Art. 37. Peter not infallible! or a Poem, addressed to Peter Pindar Esq. on reading his Nil Admirari, a late illiberal Attack on the Bishop of London; together with unmanly Abuse of Mrs. Hannah More. Also Lines occasioned by his Ode to some Robin Redbreasts in a Country Cathedral. By the Author of Gleanings from Thomson, or the Village Muse, &c. 4to. PP. 33. 38. Chapple, Pall Mall. 1800. The gentleman who here challenges the renowned Peter to the fight says "I too am a Poet:" so also may a Mite say to an Elephant, I too am an Animal: but as all animals are not, so neither are all poets, of the same rank; and this writer, whatever fame he may have acquired, is not qualified to measure a lance with Peter Pindar. In our opinion, he is not apprized of the true mode of conducting warfare against this modern satirist. In our sportive strictures on the Nil Admirari, we endeavoured, by using the poet's own weapons, to parry the force of the stroke aimed at the respectable objects of his satire; and to shew that he who strives to raise a laugh unfairly should be laughed at in return. This is the way of dealing with the facetious Peter. His light troops are not to be overtaken by heavy armed cavalry; and he is too agile to be knocked down by the pole-ax of a carcase butcher. Peter certainly is not infallible, nor invulnerable: but he is invincible by clumsy weapons. He has not given his reasons for denying that Mrs. H. More was the author of the work on Female Education: but certain passages he had a right to lash, if he deemed their severity reprehensible; and as a poet he may be allowed to stand forwards the energetic advocate of the poets. He may also, in the fervor of his indignation, pronounce that Mrs. More's "prose is very bad:" but such unfounded censure will do no injury to her literary reputation. We expected, from the humorous Challenge and Complaint prefixed to this Poem, that the author meant only to bring light troops into the field against P. P.: but we were lamentably disappointed. The Nil Admirari is combated in blank verse; and the poet flounders in the slough of abuse instead of soaring to elegant satire. What has Godwin or the New Philosophy to do here? Should he, who chides the author of Nil Admirari for abuse, tell the world that Godwin is the first of PINDAR's lovely catalogue of saints?" and that WOLCOT - Smiles complacent o'er his country's tomb ?' How apt are writers to fall into the very vice which they reprobate! That this gentleman is not equal to P. P. as a poet, the following short quotation will demonstrate: Propitious let the rural Genius smile, And favour those, whom Love hath favour'd so. Y 2 Of Of bliss, just grafted from two hearts in one, The lines occasioned by the Ode to Some Robin Red-Breasts, &c. are in rhime, and are very serious and solemn: but they do not go to the point of Peter's satire. Art. 38. The Polyhymnia Poetry; original and selected. By a Society of Gentlemen. 8vo. 25. Elegantly printed, at Glasgow, by Murdoch. We must honestly confess that we see very little to admire in these Candles'-ends and Cheese-parings" of Poetry-but, as this is only a first volume, and the authors are young beginners, they may improve in time. The collection, we understand, is to be continued annually. Art. 39. The Links o' Forth; or, a parting Peep at the Carse o Author of the 8vo. IS. 6 d. This short descriptive poem is written in the Scottish dialect; in which, we believe, the word 'links' signifies the winding banks of a river. It abounds with picturesque delineations of the romantic scenery adjacent to the town and castle of Stirling; where the remains of antique grandeur have shed a pensive charm over the author's Doric verse. We subjoin a brief specimen: Haw still and solemn steals the gloom, -Hark! what bemoan'd the slaughter'd doon • "Twas but the Dove, that wooes his mate, Whar, Grandeur, naw thy regal state? Nor sculptur'd verse records thy date, Nor moss-grown stone ! Yet regal pomp, and courtly show, Oft grac'd yon castle's princely brow, Strevlina's fertile fields below, And winding flood.' MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 40. A Laconic Epistle, addressed to his Royal Highness the Duke of York, containing some cursory Remarks on the late Expedition. By a Military Officer. 8vo. I's. Egerton. Borrowed from a famous Speech in the House of Commons. 8 Adulation Adulation and Flattery!-so profuse and gross, that, if the Duke of York could be supposed to read the pamphlet, the author's design would probably be defeated. Art. 41. The true Causes of the present Distress for Provisions; with a natural, easy, and effectual Plan, for the future Prevention of so great a Calamity. With some Hints respecting the absolute Necessity of an encreased Population. By William Brooke, F.R. A. 8vo. 25. Symonds. 1800. Mr. Brooke attributes our present distress principally to the following causes. Monopoly of farms; the immense number of horses kept in the kingdom; the neglect in breeding cows, horned cattle, hogs, asses, and goats; the almost disuse of fish, and carelessness of our fisheries; the present method of supporting the clergy; too extensive hop grounds; neglect of orcharding, &c.'-' Exclusive of these general causes of scarcity,' says Mr. B. there are others that have operated in a lesser degree. These secondary causes are, exten. sive parks and pleasure-grounds; the common mode of sowing grain; the extravagant manner used by the poor in dressing their meat; the ridiculous waste of straw; with many others.'-These are numerous and heavy charges against the economy of our husbandry. The first has been the subject of much controversy. When the nation,' says the author, about thirty years ago, began to turn its serious attention to agriculture, a wrong bias took place in the mind of the public,-that it would be more for the advantage of the nation, that the small farms and cottages should be thrown into large farms; and upon this illusive idea, that the large farmer, by means of his superior capital, would work the land which he occupied, to greater advantage than the small farmer.'-"By throwing the bulk of the land into comparative few hands, opportunity is given to speculation, an evil, when on objects of the first necessity, which exceeds all calculation.' Such practices occasion more than an artificial scarcity; they are attended with great waste, by grain being frequently kept up till it is damaged and unfit for use. The author attributes it to the reduction in the number of farms, that our markets are almost deprived of small stock; that is to say, fowls, geese, turkies, pigs, &c. The small portion of land which, on every farm, is employed for gardening, orcharding, raising small stock, providing and preparing manure, &c. is more profitably ema ployed than the average of the other part of the land. Small farms multiply this advantage. By permitting farmers to hold large tracts, for want of abundance of manure on the tillage land, a very great quantity has been taken from under the plough, and thrown into pasture; consequently has been the means of a vast decrease in the growth of all kinds of grain.' Mr. Brooke regards the reduction in the size of large farms as indispensable to obtain an increase in the necessaries of life, as well as to provide settlements for an increased number of young farmers and cottagers, and thereby prevent emigrating from their native homes two of the most useful classes of subjects. He recommends, instead of paying the labourer entirely with money, commonly spent imprudently,' that he should have a small piece of land. The labouring man has many hours in the 6 Y 3 course course of the year which he would gladly devote to the improvement of his small spot, and his wife and children would assist him :-and the spade cultivates the earth better than the plough.' The great number of horses is justly mentioned as a very serious evil. It appears, by the minister's report, there are near one million and an half of horses in this kingdom. Those who know the expence of keeping one only of these beasts in good order, will surely agree with me, that five human beings could live in great plenty on the produce of the same quantity of land needful to support one horse.' Mr. B.'s arguments in favour of a more general use of oxen, in draft labour, are calculated to dispel many prejudices; and he makes an estimate of the immense advantage which would accrue to the nation, if the number of horses were diminished by 300,000, and 500,000 oxen were substituted in their room; the food necessary for the horses being quite sufficient for the oxen.' We cannot notice every separate head: but Mr. Brooke has given such information on each, as is sufficient to prove that he has considered his subject. One of the worst evils,' he observes, not only to the nation, but to many of the individuals themselves, is the iguorance of almost all our gentlemen of large landed property, in respect to husbandry. There ought to be established seminaries for agriculture, at which the sons of all noblemen and gentlemen should be fixed for a certain time, and where they should be taught the prac tical part of farming.' We have been rather particular in our account of this pamphlet, (and still have been restricted by want of room more than we could have wished,) as we incline to the author's opinion that it is bad sporting with, the belly; and we recommend the perusal of it as containing many ideas which deserve serious consideration. Art. 42. The Economy of an Institution, established in Spitalfields, London, for the Purpose of supplying the Poor with Good Meat Soup at one Penny per Quart. Principally extracted from the Papers of the Society, and published with a View to promote the Establishment of similar Institutions, in Towns, Villages, and populous Neighbourhoods. 8vo. 4d. Phillips, Lombard-street. 1799. The benevolent institutions of soup-shops are equally to be praised for their design, and for the manner in which they are conducted. Carefulness and attention, exercised in the application of charity, are to be reckoned among the practices of economy the most productive and meritorious.-This little pamphlet explains the whole management of one of the largest of these useful institutions, and may be consulted with benefit. To shew the mode in which the soup is prepared, we give a copy of the receipt of ingredients from which one hundred gallons of soup are made.-8 stone, or 64 lbs. of beef, consisting of fore-quarters, clods, &c.-16 stone, or 128 lbs. of shins.-46 lbs. of split-pease.-36 lbs. of Scotch barley.-24 lbs. of onions.-8 lbs. of salt. 10 oz. of black pepper (ground).' The average expence of making, exclusive of rent, wages, boilers, utensils, &c. is rather more than 1d. per quart.' 6 Art. Art. 43. Extract of a Journal of a Second Tour from London through the Highlands of Scotland, and the North-western Parts of England. With Observations and Remarks. By Rowland Hill, A. M. late of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Minister of Surrey Chapel. 8vo. 6d. Williams, &c. 1800. In our Review for September 1799, we paid due attention to Mr. Hill's former journal of his religious travels through the North of England, and parts of Scotland; and we stated the satisfaction which we received from the perusal of that publication, particularly from the author's continued good humour, his lively style, and the pertinence of his occasional remarks: in which he always expresses himself in a manner that shews him to be not only a pious minister of the gospel, but a man of good sense and taste. Art. 44. Plea for Union, and for a free Propagation of the Gospel. Being an Answer to Dr. Jamieson's Remarks on the late Tour of the Rev. R. Hill, addressed to the Scot's Society for the Propaga tion of the Gospel at home. By Rowland Hill, A. M. late of St. John's College, Cambridge, &c. 8vo. Is. Chapman. 1800. Dr. Jamieson's objections to parts of Mr. Hill's publication were briefly mentioned in our account of the Doctor's Remarks, in the M. R. for December last, p. 476.-In Mr. H.'s Reply, now before us, the strictures of Dr. J. are encountered in a very masterly style. -On the whole, we think that the ingenious answerer is obliged to the good doctor for the opportunity which he has afforded him, in the present instance, for laying before the public one of the best apologies which we, at this moment, are able to recollect, for lay-preachers and itinerant preaching. Art. 45. The Life of Major J. G. Semple Lisle; containing a faithful Narrative of his alternate Vicissitudes of Splendor and Misfortune. Written by himself. The whole interspersed with interesting Anecdotes, and authentic Accounts of important Public Transactions. 8vo. pp. 382. 6s. Boards. Stewart. 1799. Of this extraordinary character, Rumour, " on whose tongue continual slanders ride," has so loudly spoken, that Mr. S. L.now steps forth to recount his own actions and adventures; and it is not at all wonderful that a person, whose disposition cannot be supposed to be one of those on which misfortune and disgrace sit easy, should, after having braved so many dangers, venture one literary campaign in his own defence. 66 The writer complains of the hard measure dealt to him by the law; and his complaint is in some degree sanctioned by letters written in his favor by the late Mr. Burke, and Mr. Boswell, copies of which are inserted in the narrative. In one of these letters, addressed to John King, Esq. Under Secretary of State, Mr. Burke says, you well remember your friend, my late brother; you know that no man had a clearer head, nor a more upright heart. He had, as Recorder of Bristol, a good deal of experience in the criminal law. I have often heard him expatiate with no small indignation against the confusion which began to prevail in the criminal jurisprudence, by which the distinctive lines of offences were effaced, or at least rendered Y 4 |