THE BRITISH CRITIC, FOR JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, MDCCC VIII. Qui non liberè veritatem pronunciat, proditor est veritatis. VOLUME XXXII. London : PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, 1809. Printed by Law and Gilbert, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell. A REVIEW, if performance could keep pace with speculation, should contain a complete history of literature for the time. It should take up all works in the order of their publication, and treat of them în proportion to their merits, or the importance of their subjects. It should reprehend that which is bad with firmness, but without perfonal malice; and point out what is useful, beautiful, original, or in any way excellent, with knowledge, taste, and zeal. All this is easily suggested, but it is not fo cafily effected. Interruptions, from fickness, forrow, business, idleness, happen to Reviewers as to other men; and that which is put aside for a day is perhaps forgotten for months, or even for ever; while the fertility of the press is often too redundant, for either critique writer, or critique reader. Under fuch circumstances, the best thing is to bring into notice whatever is good or useful: the very worst is to dwell chiefly on what is bad, and deal in reprehenfion to display acuteness. We have heard of a critical work that some where existed, which was called, in jest or earnest, "the Negative Review; or select Effays on a few books that are not worth buying." Our half yearly prefaces are the very reverse of this; they contain brief remarks on several books that are worth A. VOL. XXXII. 1808. |