f all bounds, till at length we are as much troubled with the multitude of keys that are offered to us, as we are with the rusty and intractable lock which they are designed to open. It would be in vain to assert, that no proofs of this excesive partiality for obsolete literature were visible in the work before us; or that it possesses nothing of the regular contusion so common to such kind of attempts. But if we are occasionally led astray from the text by the comment that would unfold it, we often feel ourselves indebted to the assiduity and zeal of the commentator, for a new and more accurate light. We had noted down a great number of instances in the course of our reading, but our limits forbid us to quote them. Of the essays some judgment may be formed from the extracts we have made in another department of this volume. "Essay on the Authenticity of the Poems of Ossian; in which the objections of Malcolm Laing, Esq. are particularly considered and refuted, by Patrick Graham, D. D. 9vo." We have had to notice this dispute in every volume we have presented to the public, for the last three or four years. Yet we judge that the controversy is nearly at an end; and have little doubt that the truth will be at last admitted to exist, where, indeed it is so often to be found, in a midway path between the two sets of disputants. There is some ingenuity in the work before us; there is much plausibillity in Dr. Blair's and the Abbé Cesarortti's celebrated essays; there is still more in Sir John Sinclairs dissertation, and the documents accompanying it, lately pub lished by the Highland Society of London, and adverted to in our last Retrospect but none of them are sufficient to do away all the objections, the stubborn and intractable facts advanced by Mr. Laing: and the opinion intimated, if not directly supported by the Highland Society of Scotland, in their very elaborate and impartial inquiry, appears to be the one best entitled to belief, that Macpherson collected a great multitude of old national Gaelic ballads, and morsels of longer poems, and cemented together the disjecta membra, the separated fragments, into two or three tesselated and uniform poems; the cement being altogether of his own manufacture, and producing so delicate an effect, that the joints are often invisible to the most prying eye, or even the best glasses of the acutest critics. "Lectures on the truly eminent English Poets, by Percival Stockdale, 2 vols. 8vo." These lectures contain great soundness of judgment, true genuine taste, fine delicate feelings, and an ample command of language. They perhaps engage too largely in controversies that are now become obsolete, as, for example, in an appropriation of nearly half the work to a refutation of Johnson's ill-natured and unfounded attack upon Milton and Gray;—and a very prolix re-examination of the Rowleyan dispute. Yet some apology may be offered for the defence of the two former poets; since it is not enough that the heresies of Johnson should have been branded by his own contemporaries, and the cause decided against him in his own day; it still remains that the same decision should be approved of, and become the dictum of every subsequent age, and afford, by written and imperishable documents, our common unity of opinion, gathering fresh force, by the accumulation of new evidence and research. Mr. Stock dale begins his range at an earlier epoch than Johnson, for he opens with Spencer; and on this account his work is peculiarly valuable, as extending to a field of the richest harvest, far less cultivated than it ought to have been, and which has amply repaired the labourer, and will equally repay the reader for lecturing in it. The rest of the characters noticed inthe first volume, are Shakspeare, Milton, Dryden, Pope, and Young. Young is again. put to the test in the second volume, with the remainder of whose life and poetic character it opens; and successively passes on to Thomson, Chatterton, and Gray, closing with an appendix containing a few general remarks on the antecedent pages. With a little revision, and the addition of a few more names, for we cannot bring ourselves to admit that the whole stock of truly eminent poets is here exhausted, these lectures bid fair to form a standard work in the polite literature of our country a second edition, we trust, will soon afford the venerable and respectable writer an opportunity of making such alterations, and we shall hail its appearance not less from the intrinsic merit we are sure it will possess, than as an honourable mean of adding to his pecuniary comforts. "Midus; or a Serious Inquiry concerning Taste and Genius; including a proposal for the certain advancement of the elegant arts. To which is added, by way of illustration, a Fragment of Ancient History, by Anthony Fisgrave, L. L. D." It is dangerous thing for a man to meddle with a character for which he has no qualifications, whatever may be his own opinion of his abilities. There are thousands of simpletons who would think their talents very much under rated, if they were to be told that they have not wit enough for the fool of a pantomime. The writer before us, appears in like manner, to have thought that he could with equal ease copy the burlesque parts of Swift's writings, or the keen continuator of Johnson's criticisms upon Gray; and being equally deceived in his own powers, he has equally failed in his undertaking. The only person he has exposed, is himself. Among the re-impressions, or new editions of British Poets, for the year, we have, in the first place, to notice "Mr. William Shakspeare's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies; published according to the true original copies. London, printed by Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount, 1623, folio. 51. 5s. reprinted for Johnson." This is a truly valuable and admirably executed imitation of an original which is now become so scarce, that a single copy was known as long as fourteen years ago, to be sold at a public auction for 351. 14s. In paper, type, and size it surpasses the beauty of the original: in almost all other respects it is an accurate fac simile: yet we have no memorandum, either at the beginning or the end, to inform us by whom the work has been undertaken. The paper has been manufactured for the purpose, as it is obvious from the water-mark of Shakspeare upon every sheet. "The Plays of Philip Massinger, with notes critical and explanatory, by W. Gifford, Esq. 4 vols. 8vo." We are glad to see this edition: it was called for by the incorrectness or want of taste of those that preceded it. That of Coxeter is extremely erroneous; and that of Mason still worse by voluntary alterations of the text, and metre. The present editar has shown great diligence in restor Ing the different readings to their genuine purity from the oldest editions, many of which appear to have been neglected by Mason. "The Works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes, illustrated with notes, historical, critical, and explanatory, and a life of the author, by Walter Scot, Esq. 8vo." We cannot compliment Mr. Scot upon this undertaking, and we would much rather have seen it in the hands of a man of not more than a tenth part of his taste and genius. In reality he seems through almost every volume to have been above it himself; for nothing else, most assuredly, could have rendered him so careless in arrangement, so incorrect in reference, so tautological in quotation, as we here find him. He has rather lent his name, if we mistake not, to the proprietor, than deeply engaged in the work himself. The first volume contains the life of Dryden, the next seven comprise his dramatic pieces; his poems, which follow, extend to to the fifteenth inclusive, and the remaining volumes are devoted to miscellaneous prose. Of the origianal Poems produced in the course of the year, the only one entitled to particular notice is, "Marmion; a tale of FloddenField," from the exquisite pen of the same writer. Of this we have given so many specimens in another department of the Register, and feel so fully incompetent to convey any just idea of its variegated and peculiar beauties and brilliances, that we shall only add, that in versification it resembles the Minstrel, but is enriched with a greater number of separate songs and ballads; that in many of its descriptions, it is if possible, more forcible and glowing, but in the general tenor of its diction less sweet and harmonious, and less agreeably impressive on a retrospect of its plot. "Latin and Italian Poems of Milton, translated into English Verse, and a Fragment of a Commentary on Paradise Lost, by the late William Cowper, Esq. with a preface by the Editor, royal 4to." The versions are very neatly and elegantly executed, as every one will prejudge from the name of the translator: yet we cannot avoid wishing, he had devoted the time bestowed on the matter here offered, to some original subject. The commentary on Paradise Lost extends only to book iii. v. 341. The volume is embellished with three highly classic designs, by Flaxman, and is published for the benefit of the poet's orphan godson. Of the remaining poems of the year, it will be almost enough to catalogue them. "Remains of Henry Kirke White, &c. with an account of his life, by Robert Southeby, 2 vols. 8vo:" Evincing various specimens of fine taste, exalted genius, extensive fancy, somewhat tinged with a sombre hue, and strong attachment to virtuous pursuits; all unfolding at a very early period of life, and raising the author from a very humble situation, to prospects of literary fame and pecuniary comfort. But the inflexible hand of death interfered, and he was cut off in the spring time of his life and of his studies. The biographical account is peculiarly interesting. "The Resurrection, a Poem, by John Stewart, Esq. author of the Pleasures of Love, Svo." It was kind in the author to remind us of the second of these poems :-the merits of his present performance are indeed altogether of a similar character; and unless again remind ed ed by some third attempt, we are afraid these also, will soon escape from our memory. "The Minstrel; or Progress of Genius; in continuation of the poem left by Dr. Beattie, book iii. 4to." There is here a smoothness of versification, and occasional glimpses of genius enough to induce us to wish that the writer had attempted something of his own, for we are persuaded he will never succeed in grafting his scion on the stock he has selected. "The Contrast; including Comparative Views of Britain, Spain, and France, in two parts, by Mr. Pratt." Mr. Pratt here gives us a repetition of whatever excellencies exist in his antecedent works and nothing beyond; we meet also with some repetitions, which might as well have been avoided. "Fowling, a poem, in five books, 12mo." The anonymous writer of this poem has drank of the true Castalian flood and is a very successful rival of Somerville. We trust we shall soon meet him again, in some other sports, he deserves to be successful. "A Day in Spring, and other poems, by Richard Westall, Esq R. A. Svo." The author of these effusions adds to the number of the present race of painters, who have shown that painting is not their only qualification. The pieces here offered are neatly and correctly written, and sometimes afford proofs of poetic genius; they are also accompanied with four beautiful engravings, from designs, by Mr. Westall. "The Highlanders, and other poems, by Mrs. Grant, 12mo." There is much smoothness and elegance, and some beautiful and appropriate descriptions in these poems; but it is to her prose, and not to her poetry, that this lady must chiefly look for success. A In dramatic productions and novels entitled to any kind of notice, the year has been uncommonly bar. ren. Mr. Edwards has produced a tolerable tragedy in five acis, from the Cyropedia of Zenophon, entitled Abradates Panthea." much better drama, by an anony mous writer, has appeared under the title of "The Fall of Portugal; or the Royal Exiles, a tragedy, in five acts," drawn immediately from the events of the day. Under the head of Novels, we may notice, "The Wedding day," by Mrs. Spence. "Monks and Robbers,” and The Atrocities of a Convent," both published anonymously; and under that of Tales, Mr. Dallas's 66 Knights' Tales Illustrative of the Marvelous;" and Miss Barrell's "Riches and Poverty;" while Miss Hamilton has given us a tale of much more merit and interest in her "Cottage of Glenburnie," a tale well worthy of general perusal. FOREIGN FOREIGN LITERATURE Of the Year 1808. CHAPTER I. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL. Containing a Sketch of the chief Productions of Germany, Sweden, Den W mark, France, and America, E have more reason than ever to lament the severe interdict which, acted upon with equal rigidity on both sides, shuts up our own country from the rest of the world, and the rest of the world from our own country. It is a new æra in the history of nations; for it has not been till of late, or at least, it has not been so among civilized states, that literature has shared the fate of commerce, and that the sword which has prohibited all political intercourse, has at the same time forbidden all scientific communication. But we are now excluded from two continents, or rather almost wholly from one, and from a very considerable part of another: and our means of foreign intercourse are necessarily more limited than in any former period. Our readers will see, therefore, and admit the strong claim we have upon their indulgence, and will candidly rest satisfied with such statement as we are able to communicate. We shall, as usual, commence our lucubrations with Germany. We have met with no new version, either in whole or part, of the Jewish or Christian Scriptures in the German tongue; though we have been informed that a translation from the corrected text of Griesbach is now meditating at Jena. With this text the critics on the continent appear to be perfectly satisfied; and we have heard of but little opposition that has been given to it of any consequence, excepting the incidental remarks of Mr. Butler upon the passage of the three witnesses, noticed in our last year's retrospect, and which has been greedily laid hold of by one or two German critics, as a powerful instrument in their hands, so far as its influence extends. This elaborate edition of the new testament has found its way to Moscow, and has obtained considerable patronage there, notwithstanding the hostility of M. Matthæi, who has laboured with all his might to prove that M. Griesbach's emendations are, in many instances, too lax, and in some instances even dangerous to doctrines founded on the common text. While we are upon this subject, we will observe that a stereotype edition of the Griesbach text is now just printed in our own country |