reasoning on the late state of parties. The people are here also reminded of their privileges. Our Volunteers are applauded and instructed; and if they be as willing to learn as some are to teach them, their acquisition of military knowlege and skill must advance with astonishing rapidity.

Art. 41. Alfred's Letters. An Essay on the Constitution of England, and an Appeal to the People; with Six Letters on the Subject of Invasion; originally addressed to the Printers of the two Shrewsbury Papers. 8vo. 18. 6d. Printed at Wellington.

These letters are well calculated to impress the public mind with a conviction of our civil blessings, and to rouse the people, at the present juncture, to a most vigorous and prompt defence of them against the inveterate enemy. Apprehensive that every thing may be lost by delay, the author is very energetic in exhorting the Volun teers to make all possible preparation, by a knowlege of tactics and the most perfect discipline, to meet the enemy; whose disembark ation on our island, he declares, may shortly be expected.

POETRY.

Art. 42. The Evils and Advantages of Genius contrasted: A poetical
Essay, in three Cantos. By the Rev. William Tindal, A.M.
F.S.A. 8vo. 2s. Richardsons.

More of poetical reading than of poetical power is displayed in these cantos: but some of the descriptions are pleasing

We select, as a specimen of the author's manner, the sleep of Genius: (rather an ominous subject:)

. He seems,

At times, to wander underneath the roof
Of some cathedral, whose long, less'ning, aisles
Shame all the plans of art. Some hand unseen
Awakes the deep-ton'd organ: notes are heard
That art would ne'er acknowledge, but which art
Will never equal.-Now aloft he roams
Amid the dusty corridors: each hollow step,
Re-echo'd from the roof, excites a cloud
Of bats deform'd: now more deform'd; for, each
Adds to his leathern wings a demon's face.
To these his cheerless wand'rings nor intent
Nor end appears.-Now on the ridge he climbs,
The broken ridge, of some huge, ruin'c, fane,
Of altitude to overlook the earth,

Scarce dimly seen so high: the fragments rough
On which he rises sudden fail; he clings,
Suspended; quits his grasp, and, starting, wakes.'

Mo-y.

Art. 43. Poems, by Mrs. G. Sewell, Relict of the late Rev. George
Sewell, Rector of Byfleet, Surrey. Crown 8vo. 79. Boards.
Robson, &c.

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If there be nothing peculiarly striking nor animated in these poems, they possess a softness and sensibility which, without fascinating the

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reader's imagination, conciliate and win his approbation. They are generally of a serious cast; except in a few instances, as in the fable of the dogs, which is a pleasing tale, and is not without humour; though even there the turn of the writer shews itself serious. Several grammatical inaccuracies occur, and the frequent repetition of the interjection-ob !'—'ob! thou'-fatigues the ear.

LAW.

Art. 44. The Trial of John Peltier, Esq.: for a Libel against Napoleon Buonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic, at the Court of King's Bench, Middlesex, on Monday the 21st February 1803. Taken in Short hand by Mr. Adam, and the Defence revised by Mr. Mackintosh. 8vo. pp. 440. 12s. sewed. Jones. 1803. It is scarcely necessary for us now to observe, that this is a trial which excited considerable degree of interest in the world. The character and situation of the person libelled naturally called forth the curiosity of the public; and the splendid eloquence, by which Mr. Peltier was defended, amply rewarded them for their attention. The libel was contained in the first and third numbers of a publication called the Ambigu, and its direct aim and tendency were to degrade and vilify the First Consul in the estimation of the people of this country and of France, and to excite to his assassination.-Lord Ellenborough, in his charge to the jury, made the following observations on the law of Libels:

• Gentlemen, it is my duty to state to you, that every publication that has a tendency to promote public mischief, whether by causing irritation in the minds of the subjects of this realm, that may induce them to commit a breach of the public peace, or whether it may be more public and speciñc, and extending to the morals, the religion, or magistracy of the country-these are all cases of libel. But more particularly, as in the present case, by defaming the persons and characters of magistrates and others in high and eminent situations of power and dignity in other countries, inconsistent with amity and friendship, expressed in such terms and in such a manner as to interrupt the amity and friendship between the two countries-every such publication is what the law calls a libel. Cases of this sort have oc curred within all our memories. My Lord George Gordon published a libel on the person and character of the queen of France; and another person published a libel on the late Emperor Paul, in both of which cases there were prosecutions. In the first case there was a conviction, and punishment followed. The other case went the length of a conviction; and in respect to the legal effect of both these prosecutions, I am not aware it was ever judicially questioned. And therefore I lay it down as law, that any publication which tends to degrade, revile, and defame persons in considerable situations of power and dignity in foreign countries may be taken to be and treated as a libel, and particularly where it had a tendency to interrupt the amity and peace between the two countries. If any publication con. tains a plain and manifest incitement and persuasion addressed to others to assassinate and destroy the persons of such magistrates,

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as the tendency of such a publication is to interrupt the harmony subsisting between two countries, the libel assumes a still more cri, minal complexion.'

It is well known that Mr. Peltier, notwithstanding,' to use the language of the chief justice, the very ingenious gloss and colour, by eloquence almost unparalleled, by which he was defended,' was convicted: but he has never been brought up for judgment.

Art. 45. A Collection of remarkable and interesting Criminal Trials, Actions at Law, &c. To which is prefixed an Essay on Reprieve and Pardon, and biographical Sketches of John Lord Eldon and Mr. Mingay. By W. M. Medland and Charles Weobly. Vol. I. 8vo. pp. 380 6s. 6d. Boards. Badcock. 1803.

The professional reader will easily be enabled to form an opinion of the value of this publication from the succeeding remark: The knowledge to be acquired in pleaders' offices is certainly of high importance. It consists with being well acquainted with cases out of the common routine of practice, and preparing with more deliberate accuracy the pleadings for counsel with references to assist the memory and, in cases of great difficulty, even the speech of the advocate is often manufactured in the office of the special pleader.'Alas! how frequently are we compelled to lament the useless multiplication of law-books.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 46. Art of Universal Correspondence: peculiarly adapted to the Use of the Commercial World, and Travellers in Foreign Countries; which, with the Aid of a Dictionary only, will in a few Hours, enable two Persons, ignorant of each other's Language, to correspond in either: useful also to Schools, for Grammatical Exercises, and as a Substitute for Short-hand. By the Rev. P. Roberts, A.B. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Nicol.

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Bishop Wilkins, the famous predecessor of Mr. Roberts in this line, possessed fertility of invention and extensive erudition: but, as here observed, it was found impossible to execute his ideas on the subject. Of his own work, however, Mr. R. says, this system affords the means of communication, by the application of a very few signs to the common terms of any language, so as by the aid of a knowledge of this system and a dictionary to be intelligible in any other.' The signs, we are told, will be easily learned, and the system itself, is very concise and clear. That it answers all the of purposes an universal character will appear from a consideration of the characters used, which are universal; the radical forms being permanent, and those in any one language merely the interpreted radical of another.' Two exemplifications of the art, one as part of a letter, are added, whether with complete exactness we will not assert, but, we believe, tolerably well; great nicety of attention is requisite when articles of this sort are committed to the press. We are informed that the reduction obtained in this way of writing is at least one fourth, frequently one third shorter than the original; so that, on an average,

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at least one fourth of the time will be saved by writing according to the method here examplified.'

We cannot undertake to offer any decided opinion on the merits of this scheme, which must be ascertained by the experiments of practitioners in the art.

Hi. Art. 47. British Monachism: or Manners and Customs of the Monks and Nuns of England. By Thomas Dudley Fosbrooke, : M.A. F.A.S. 8vo. 2 Vols. 148. Boards. Nichols, Payne, &c. This gentleman is already known to the world as a diligent inquirer concerning monastic history; and of his ingenious poem on this subject we have already taken notice, in our 26th vol. N. S. page 24 Mr. Fosbrooke appears to be an adept in the science, if we may so term it, which he undertakes to illustrate: and he has been very laborious in collecting the materials; in compiling the narrative, and in his endeavours to render the whole detail exact and accurate. The employment was undoubtedly difficult, and he seems to apprehend that he could not have preserved fidelity, separate from the manner in which he has here chosen to exhibit the performance:

As people (he observes) are very much inclined to censure books. either to keep preferment or notice out of the way of letters, or from not considering the difficulty or previous knowledge requisite to make them, I beg them in candour to consider, that I had no guide going before me to light my obscure paths; and two very powerful, obstacles to contend with, expence without prospect of re-payment, and a very limited absence from my church. Of the printed books I could not at all pretend to give the original matter, to my style I could not give elegance, because I had to translate most motley materials, and did not chuse to destroy precision and particularity by generalizing my language: however, I have endeavoured to render the work as pleasing as I could, and I certainly am entitled to credit, inasmuch as I may have contributed somewhat to check that spirit of Monachism and popery, which has lately been revived.'

This last sentence discovers a very laudable design; though the author does not intermingle very many reflections of his own with his descriptions, esteeming it perhaps sufficient that they should speak for themselves. Whatever well-meaning but mistaken intention there might be in the original institution of these orders, or in some indi viduals afterward connected with them, (for which we are desirous of making all reasonable allowance,) it yet appears to us that their whole story is the history of folly and nonsense,—often, and too generally, of imposition and fraud.

After the introduction, which treats of monachism previous to the reign of Edgar,' the work is divided into four parts. Part I. Benedictine monachism from the reign of Edgar to the dissolution.' Part II Monastic Officers-Abbot, Abbess.'-Part III. 'Monks, Nuns, Friars, Hermits, Novices. Lay brothers, Lay-sisters and servants.' Part IV. Monastic Officers.'-Miracles, Signs, Visions, Legends, &c. &c. might without doubt have furnished a considerable addition to the volumes.-We copy one or two anecdotes.

Vol. 1st. p. 196. Walter Mapes, ridiculing the Cistertians for their pretences of abstaining from flesh, says, "Pigs they keep, many thousands of them, and sell the bacon, perhaps not all of it; the heads, legs, and feet, they neither give nor sell, nor throw away; what becomes of them, God knows; likewise there is an account between God and them, of fowls, that they keep in vast numbers. MS. Bodl."-Vol. 2d. p. 20. At St Alban's there were fifty. three farms devoted to the kitchen, every one of which was valued at The above abbey had a house at Yarforty-six shillings per annum. mouth, to lay up fish, especially herrings for the use of the convent.' To the above we shall merely add the grave observation of an honest English bishop, who fell a sacrifice to the bigotry and policy of this kind of people, and surrendered his life in the flames. Vol. 2d, p. 105, Dr Hooper says, "The people are made so blind by the falsehood of Antichriste's ministers, that they will rather give a golden crowne to the buildinge of an abbeie, foundation of a chantrie, or for a masse of requiem, then one silver penie for the defence of their common-wealth." (Sermons)

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Mr. Fosbrooke's attentive research is unquestionable: but in some instances, in point of style, a close and confined regard to the Latin, which it was requisite to translate, seems to have injured its ease and perspicuity. Besides an appendix to the first volume, formed from the Bodleian and Harleian manuscripts, we find at the conclusion of the second, together with farther remarks on his own work, Emendations of Bishop Gibson's version of the Saxon Chronicle; and also, The Triumphs of Vengeance, or the Count of Julian; an ode, relative to a memorable occurrence said to have taken place in Spain, about the year 710 of the Christian æra. The Goths, who had long seated themselves in that country, had for some time been also christianized: Ro. deric, who proved to be their last king, is reported to have seduced or ravished Cava, daughter of one of his potent nobles; and the fa ther, Count Julian, took an ample revenge by introducing the Moors and Saracens into the kingdom, before whom Roderic speedily perished, and a series of devastation and misery succeeded. In the fifth volume, 4to. of Gibbon's History of the Decline of the Roman Empire, p. 364. may be seen the relation, together with the doubts of that writer respecting the reality of the story. The beauties of this kind of composition not unfrequently escape the eye and the ear of the reader; there is also an obscurity, not uncommonly attending these productions, which, whatever gratification may be received from some of their spirited and fleeting ideas, is not always removed, until after a frequent and attentive perusal; and perhaps not then a fault for which no vivacity of expression or harmony of numbers can compensate. Gray's ode relative to the Welsh Bards, so justly celebrated, was not generally comprehended, till repetitions and closer thought gradually displayed its excellencies, and then they were never lost. The present effusion, though it can by no means be compared with that of Gray, presents striking poetical images, harmonious and impressive dietion, and on the whole proves it's author to be no mean performer on the Pindaric lyre.

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