that nothing but a temporary delufion could throw a fhade upon it. If the people could any where be made wife enough to know, that their occafional errors must, for their own fakes, be opposed, it would be in England, but while they who have better knowledge, find or fancy an interest in deluding them, that period is but little likely to arrive. POLITICS. The fame topic might very powerfully be illuftrated by the confideration of Mr. Stephen's able fpeech on the American Overtures. That honour able Member there demonftrates, that the meafure which was then moved to be refcinded, and to render which unpopular incredible pains had been taken, not wholly without fuccefs, was the very ftep which had actually recovered our trade; and without which, or fomething equivalent, it could not have been reftored. Such is the patriotifm of invariable oppofition to Government! The policy of the American Cabinet (if the expreffion may be used) was further developed by the pen of a Bofonian †, who fhows us plainly what we have to expect from the difpofition of Mr. Madifon. But to the pen of another American, a Mr. Walsh, well known to many leading perfons in this country, we are indebted for the moft luminous view of the prefent ftate of France, that deep political knowledge, and accu rate perfonal enquiry could produce. Qualified as this writer evidently is to pronounce with decifion on fuch fubjects, we rejoice in the encomiums which he has voluntarily bestowed upon England; and look forward with earneft anticipation to a more finifhed political work, which he promises in the prefent. A No. III. p. 262. + No. IV. p. 410. ‡ No. V. p. 433. His name has fince been made known. kind of abstract of this Letter was very judiciously published, foon after the original appeared, under the title of England and France*. A few of the fame truths were explained by our countryman Mr. Sturt†, lately escaped from the tyranny of Verdun; but his tract, though useful in its way, does not, in all refpects, carry with it an equal authority. The Principles and Conduct of the War ‡, were ably elucidated by an anonymous writer, whom we noticed early in the prefent volume; and our domeftic dif fentions were endeavoured to be counteracted by another writer, affuming the title of Plain Senfe §. The Speech and Letter of Lord Melville, on important topics of arrangement, particularly relating to naval affairs, could not fail to deferve attention, and were juftly recommended to the notice of our readers. Other political tracts, though mentioned with fome approbation, do not appear fufficiently important to be again brought forward. They muft. be fought for in our Monthly Catalogues. POETRY. Escaping from Politics to Poetry is like going from the Furies to the Graces, a very happy delivery! Here we have only to choofe among various fweets; a feparate compofition, or a volume collected. In the former divifion we notice the Plants, by Mr. Tighe, an ingenious poem, of which the two firft Cantos give a pleafing hope of those which are to follow. But Mr. Croker's Lyrical Poem, on the Battles of Talavera **, deferves a more particular diftinction. Seldom, in this day, do we fee fuch • No. V. p. 527. 628. + No. IV. p. 492. animated animated ftrains, compofed with so much claffical correctness. Belfour's Spanish Heroifm*, if more obnoxious to criticism, is also entitled to the Critic's praife; and Erin, by Mr. Smedley †, though it does not exhauft, yet indicates and opens a truly noble fubject. Two poems, which the writers have not chofen to avow, have yet their claim to commendation. These are the Renovation of India ‡, written for Dr. Buchanan's prize; and the Hofpital §, a poem on a familiar fubject, according to the plan of Mr. Crabbe, but not, like his, affifted by the charm of rhyme. Turning to collections of poems, we are reminded of Mifs Mitford, whofe name our compofitor disfigured, and whofe verfes, elegant as they are, did not quite efcape his perverfion. When her name is changed again, we truft it will be for a better purpose. If we might reject a few compofitions from Mr. Holloway's volume, entitled the Minor Minstrell, it would have lefs of the minor character in it; the author is by no means deftitute of poetical talent, but the frequent operation of his tafte is to deprefs his natural powers. The fonnets and other Poems of Martha Hanfon ** have alfo their claims to our praife; and the fpecimens of Jofeph Blackett's compofitions ++ juftify the exertions of Mr. Pratt on his behalf. We come now to tranflations, among which fome of distinguished merit have lately come before us. Mr. Girdlestone's Pindar ‡‡, the firft complete tranflation in our language of that Poet's remains, is honourable to the talents and learning of the tranflator; nor is Mr. Elton's Hefiod §§ unworthy to take its place in the fame clafs. To give the Iliad in blank No. VI. p. 563. + No. VI. p. 599. $ No. V. P. 517. verfe, after the tranflations which had appeared, was a fill more arduous tale; but Mr. Morrice* has done credit to himfelf, though he may not have eclipfed his competitors. In tranflating from a modern poet, Gessner, Mr. Baker † difplayed confiderable powers; but, if we are not mifinformed, our praises can no longer gratify his mind. In the comic drama, appearing as it ought to appear, in verte, Sir James Burges has given new life to a play of Maffinger; and his compofition, entitled Riches, pleafed, as it deferved to pleafe, the audiences of London. For the republication of Headley's Specimens, accompanied with a life of the elegant and lamented editor, the public owes a real obligation to Mr. Kett, whofe zeal for his departed friend, though active, is not in any refpect extravagant. The felection of poetry, entitled English Minstrelly, is not uncreditable to the taste of the compiler, and comprises a few original compofitions. MISCELLANIES.. To this place we have been obliged to referve the collected works of Dryden; for who. fo various as that copious writer in the exertions of his powerful pen? Nor is the edition which Mr. Walter Scott has prepared, by any means unworthy of the author. Something, in fo extenfive a work, must always be liable to exception; but we examined it without a wish to cavil, and gave our fen timents at large, in a way which we thought likely • No. IV. p. 368. No. VI. p. 634 A + No. T. P. 68. f No. V. p. 481. Will not Mr. Kett give the public the play of Beaumont and Fletcher, which He poflefles in MS. ? No. IV. p. 400. I No. 1. p. 97. III. p. 272. V. p. 465. VI. p. 574. VOL. XXXV. to to be useful. Whoever is not envious of their fuccefs, muft rejoice at the progrefs of Mr. Beloe's volumes on Literature. The fourth, which we lately noticed, is as replete with curious anecdote as the former volumes; and the topics, already announced, promife a continuation not at all inferior. Mr. Card's Literary Recreations † are of a different stamp, but by no means deficient in attractions; and Mr. ·Blagdon's Flowers of Literature are continued with the fame fpirit which they always poffeffed +. Nor is even a Catalogue, well digefted, an inconfiderable acceffion to Literature; as that of Mr. Harris, compiled for the Royal Inftitution, will long continue to evince. We have many other books to notice, in this concluding fection of our Preface, which cannot cafily be connected by any natural tranfition. Such are the Correfpondence of Sir Richard Steele, which, if we had recollected our former ideas, we should have claffed with biographical works, as illustrative of the character of the writer; the Manual of various Efays, and the Manual prepared. for Anglers, by the ingenuity of Mr. Howitt **. Still more heterogeneous are Mr. Marfb's Introduction to Harmonics tt, Mr. Jenning's tract on the Dutch Commiffioners, the pamphlet of a Scotch Farmer, on Landed Property §§, and the Remarks of Sir Thomas Bernard on the New School . Yet all thefe have, in their various lines, by far too confiderable merit to be paffed over in filence. - Here, however, we hold our hand. Some minor publications, which we had noted down as worthy of fome notice, are fo trifling in comparison, that |