The Latin Ode is in Alcaic ftanzas, but it is inferior to the English verfes, and the subject of it is unhappily extinguished by the diffolution of the College. The volume, however, will recommend itfelf to those who open it at all. ART. 11. Sonnets and other Poems, by Martha Hanfon. 12mo. 2 vols. 145. Mawman. 1809. These poems are of the better order, and highly creditable to the fenfibility, tafte, and elegance of the writer. They do not indeed afpire to the loftier claims of the Muses, but they will be perufed by every lover of poetry with great complacency and fatisfaction. Some of the fornets are indeed very good, as will eafily be believed by the following specimen. "" SONNET XV. Occafioned by returning to my native place. In hushed repofe the ocean's bofom fleeps, As here once more I breathe the freshning gale, Ye chafe misfortune's gloom, and foothe my heart." We would willingly have inferted the Ode to Poetry, which is very fpirited and very elegant, but our limits would not permit. We were heartily glad to fee fo numerous and refpectable a list of subscribers to a poetical collection which well merits encouragement. ART. 12. Specimens of the Poetry of Jofeph Blackett, with an Account of his Life, and fome Introductory Obfervations. By Mr. Pratt. 8vo. 143 pp. Printed for the Author, by Galabin and Marchant. 1809. We ha probation ve had occafion to mention, not long fince, with ap*, a production of this youthful, and almost felf-taught *See Brit. Crit. Vol. xxxiii. p. 408. Poet, Poet, who is very kindly and liberally patronized by Mr. Pratt. The collection now before us has not yet, we believe, been advertised for public fale. It was printed for private distribution, and was communicated to us by a friend. We readily give it a place, in hopes of promoting Mr. Pratt's benevolent intentions, and multiplying the benefactions which, through him, the unfortunate author has received. Ill health, we understand, will, for a time at leaft, prevent his refuming the occupation by which he might procure comfort to himfelf, and maintenance for an infant child. Of the fpecimens before us, there are feveral which difplay confiderable genius, though not any fingle Poem which can be faid to rival the "Farmer's Boy" of Bloomfield; with whom Mr. P. is fond of comparing this writer. The plan, it feems, is to fofter the young man's talents for dramatic poetry, as the branch of literature moft likely to afford him a permanent fupport. We rather doubt the policy of this fcheme, at leaft in the prefent age; which, though prone to applaud dramatic eccentricity and nonfenfe, is flow in countenancing real merit. But we will hope the beft, and prefent our readers with a specimen of this youth's poetical abilities; which is, we think, the beft entire Poem that can be brought within our limits; though fome of the larger compofitions contain more ftriking and elevated paffages. 66 LINES ON THE DEATH OF HUGH MEYLER, Written on Good Friday, 1809. "Mufe of forrow, heavenly guest, Alas! fee where, in manhood's bloom, "Come then, foother fweet of grief, From thy folitary cell Kindred notes of paffion fwell; "But what founds are those I hear, U 4 Sure Sure fome heavenly minstrel brings "Hark! the As through Kindred Thade replies, Yes, my brother, yes, I come Cherub may a cherub greet. "Yet, what means this hollow moan? Ah! it is my parent's groan Hovering round me in my flight To the azure fields of light. "Ceafe then, ceafe, fond parents dear! Check, ah! check the tender tear, Soon our tranfports ye will fhare, And, in realms of purer air, Meet the rich award of heaven, Which to fuffering worth is given.” The foregoing lines, though not quite original, or entirely faultlefs, do credit to the genius, and ftill more to the feelings of the writer. We are concerned to hear that his ill health con. tinues, and that his recovery is very doubtful; more especially as his decease would leave an unprotected female infant to the mercy of the world. Am ART. 13. The Parliament of Ipahan: An Oriental Eclogue. Tranflated from the Perfian of his Excellency the . . . . . bafador. With Notes explanatory and illuftrative, by Sir 2s. 6d. Mercer. 1810. 8vo. 33 PP. .... "Ye British Reviewers, ye full-grown Critics," (fays the author before us)" this work is not intended for you; for children I have written, and by them only will I be judged." Were our juvenile Reviewers at hand we should readily acquiefce in this proteft, and the author fhould be configned to the jury which he has chofen. But as they cannot at prefent be affembled affembled, we "full-grown gentlemen" muft beg leave to offer our fentiments, and fuggeft to "his Excellency" the Ambaffador (we fuppofe of Perfia) that before he gives any more of his Eaftern productions to the British public, he should employ a tranflator who is acquainted with the ftructure of English verfe. The metre is intended to be the fame as that of the" Bath Guide," and of the ingenious little poem, "The Peacock at Home," of which this work is manifeftly an imitation. Yet it halts even in the fifth line ("And now as the laws of the realm prescribe,") which is not a verse. Here and there a line is faulty in having a fyl lable too much. Authors might furely, before they publish what they deem poetry, take the trouble to learn the principles of metre. These errors our juvenile Critics would have detected, but they would fcarcely have comprehended all the terms, or known how to apply all the characters in this poem. The obvious drift of it is, to ftigmatize the leading perfons in Oppofition by comparing them to certain animals (for the most part) of a mifchievous nature. But the comparisons are in general ftrained, and feveral of them are to animals but little known to readers in general, and confequently uninterefting. We muft except that to the Cameleon, the fuppofed properties of which feem applicable enough to the perfon alluded to. The author himfelf bears witness to the obfcurity of the text by long explanatory notes. Upon the whole, though we agree, in fome points, with the political fentiments of this writer, we do not think he has, in this production, evinced that eafy vivacity and genuine humour which are required to ren der thefe trifles amufing. A ridiculous frontispiece, caricaturing an Ex-Chancellor and a Late Chancellor of the Exchequer, is, to us, the most facetious part of the work, DRAMATIC. ART. 14. The Pleafures of Anarchy: A Dramatic Sermon. 8vo. 134 pp. Hatchard. 1809. It is difficult to fay whether the dramatic piece before us is intended as a ferious compofition or a burlefque, or why it is termed a Dramatic Sermon. Perhaps the author intended, in this piece, to illuftrate the nature of political by an example of dramatic anarchy, for a more complete chaos in compofition never yet came under our notice. A king and a prince of Terra Incognita are affailed by a captain and band of malecontents, and betrayed by a falfe brother of the king. After various combats both the royal perfonages are flain, and the Drama, if it may be fo called, ends in univerfal conflagration and confufion. We are unable to give any more precife defcription of this ftrange work, the the language of which is as wild and incoherent as the fable and dialogue. ART. 15. The School for Orators; or, a Peep into the Forum; a Farce, as never performed at Covent Garden or Drury Lane, with unbounded Applaufe. 8vo. 52 PP. 25. Longman. 1809. We hope this is far from being a juft fpecimen of Liverpool wit. An attempt to be witty, more unfuccefsful, has never come within our notice. NOVELS. ART. 16. Effufions of Love from Chatelar to Mary Queen of Scotland. Tranflated from a Gallic Manufcript, in the Scotch College at Paris. Interfperfed with Songs, Sonnets, and Notes explanatory, by the Tranflator. To which is [are] added, Hiftorical Fragments, Poetry, and Remains of the Amours of that unfortunate Princess. Cr. 8vo. 223 pp. 6s. Crosby. 1808. We cannot fuppofe thefe Effufions to be any thing but an inge nious fabrication. If Chatelar was put to death in Scotland, for an attempt upon the Queen's honour, how fhould thefe fragments of his extravagant paffion have found their way to the Scotch College at Paris? for they are continued to within the very hour of his execution. The following paffage, more particularly than any other, feem to detect the hand of a fabricator. The day before his death he writes thus: "I know not why, but oftentimes a fad prefentiment fteals o'er my foul, and tells me that the day may come, when such a fervant as poor Chatelar might not be deemed unworthy the attention of my Mary." P. 131. Then follow feveral reflections on the inftability of human greatnefs. All this is very improbable., Such a fate as Mary's never could have been expected; leaft of all could any fuch furmifes have arifen foon after her return to Scotland. Nevertheless the fragments are interefting, as the picture of a young man abfolutely frantic with love. Their great faults are a ftyle too poeti cal, fometimes even deviating into measure; and one or two paffages, which ought to have been omitted, had the Effufions been genuine, certainly ought not to have been invented if they are, as we fufpect, fictitious. By way of giving more colour to his fiction, the author has in one place inferted a fhort copy of verfes, as the original French of the author (p. 41); but they are neither the French of that day, nor the French poetry of any day; "fes beaux yeux, font les deux fceptres de l'amour" will not do at all; and indeed there feem to us to be even more faults than |