Mr. Thelwall himself fhall characterife thefe poems. They have," fays he, perhaps, little but fentiment to recommend them. They are generally tranfcripts of the heart, rather than flights of the imagination; rather intended to rouze the patriotic feeling, than calcu fated to amufe the admirer of poetical enthufiafm. I have fpoken what I felt; not confidered what I fhould fpeak; a method, at least, the most honeft, and fometimes the most fuccefsful, in appealing to the hearts of others.'-This feems at once both juft and modeft. We deem of his poetry as the author deems, according to the foregoing hort extract from his prefatory Advertisement: but we muft add that we admire the flow of fpirits and the fortitude that could produce fuch lines under fuch circunftances! The following may be given as a fpecimen :

STANZAS;-Tower, Sept. 28, 1794.

Short is perhaps our date of life,
But let us while we live be gay-
To those be thought, and anxious care,
Who build upon the distant day,"
Tho' in our cup tyrannic Power
Would dafh the bitter dregs of fear,
We'll gaily quaff the mantling draught,
While Patriot toafts the fancy chear.
• Sings not the feaman, tempeft-toft,
When furges wash the riven shroud-
Scorning the threat'ning voice of Fate,
That pipes in rocking winds aloud?
Yes; he can take his chearful glass,
And toast his mistrefs in the ftorm,
While duty and remember'd joys
By turns his honeft bofom warm.
And fhall not we, in forms of flate,
At bafe oppreffion's fury laugh,
And while the vital fpirits flow,

To Freedom fill, and fearlefs quaff?
Short is perhaps our date of life,
But let us while we live be gay-
To those be thought, and anxious care,

Who build upon the diftant day.'

The above little poem,' the author obferves, was the first, in point of date, written under any impreffion that our lives were to be weighed in the balance of Criminal Juftice.'-There is another piece, entitled Anacreontic, written with yet fuperior vivacity. The reft are odes, fonnets, a ballad, &c. of various poetic merit: the writer's poitical principles illuminating many of them, and feeming to be, indeed, the "infpiring fpirit" of the whole.

Art. 56. The National Advocates; a Poem. Affectionately inscribed to the Hon. Thomas Erfkine, and Vicary Gibbs, Efq. 4to. pp. 33. 2s. 6d. Debrett. 1795.

The

The SCIPIO and LELIUS of the bar' are here not improperly celebrated as

'Fraternal advocates in Freedom's cause.'

To you, entitled to the word's applaufe,
Fraternal advocates in Freedom's caufe :-
To you, whom Friendship with fond pride unites,
With all the luftre of her ancient rites,
Of equal probity and varied powers,
In arduous duty's fpirit-trying hours,
Each to the other a benignant ftar,
The Scipio and the Lælius of the bar:-
To you, illuftrious friends, whofe legal fame
Shall laft, while Law herself, a facred name,
Holds her primæval right, her bleft employ,
Parent of peace, and cherisher of joy :-
To you I offer, nor will you refuse,

You, who as Freedom's child carefs the Mufe.'

In this performance, the Mufe of Freedom has exerted her powers, of whatever magnitude they may be deemed, in afferting the noble cause in which, on this occafion, he is engaged; and especially in rchearfing the uncommon merits of the profeffional gentlemen already named particularly on account of their late fuccefsful efforts in de, fence of the perfons imprifoned on a charge of High Treafon.

When a fick nation, like a feverish child,

Sinks in a panick, wayward, dark, and wild;
From fear to fear in blind confufion runs,
Mistakes for foreign imps her genuine fons ;
Calls Loyalty a Traitor, Truth a Liar,
And Freedom's vital warmth Sedition's fire:
When rampant Power, beyond Ixion proud,
Impregnates with chimeras every cloud,
Bleft be the minds, whofe virtuous labours ferve
To fave their darkling country's visual nerve;
While fancied plots and fhadowy perils fly
Diftemper's film, that dimm'd the nation's eye,
Who, with recover'd fight, exults to fee

It is not treafon ftill to with her free.'

This patriotic poet, however attached to the interefts of liberty, is no friend to French Philofophy-againft which, and its attendant, Licentioufnefs, he inveighs with becoming indignation; concluding what he fays on this head with the following application:

• Brave generous Britons, who have lefs to fear

From open enmity's uplifted fpear,

Beware this fmiling peftilence, and know

In French Philosophy your deadlieft foe!'

After fome pertinent allufions to the mif-ufe of the antient Greek and Roman eloquence, and justly giving preference to the more virtuous oratory of our countrymen of the prefent age, the poet con

cludes

cludes with the following apoftrophe to the diftinguished heroes of his panegyric:

• Erfkine and Gibbs! whofe names, to Nature dear,
Ages unborn may gratefully revere;
While this memorial of your worth I raise,
And firmly credit what I fondly praife;
One hateful truth fhall Mem'ry dare fuggeft,
Grav'd on the deep receffes of her breast:
Rudely fhe teaches, from her ample range,
That Public Virtue is most apt to change.
The faithful hand, that these frank lines fupplied,
Ne'er lavish'd incenfe by the heart belied;
But, with fond zeal to court in joyous youth
A public idol of imagin'd truth,
Has oft difcarded an unfinish'd task,
Finding Apoftacy in Virtue's mafk;

For ere my fingers could the garland weave,
Like that our haplefs Father twin'd for Eve,
It dropp'd, and all its faded rofes fhed,
Scorning to garnifh an Apoftate's head.
But may this civic wreath, in eager hafte

Form'd of wild flowers, by Merit's fmile be grac'd!
For lives preferv'd unquestionably due,
(The namelefs donor proves the tribute true ;)
Bays from Sincerity's obfcure retreat
May cherish Virtue in Contention's heat.

Ye, to whom England owes a pleafing debt,
That English gratitude fhould ne'er forget;
Thus Freedom prays, to recompenfe your care,
Deign, righteous Heav'n! to ratify the pray'r :
"Live my firm aids to life's fereneft end,
Friends to each other, each the people's friend;
Live beyond life of Briton's glory part,
Enfhrin'd for ever in the public heart!"

Of the poetry in which this nameless and to us unknown writer has clothed his very laudable fentiments, it feems fcarcely neceffary for us to speak, after it has fo amply spoken for itself in the preceding extracts.

NOVELS.

Art. 57. The Advantages of Education; or the History of Maria Williams, a Tale for Miffes and their Mammas. By Prudentia Homefpun. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Lane.

Amid the multiplicity of fictitious tales which tend to excite romantic fentiments and falfe ideas of life, in young minds, it affords us pleasure to fee this captivating fpecies of writing fometimes employed, unequivocally and powerfully, for the purpose of effacing thefe falfe impreffions, and fubftituting in their room the genuine dictates of good fenfe and prudence. This is the profeffed defign of the prefent work; and we have feldom feen one better adapted to anfwer the end. The ftory affords young females excellent lessons on

the

the danger of yielding to the fuggestions of vanity, and indulging capricious defires, and on the neceffity of counteracting their influence, by attending to the counfels of experience. The manner in which the innocent and inexperienced female mind is often enfnared, and the inestimable value of maternal difcretion and refolution, in detecting craft and expofing treachery, are very fuccefsfully reprefented; a variety of juft and useful remarks are made on female character; and feveral pleafing pieces of original poetry are interfperfed. There are few young ladies, and even mothers, to whom the perufal of thefe volumes might not afford benefit as well as pleasure. E. Art. 58. Sydney St. Aubyn. In a Series of Letters, By Mr. Robinfon, Author of Love Fragments, &c. 12mo. 2 Vols. 75. fewed. Herbert. 1794.

The story of this novel has the merit of being uncommon, without being unnatural. The author, without roving into the boundless regions of romance, finds means to amuse his readers with a domestic tale, in which the principal characters are placed in fituations which have perhaps feldom occurred in real life, but which may eafily be conceived to occur, and fuffer extreme disappointment and diftress merely through indifcretion, without any heinous criminality. The firft love of a virtuous pair is interrupted by vanity and caprice; and new connections are formed, while the heart, on each fide, ftill retains in fecret its former attachment. Hence follow embarrassments and vexations which are well conceived and described, and in which the reader fympathizes the more readily, as he finds more in the fufferers to pity than to blame. The tale is, on the whole, interesting; and it is told in a style which, if not to be admired for extraordinary elegance, is fuitable to the fubject, easy and fimple. A few grammatical negligences have efcaped the author's attention; fuch as-I had chofe; come puntual to the time: I have ftole, &c. E. Art. 59. The Offspring of Raffell. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Lane. 1794.

The character of this novel may be expreffed in one word; it is romantic. The author opens his tale at the time of the memorable battle of Hexham, and brings his heroine from the field, to conduct her with her lover through many furprifing, and often improbable, adventures. The fentiments are frequently extravagant; the paffions are expreffed with a degree of vehemence beyond nature; and the style, where it rifes above familiarity, is rather bloated than elegant. Nevertheless, the general effect is interefting; and the reader, who perufes the ftory with a difpofition to be amufed, will not lofe his labour.

E. Art. 60. Caroline Merton, founded on Facts. By a Lady. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Richardfon. 1794.

Those who eftimate a story by the quantity of love which it contains will be highly pleased with this novel. Perhaps a greater number of lovers have feldom been brought together within fo narrow a compafs; and their loves, too, fo charmingly intertwined!"'tis for all the world, Ma'am, like that tangled kein of filk,

which

which is this moment trying your patience!" The bandfome and amiable Seymour adores the divine Caroline, while the gentle goodbumoured Emily, fecretly pines for him. The divine Caroline captivates the heart of Seymour's bofom-friend, who nobly facrifices friendship to love. The fafcinating, but unprincipled, Colonel Clayton takes a trip with the pretty Emma, a rich heirets, to Gretna, and returns to fall in love with Caroline, and to perfecute her with his criminal paffion. The modeft, fenfible, and well-educated Lawrence forms a tender attachment to the giddy and affected Marianne, who fondly throws herself into the arms of the impudent Capt. Rainsford. What a delightful groupe of inamoratos; how enchanting the tale which twifts and untwifts their loves! So expeditiously too! all done in two small volumes; and room, after all, left for a pathetic tale of Amelia's forrows!-How much might the voluminous and circumftantial Richardfon have profited, had he enjoyed the benefit of fuch a wonderful example of literary difpatch!

E. Art. 61. Henry Stukely; or the Effects of Diffipation. By William Helme. 12mo. izmo. 3 Vols. 9s. fewed. Dangerfield. 1794This novel is presented to the public as a plain unvarnished tale;" and fuch, in truth, it is. Henry Stukely belongs to the inferior clafs of heroes. His boyish frolics, his juvenile amours, and his fubfequent adventures by fea and land, though perhaps fairly copied from life, are little adapted, either in the incidents themselves, or in the manner in which they are related, to afford pleasure to readers of cultivated taste. Though there is nothing in the performance offenfive to decency, there is certainly a degree of moral incongruity, totally inconfiftent with delicacy and refinement of manners, in making Stukely carry on a criminal connection with a prostitute, at the fame time that he profeffes a paffionate áttachment to an innocent and amiable girl, to whom he has vowed eternal fidelity.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 62. The Gentleman's Stable Directory; or, Modern Syftem of Farriery. Vol. II. Containing experimental Remarks upon Breeding, Breaking, Shoeing, Stabling, Exercife, and Rowelling. To which are added, Particular Inftructions for the general Management of Hunters and Road Horfes; with concluding Obfervations upon the present State of the Turf. By William Taplin, Surgeon. 8vo. pp. 427. 6s. Boards. Robinfons.

The firft volume having, by the unprecedented rapidity of its circulation through ten large editions, and the acknowledged utility of its inftructions, in a great degree fuperfeded former opinions, and established the profeffional reputation of the writer; it will be hardly confidered a mark of prefumption, that (under the flattering influence of popularity) the fame pen fhould once more aspire to the hope of applaufe, in his defire to extend the fyftem of management to a degree of confiftency hitherto undescribed by any one of the numerous authors, who have preceded us upon the fame or fimilar fubjects.

So far as HEALTH and CONDITION are preferable to disease, so much more defirable must PREVENTION ever prove to the neceffity

E.