turers, in an age nearly as rude and as warlike as that of the ArgoRauts, is difguifed in the profe accounts we have of it, with as much imagery as the poem of Apollonius Rhodius, and little lefs incredible. Yet we do not therefore question the existence of Peter the Hermit, of Godfrey of Bouillon, or of Raymond of Touloufe; or deny, that fuch perfons conducted armies into Paleftine, and actually founded a kingdom there, which subsisted for more than two centuries." P. 40. As we have lately had occafion to enquire refpecting the infcription to Jupiter Urius, which is now fo happily lodged in the British Mufeum, we fhall here obferve, that the account of the celebrated temple to that deity, 120 ftadia from Byzantium, on the Afiatic fide of the Thracian Bofphorus, is here very fatisfactorily given, at p. 54. That it was called rò lepov, the temple, by way of eminence, was, however, more fully explained by Dr. John Taylor, in that preface to his Opufcula, in which he fo juftly celebrates the triumph of Bentley's fkill, and gives an engraved fac-fimile of the infcription, as it may now be feen at the Mufeum: "Iifdem ipfif fimis literis exaratum," fays he, " quibus criticus ille infignis, divini plane ingenii, optimique augurii, dudum exarari con-, tendiffet. Singulare illud et zyxwvolas et felicitatis exemplum!" In this place he gives a collection of paffages from Herodotus, and feveral other claffics, particularly Demosthenes, on whom he was employed, who have ufed rò izplv; abfolutely, for this particular temple, and can only be explained by this reference. Nor have all thefe inftances been fince attended to by fubfequent editors. It is remarkable, that an ancient infeription, from fo very celebrated a place, fhould now be visible in London. We cannot too much praise the accuracy, and minute' attention, difplayed not only in this fift, or geographical differtation, which may alfo be confidered as the tranflator's notes on the Periplus, but alfo in the three other differtations, mentioned in the title-page. Their fubjects are of great importance, in the hiftory of ancient geography and commerce, and are difcuffed with a degree of care, and a copioufnefs of learning, which will amply repay the attention of the ftudent who fhall moft diligently examine them. To the map of the Euxine fea, taken from D'Anville, no objection can be made, except that all the places mentioned in the Periplus are not there introduced. The plan of the coafts, as taken from the Pentingerian tables, is the more acceptable, as it is fo very difficult for readers in general to fee any fpecimen of that very curious monument of antiquity; of which the only perfect edition (Scheyb's) is fo very fcarce and. valuable.. N 3 valuable. This whole work, as we have faid, is highly creditable to its author, and will form a fit companion to the learned and juftly-approved volumes of the Dean of Westminster on fimilar fubjects. BRITISH CATALOGUE. POETRY. ART. 10. Quid Nunc ? Selections from the Poems of the late W. Cowper, Efq. contrafted with the Works of Knox, Paley, and others; on Fashion, Cards, Charity, Clergy, Prieft, Pulpit, Duelling, Slander, Lying, Duplicity, Domeftic Happiness, Vice, Sedu&tion. 8vo. 47 PP. 1s. 6d. Salisbury, Easton; London, Hatchard. 1809. The greater number of these felections from Cowper are taken, not from his most popular work, "The Talk," but from his Poems in Rhyme; which, though lefs known, (and perhaps on that account moft properly chofen) contain many ftriking fentiments, expreffed in plain but terfe language. The profe remarks fubjoined to them are chiefly felected from Knox's Effays and Paley's Moral Philofophy, both writers of merit: the latter of whom, in particular, cannot be ftudied with too much attention. This little pamphlet may therefore be a useful and convenient manual for those young perfons who have not the opportunity to procure, or leifure to read, the works from which it is derived. Why this publication fhould have the title of Quid Nunc ? does not very clearly appear. We dislike all quaint and affected denominations. The word contrafted is alfo unhappy, fince it feems to mark an oppofition; whereas the paffages all confpire to the fame good purposes. ART. 11. Vocal Repofitory Trails; containing Selections of Senga adapted to Perfons in humble Life, fuited to their Occupations and Amufements, and teaching good Morals. 1d. each Tract, containing 16 pages, or 6s. per hundred. Pitts. 1809. A very happy defign, as happily executed. The mischief to young minds, produced by licentious fongs, is probably far greater than the public generally apprehend, being, for the most part, removed from notice. To counteract and prevent this mifchief is a moft falutary undertaking, and ftrongly deferves the concur rence of all friends to the caufe of virtue and good order. the refpectable editor of this work having well explained his de fign, we fhall adopt his account of it,,earneftly wishing to these entertaining as well as inftructive tracts, a moft extenfive circulation. 5 But "In "In the preface to a Collection of Songs, in two volumes, 12mo. printed in 1806, (a third volume was published in 1808) I mentioned, that it was my farther intention, when leifure and opportunity concurred, to have Selections printed in small Trads, after the manner of The Cheap Repofitory Tracts, for circulation amongst the loweft claffes of all.' This purpose, I hope, I have at length accomplished. Thefe are chiefly old popular fongs, but altered where it appeared neceffary, either on account of inde cency, or profanenefs, or a want of application; and many of them are new. Each collection has fome appropriate title, asRural Melody, the Honeft Farmer, the Whittling Ploughman, the Shepherd's Pipe, the Harvest Songfter, the Rural Poets' Garland, the True Lovers' Knot, Domeftic Harmony, the Friendly Society Songster, the Winter Fire-fide, the Cheerful Sailor, the Gallant Soldier, the Voice of the Nation, &c. &c. "As the object of this work is to fuperfede the licentious and profane trafh, which is circulated about the country by hawkers and fhopkeepers (frequently, perhaps, without their being aware of the bad tendency of it) to the poisoning the minds of thousands; those who think well of the undertaking may forward it by giving copies to their fervants and labourers in their neighbourhoods, where there is finging at their feftive meetings; alfo by directing fhopkeepers and hawkers where to purchase them; or by keeping a quantity by them, and giving them to hawkers, (after having, perhaps, purchased their stock of objectionable tracts at the prime coft, with a view to destroy them) or by giving them to beggars to fell, inftead of relieving them with money in the first inftance. "As the work may, at first fight, feem trifling to many, yet as that which appears a trifle is often of the moft ferious confe.. quence, and many a mind has perhaps been tainted by a loose bal. lad inadvertently purchased, the Editor hopes, that the serious part of the public will give it the encouragement which he thinks it deferves. He has no wish to caft a gloom over fociety, nor to difcourage, but rather to promote, the mirth which is innocent; and, while he wishes to contribute to the ftock of harmless amuse ment, his object is, at the same time, to inftil good principles into the mind. JAMES PLUMTRE." ART. 12. The Warrior's Return, and other Poems, by Mrs. Opie. The Second Edition. 12mo. 185 pp. 6d. Longman and Co. 1808. Mrs. Opie's Poems are generally of the plaintive and melan. choly caft, and are expreffive of ftrong feeling, united with a natural tafte for poetry. The tale mentioned in the title page is a very tragical one, of a father, who returning home to his family, after long abfence in the Crufades, finds that, by a strange combination of circumftances, he had there killed his own fon. The fecond is a no lefs forrowful ta of a Nun, who deftroys herself for N 4 love, love. We turn from thefe hopeless diftreffes to the following pleafing picture of conjugal affection. SONG. "Yes, thou art changed fince first we met, The charms that once were thine : "O'er my fick couch I faw thee bend Then truft me, love, that pallid face A truer, tenderer, dearer grace Than blooming health beftowed on thee; . And read my bleffings there." P. 87. We conceive that fecond edition, in this title-page, means only that many of the poems have been feparately printed before. There is an elegant frontispiece. ART. 13. Eccentric Tales, in Verfe. By Cornelius Crambo, Ejq. I 2mo. 140 pp. 55. Tipper. 1808. There is no mifnomer in this title. The tales are truly eccentric. We wish we could fay that they had no other fault; but they have too often that fpecies of eccentricity for which certain Crazy Tales were long ago famous. That they have an easy vein of humour, and natural verfification, it would do our taste no credit to deny; but they turn too much upon monks, and those anecdotes related of them, which favour more of fatire than of fact. The concluding tale, entitled Bonomi, is however perfectly unexceptionable; and the fame may be faid of the Mifer's Will, and one or two more; but the majority are too much in the ftyle of Poggio's Facetice, from which fome among them are taken. We cannot diveft ourfelves of the notion, that they proceed from the facetious author of Bread Grins: and having faid that, it cannot be neceffry for us to give a fpecimen of their ftyle. The following Shandean introduction to the Preface will produce a finile. After two three lines of mere afterisks, the author proceeds; "Now this I confider, if not the beft poffible motive for for laying the following pieces before the public, at leaft to be one, which the profoundest animadverter that ever penned a paragraph, critical or explanatory, will find it extremely difficult to ftart a fingle objection againft." We certainly cannot object. But we object to the frontif. piece, as well as the tale it is defigned to illuftrate. ART. 14. Exercifes on Elocution, a Poem, Select and Original, powerfully intended for Public Recitation. Compiled and written by J. V. Button, of the Claffical and Commercial Academy. Cliff. Lewes. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Button. 1809. The The principal objection to this little volume, to us at leaft, who every hour become more and more fenfible of the value of fight, is the fmallnefs and indiftinctnefs of the type. Poems in general are well chofen, in point of intrinfic merit, but perhaps not the moft judiciously with a view to public recitation. We do not eafily comprehend how fuch poems as those of Peter Pindar, or the Broad Grins already mentioned, can be confidered as fuitable exercises in Elocution. Among the Original Poems are two very pleafing compofitions, by a young gentleman, refident in India, for one of which we with we had room. ART. 15. A Monody on the Right Hon. William Pitt. Dedicated by Permiffion, to her Grace the Duchefs of Richmond. By the Rev. Dr. Dealtry, LL. D. 4to. Stockdale. 2s. 6d. 1809. The worthy Doctor is rather late in his elegiac contributions to the memory of Mr. Pitt; and, indeed, if he had withheld them altogether it might have been well, as we do not think that the fame of either will be much increafed or exalted.. "See o'er all other candidates for fame Peerlefs pre-eminence proud Pitt proclaim." Alas, for fuch alliteration, and alas also that we have another melancholy ditty to notice from the fame pen, ART. 16. Elegy on Sir John Moore, K. B. Dedicated by Permiffion to his Grace the Duke of Richmond. By the Rev. Robert Deal try, LL.D. 4to. 2s. 6d. Stockdale. 1809. Gentle reader, accept of the firft lines, and e'en do whatever you pleafe with them: Ye who ere wept a hero's triumph o'er, Weep largely now for ever honoured Moore- A mother's, fifter's heart, and his were one." ART. |