The First Portion of a uniform and complete illustration of the Zoology of Great Britain, viz., The History of British Fishes. By William Yarrell, Esq., F.L.S., will be completed in May next, in 2 vols. 8vo. The Second Portion of this Series will be The History of British Quadrupeds. By Thomass Bell, Esq., F.R.S. F.L.S. In 1 Vol. 8vo. Part I. will appear in June. Mr. Bell's work will be followed by a History of British Birds, in 2 vols. ; a History of British Reptiles, in 1 vol. ; a History of British Crustacea, ] vol. ; and a History of British Zoophytes, 1 vol.

Mr. Samouelle will republish, in Monthly Parts, the Second Edition of the Entomologist's Useful Compendium, with considerable Alterations and Additions. To be completed in about 14 Parts; with a Calendar in every Part of the Insects usually found in certain Localities during the Months.-The first will appear on the 31st of March.

Mr. Curtis has just published a Map of the Principal Nerves and Bloodvessels of the Head, chiefly with a view of shewing their connexion with and influence on the Organs of Sight and Hearing.

ART. XVIII. WORKS RECENTLY PUBLISHED.

THE

ECLECTIC REVIEW,

FOR APRIL, 1836.

Art. I.-1. The Works of William Cowper, his Life and Letters, by William Hayley, Esq. Now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's Private Correspondence. Edited by the Rev. T. S. Grimshawe, A.M., Rector of Burton, Northamptonshire, &c. In eight Volumes. Illustrated with Engravings. Price 21., bound and lettered. London, 1835, 6.

2. The Works of William Cowper, Esq. Comprising his Poems, Correspondence, and Translations. With a Life of the Author, by the Editor, Robert Southey, Esq., LL.D., Poet Laureate, &c. Vols. I. and II. Price 6s. each. London, 1836.

3. The Miscellaneous Works of William Cowper, Esq., of the Inner Temple. With a Life and Notes, by John S. Memes, LL.D., Author of "The Life of Canova," &c. In three Volumes, sm. 8vo. Edinburgh, 1834.

COWPER seems likely to be honoured with as many biographers as Pope or Milton. Hitherto, however, though we have had memoirs, and sketches, and 'lives' of Cowper in abundance, a view of his character and writings was still a desideratum, that should do complete justice to all their bearings upon English literature, as well as to the pathological case of the accomplished and interesting sufferer, and this in a manner that should satisfy alike the man of taste, the physiologist, and the religious reader. It would be difficult to find a writer uniting more qualifications for this complex task, than the Biographer of Kirke White, of Wesley, and of Bunyan; yet, with all Dr. Southey's varied and elegant attainments, his generous enthusiasm, and prevailing candour, his competency to delineate the more delicate and mysterious traits of the intellectual portrait, might be distrusted, not unreasonably, by those friends of the Poet who were chiefly anxious to have his religious character rescued from injurious misapprehension, and presented to the public in all its genuine lustre. We feel compelled to suppose

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that this consideration influenced the mind of Mr. Grimshawe, in undertaking to edit this republication of Hayley's Memoirs, with the addition of the Private Correspondence. We could have wished, however, that some explanation had been given of the circumstances to which Dr. Southey adverts, in a tone perhaps somewhat too querulous, in the Preface to his memoir. It appears that he was first applied to by the Publishers to undertake the superintendence of an edition of Cowper's Works, in 1833. Two other publishers, having formed the same design, made`similar applications to him; but both abandoned the idea of competition, on finding the ground thus pre-occupied. In order to render their edition of Cowper's Works complete, Messrs. Baldwin and Cradock offered to purchase the copyright and remaining copies * of the Private Correspondence, edited by the late Rev. Dr. Johnson, in 1824. The publishers of those volumes, Dr. S. alleges,

'held them in treaty for several months, and in the meanwhile began secretly to print an edition of Cowper's works in the same form as this, which had been previously announced, and for which preparations had been made, wherein neither care nor expense had been spared. An editor was found, whom the Evangelical Magazine pronounced "from personal knowledge" to be "the only living man who could do justice to the life of Cowper." Their eagerness to get into the field was such, that the first volume was published before the engravings for it could be made ready; and the work thus surreptitiously prepared and hurried into the world, was announced as the only complete edition of Cowper.'

It would not be right to give any opinion of a transaction respecting which we know nothing except from an ex parte statement; but we cannot believe that Mr. Grimshawe would knowingly lend himself to so unhandsome a manœuvre as his publishers are here charged with. All that we find in explanation of the circumstances under which he was induced to edit this rival publication, is contained in the following paragraphs of the Preface." After stating that the object of Dr. Johnson, in publishing the suppressed correspondence, was to dissipate the illusion that existed respecting Cowper's real character, Mr. Grimshawe proceeds to say :

Still there remains one more important object to be accomplished:

*These interesting volumes, it is stated, had obtained so poor a sale, that upwards of one thousand copies were remaining in the publisher's warehouse. The number of the impression is not mentioned. Unexplained, the fact is a curious instance of public caprice. But the volumes were much too dear.

viz., to present to the British public the whole Correspondence in its entire and unbroken form, and in its chronological order. Then, and not till then, will the real character of Cowper be fully understood and comprehended; and the consistency of his Christian character be found to harmonize with the Christian spirit of his pure and exalted productions. Supplemental to such an undertaking is the task of revising Hayley's life of the Poet, purifying it from the errors that detract from its acknowledged value, and adapting it to the demands and expectations of the religious public. That this desideratum has long been felt to an extent beyond what is commonly supposed, the Editor has had ample means of knowing, from his own personal observation, and from repeated assurances of the same import from his lamented friend, the Rev. Legh Richmond.

The time for carrying this object into effect is now arrived. The termination of the copyright of Hayley's Life of Cowper, and access to the Private Correspondence collected by Dr. Johnson, enable the Editor to combine all these objects, and to present, for the first time, a complete edition of the Works of Cowper, which it is not in the power of any individual besides himself to accomplish, because all others are debarred access to the Private Correspondence

All that now remains is for the Editor to say one word respecting himself. He has been called upon to engage in this undertaking both on public and private grounds. He is not insensible to the honour of such a commission, and yet feels that he is undertaking a delicate and responsible office. Had the life of his endeared friend, Dr. Johnson, been prolonged, no man would have been better qualified for such an office. His ample sources of information, his name, and his profound veneration for the memory of Cowper, (whom he tenderly watched while living, and whose eyes he closed in death,) would have awakened an interest to which no other writer could presume to lay claim. It is under the failure of this expectation, which is extinguished by the grave, that the Editor feels called upon to endeavour to supply the void: and thus to fulfil what is due to the character of Cowper, and to the known wishes of his departed friend.'

We cannot forbear to remark, that this explanatory statement falls short of being, on many points, a fair representation. Mr. Grimshawe affirms, that no individual but himself had the power to give a complete edition of the Works of Cowper. How came he by this power? By the termination of the copyright of Hayley's Life of Cowper. But the public will ask, why it was necessary to wait for this. Could no arrangement have been made with the proprietors of that copyright, prior to the termination of their legal interest in it? It is not usually deemed a strictly honourable proceeding, to watch for the expiration of copyrights, in order to take advantage of that circumstance. Reasons, of which we are not aware, may have led to this proceeding; but, upon the face of the matter, it contrasts disadvantageously with the offer made by Messrs. Baldwin and Cra