/

Robert had looked nearer, he would have seen, that the torch is not extinguished, but blazes sufficiently to destroy his fanciful allegory. Coxe, with his usual accuracy, has described the monument in the following words :

"Above is the medallion of Des Cartes, and beneath an angel taking a veil from the globe, and illuminating it with a torch; a sublime idea, simply expressing the effect of philosophy in enlightening the human race, but weakened by the angel's pointing to 'Stockholm,' written in golden characters." Coxe, Travels in Russia, &c. Vol. IV. p. 76.

Having procured letters of introduction to the Archbishop of Upsal, Sir Robert proceeds to that university, and amongst the other curiosities deposited there, examines the famous Codex Argenteus. The ease with which he gets rid of all the learned disputes respecting this curious volume, is very edifying. The decisive manner, indeed, in which he pronounces it to be a printed translation of the four Evangelists into Mesogothic by Ulphilas, thus settling at once three disputed points without ceremony, leaves the reader no room to doubt, that he either knows the Mæsogothic language and character as well as his own, the distinguishing characteristics of the style of Ulphilas, and the mode of printing in the middle of the fourth century, or that he knows nothing at all about the matter. Which opinion should be adopted, may, perhaps, be determined by his assertion, that the existence of this volume was not known, while it continued in the library of Werden; and that being removed to Prague, it fell into the hands of Count Koningsmarc, who gave it to Vossius : -an assertion certainly rather hardy, since, it is well known that, while the volume continued in the library of Werden, Anthony Marillon extracted from it some passages, which were inserted in a Commentary on the Gothic Alphabet published by Bonaventura Vulcanius; and that soon afterwards Arnold Mercator transcribed also a few verses, which Gruter gave to the world in his Inscriptiones Antique: and it has been hitherto understood, that when Count Koningsmarc got possession of the book at Prague, he gave it to Queen Christina, from whose library Vossius is supposed to have stolen it. But the facility with which Sir Robert divides, with his knightly blade, these Gordian-knots of history, is truly admirable. He has no sooner drawn on his hand the bloody glove of Charles XII. than he becomes perfectly acquainted with the manner of his death, and is as certain of his having been assassinated, as if he had himself been the assassin.

In the course of an excursion from Stockholm, he descends into the mines of Dunamora, Sala, and Fahlun; and none who have visited those dismal regions before him, have so well painted their gloomy horrors, and the savagely picturesque appearance of their inhabitants. When in the mountains of Dalecarlia, it was natural that he should visit every spot where any memorials of Gustavus Vasa were to be seen; nor is it to be wondered at, that the enthusiastic admiration, with which he evidently contemplates great and generous actions, should lead him to repeat the well-known story of the preservation of that illustrious patriot by the wife of the traitor Peterson; but it certainly is rather extraordinary that he should have dressed it up so well as to pass it for new upon the Edinburgh Reviewer.

At length Sir Robert resolves to visit his native shores, but royalty follows him even to the place of his embarkation. The Queen of France, together with the Duke and Duchess d'Angoulême, arrives at Göttenburgh, and he is immediately presented by the Comte de Damas. All "cold formalities of " ceremony are most condescendingly waved, they make him " sit by them as a friend" and while he takes from the Duke the commands with which he honours him for England, he is happy to unite his respect for the Prince with the devoted affection of a friend!

And now, having attended the Knight during all his wanderings, the reader may sit down and consider how much he has added to his stock of knowledge by his Travels. It is certain

1

that he has been led through the whole alphabet nearly of princely letters, and that he has encountered some dozen of puns, which undoubtedly he would never have met else. where. Sir Robert, indeed, has said that his production is not to be considered as "the studied work of an author " bringing forward deep researches, valuable discoveries, and " consequential observations, but the familiar correspondence " of a friend, noticing the manners of the people with "whom he associates, their fashions, their amusements, the "sentiments of the day; and mingling with these a few " occurrences happening to himself, and the reflections to "which they give rise." (Pref. p. v.) Now upon this, some people would observe, "that a work really of this description, and written by any one possessing a common degree of curiosity and discrimination, must be particularly valuable and interesting; because, in a familiar correspondence, originality at least of information and remark might be expected." But it is to be apprehended that this merit will not be readily allowed to Sir Robert. Some may be apt to think that, in general, he has rather trusted to his memory than his own observation; and that where he has ventured without that guide, he has sometimes unfortunately wandered: and then it may be suspected, that, however correct his memory may be, it would be much better to refer at once to the works which he retails. It will not be denied, however, that, in his progress, Sir Robert has collected some stories, and adopted some opinions, which, though they are to be found in Olearius, and authors of his class, and are therefore not absolutely original, yet have been so long rejected by graver writers, that they have a sort of Monmouth-street gloss in them, a kind of second-hand novelty. But he has himself given the best account of his work that can be required. "He " had engaged to accompany his drawings with some explana"tions:" a book was therefore to be made, of such materials as were at hand, and it was made accordingly.

45

GERTRUDE OF WYOMING; A PENSYLVANIAN TALE : AND OTHER POEMS. BY THOMAS CAMPBELL, AUTHOR OF THE PLEASURES OF HOPE, &c. 4to. pp. 134.-11. 5s.-Long

man.

THE monthly publications, as they undertake to criticize every thing, may easily furnish a greater variety of amusement, than it is possible to provide in a Quarterly work, like the London Review. But the Quarterly works may be fairly expected to supply in weight, what they want in number; and to present an account more than usually ample of those authors who have excited discussion in their day, or in anywise influenced the public taste. Wherefore it frequently becomes expedient to consider, not only the volumes immediately under examination, but the author's literary character, the foundations that support it, and the general effects which it has produced.

As this has not yet been done with respect to Mr. Campbell, those numerous readers who, being very indolent or very busy, derive their whole acquaintance with modern literature from the popular Reviews, even now know nothing belonging to him, except his name, and this last poem of Gertrude. But by any just review of Gertrude, his genius will be most unfairly estimated: his other works must be cited, in order to convince impartial readers, that in truth he is a poet of the finest fancy, of the tenderest feeling, of the liveliest eloquence, and of the noblest sublimity. Such phrases of eulogium may appear excessive; but when the discussion of Gertude is dispatched, these, and even more, shall be substantiated by ample evidence, even in their most precise signification. The recommendation that the following pages will give, can be only a feeble one; but they may fall into the hands of persons who have never studied his works for themselves, and his fame may receive some service, though that service be but a little.

Gertrude of Wyoming has been forced into some kind of reputation, by a party, important alike from their literary talents and their social influence. How far the cause may have been promoted by the partiality of friendship, how far by the crafty hope of depreciating certain rival productions, and how far by the still more insidious desire of shifting Mr. Campbell's fame from the immoveable basis of his former work to the frail foundation of this ordinary poem, Reviewers have no commission to enquire. Yet, though they may feel it irregular to search into private motives, they are surely free to examine, how far an unsound taste may have concurred to so undue a commendation: for taste is clearly a matter of public interest, and public cognizance.

Independently then of all personal considerations, the principal cause of success appears to have been that air of classical regularity which pervades the style, and characterizes the general effect. The workmanship, though exceedingly defective, contains many evidences that the approved examples of poetry have been consulted. The language has little affectation of obsolete phraseology: the metre is at least perfectly regular: the whole style is free from every thing barbarous or childish: and the verses, in general, stiff and unpleasing as they often are, have yet in their deportment a certain correctness, that indicates their breeding to be of the old school. Now if there could ever be a season peculiarly favourable to the production of a work written according to the good primitive models, that season was certainly the moment when Gertrude appeared; because, from the circumstances of the times, the critics were disposed to welcome any thing, not absolutely wretched, that came in the simple shape of the antient favourites. During a great many years, amusing and fanciful works had been starting in rapid succession, each more extraordinary than its predecessors. The general voice