Perhaps some Briton, in whose musing mind
Those ages live which time has cast behind,
To every spot shall lead his wondering guests
On whose known site the beam of glory rests:
Here Chatham's eloquence in thunder broke,
Here Fox persuaded, or here Garrick spoke ;
Shall boast how Nelson, fame and death in view,
To wonted victory led his ardent crew,
In England's name enforced, with loftiest tone
Their duty, and too well fulfilled his own:
How gallant Moore †, as ebbing life dissolved,
But hoped his country had his fame absolved.
Or call up sages whose capacious mind
Left in its course a track of light behind;
Point where mute crowds on Davy's lips reposed,
And Nature's coyest secrets were disclosed;
Join with their Franklin, Priestley's injured name,
Whom, then, each continent shall proudly claim.'

Mrs. B. well portrays that mysterious Spirit or Genius which walks the earth, at one period rousing nations from a state almost bordering on that of the brutes to mental exertion and to all the improvements of science and the arts, and at another, by deserting them, occasioning their decline and subsequent degradation. She next shews the effects of the ardor of improvement in counteracting our northern climate, and in the advancement of taste, comfort, and luxury. Then, discarding history for prophecy, she represents the splendors of the British metropolis (which now "far outshine the wealth of Ormus or of Ind") as about to pass away; and she concludes her poem with a view of the new empire which, under the auspices of science and liberty, will arise on the other side of the Atlantic :

London exults:-on London, Art bestows

Her summer-ices and her winter-rose;
Gems of the east her mural crown adorn,
And plenty at her feet pours forth her horn;
While even the exiles her just laws disclaim,
People a continent, and build a name :
August she sits, and with extended hands
Holds forth the book of life to distant lands.

Yet fairest flowers expand but to decay;

The worm is in thy core, thy glories pass away;
Arts, arms, and wealth destroy the fruits they bring;
Commerce, like beauty, knows no second spring.

Every reader will recollect the sublime telegraphic dispatch, "England expects every man to do his duty."

"I hope England will be satisfied," were the last words of General Moore.'

Crime walks thy streets, fraud earns her unblest bread,
O'er want and woe thy gorgeous robe is spread,
And angel-charities in vain oppose:

With grandeur's growth the mass of misery grows.
For see,-to other climes the Genius soars,
He turns from Europe's desolated shores;
And lo, even now, 'midst mountains wrapt in storm,
On Andes' heights he shrouds his awful form;
On Chimborazo's summits treads sublime,
Measuring in lofty thought the march of time;
Sudden he calls:-
:-""Tis now the hour!" he cries,
Spreads his broad hand, and bids the nations rise.
La Plata hears amidst her torrents' roar,
Potosi hears it, as she digs the ore :
Ardent, the genius fans the noble strife,
And pours through feeble souls a higher life,
Shouts to the mingled tribes from sea to sea,

And swears-Thy world, Columbus, shall be free.'

Though this poem contains many energetic lines and bold delineations, it disappoints us as a picture of the present era. It has another fault, which is indeed rare, it is much shorter than we could have wished.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For APRIL, 1812.

MILITARY AFFAIRS.

Art. 12. The Regimental Companion; containing the Pay, Allowances, and relative Duties of every Officer in the British Service. By Charles James, Author of the New Military Dictionary, Poems, &c. The Seventh Edition, considerably enlarged. 12mo. 3 Vols. 1. 18. Egerton. 1811.

:

Art. 13. 4 New and enlarged Military Dictionary, in French and English in which are explained the principal Terms with appro priate Illustrations, of all the Sciences, that are more or less necessary for an Officer and Engineer. By Charles James, Major in the Royal Artillery Drivers. 8vo. 2 Vols. Egerton.

These two works convey much military instruction, and from them the officers of the British army may derive more knowlege both of the subordinate and the sublimer parts of their profession, than from most of the other books on military subjects that have made their appearance in this country. We spoke of them very briefly on their first publication *, and are induced by their increased merit again to draw the attention of our readers to them.

* See Rev. Vol. xxxi. N.S. p. 203. and Vol. li. p. 445.

The Regimental Companion comprehends all the instructions, circular letters, and regulations, necessary for enabling military men of ali ranks and descriptions to understand their respective duties in barracks and cantonments, in camps, in garrison, or in the field, from Generals commanding armies and districts to non-commissioned officers, and even to privates. It also gives an account of the military staff of our army, from the Commander in Chief downwards through all its branches; of its medical staff, commissariat, agency, half-pay, allowances, widows' pensions, &c., as well as of the conomy and rules to be observed in its different departments, and the relative functions of those who are employed in them. The indus trious and ingenious author himself informs us, in the few following words, of his object in compiling and publishing this performance: (Preface, p. xi.)

The intention of this work is not only to arrange existing rules and regulations, so as to render them familiar to every officer and soldier, but its ulterior design is likewise to point out what obstructs the free exercise of them.

With regard to the observations, which occur in almost every page, it may be necessary to say, that they are founded on the three solid principles of Order, Economy, and Confidence. Order is recommended by an adoption of rules, that must be absolute throughout the army (call it by whatever name you will, in its divided capacity of Guards, Line, Fencibles, Militia or Volunteers); Economy, by a separation of civil from military functions; and Confidence, by a hearty co-operation of all sects and opinions for the public welfare.'

The value of Major James's remarks, interspersed throughout in the form of notes, is sufficiently proved by this circumstance, that many of them have been adopted in the service since they were first made.

The new edition of the Dictionary discovers an uncommon degree of industry, as well as diversified extent of information. It not only furnishes clear and distinct directions, with regard to all the minutia of tactics and other parts of the military profession, but in the principal articles much useful instruction is delivered with respect to the sublimer parts of the art of war. It is not, in its present form, to be viewed as a mere collection or vocabulary of technical terms. It contains correct definitions and descriptions of the various tools, implements, and processes in the different trades and professions that are more or less subservient to the success of military operations. The compilation of such a work requires a much greater extent of knowlege, as well as of labour, than people are generally aware. The celebrated D'Alembert, having once had it in contemplation to compile a general dictionary, observed that, in order to execute it properly, it would be necessary for him to visit the shops of carpenters, joiners, blacksmiths, &c. &c. Among the improvements in this edition, is a faithful translation of the whole of Belidor's Dic tionnaire Portatif de l'Ingénieur, with the most material terins in civil and military architecture and horsemanship; and an account of the diseases incident to horses.

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POETRY, &c.

Art. 14. The Pleasures of Friendship: a Poem, by Frances Arabella Rowden. 2d Edition. 12mo. 8s. Boards. Longman and Co. 1812.

This poem appears to be the production of an elegant and feeling mind, capable of appreciating the pleasures which it describes. The fair author attempts no hazardous flights nor questionable sublimities, but her style and sentiments are in general correct and pleasing; though we do not agree with her in thinking that Friendship inspired the Maid of Corinth with the idea of tracing her lover's likeness on the wall. In page 52, we are hurried from Damon and Pythias to Sans-Souci and the King of Prussia, and then back again to Epaminondas, though a little attention might have obviated this incongruity.

Art. 15. The Famous Historical Tragedy of "The Rich Jew of Malta;" as it was acted before the King and Queen in His Majesty's Theatre, at Whitehall, by His Majesty's Servants at the Cockpit. Imitated from the Works of Machiavelli. By Christopher Marlo. 8vo. 2s. 6d. London: reprinted for Richardson. 1810.

The reason for republishing "The Rich Jew of Malta" does not seem very obvious. It is one of the most extravagant of the old plays in plot and conduct: though as to conduct, indeed, there is none in it, for events of the utmost consequence, which would have required months at least to prepare, follow one another even without the division of acts. "Time and Space," and whatever abstract notion besides there may be, most incapable of dramatic accommodation, are here dragged neck and heels into the service of the stage. The murders, also, are numerous beyond example. Titus Androuicus and Tom Thumb are nothing, in point of homicide, to "The Rich Jew of Malta." A whole convent of nuns are poisoned by a mess of pottage; and two worthy individuals, a courtezan and her cull, perish by the deadly fragrance of a nosegay! Not to mention a brace of Friars who are killed at one shot, by Barabas, the wealthy and wicked Israclite. We omit sundry of his subordinate offences, such as making two rival cavaliers cut throats mutually by forging mutual challenges, taking off his daughter by potent drugs,-and preparing a warm bath of sulphur for his benefactors the Turks:in a word, the Jew lives like Beelzebub upon earth, and dies blaspheming. Very few passages of poetical vigour, or powerful originality of thought, compensate for the grotesque absurdities of this sanguinary composition. We select one or two, which, perhaps, breathe something of the old dramatic vein :

On a Nunnery.

A fair young maiden, scarce fourteen,

The sweetest flower in Cythera's field,
Cropt from the pleasures of the fruitful earth,

And strangely metamorphos'd to a Nun.' Act I.

The

The commencement of the 2d Act has some force of expression. Barabas is approaching the window, whence his daughter Abigail bas agreed to throw his treasures to him at the appointed hour of night.

Enter Barabas, with a light.

Thus, like the sad presaging raven, that tolls
The sick man's passport in her hollow beak,
And in the shadow of the silent night
Doth shake contagion from her sable wings,
Vex'd and tormented hastens poor Barabas
With fatal curses towards these Christians.
Th' uncertain pleasures of swift-footed Time
Have ta'en their flight and left me in despair,
And of my former riches rests no more
But bare rememb'rance; like a soldier's scar,
That has no further comfort for his maim.
Oh! thou, that with a fiery pillar led'st the sons
Of Israel through the dismal shades,

Light Abraham's offspring, and direct the hand
Of Abigail this night, or let the day

Turn to eternal darkness after this.
No sleep can fasten on my watchful eyes,
Nor quiet enter my distemper'd thoughts,
'Till I have answer of my Abigail.'

We should find it difficult to extract much more that is worthy of

attention.

The editor has prefaced the play with a rambling unconnected tirade on the bad, but very improveable, government of Malta. He is particularly severe on the general manner of administering the civil law in that island, but gives high praise to the Vice-Admiralty Court. -He thinks that we ought to manage the Maltese better, for our own sakes:—but what he means by the following sentences, shrewd as our guesses may be, we cannot venture to decide:

• Shall the policy be now timid in governing them, and in order to tranquillize them, give them more than common privileges? Walk round the works of their improved Anglo-fortifications! see your artillery-men dragging and labouring by the sweat of their brow, slaving for ingratitude oot, oz, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07! At seven years old, a child is sent to school; 08, 09, 010, they are confirmed in the study of the law, or their church discipline; the numbers in both are intolerable; confined to so small an island, who live upon their untaught litigious fraternity, so by this period o11 and 07 are 018. Two-thirds of the population have grown up (under a powerful protection) to manhood, 20,000 mariners in Malta.'

With regard to the author's sanguine ideas about Malta becoming a second Venice, " Alter erit tum Tiphys," &c. &c. Art. 16. Carlton House Fete; or, the Disappointed Bard; in a Series of Elegies; to which is added Curiosity in Rags, an Elegy. By Peter Pindar, Esq. 4to. 2s. 6d. Walker.