farily familiar to every reader of this defervedly popular bard, and are, 1. The Peafant's Neit. "Oft have I wish'd the peaceful covert mine." 2. The Ruftic Bridge. 3. Upon a ruftic bridge We pass a gulph.” The Alcove from the Avenue. "How airy and how light the graceful arch." This view is particularly beautiful. 4 View from the Alcove. "Here unmolefted through whatever fign 6. The Temple from the Wilderness. 7. This plate exhibits a very interefting scene. Wefton Lodge, the Refidence of the Poet. 8. Wefton Houfe, the Seat of George Courtney, Efq. 9. THE ELMS. "There, faft rooted in their bank, Stand, never overlook'd, our favourite elms, A very pretty and picturesque view. 10. The Shrubbery. 11. "The faint or moralift should tread There is a want of diftinétness in this plate. OLNEY CHURCH. "Tall fpire, from which the found of cheerful bells A beautiful representation. 12. OLNEY BRIDGE. "That with its wearifome but needful length Bestrides the wintry flood." The engravings are generally well executed, and the volume may be confidered as an agreeable companion to the works of Cowper. Prefixed, as a Frontispiece, is a neat engraving of Cowper's Summerhoule, by Storer. The whole forms an elegant, yet a cheap, publica tion. ART. 44. The Revolutionary Plutarch, exhibiting the moft diftinguished Characters, literary, military, and political, in the recent Annals of the French Republic; the greater Part from the original Information of a Gentleman refident at Paris. A new Edition, corrected, and much enlarged. Three Volumes. 12mo. 18s. Murray. 1804. It gives us much fatisfaction to fee this work fo foon appear in a fecond edition and improved form, and not a little pleasure to think that our just commendation may in fome degree have promoted its successful circulation. We have now an additional volume, in which is found the very interefting life of the Duke D'Enghien, that gallant Prince fo bafely and barbaroufly murdered by the moft execrable tyrant that ever difgraced humanity. We have also a sketch of the life of Louis XVIII.; of Georges, the Generals Berthier, Menou, Murat, Rochambeau, and Boyer. The life of Cambaceres, Regnier, Thuriot, Real, the infamous Mehee de la Touche, Garat, Fontaines, and Chenier. Of thefe men who now make fo diftinguished an appearance on the theatre of France, who are exercifing in their feveral fpheres the crueleft tyranny, rolling in luxury and wealth, the greater part arofe from the meanest fituations, and have only attained the higheft, by a feries of the most abominable crimes. That fome of their characters may be overcharged will be conceded, but the principal facts alledged of them are alike recent and notorious. Befides this, the character of the compiler, with which we have been made acquainted, stamps on the publication the fanction of unquestionable authority. Many of thefe enormities ipfe miferrimus vidit. His friends and relations, and property, have been the victims of their cruelty. He himself has languished in their dungeons, and there it was that he collected materials for this work, and probably for others, from which, we doubt not, he will obtain an equal degree of reputation. ART. 45. Flowers of Literature for 1803 or, characteristic Sketches of Human Nature and Modern Manners. To which are added, a General View of Literature during that Period; Portraits and biographical Notices of eminent literary Characters. With Notes, hiftorical, critical, and explanatory. By the Rev. F. Prevoft, and F. Blagdon, Esq. Te be continued Annually. 12mo. 552 pp. 6s. Crosby and Co. 1804. This work, which we approved at its firft appearance (fee Brit. Crit. vol. xxii. p. 329) continues to merit fupport and commendation. The fubftance of it confifts, according to the original plan, of extracts from the publications of the year; but fo felected and arranged as to form an interefting and entertaining mifcellany. But befides this, which occupies of courfe the larger part of the volume; there is a well-digefted and well-written Introduction, in which the works and authors noticed in the book book are characterized with spirit and propriety. This Introduction, digefted under the heads of Novelifts, Dramatifts, Biographers, Writers of Memoirs, Hiftorians, Tourists, Travellers, and Poets, thus comprehending the whole clafs of amufive writers, bears fome kind of resemblance to our half yearly Prefaces, but is more diffufe; and is fo executed throughout, both in principles and ftyle, as to merit our unequivocal praife. Another very ufeful part, is an alphabetical lift of the principal publications from which the volume was compofed; with brief criticisms on their refpective merits. This also is in general fatisfactory, in point of execution. The part that we least approve, or rather the only part that we do not approve, is the biographical notices; fo far, at leaft, as they are directed to the hiftory of living authors. This is a plan which - not only gives ftrong temptations to a difgufting adulation, but also enables interefted writers to furnish vain and falfe accounts of themfelves, calculated only to impofe upon the world. We are much miftaken, if one very remarkable inftance of this impropriety does not appear in the prefent volume; where a perfon is eulogized in the most extravagant manner, whofe hiftory, we are well affered, gives the ftrongest contradiction to the chief part of the epithets bestowed upon him and other pretences are fet up, as ridiculous as they are false. But that we deal not in perfonalities, we could enlarge much, and from correct information, on this topic. So grofs a blemish ought by all means to be removed from a work, otherwife eftimable as well as pleafing. ART. 46. The Gazetteer of Scotland; containing a particular and cocife Defcription of the Counties, Parishes, Islands, Cities, Towns, Villages, Lakes, Rivers, Mountains, Valleys, &c. of that Kingdom. With an Account of the political Conftitution, Hiftory, Extent, Boundaries, State of Agriculture, Population, Natural Hiftory, Buildings, Seats of the Nobility and Gentry, Roads, &c. Illuftrated with an elegant Map. 8vo. no Pages, rather more than 35 Sheets. 10s. 6d. Dundee printed; Longman &c. London. 1803. Though this volume appears without a Preface, and without an author's name, and may appear therefore to be a mere fabrication for the fhops, it is by no means a defpicable publication. The lift of names is very numerous, and the accounts of the places feem to omit nothing of importance. We fhall infert as a fpecimen, taken without particular felection, the account of "GLENCROSS; a parish in Mid-Lothian, fituated about 7 miles W. from Edinburgh. It forms a fquare of about 3 miles. The greater part of the parish is adapted for paíturage, being part of the Pentland hills; and in the low grounds the foil is alfo be ter adapted for pafture than tillage. The part of the Pentland hills, which is in this parish, like the reft of that elevated ridge, confifts of different kinds of whinftone, and other primitive ftrata; while the lower grounds, which form part of the valley of Mid- Lothian, contain minerals of different kinds, termed fecondary ftrata, which are commonly fandstone, limestone, coals, and its concomitant foffils. By the fide of Glencrofs water, there is a vein feveral feet wide of barytes, or heavy fpar, which is fo frequent an attendant on metallic veins, both in Scotland and foreign countries, countries, that it always affords a probable indication of metals, efpecially of lead. There are fome extensive and beautiful plantations of lavix (arch) and other trees, mixed with laburnums. There are fome veftiges of camps at Caffle-Law; and a rude ftone, erected on the spot, commemorates the battle of Pentland-hill, fought on the 28th of November. 1666. Near Woodhonfelee, the property of A. Frazer Tytler, Efq. Judge Advocate of Scotland, on the borders of this parish, with that of Pennycuik, lies the fcene of that favourite Scots paftoral, the Gentle Shepherd: at least there is a strict coincidence between the actual fcenery, and the local circumftances mentioned in that poem. The general defeription of the fcene is," a shepherd's village and fields, Jame few miles from Edinburgh". The Wft Port is alfo mentioned as the road from the village to market. The fcenery in the neighbour hood of Woodboufelee is exafily characterized: Scene 1. Beneath the fouth fide of a craggy bield, Where crystal fprings the halefome waters yield. Where laffes ufe to wash, and fpread their claiths: "A romantic fall near the head of Glencrofs water, is ftill named Habbie's How, of which Ramfay's defcription is exceedingly accu rate. PEGGY. Gae farer up the burn, to Habbie's How, Where a' the sweets o' fpring and fummer grow, Between twa birks, out o'er a little lin, The water fa's, and mak's a fingan din. We'll end our washing while the morning's cool, What adds more to the resemblance is, that this pool is ftill a favourite bathing place." Some other particulars are added, refpecting William Tytler, Efq, author of the " Inquiry into the Evidence against Mary Queen of Scots", &c. who was a native of this parish. Of EARLS-TOUN, the native place of Thomas the Rhymer, a good account is inferted; but it is omitted to be faid, that the ancient name was Erceldoun, which may miflead enquirers led by the fame of the faid poet, who is ufually called Thomas of Erceldoun. See Mr. W. Scott's publication of his Romance of Sir Triftrem. It is evident, nevertheless, that this Gazetteer deferves recommendation. ART. 47. A Tour through the British West Indies, in the Years 1802 and 1803; giving a particular Account of the Bahama Islands. By Daniel M Kenfen, Ejq. 8vo. 5s. White. 1804. This is a Tour of a new defcription, and of a very different nature from that of Colonel Thornton (fee our laft Number, p. 211). The The author first gives a concife account of Barbadoes, Dominica, Antigua, and Jamaica; afterwards the reader has a very entertaining reprefentation of the Bahama Inlands. A fmall but neat Map accompanies the work, which is an addition to which we are always friendly. Every reader who has curiofity on the fubject of the West Indies generally, or the Bahamas inore particularly, will be glad to poffefs this little volume, with which we have been agreeably amused, ART. 48. Statifical View of France, compiled from authentic Docu ments. By the Chevalier De Tiufeau. 8vo. 178 pp. Printed for the Author. 1803. IOS. 6d. As France, the author observes, " is become the principal State of Europe, and maintains her pre-eminence by force and by terror",→ and as "the imperiously dictates fuch fevere laws to other nations, we cannot be made too much acquainted with her ftrength and refources". "It is not, however", he states, "the object of the prefent performance to consider France in all her military, political, and com mercial relations". "As, without being a stranger to commerce, The is principally, from the extent of her territory and her vaft popu lation, an agricultural and military State, the prefent work is confined to the expofure of the fundamental elements of her power, by prefenting an exact and circumftantial view of her population, and of the manner in which that population is fpread over her extensive, fertile, and concentrated territory". ་ The tables in the prefent work, he informs us, were drawn up in the tenth year of what is called the French Republic, by command of the Government, and under the direction of the Minister of Justice. They confilt of, Firit, " A Complete Table of all the Departments and Districts, divided into Cantons; with an Account of the Population, territorial Extent, and number of Commons* belonging to the faid Departments, Diftricts, and Cantons" :-Secondly, " An Al phabetical Table of the Cantons; with the Page of the Fint Table in which they are to be found":―Thirdly, A Lift of the Five Hundred principal Cities and Towns in France, divided into Fourteen Claffes according to the Number of their Inhabitants" :and Fourthly, "A General Alphabetical Table of the Departmen's; together with the Account of the Population, Territorial Extent, Number of Districts, Cantons, and Commons", or rather Commonalties, "therein; of Perfonal, Sumptuary, and other Con⚫ tributions, either on Moveables or Immoveables; on Doors, Windows, and Letters Patent; of the Hundredths additional Duty; and, lattly, of the Expence of Administration, Jattice, and Public Inftruction in each Department, for the 11th Year of the new French Era". The reader will immediately fee, as it is indeed admitted by the author, that these Tables do not conftitute a complete Statistical *This expreffion might mislead an English reader. The word Commonalties would have been a better tranflation of the French word, Communes. Rev. |