obfervations on geography and its aftronomical relations. Here also the beft authorities are progreffively placed before the reader, who are Halley, Kirwan, Derham, &c. &c. It may perhaps be a matter of confideration with the author, when a fecond edition fhall be called for, which moft affuredly it will, how far it may be expedient to fubjoin a map for the defcription of each particular country; this may perhaps increafe the price, but its utility is too obvious to require any argument. The book is printed in a remarkably neat type, is very creditable to the press from which it comes, namely that of James Cundee, Ivy Lane.

BRITISH CATALOGUE.

POETRY.

ART. 13. Bidcombe Hill, with other Rural Poems, by the Rev. Francis Skurray, A. M. Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford. 8vo. 153 pp: Miller. 1808.

Bidcombe Hill, whence this elegantly printed volume takes its name, is fituated at the western extremity of Salisbury Plain, near Longleat, the, feat of the Marquis of Bath. In a fhort advertisement prefixed we read, that "as Bidcombe Hill furnishes the fubject of the longest poem, and as that commanding eminence has, during feven years of happy refidence in the neighbourhood, been the frequent fcene of the author's walks and contemplations, he deemed it not improper that it should. give its denomination to the volume."-The leffer poems, which make up the remainder of the book, are upon various fubjects, the choice of which seems to have been determined by fome particular circumstances in the courfe of the author's obfervation, or reading. These are explained either at the heads of the feveral poems, or in a fhort appendix of notes; all of which refer us to writings of particular eminence. We muft, for various reasons, confine our remarks to the principal poem of the collection.

There is fomething in what Dr. Johnson calls local poetry, which is peculiarly interefting. We cannot avoid accompanying the poet in his rural walks; traverfing the fame meads and groves, and afcending the fame fteeps with him. We cannot but parti

cipate

cipate in all thofe incidents which his fancy or his feelings may have felected, if judicioufly, to embellifh the fcenery he describes. Mr. Skurray has endeavoured in his principal poem to excite and intereft all fuch feelings. The language is unequal, but often pleafing; the fentiments pure; with a ftrong tincture of the trueft piety, and most ardent benevolence pervading the whole. That the reader may judge of the objects and incidents selected, we fhall tranfcribe part of the author's own analyfis of the poem.

Invocation to the Mufe of Denham-Defcription of the Hill-Morning and Evening, with their accompaniments-The Happiness of a Paftoral Life-Fox-hunting defcribed and vindi cated-Cley Hill-Its Palm Sunday Sports-Apoftrophe to Liberty as enjoyed by Englishmen, with Allufion to the unjuft Detention of our Countrymen in France-Lanfdown Hill, with Thoughts fuggefted by juvenile Recollections-The Druids Barrow The fanguinary Ceremonies of that ancient Superftition contrafted with the benign Spirit of the Gofpel-Glastonbury Tor Fonthill Abbey Alfred's Tower-Stourhead-Longleat," &c.

-

As fpecimens of the poetry we fhall first felect (what cannot fail to interest every British reader) the following just tribute to the memory of the immortal Nelfon, in which the general for row for his lofs, and the univerfal joy for the victory achieved, are happily brought into one point of view. After defcribing the fplendid reception of the hero in times paft, at the noble manfion of Fonthill (one of the moft confpicuous objects in the neighbourhood of Bidcombe Hill), Mr. Skurray proceeds:

"But lo! the houfe of banquetting is chang'd,
From mirth and revelry to fcenes of grief:
E'en while on Bidcombe's fav'rite fpot I stand,
Viewing the pile, where once the Hero fat,
Amid the dainties of the mirthful feast,
The muffled bells from villages around
Proclaim him victor at the cost of life;
And blend rejoicing with alternate woe.
I liften to the cheerful, tragic found,
And mix my forrows with the tide of joy.—
When on the deck the bleeding Hero funk,
Loud acclamations from the adverse crew,
Mingled their tumult with the cannons roar,
At Nelfon's fall to teftify their joy.

Ceafe, barbarous foe, to triumph o'er the wound;
Forth from his duft fhall other Nelfons fpring,
To fcour the ocean, and avenge his doom.-
The patriot twines amid the laurel wreath,
The doleful cyprefs and funereal yew,

* rise,

While from each heart spontaneous accents
To fpeak a nation's gratitude to Heaven.
His gladden'd country wears the face of grief,
Refembling most the clouded orb of day,
Sparkling 'mid gloom and glorious e'en in tears.
Oft as the hind fhall ken yon facred pile,
The honeft drops fhall gather in his eyes-

A tear of forrow, mixed with tears of joy."

The following compliment to the noble family at Longleat does credit to the author's heart, as well as to the objects of his panegyric.

"Upon the fite of confecrated ground,

The lordly manfion ftands! where once the monk,
In pilgrim habit clad, forgot the world,
And with coarfe diet mortified defire.
Now plenty reigns, and hofpitable fare,
Exceeded never in thofe halcyon days,
Which poets
fable of the golden age.

Where never wedlock's chaster joys were known,
Now dwell examples of connubial love,

And all the focial charities of life."

The volume is enriched with engravings illuftrative of the fcenery defcribed in the principal poem: among thefe are Views of Bidcombe Hill itself, of Maiden Bradley Priory, and the noble and fplendid manfion at Longleat.

ART. 14.

Poems and Tranflations from the minor Greek Poets and others, written chiefly between the Ages of ten and fixteen, by a Lady. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to her Royal Highness the Princefs Charlotte of Wales. 8vo. 165 PP. 5s. Longman and Co. 1809.

In our 33d vol. p. 517, we noticed the first edition of this work as a phenomenon in literature; producing one fpecimen of the tranflations, and another of the original poems. A fecond and a third edition have fince appeared, (which unluckily are not now in our hands,) containing 33 additional pages. But we have now before us 24 other pages, which the writer's accidental lofs of fight detained from the prefs, till the third edition had been published. Thefe pages contain An Essay on Mufic, begun at ten years of age. Our readers fhall again be enabled to judge for themfelves concerning the poetical talents of this extraordinary female.

Alluding to the day of General Thark giving.

I

The

The feveral parts of this Effay are,-A young Minstrel's Invocation, The Origin, Progrefs, Prefent State, First Principles, Theory, Graces, Pleafures, Power, and Triumph of Music. "" THE PLEASURES OF MUSIC.

"But not to lengthen beauty's tranfient reign,
Not to extort the lavish boon of praise,
(Oft venal or reluctant) nor to foothe
The torpid hours of indolence and pride,
Is heav'n-born Music's privilege. Her place,
Her nobleft place is in the rich retreat
Of modeft Virtue and her fifter Peace.
There, at the clofing hour of busy day,
When focial converfe pauses (if among
Hearts knit with hearts foft converse finds a pause)
Let Music oft her welcome vifit pay,
The fweet refource of leifure! the mild guide
To focial blifs, domeftic and ferene;
Itfelf her emblem: the concordance sweet
Of hearts attun'd to gentle unifon!
Ah! happieft they who in the downy lap
Of love, parental love! repofe fecure,
And taught by homefelt harmony, delight
To tread the flow'ry path, and win the prize
By tuneful Science to her vot'ries fhown.
Thrice hallow'd, if her dulcet power affifts
The foft folicitudes of filial care,
And cheers the vigil of repofing age
With brief but facred rapture. On the lyre,
Touch'd by the duteous hand of grateful love,
To footh a parent's ear, a cherub fits,

And breathes fuch magic melody, as wafts

The foul of Age to its expected Heaven!" P. 217.

ART. 15. English Minftrelfy; being a Selection of Fugitive Poetry from the beft English Authors, with fome original Pieces hitherte unpublished. 2 vols. I 2mo. 14s. Murray. 1810.

This is a very pleafing felection of poetry from our moft diftinguished bards, from the time of Harrington and Fletcher to thofe of the prefent day, with a few original compofitions. A collection made with fo much tafte cannot fail to be generally acceptable, and the very nature of the thing makes any cri. tical obfervations unneceffary. We are glad, however, to adorn our pages with the following pieces, which are new, at leas

ON A RUINED EDIFICE.
"

"I asked of Time, To whom was reared the mafs

Whose ruins now thou crumbleft with the foil ?*

He answered not, but furious fhook his glass,
And flew with fwifter wing to wider fpoil.

"I asked

et I asked of Fame, O thou whofe breath fupplies
Life to high works of wonder what remains?'
Abafhed to earth fhe bent her mournful eyes,
Like one who fighing filently complains.
"Loft in amaze, I turned my fteps afide,

When o'er each pile I faw Oblivion stride
With haughty mein, and air of deep defign.

Then thou,' I cried, mayst know, ah deign declare.' Stern did the answer hoarfe, while thunder rent the air, Whose once it was feek not, now it is mine.' "'

This is from the Italian of Petrocchi, and might be better rendered at the end;

"Whofe once it was I care not, now 'tis mine."' The following is by Mifs Baillie.

THE HEATHCOCK.

"Good morrow to thy fable beak
And gloffy plumage dark and fleek,
Thy crimfon moon and azure eye,
Cock of the Heath, fo wildly fhy;
I fee thee flily cowering through
That wiry web of filver dew
That twinkles in the morning air,
Like cafement of my lady fair.
A maid there is in yonder tower,
Who peeping from her early bower,
Half fhows, like thee, with fimple wile,
Her braided hair and morning fmile.
The rareft things with wayward will
Beneath the covert hide them ftill;
The rareft things to break of day
Look fhortly forth and fhrink away.
A fleeting moment of delight
I funned me in her cheering fight,
As fhort I ween the time will be
That I shall parley hold with thee.

Through Snowden's mift red beams the day,

The climbing herdboy chaunts his lay,
The gnat-fies dance their funny ring,
Thou art already on the wing.

ART. 16. England and Spain, or Valour and Patriotifm. By

Felicia Dorothea Browne.

Davies. 1808.

4to. 28 pp. 55.

Cadell and

If fine words and smooth verfes were fufficient to constitute a good poem, Mrs. (or Mifs) Felicia Dorothea Browne might be congratulated on her fuccefs in the pref:nt effort. The following lines will afford a fpecimen.

Dd

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXXV, APRIL, 1810,