of the scenes, it gives to them a kind of solemnity, which keeps up our attention, and consequently enhances our pleasure. As to the style of writing, it is throughout a master-piece; and far above the standard of common novel writers.

72.

Letters on the Events which have passed in France since the Restoration in 1815. By Helen Maria Williams. 8vo. pp.

199. Baldwin and Co.

THE literary reputation of Miss Williams has long been fully established; and her warm admiration of the French Revolution, unappalled by the dismal scenes of which she was a frequent witness, are well recollected. She is now nearly thirty years older, and her former ardour is somewhat abated. Still, however, she says,

"The interest I once took in the French Revolution is not chilled, and the enthusiasm I once felt for the cause of Liberty still warms my bosom. Were it otherwise I might perhaps make a tolerable defence, at least for a woman, by reverting to the past, and recapitulating a small part only of all I have seen, and all I have suffered. But where the feelings and affections of the mind have been powerfully called forth by the attraction of some great object, we are not easily cured of long cherished predilection. Those who believed as firmly as myself in the first promises of the Revolution, have perhaps sometimes felt, like me, a pang of disappointment; but no doubt continue, like me, to love Liberty, quand même - to use the famous unfinished phrase of an Ultra, applied to the Kingit may have given some cause of complaint.

"I am yet to learn, however, what there may be in common with the abhorrence of military despotism expressed in my last letters, and the renunciation of liberal principles. The strange prestige for our Imperial Ruler that prevails in England often renews an accusation which has long since been brought against our Country by Foreigners, that she considers Freedom as a home production, chartered for her own use, and resigns with great equani mity the government of the rest of Europe to Monarchs-' qui montent à cheval;' the French term for a conqueror."

The Letters have certainly great merit. They describe with fidelity what the Writer of them has seen and known; and her reflections on passing events are the result of attentive observation.

Amongst other subjects of discussion are the persecution of the Protestants, and a supplementary Letter in their Defence; Chamber of Deputies; Law of Elections; Liberty of the Press; Concordat; Mandement; Literature; Science; Bible Society; Missionaries; Education; Recruiting Law; Catholic Processions; Aix-laChapelle; and the Proposition to change the Law of Elections.

73. Chronicon Mirabile; seu, Excerpta Memorabilia e Registris Parochialibus Com. Pal. Dunelm. Pondere non Numero. Svo. pp. 26. Garbutt, Sunderland.

THIS is a Tract, which (similar to "Jacob Bee's Book," noticed in 1819, Part ii. p. 614.) if it had no intrinsic merit, is of sufficient rariety to make it valuable, only 25 copies having been printed. But it possesses other attractions.

The "Prologue," from the pen of the Editor, Sir Cuthbert Sharpe, will be found in our Poetry for the present month.

The extracts from many of the Registers are curious, and most of them may be useful to Genealogists. A few specimens shall be given.

"Mem. Ye River was risen so high. yt they could not bring the corps up New Elvet, but were obliged to carry it up Old Elvet & ye Ratten Row. It was ye greatest flood yt had been in ye memory of man."

"7 June, 1725. All communication between Shincliff and ye Town was stopped by a great flood, which yet rose not so high (by near a yard perpendicular) as yt of July 8, 1722, commonly called Slater's flood.

"June 21. Towards night there was another flood very near as high as ye former, but did not last so long: for yt kept to ye heigth near 12 hours; but ye brooks did more harm yn in ye former flood-The public news give an account yt most counties of England have suffered as much or more by water yn wee; & yt a great part of Europe bave been equall sufferers

1820.]

"From Norton.

age.

"Mrs. Mary Forster, wife of the Rev. Mr. Joseph Forster, Vicar, bur. 27 April, 1744. It may be truly said of this gentlewoman, that none ever excell'd, & very few equall'd her, in the true social virtues which adorn human life. She employed her whole time in continual acts of piety & charity. In her, the poor never wanted a friend to relieve them in their various distresses, nor her neighbours a willing & impartial mediator in their differences. Ju short, the whole pleasure of her life was doing good, & her death is a general loss."

We are led to hope for continuation of this "Chronicon Mirabile."

14. Remarks on The General Sea-bathing Infirmary at West Brook, near Margate; its public utility and local treatment. By Christianus. Second Edition. 8vo. pp. 130. Simpkin and Marshall. TRULY this is a very singular publication, interesting in many respects, although compiled from documents chiefly of a controversial nature, and even of an angry complexion in some particulars." Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi," i.e. in plain English, The Governors of a noble Institution dispute, and its poor inmates suffer of course.-We unfeignedly regret whilst we record the melancholy fact. Not inattentive GENT, MAQ, April, 1820.

spectators of the bustling scene, yet cautious not to mix in the fray which we lament, we consider ourselves thoughts on the subject; and we do qualified to offer some impartial spirit, and (we should be happy to add) here offer them accordingly, in the with the power, of conciliation. With almost all the known parties engaged in the controversy we live in habits either of intimate friendship or of courteous acquaintance and sincere good-will: and, respecting each gentleman concerned for the purity of his separate motives, and for the uprightness of his intentions, we yet cannot but own our reluctant conviction that every disputant in his turn, and in proportion to his means, seems to have erred from the practice of Christian charity. Throughout the unnatural contest, we have sought anxiously and in vain, to discover, if possible, one direct and manly overture towards peace; we have tried to trace in the muddy road one step distinguished for the regularity and precision of its onward course; we have listened to many conversations, and have perused many papers, with this view to no enquiries with a brief Review of the purpose; and now we terminate our book before us, still cherishing hopes that men of character and worth will ere long mutually forgive their heats, and forget their estrangement.

The Work is pleasingly dedicated, thus:

"To the friend of man, who shews forth the praise of God, not only with his lip, but in his life; to James Taddy, esq. of Hartsdown, V. P. of the General Seabathing Infirmary; these REMARKS, in and gratefully dedicated, by Christianus." testimony of his virtue, are respectfully

A concise Preface informs us, that

"Throughout the following pages the Compiler is not aware of any misrepresentation on his part :"

an information which we will not allow ourselves to doubt, since we perceive the Author to have preserved with scrupulous and laudable fidelity every authentic document pro. duced by both parties, no matter whether such document made for or against his own side of the question.

We shall state the rise of the debate.A Clergyman, whom to name and to honour for his discharge of parochial

1820.]

trite.

Treasurer of the Cathedral Church of Hereford. 8vo. pp. 24. Rivingtons. 77. A Discourse addressed to Unbelievers; or an Astronomical View of the Existence of the Deity. By the same. 8vo. pp. 23. TWO instructive and sound Discourses, where new matter is happily produced on subjects apparently Take the following specimens: "Whatever is temporal was made by a superior eternal power, that produced it according to His will. The Cause therefore is an intellectual Being. For, supposing a Cause to be entirely the same, and not to produce an effect that afterwards it produces, without any preceding change, it is evident that it operates not by necessity of nature, but voluntarily, and therefore with understanding; as a man who speaks (if we may so say), that before was silent, according to the liberty of his own will." 2d Serm. p. 13.

ex

Mr. Walond concludes with tracts from Professor Vince's Refutation of Atheism. The following passages must, we think, be deemed highly interesting.

"The Universe is also found to contain phænomena, very unlike to any that we have hitherto described. With the best glasses, objects have been discovered, under the appearance of round well defined bodies, of a faint light, some of which have a luminous point situated in the centre; and in respect to their magnitude they cannot be less in diameter, than that of our own planetary system, including the Georgium Sidus. But the most remarkable and singular phænomenon is under the form of an elliptical ring, of a magnitude immense, and beyond the -power of all calculation. p. 20.

"When astronomers, with their best telescopes, penetrate into the depths of the Universe, and arrive at the visible boundary of the creation, when apparently nothing is beyond but void space, we might expect darkness to be the termination. In this vast concave expanse however, there are several faintly-illuminated spots, and one of considerable extent; appearing like openings in the dark back-ground into more distant regions. And in all these the boundary of light and darkness is very well definedwhence then the source of this light? and why confined to parts of the expanse?" p. 20.

"The extent of our views, great as it now is, probably comprehends but a very small part of the Universe. To admit a time when there were no created beings, we must suppose the Deity to have existed an eternity of ages by himself, and inactive; a supposition very

339

hard to be admitted; and if creation had no beginning it can have no bounds. The account of Moses applies to our own system only. Objects have been discovered, whose distances are estimated to be such, that their light must have been nearly two millions of years in travelling down to us for that length of time, therefore, we are enabled to trace back the existence of the Material Creation."

78.

Unitarians not Infidels; or The Principles of Unitarian Christians stated and explained, and erroneous views respecting them corrected. A Sermon preached before an Association of Unitarian Christians at Hull, September 20, 1818; in which are also defined the Nature and Objects of the Association. By John Platt, Unitarian Minister at Doncaster. 4th Edit. 12mo. pp. 12.

The Title explains the Contents. 79. Tottenham. A Poem. By J. A. Heraud. 8vo. pp. 40. Nichols and Son. nious. The hero of it is Bruce, founThis Poem is pleasing and harmoder of the Castle which bears his name.

80. God's Revenge against Rebellion: an Historical Poem. With copious Notes, illustrative of the present State of Ireland. Occasioned by a late Edict from Rome, and a Circular Letter of a Titular Bishop in the West of Ireland, against Bibles and Protestant Schoolmasters. By the Rev. John Graham, M. A. 8vo. pp. 24. Duncan at Glasgow.

IN this animated Poem the misery of the lower class of the natives of Ireland is strongly depicted, and one primary cause of it pointed out: "Near where the Boyne runs babbling [vale,

thro' the dale, Where Spring in all her glory decks the Where tuneful birds, inspired with joy and love,

Raise to the skies the music of the grove, See where the pardoned rebel's cottage [ing lands!

stands,

To shame the beauty of the neighbourThro' all the roof, with soot and ashes foul,

The melancholy blasts of winter howl: Together on the earth, in this damp sty, His dog, his wife, his swine, and children lie.

An unfenced garden, emblem of his sloth, Exhibits weeds of wild luxuriant growth: Vile are the marks on this abode of sin, Dunghills all round, and filthiness within. The wretched owner once was young and

But Superstition, foe to human kind, Had laid strong hold upon his youthful mind;

Taught him to tremble at a Bigot's word, And kept him from the SCRIPTURES OF THE LORD."

"STRANGERS Visiting Ireland are apt to charge a considerable portion of the filth and misery of the Popish peasantry, either to the Government, or the landed proprietors; and to represent them in the tours they publish, as an oppressed and broken-hearted people, rendered indolent by extreme ill usage. But those best acquainted with Ireland, know, that the wretchedness of these deluded people proceeds almost exclusively from causes which are unhappily beyond the controul of either the Government or landed proprietors. The poor Irish Roman Catholicks are, in the first instance, most oppressively taxed and fleeced by their own clergy; without whose purchased permission, they can neither be baptized, instructed, married, buried, nor even rest in their graves, -not to mention the continued drain, by purchased absolutions and permissions to commit what they are taught to consider sins, venial or mortal; and, beside, this mendicity is in a manner interwoven with the very frame and constitution of Popery."

81. Britannia's Tears over her Patriot and Hero, the late illustrious and benevolent Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Field-Marshal, &c. Earl of Dublin, K.G., G. C. B., K. G. V., who departed this life January 23, 1820, in the 53d year of his age; an Elegy, descriptive of his Life and Last Hours; with Engravings of the Duke and Duchess and of Kensington Palace. Το which is added, A Biographical Memoir. By a Clergyman, late of Oxford. 8vo. pp. 30. G. Greenland.

THESE hasty effusions of the heart," we are told, are the production of one who "admired the virtues, felt the personal kindness, and will ever retain a lively remembrance of the high moral worth, and transcendant benevolence of the Royal Duke."

The Author justly observes that

"He was educated by his Royal Father in Christian Principles. The seeds of virtue sown in him expanded, as he grew up, into blossoms and fruit, resembling those which adorned the youth, the manhood, and the old age of our late venerated Sovereign. He had rank and affluence. There was no need for him to practice hypocrisy to serve his interests; he loved religion for its own sake; he practiced

virtue from choice; he venerated the Bible, because he was convinced it was the inspired word of God; he performed his duty as a soldier, as a husband and a father, and as a member of society, from a principle of regard to the divine authority, and from a benevolent wish to serve his country and his fellow-creatures."

82.

Chefs-d'Euvre of French Literature, consisting of interesting Extracts from the Classic French Writers, in Prose and Verse, with Biographical and Critical Remarks on the Authors and their Works. In two volumes. Vol. I. Prose. 800. pp. 391. Longman and Co.

FROM the intimate connexion which naturally subsists between the two countries, the study of the French language, whether for ornament or utility, must always be important to an Englishman.

"In every department of Literature, France occupies a lofty pre-eminence.— Her Divines, her Historians, her Statesmen, and her Poets are all of the first order.

In Divinity, the sermons and funeral orations of Bossuet, Massillon, Flechier, and Fenelon breathe the sublimest eloquence, the purest morality, and the most ardent and unaffected piety. -In History, Rollin and St. Real are justly admired for their truth and perspicuity. In Statistics, the, writings of Montesquieu and D'Aguesseau contain the soundest principles of Government with the finest sentiments of Libertywhile in Poetry, a host of illustrious names presents itself, from which it is difficult to make a selection.-The Satires of Boileau and the Fables of La Fontaine have never been surpassed-there is a strength and brilliancy in the one, a terseness and naïveté in the other, that defy competition.Florian and the Abbé Delille are entitled to the reputation of elegant and descriptive Poets, and the Henriade is eminently distinguished for two of the grandest characteristics of Epic Poetry, Sublimity and Pathos. But it is the Dramatic genius of France that constitutes her greatest glory! The dignity of the tragic muse has been nobly upheld by Corneille, Racine, and Voltaire; while the inimitable Moliere, in comedy, has so completely formed a school of his own, that some of the best writers of our own country have not scrupled to adopt him for their model, and to borrow from his resources- -his plays are the most finished productions of the comic muse; in the delineation of character, he must however rank second to Shakspeare, for the world never produced three such exquisite originals as Mercutio, Benedick, and Falstaff.

"The following Extracts have been selected