Mr. Macneill's Poem on the Paftoral Muse of Scotland*, though we have not deemed it worthy of the highest praife, is by no means fuch as we defire to pass in filence. It has many merits, and the author would be treated unjustly, were he difmiffed without commendation. The Bees of Dr. Evans † continue to gather Darwinian honey in the mountainous tracts of Wales. Though a lefs profufe allowance of this very cloying ingredient would, to our taste, form a better compofition, we cannot forbid others to try, what may, perhaps, exactly fuit their tastes, being clearly good of its kind. The Poemata Italorum, which we noticed in our third ‡ number, have no fault, as a felection, except being, in too large a proportion, a repetition of fimilar publications. The poems are elegantly printed, and the notes ufeful. THE DRAMA. Of the drama we have better, fpecimens in this" volume than fometimes have fallen to our lot; and we are truly glad to perceive an amendment in a department which fo long has languifhed. Mr. Arnold's Man and Wife §, powerfully attracted, and at the fame time fufficiently juftified the public tafte. The few of Mogadore is not, certainly, one of the first of the Author's productions; but that author is Mr. Cumberland, who cannot, even at his advanced age, labour entirely in vain. The School for Authors, another pofthumous work of the ingenious Mr. Tobin, occafioned a figh while we perufed it, to think on the hard fate of the Author, who was not permitted to enter the temple of Fame, but through the Valley of Death. In collecting Specimens of our earlier Dramas, Mr. Lamb has performed a fervice to thofe who would be glad to know their merits, without beftowing the time neceffary for wading through their faults. We think his volume very pleafing. The admired Paftoral drama of Ramfay, the Gentle Shepherd, may now ́· be confidered as completely illuftrated t; fince not only the place of its scenery has been accurately afcertained, but every spot delineated, by a pleasing, and, we understand, a correct pencil. On fuch memorials of departed genius, a feeling mind cannot fail to dwell with fatisfaction, and even delight. NOVELS. There are few works of fancy which we fhould examine with more pleasure than Novels, if Novels were written with the fpirit we could wish to fee in them, and with the care which they would amply repay, if they were but thought to deferve it. Some of the higheft merits both of the ferious and comic drama might be united in them, and the beft objects of morality and religion might be forwarded by the mode of conducting them. All these qualities have feldom, if ever, been united in one novel, and thofe must be confidered as the beft, which attain the greater part of them, with most complete effect. Mr. Linley, in his novel of Ralph Reybridge, has fhown that he feels what fuch a production fhould be, and that he is not deftitute of the talents which are required to give it effect; but he has evidently either neglected or defpaired to give it that excellence which we think he might attain. Calia in Search of a Husband §, is a *No. I. p. 73. No. III. p. 239. still more hafty production, yet its author (whofe name is faid to be Torrens *) appears to have talents, and fome knowledge of human life. Various fcenes of low life are delineated with fpirit in Mr. Ryley's Itine rantt, and the whole has a ftrong appearance of being drawn from real events, which we conceive to be the cafe. The fhorter novels, called Tales, admit lefs of character and contrivance, but among the Tales of Fashionable Life, by Mifs Edgworth, are one or two which come, perhaps, as near as can well be imagined to the perfection of that minor branch. MISCELLANIES. We have refumed, after fome interval, our ac counts of the Afiatic Refearches §, a work fo mifcellaneous that we are reduced to clafs it here. It is, however, only the more generally interefting from this character of variety. Major Stewart's Catalogue of the Library of Tippoo Sultan may be confidered as intimately connected with the Afiatic Refearches; of which, but for its extent, it might very properly have made a part. The works of Pope are alfo truly miscellaneous, and never have we feen them fo complete, or fo very ably illuftrated, as in Mr. Bowles's late Edition. The Correspondence of Bp. Nicolson**, we have not confidered as biographical, because it does not in fact convey much knowledge of the Bishop's Life; but it is a publication of much value, as containing the Letters of many very emi- nent and learned men, and illuftrated by the editor in the most fatisfactory manner. Of Dr. Pegge's Anonymiana*, we cannot fay fo much as we could. wifh. That a book fo large, and fo extremely 'various, must contain fome curious things is certain; but, if the contents were judiciously fifted, we should fay with the utmoft energy, πλέον ήμισυ παντος. What remain are smaller productions; Mr. Dibdin's literary amusement, entitled Bibliomania †, has at least more information in it, than the poem of the fame title by which it was occafioned. The annual volume by Mr. Blagdon, of selections, under the name of Flowers of Literature, proceeds at least as well as it began, and contains, perhaps, as much as is worth preferving of many writers cited in it. The Annals of Sporting §, are an imitation, by no means unfuccefsful, of Mr. Bunbury's Annals of Horfemanship, and are enlivened with etchings fufficiently expreffive of the whimsical ideas in the book. Hints to Freshmen at Cambridge, and Advice to a Young Reviewer, printed at Oxford, are fmall Tracts, but written evidently by authors well qualified for greater things, and in their tendency altogether laudable. A few books fubfidiary to Education, will conclude our prefent lift. Of thefe Lindley Murray's rẻprinted Grammar**, is a book now calculated to pafs from the School to the Library. Dr. Carey's Latin Profody++, enlarged and corrected with great care, is a book of much value and extenfive utility. Mr. Render's Sketches will be fought by thofe whe unite the ftudy of the German with that of other mo dern languages; to whom it offers a convenience of illuftration, which they could not, we believe, enjoy before. Having thus communicated our discoveries of the utile and the dulce in recent Literature, we leave our Readers to take advantage of them, by procuring without delay fuch as will either affift their studies, or delight their taftes. |