pretends to furnish in its body what this author has selected for his title. There are two ways, however, of thinking, and two sorts of materials upon which the thinking faculty may be exercised, good and bad. Unfortunately we cannot praise the materials before us, though we admit that the writer has a powerful and a cultivated mind. His view of life and of death are equally wild, and, happily for us, equally untrue: of the former he tells us gravely, that "imagination is awake when the reason and the senses are asleep, and, in the visionary pictures of a dream, affords us delights, which our dull existence can never equal, AND HEAVEN ITSELF CAN NEVER EXCEED." Of the latter he argues warmly and decidedly, that it is eternal, and never to be disturbed by a future existence of any kind, so that, after all, we are left in the greatest dilemma as to what the writer conceives by the delights of heaven in the preceding His idol, if not his deity, appears to have been Madame Roland: of this lady he observes, that "she was, in talents and dignity of character, the first woman that ever adorned the annals of history. If an idea of her mind was to be formed from her writings alone, we might safely pronounce her to be FAULTLESS." We have seldom seen so much real rhapsody combined with so much attempt at philosophy. "Musæ Cantabrigienses: seu carmina quædam Numismata aureo Cantabrigiæ Ornata, &c."---"Cambridge Muses: or Prize Poems composed at Cambridge, and published with the consent of the Vice Chancellor." These are selected with a great want of judgment, or a gross partiality: we suspect the latter, for we are ready to pay due deference to the talents of Mr. Rennel and Mr. Bloomfield (the former of

way.

King's and the latter of Trinity) who are commonly stated to be the editors. Many of the pieces were unworthy to have seen the light at any time: and many more totally unworthy of seeing it again. The best writers are Goodall, the two Freres, Tweddel, Keate, and Maltby.

The predominant fashion of the times for whatever is antique, has sensibly and extensively been communicated to the department of poetry; and hence Mr. Todd has found encouragement to publish an octavo volume of "Illustrations of the Lives and Writings of Gower and Chaucer; collected from authentic documents, chiefly from Thynne's Animadversions, originally printed, we do not know when, but reprinted as early as 1598. Dr. Nott of Bristol has published "Select Poems from the Hesperides, or Works both Human and Divine, of Robert. Herrick, Esq. with occasional Remarks:" also, in an octavo volume. Mr. Fry bas, in like manmanner given us a small "Selection from the Poetical Works of Thomas Carew" and Mr. Kett a new edition of the "Select Beauties of Ancient English Poetry, with Remarks by the late Henry Headley, A.B."

In epic poems, and of a high rank, the year has been unusually rich; for it has furnished us with Mr. Scott's "Lady of the Lake," written, like his preceding productions, in irregular verse, and replete with the marvellous: Mr. Southey's "Curse of Kehama," written in verse quite as irregular, and in which the marvellous is as liberally made use of: and Mr. Sotheby's "Constance of Castile, a Metrical Romance," also in irregular verse. Of this kind of irregularity we are now completely sickened; we are astonished that Mr. Sotheby should ever have been

seduced

seduced into it from the dignified stateliness of the trammels in which he has hitherto appeared. The evil, however, must soon become its own cure, for unless the public taste should be still more deeply depraved than we have any reason to apprehend it is, this sing-song of our modern epic poets cannot pass current much longer. It is unnecessary to offer any remarks upon the respective merit of the different styles, as we have copied pretty largely from each in a preceding department, in order that the reader may exercise his own judgment.

Our list of epic poems for the year closes with Mr. Cottle's Fall of Cambria."

"Of Cambria and her valiant sons subdued

By the first Edward, England's lord, I sing." Here we have regularity of metre, but great want of spirit: we do not think the subject a happy one, for divided as our affections are between the contending parties, we feel too much neutralized to possess that desirable enthusiasm of bate on the one side, and hope on the other, which alone can make an epic poem interesting. The versification is smooth; and as the author's genius seldom soars to high excellence, it is not often that we find it sinking into palpable degradation.

description of the buildings and businesses, the history and events of a borough-town, is in Mr. Crabbe's best manner. There is a minuteness which we often prize on account of its truth and originality; but which we sometimes feel tired of, from its insipidity. Many of the stories interwoven into the piece are possest of a very high degree of interest.

Epistles on the Character and Condition of Women in various Ages and Nations: with Miscel laneous Poems. By Lucy Aikin."--"Woman: a Poem: by E. S. Barrett, Esq." The first of these poems is historical; the second descriptive. They are both neatly written; but the former possesses most force, and at the same time most elegance. Miss Aikin seems to succeed less in her smaller poems, than in her principal essay.

"Poems by Mary Russel Mitford." This is a very elegant miscellany of minor poems. Miss Mitford discovers taste, genius, and facility of composition: and we have copied one or two of her best productions in a prior department of this work.

"Tales of Romance, with other Poems, including Selections from Propertius. By Charles A. Elton." We cannot speak in much com. mendation of this volume, after the very superior talents shown by the same author in his translation of Hesiod. Of the plays, romances, tales, and novels of the year, we can only give a brief catalogue; and few of them are worthy of even such a notice. Mr. Mengin has translated M. Luce de Sencival's

"The Borough: a Poem: in twenty-four Letters. By the Rev. G. Crabbe, LL.B." This poetical

We have received a ludicrous mock heroic romance, in verse, under the the name of "The Maid of Kenmore, or Platonic Love." We have also received "The Daughters of Isenberg,

religion---tyranny intolerable, and misery goading almost to madness, military adventure, and commercial speculation, have of late overwhelmed the continent, and left it but little time, and we lament to add, apparently less inclination, for the practice of piety and the exercises of devotion. The books we have been able to collect upon this important subject, are the following.

Geschichte des Religion Jesu Christi," &c.-" History of the Religion of Jesus Christ. By Frederic Leopold, Count of Stolburg, vol. V." 8vo. pp. 690. Hamburg. We are glad to see this work continued, notwithstanding the pressure of the times, and the decline of German literature. The volume before us contains the usual merits, and the usual defects of those that have preceded it. There is too much minuteness, and too little animation. It comprises the history of the Christian religion, from the birth of our Saviour to our own day; and is accompanied with three memoirs: 1.

Christ. 2. On the Passover. 3. On the Demoniacs. If we have not always entered into the author's views in the course of his argument, we have at least been pleased with his liberality. The volume is illustrated by a map of Judea, while under the Roman government.

"Lehrbuch der Christlichen Religion, &c."--"Elements of the Christian Religion. By M. Cannabich." Chiefly and usefully designed for the lower classes of the author's countrymen: and with this view compiled in a plain, popular style, and admirably calculated for the important object at which it aims.

"Parabelu:"-" Parables by F. A. Kramachen, D.D. and Professor of Divinity in the University of Duisburg." 2 vols. 8vo. Duisburg. These parables are of unequal value: the characters are chiefly taken from Scripture history, and, where these are introduced, the Scripture expressions are generally imitated. The author is evidently a man of talents, of fine feeling, and of acute observation: but the desire of being sentimental

sentimental is in many cases too obvious; and the emblems are often far-fetched and unnatural.

Contemplacion de la Vida de Nuestro Senor Jesu Christo, &c." "Meditations on the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ; from the Conception to the Ascension: composed by S. Buenaventura, to assist Devout Minds by the means of Contemplation." There is much ardour and seriousness exhibited in this work: but it is rather calculated for a Catholic than a Protestant meridian. "Analyse de l'Ecriture Sainte, &c."—“Analysis of the Holy Scriptures: by B. de Battiere." 12mo. A considerable portion of very useful matter is crowded into this little work such as the names, and genealogies of the sacred writers; a variety of important etymologies; an epitome of the principal aras, reigns, and actions; examples for persons in every state of life; the triumphal and other songs of the patriarchs; premonitions towards a right understanding of the sacred books; and a brief recapitulation of the history of the Old Testament.

"Les Vues de la Religion Chrétienne et Catholique, &c."-" Views of the Christian and Catholic Religion. By the Abbé Germain." Svo. Paris. This volume is chiefty designed for young persons; and is formed upon a very excellent plan, proposed by Pascal. It appears to be drawn up with liberality, and a careful attention to the subject.

"Devotions à l'Usage des Familles, &c."-"Devotional Effusions for the Use of Families. By J. Martin, Pastor of the Church of Geneva.", 2 vols. Svo Paris and Geneva. Welldigested reflections, in the form of a Junning commentary, on the chapters of the Old and New Testament; containing a chain of sacred

history, of the gospel, and the principal duties of Christian morality.

"De l'Esprit des Religions, &c." "On the Spirit of Religions: by Alexis Dumenil." 8vo. Paris. This work is divided into four parts. The first considers the different professions of religion, in regard to their physical effects: the second in their relations to one another: the third contemplates religion as to itself, and its intrinsic excellencies: the fourth takes a view of it in reference to society. M. Dumenil has here given himself a world of pains, and has contemplated religion in reference almost to every thing but its genuine spirit, the very subject upon which he professes to treat.

"Les Bienfaits de la Religion Chrétienne, &c."-"The Benefits of the Christian Religion: translated from the English of Richard Ryan, vicar of Donoughmore." The continent, and especially the French part of the continent, appear grossly ignorant of the comparative merits of the theologians of our own country. The names of Blair, and of Tillotson have been heard of, and some of the works of these have been translated into French: but they appear totally ignorant of the names of Jeremy Taylor, Barrow, South, and Atterbury. It is only owing to this ignorance that we can ascribe the version before us: for there is nothing of peculiar merit in the original to recommend it to such a distinction.

We have no great reason, however, to expect much manliness of pulpit, or even of moral freedom, in France, during the present government; but it augurs somewhat of a spirit voluntarily subdued, and glorying in its trammels, to behold the fashion with which the character and talents of the bishop of Meaux A A 2 (Bossuet)