only accounts for some quaint expressions, but excites our surprize at the general propriety of his style. His book offers considerable information; and the Synopsis of Antient Geography is ingenious, though in course somewhat conjectural. Too much is perhaps attempted at once; and the mixture of history and mythology with the geographical lessons may confuse those who attempt to commit the whole to memory. Art. 14. The School Cyphering Book, for Beginners; containing all the Variety of Sums and Questions usually proposed in the first five Rules of Arithmetic; viz. Notacion, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division. With a complete Set of Arithmetical Tables. By Jos ph Guy, Author of a "Pocket Cyclopedia," School Geography," &c. &c. 4to. 3s. 6d. Boards. Cradock and Joy. :811. This seems to be a plain useful cyphering book; and the questions to be resolved at the end of each rule are well selected. Mr. Guy's method of furnishing printed sums to beginners will certainly save trouble. A Key to this book is published, and may be purchased separately. Art. 15. The Geographical Primer; designed for the younger Classes of Learners, and calculated to advance them by natural and easy Gradations to a perfect Acquaintance with the Elements of the Science; with an Appendix, containing 1400 Questions on the principal Maps. By J. H. Wiffen. Darton, junior. 1812. 12mo. PP. 216. These lessons, being concise, are advisable for young beginners; and it may be considered as an improvement that, in naming the principal cities and towns in England, the rivers are also mentioned, on which several of those places are situated: as Chester on the Dee,' Reading on the Thames,' (and Kent,) &c. : but we were surprized to see that the Liffey is omitted among the rivers of Ireland. Art. 16. The New Young Man's Companion; or the Youth's Guide to general Knowledge, designed chiefly for the Benefit of private Persons of both Sexes, and adapted to the Capacities of Beginners. By John Hornsey, Author of "A short Grammar of the English Language," &c. &c. 12mo. 4s. Boards. Long man and Co. 1811. An useful compendium of information on various subjects, of which a part is original, and the rest is judiciously chosen from other works. The student, however, would be led into a slight breach of etiquette if he addressed a letter to The Honourable Sir A. B., Bart.,' or to "The Honourable Sir A. B., Knight,' in compliance with Mr. Hornsey's directions in page 79., Baronets and Knights not being consequently Honorable. POETRY. Art. 17. The Russian Chiefs, an Ode. 4to. 5s. Booth. 1813. The hand of genius, and the incurie of genius, are alike discoverable in this Ode; which is said to be the production of a gentleman who stands high in the profession of the law, and who is equally distinguished by his devotion to polite literature. It has been ob REV. AUG. 1813. Ff served served that an epitaph is defective, if it contain not the name of the person whose death it commemorates; and by the same rule that ode may be deemed wanting, which no where designates the warriorchiefs whom its title professes to celebrate. A few passages are also marked by an obscurity which we cannot penetrate; and which is in part owing to a redundancy and impropriety of punctuation that prevails throughout. The ingenious writer probably left this office of the pen to his printer, agreeing with too many in erroneously regarding it as insignificant *; and the consequence is that he is made to commit a fault in print, with which we understand he is least of all men chargeable in conversation; viz. to stutter in almost every line : for such is the effect of the punctuation, if it be followed in reading this Ode. The numerous annotations afford ample proof of the author's reading and classical recollections; and the whole poem is an evidence of those high-spirited and patriotic feelings, which lead every true Briton to eulogize the great and successful efforts of our northern allies in repelling the invader of their native soil. The horrors of the late Russian campaign were indeed so uncommon, the elements of nature combining with all the powers of war to hurl destruction on the foe, that they must "harrow up the soul" even when related in plain prose; and the Pindaric boldness of the poet before us is so far not necessary to "freeze the young blood," though the theme be worthy of the highest flights of the Muse. We copy a few lines: first, from the opening : Oh, for the animated vein, That strung the arm, and broke the chain, When from the voice, and from the lyre, Inflam'd the warrior's breast! Were mine, the bard's prophetic views, Like him, to mercenary fear, To the cold heart, and servile ear, Avengers of the arm enslav'd, Of rights opprest, of judgments brav'd, When cold in earth, your hand, shall rest, From death's pale ashes, breathe. *It is not by negligencies of this kind that celebrity is either gained or supported: nor is it thus "Great wits may gloriously offend, And rise to faults true critics dare not mend." For ex Some peculiarities in language also are discernible. ample, p.14., the præterite markt, and p. 15., the participle worshipt, are not sanctioned by use. In proceeding, the author aptly compares the irruption of Bona parte into Russia to the invasion of Greece by Xerxes: Time, has again of Xerxes heard, Has markt the fear, that wing'd his flight, I see the tyrant, foil'd, and stung, Gnash his fell teeth, when sword, and spear, Nor chief, nor king, would spare. But Conscience, on a Persian throne, For The doubt* of tyrants underwent, But you, have made Platea known; And Fame has been redeem'd.' The propriety of calling Bonaparte a coward, in this passage, and elsewhere, may well be questioned: though he fled, flight is not always cowardly; nor was his the flight of an ordinary commander, who might justly choose to share the fate of his army. We should have expected that, in this comparison to Xerxes, the learned author would not have overlooked the parallel of the Persian monarch's retreat over the Hellespont in a fishing vessel, with that of the French Emperor over deserts of snow in a solitary sledge. * What is meant here is, that a tyrant would of course wish to disbelieve a fact, so hostile to him in his influence upon the tenure of his claim to aggrandizement by invasions; and that he would find, in the detail of these events, a colour for incredulity; as they baffle every modern conception of political arithmetic. The main fact, is unquestioned.' Art. 18. The Deliverance of the North, or the Russian Campaign: a Poem. Published by the Author for the Benefit of the Russian Sufferers. 8vo. pp. 24. Baldwin. Twelve months ago, it was not expected that Don-Cossacks and Russian Generals would be sung in British verse, and that the flight of Bonaparte would be the subject of caricatures in our printsellers' shop-windows. Yet much is now hoped from the success of the Russians, combined with the brilliant victories obtained by our army in the Peninsula; and the present year is evidently big with great events. The poem before us, however, is not so much prophetic as retrospective. It describes the vast preparations of the French Ruler for the invasion of Russia, his march and bloody conflicts with the Russians, his disappointed hopes by the burning of Moscow, the mortal effects of bivouacing midst driving snow, the disasters and precipitate retreat of his troops, the hovering of clouds of Cossacks on his rear, the loss of his horses and cannon, and last of all his own flight from the scene of carnage, desolation, and petrifying cold: So toils the furious Corsican; enrag'd To find his host surrounded, and himself Succeeds to frenzy, fight succeeds to fear; The final address to the nations of Europe, on the result of the Russian campaign, may be quoted as a fair sample of the blank verse which is exhibited on the present occasion: Hear, all ye nations, mark the grand result Of such vast preparations to o'erturn From the popularity of the subject, some little defects of composi tion will be overlooked; since readers will not catch at faults when they are previously resolved to be pleased. Art. 19. A Metrical History of England; or, Recollections in Rhyme, of some of the most prominent Features in our National Chronology, from the Landing of Juljus Cæsar, to the Commence ment ment of the Regency in 1812. By Thomas Dibdin, Author of "The Jew and the Doctor," &c. 2 Vols. 8vo. 18s. Boards. Longman and Co. 1813. This is neither an useless nor an unpleasing compilation; and we recommend it to the notice of those guardians and instructors of children who deem it expedient to add artificial allurements to the natural charm of history. Indeed, it must be confessed that a taste for historical knowlege is not so general as it should be among the younger students of the day. They have been sickened with novels before they have fed on sounder food; and, whether from this or from more general causes, it has become necessary in numerous cases for the teacher to adopt factitious means of exciting an inclination, which we have called natural from feeling that it ought to be so. Since, then, we are of opinion that, in the instruction of boys and girls at an early age, it may be our duty to tempt many pupils in the present times to the study of history, (all attractive as it should be of itself, and without any such temptation,) we cannot but approve of Mr. Dibdin's endeavours to facilitate the attainment of so desirable an end. Having bestowed this praise on the design of versifying an abridged history of our country, we must, however, find fault with the execution of that design in a great number of passages. Many proper names are pronounced improperly; and a low buffoonery and a dull species of punning pervade the two volumes. Yet we will not dwell on this defect. Those who allow that we may "laugh and be wise" must not be captious in their censure of that mode of informa tion which prefers not only wit to judgment, but humour to wit. Mr. Dibdin's Metrical History of England,' in a word, is an amplification of the well-known " Chapter of Kings:" but it is something more. From Andrews, and from other collectors of anecdotes, he has compiled a very amusing miscellany of historical narrative; and if he sometimes indulges in too broad a grin, and on other occa. sions writes neither sense nor English, yet on the whole he conveys much instruction to the boyish reader in a very lively manner. to Art. 20. Hours of Loyalty; or Allegorical Political Delineations in Rhyme By William Harvey. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Ebers. 1813. It is the imperative duty of every man,' says Mr. Harvey, dedicate a portion of his time to his country. It's demand supersedes even the apologetical subterfuge of domestic anxiety,' &c.In illustration of this already luminous remark, Mr. H. proceeds, through several pages of prose and verse, (differing only in the manner of their printing,) to dedicate his hours of loyalty to Old England: "Zounds! what's the news," cries Johnny Bull, Lord Wellington has beat the French!"' &c. -a truism with which we are very happy to conclude. Ff3 NOVELS |