is the lance of Priam, telum imbelle fine ictu. Examples of the verfification.

Time was in fhort to judge from dedication,
When all the land deferved canonization.

No more the tuneful nightingale is heard;
But ominous fcreams night's funereal bird.

When hireling fcribblers with prophane abufe,
The eloquence of Sheridan traduce.

We have the honour of being abused by this gentleman, and we thank him for his candour, in giving us the reafon of his animofity. We are proud to repeat it. We thought ill of the Life and Opinions of Sebaldus Nothanker, which he chofe to tranflate; and we scrupled not to fay fo. Such abuse is real praise.

ART. 15. Opufcules Poetiques par l'Auteur de l'Epitre a mon Pere. 8vo. 1s. 6d. For the Author. 1798. This is a collection of minor pieces, in French and English; to which a refpectable lift of fubfcribers is prefixed. They are probably

publifhed

published for the benefit of an unfortunate emigrant; and it is not our cuftom to counteract any benevolent defign, by harsh and ill-timed criticism.

ART. 16. Poetic Pieces; confifling of Reflections, moral and fentimental: defigned principally for young Perfons, with a View to infil a love of the moral and focial Duties. To which are fubjoined, Loyal and ConBitutional Effufions. The 2nd Edition, with Additions. By W. Cel craft. 12mo. 216 pp. 25. Parfons. 1798.

Nothing can be more laudable than the defign and tendency of this little book." My aim," fays the author, "throughout thefe pieces, is to recommend a perfeverance in well doing, and to cherish a bene volent (we may add alfo, a patriotic) difpofition." Towards fuch a writer we will not be "fnarling"; and we gravely affure him, that we are not "envious crities." Pref. pp. 2, 3. How then fhall we characterize his poetry? By fpecimens of it, on fuch fubjects as he is likely to have had moft at heart, and therefore to have touched with all his pathos and vigour.

From "STREPHON'S LAMENTATION."
"For Laura, lovely Laura, fhe
By fickness is opprefs'd;

All pleasures, and all comforts flee,
Her kind, ingenuous breast.
The chafteft and the dearest wife,
That ever man poffeft!

A conftant enemy to ftrife;

Oh how am I diftrefs'd!" P. 30.

From "AN ELEGY ON A LADY."

"Alas! alas! (cries many a child of woe)
My dear good Mrs. Crawford is no more!
And while the tears do plentifully flow,

With eyes uplifted, blefs her o'er and o'er." P. 86.

From "ON FAME AND AMBITION."

"Demofthenes, Tully, Cicero, each,

Were victims to their potency of speech." P. 146.

But let us hear our naval triumphs fung.

"When France again our naval power defy'd,
The gallant Howe foon humbled Gallic pride;
In one decifive battle, told them plain,
'Twas Britain's fortune ftill to rule the main.
The fleet of Spain, though two to one, we fee,
The gallant Vincent beat, and clear'd the sea;
And, oh! how glorious! thefe vast reports
E'en made the Spaniards tremble in their ports.
While Duncan, oh! let Britons blefs the day,
Brought many a valiant opponent away." P. 199, 200.

F

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XIII, JAN. 1799.

It