ART. 17. Spanish Eclogues, including an Elegy on the Death of the Marquis de la Romana, with other Pieces. By Hifpanicus. 8vo. Is. 6d. Allen. 1811.

We are very glad not to have overlooked this honourable tribute to the heroes and patriots of Spain. The lines are spirited and harmonious, and the author probably has written, and yet more probably will write, ftill better things.

The Eclogues feem formed on the model of Collins, and for this fort of compofition, better could not poffibly be taken. The first

opens

thus:

"O'er wafted plains, where Ebro's rapid flood
Rolls its red current, ftain'd with native blood,
Where once the olive rear'd its verdant head,
And loaded fig-trees grateful fhadows fpread;
Where the bright orange bloom'd in native pride,
And grapes hung cluftring from the chefnut's fide;
Where once the lime, by genial breezes fann'd,
Diffus'd perfumes around the fmiling land;
Where laurel groves with myrtles twin'd their green,
And conftant verdure freshen'd all the scene;
But ah how vain! for lo, a spoiler's hand
Loofed his vile bloodhounds on the lovely land.
Swift at his word thefe groves were torn away,
And all these charms became a fpoiler's prey.
Where once they bloom'd, lie fcatter'd all around
The bones of heroes blanching on the ground," &c.

The third Eclogue, reprefenting the parting of a lover from his mift refs, and called Fernandez and Ifabella, is very pathetic and interefting, which alfo may be faid of the Elegy on the Marquis De la Romana, which concludes the pamphlet, for though promised in the title-page, there are no "other pieces," at least in our copy.

ART. 18. The Conqueft of Canaan, a featonian Prize Poem. By George Pryme, Efq. M.A. Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 4to. 2s. 6d. Cadell and Davies.

1810.

This is a very refpectable compofition, in blank verfe. There will be found in it much correct tafte and occafional vigour. We almost wonder that fo beaten a subject should be proposed. following animated apoftrophe concludes the poem.

"Ill-fated race—a name alone remains

Of all thy dread magnificence and ftrength.
To thee no home, no native country spreads
Her proud endearments, gives and claims alike
Protection: but through every various clime
Difperfed thou long muft roam, a race profcribed

The

For fcorn to point at, and relentless power
To harass with her perfecuting hand;

While barbarous hordes poffefs thy much-lov'd feats,
And Salem, fitting in the palm-tree shade
Difconfolate, laments her flow decay.

Ages on ages roll away, and still

Thy bitter cup of mifery is full;

Still muft thou drain the unexhausted draught,
And still it mantles to thy pallid lips."

Among the various poems which we have feen on the foregoing

It has

fubject, the Conqueft of Canaan by Dr. Dwight, printed at
Hartford in America, feems moft deferving of attention.
been reprinted in this country, by Johnson.

ART. 19. The Influences of Senfibility, a Poem, in three Parts.
8vo. 64 PP. Mawman. 1810.

This author, whom we conjecture to be young, fhould read more before he undertakes to publifh compofitions of this length. Not that he feems to be deficient in natural powers, but because those powers do not feem to have yet had fufficient cultivation. In his preface he acknowledges that, before his poem was completely printed, he found himself anticipated in his fubject by two prior writers. The one of these is obfcure enough, but the other deferved to be known, being no less an author than Mrs. H. More. To her, indeed, he pays a due tribute of commendation; but he does not feem to feel, as he ought, that his own poem is too inferior to be offered after that which the produced on "Senfibility." More ftudy would have prevented all these mistakes, and we recommend it, because the author feems to have talents which may improve by application. Having faid thus much, we would willingly quote fome of his beft verfes. Perhaps these may deserve that character.

"Hail Friendship! fource of undiffembled praife,

To thee the Mufe her cordial tribute pays;
Thou milder light of life, whofe genial force
From Love's approaching orb derives its fource;
Oh never may diverfe opinions rend

Thy tender tie, and fever friend from friend;
For why, without an error of the heart,
Should uneffential trifles caufe to part

Or anger oft with jealous hafte awake,

?

Ere Candour's fmile explain the rash mistake?" P. 31.

Per

It is unneceffary to point out to any critical reader, that there are faults in these lines; but we could find none without. haps, after all, the author had better take up fome other pur. fuit,

ART.

NOVELS.

ART. 20.
The Miffionary, an Indian Tale. By Mifs Owenfon
with a Portrait of the Author,, in 3 Vols. Stockdale. Izmo.
il. Is. 1811.

No one will deny Mifs Owenfon the praife of a lively fancy, and most prolific invention, but furely every reader must agree, that this lady has ftill to cultivate the fober qualities of judgment, without which, alas! her productions will pafs in rapid fucceffion from the shelves of the circulating library, to far lefs agreeable places and purposes. The ftory of this novel is fo outrageously romantic, fo beyond all-bounds of confiftency and probability, fo very abfurd and prepofterous, as almoft to excite commiferation for the mind that could combine, or the hand which could write fuch a complication of extravagance. What does the reader think of a Cadet of a noble Portuguese family, preferring firft the gloom of a convent to the fplendour of his rank, thence emerging as a volunteer miffionary to the extreme parts of India, to convert the Hindus to Chriftianity. What again does he think of this miffionary, who becoming enamoured of a female prieftefs, educated in all the fubtle and mysterious dogmas of her religion, inspires her with the tender paffion to fuch an extreme, that he bears her from her friends, her idols and her country, that both narrowly efcape the flames of the inquifition at Goa; and finally-But, gentle reader, we are tired, as we think that thou muft alfo.To refer thee for more to the book itself, we cannot in honesty attempt; but we ftill hope that time and reflection may mature and correct the abilities of this lively lady, and that the may ftill produce works which we may perufe with fatisfaction, and confiftently with our duty recommend.

ART. 21. The Loves of Celeftine and St. Aubert, a Romantic Tale.
By Charles Philips, A.B. and Student of the Middle Temple, with
a Portrait of the Author!!! 12mo. 2 vols. ios. 6d.
Stockdale. 1811.

This foolish, mifchievous, and flimfy production might per haps have paffed without notice, but that we cannot help expreffing our furprife and concern, that a refpectable publisher, for fuch we conceive Mr. Stockdale, of Pall Mall, to be, fhould lend his name to fuch trafh and abfurdity. In the heroine, all decency is grofly outraged, for fhe is reprefented as giving every thing to her lover without even the ceremony of folicitation, and then an impudent and fentimental appeal is made to "heartless prudes who vaunt of abftinence." If any thing can increase our contempt for fuch ftuff, it is the conft mmate vanity of this student of the

Middle Temple, who has ftuck his portrait in the title page. Let us hope that a little experience of fpecial pleading, and the dry study of Coke and Blackstone, will reftrain this young man's intemperate effervefcences, and teach him modesty and discretion.

CHEMISTRY.

ART. 22. The Rudiments of Chemistry; illuftrated by Experiments, and Eight Copper-plate Engravings of Chemical Apparatus. By Samuel Parkes. Author of the Chemical Catechifm, &c. 12mo. 294 PP. 5s. Lackington, &c. 1810.

The ingenious author of the "Chemical Catechifm," of which our latest notice was at page 401 of our last Number, gives the following account of his prefent book. "He had often been requested," he fays, to compofe an Elementary Treatife on Chemistry, which, while it poffeffed the fimplicity and perfpi cuity at which he aimed, in compofing the Chemical Catechifm, might, by a reduction of its fize, be afforded at a much lower price." His plan, therefore, has been to accommodate the fyftem of that work to the purpofe, employing the fame divifion into thirteen chapters, printing the principal chemical facts in a larger type, and fupporting each by an experiment or experi "This part of ments, which the truth of the affertion. prove the plan," fays the author, "is the feature by which it differs principally from the Chemical Catechifm, where the experiments ftand unconnected with the work; in order that the student might exercise his ingenuity and memory, to difcover the different laws of nature by which they are governed."

It is very evident, even from this fhort account, that the prefent work, being executed by a perfon proved and known to be well qualified for the tafk, muft be moft admirably adapted to the purposes of inftruction. It may be ufed either as an introduction for ftudents, who may afterwards proceed with more advantage to the Chemical Catechifm; or, for those who have already ftudied that work, it may ferve as an excellent recapitulation, for fixing the facts in their memory, and connecting them readily and clearly with the proofs from which they are deduced. At the end is an alphabetical table of the terms now em. ployed in Chemistry, with a fhort but clear explanation of each.

A perfon poffeffed of a very moderate apparatus may go through this book, proving each fact by the evidence of his own fenfes, the moft delightful and effectual mode of inftruction. After what we have here said, it can hardly be necessary to add, that we approve and recommend the book.

ART.

ART. 23.

CATHOLIC QUESTION.

The Veto. -A Commentary on the Grenville Manifefte. By Cornelius Keogh, Efq. (Late of Mount Jerome, in Ireland.) A Catholic, and a Member of fome Literary Societies. 80 pp. 3s. 6d. Sherwood, Neely, and Jones. 1810.

8vo.

This tract, which is chiefly diftinguished by violence of declamation, may be found extremely well reviewed in Dr. O'Conor's first Letter, figned Columbanus (p. 106), which we have noticed in a larger article. The following paffages from that Letter may excufe us from a more exact examination of the prefent tract.

"Mr. Keogh may wonder, that what he comprehends fo clearly, namely, that a Veto is repugnant to the Catholic faith," is downright nonfenfe to every Catholic, who is acquainted with the doctrines of his own religion. He will reproach our poor intellects, no doubt, when he ought to blame the confufion of his own. In oppofition, however, to his wild affertion, that to grant a negative is to be guilty of a religious recantation, I beg leave to refer him to the preceding pages of this letter. I re gret as much as Mr. Keogh can, that the principles and practice of low cunning, mental refervation, and fervility, feem to be fo much attended to within the walls of Maynooth, I question the authenticity even of the bulis of confecration, which are faid to have been received from Italy, for the confecration of Bishops, within the last two years, nifi videro non credam; and even though they were put into my hands, I fhould examine them with all the minutenefs of fufpected diplomas.

"As I hold, that England and Ireland must ever be united under one civil conftitution, I would rather cultivate and improve that union for the profperity and tranquillity of my country, than by commending the rebellion of inexperienced young men against their lawful fuperiors, [at Maynooth] or by fpeculating on a future feparation of the two countries, to lay a foundation for the horrors of invafion, and the implacable malice of civil and religious war." P. 112.

Unfortunately, the moderate doctrines of Dr. O'Conor are at prefent much lefs popular in Ireland, than the violent opi nions of Mr. Keogh; and even the Romish Bishops of that country are more eager to eftablish their own affumed power of nominating their fucceffors, than to regulate their church according to its own principles, as proved by the whole tenor of history. While this is the cafe, the profpect of an accommodation will, we fear, be fmall.

Tt

BRIT. CRIT, VOL. XXXVII. JUNE, 1811,

ART: