ART. 12. Verfes on the Death of Lord Nelson. 4to. 9 PP. Price 15. Clarke. 1806. Thefe verfes (only fifty-two in number) are manifeftly a hafty effufion, and, we think, the effufion of one who could write better. They have occafionally fome vigour; as the following lines, though all of them are not unexceptionable, will evince; "Nelfon's no more!" exclaims the exulting Gaul, O noble meed of worth, of high renown! The lines are here and there varied in length; which has, we think, an ill effect, except in a regular, and well conftructed lyric poem. ·ART. 13. An Ode on the Victory and Death of Lord Viscount Nelson, off Trafalgar, October 21, 1805. To which are added, Lines addreffed to him after the celebrated Battle of the Nile. By a Lady. 8vo. 16 pp. 25. Boofey. 1806. Gallantry and patriotifm forbid that we should harshly cenfure thefe well-meant effufions of a female pen! but justice compels us to own, that the public spirit of this lady far transcends her talent for poetry. Yet the errs more from want of skill than of genius; especially, in her Ode; the very first line of which "Fame once more a brilliant trophy rears' is not a verfe, and the others are irregularly and injudiciously ar ranged, fo as to lofe that effect of varied melody, which is the foul of lyric poetry. But we are too much pleafed with the honeft zeal and (we doubt not) fincere feeling of the fair author to fay more, except that we would advise her, before she writes again, diligently to ftudy our beft poets; after which the may probably produce compofitions, if not of the firft order, yet well worthy of perufal. ART. 14. The Chaplet, a Collection of Poems; partly original, and partly felected from the most approved Authors. I 2mo. 204 pages. 35. 6d. Ipswich, Raw; London, Longman and Co. 1805. མ༧ We do not recollect to have met, for fome time past, with a Collection of Poems, of fo convenient a fize, and reasonable price, or including fo great a variety of poems of confiderable merit. Of the original poems a few perhaps may be deemed too trite to be inferted in fuch a collection at the prefent day, fuch as Tickell's о BRIT. CRIT, VOL. XXVII. FEB. 1806. ell's Colin and Lucy, Shenftone's Nancy of the Vale, and Gray's, Hymn to Adverfity; the laft of which almost every lover of poetry has by heart. But though this may be true, and though fome of the more modern poems have fcarcely merit enough to entitle them to a place in a selection like the prefent, the book, upon the whole, will form a very convenient manual for the readers of poetry. We cannot, however, pafs over without cenfure the impropriety of fubjoining the name of Pindar only, to the selections from the doggrel writer who has termed himself Peter Pindar. The two poems felected from Peter have indeed nothing objectionable in them; but let him, if he is to retain the name of Pindar, always keep his diftinguishing prænomen of Peter, and not prophane too far a name fo venerated by all admirers of the fublime in poetry. ART. 15. The Sorrows of Seduction, in Eight Delineations, with other Poems. 12mo. Price 5s. Gordon. 1806. Of this collection of poems, we prefer the lighter fpecimens at the end, of which fome are deferving of confiderable praise. The following is one of the best. "INDEPENDENCE. "Lov'd Independence, object of my foul, "To dread foreboding, to dark louring care ART. 16. Palmyra and other Poems, by T. L. Peacock. 12mo. Price 5s. Richardson. 1806. We do not like the metre in which Palmyra, the principal poem of this collection, is written; but it nevertheless contains fome fpirited lines and pleafing images. The author fucceeds beft in his lighter effufions, many of which indicate a great deal of poetic tafte and feeling. The Vifions of Love are very pleasing, and open with the following fpirited lines. "To "To chafe the clouds of life's tempeftuous hours, "All conquering love thy powerful reign furrounds ART. 17. A Collection of Songs, moral, fentimental, inftructive, and amufing. The Words felected and revifed by the Rev. James Plumptre, M. A. Fellow of Clare Hall. The Mufic adapted and compofed by Charles Hague, Muf. Doct. and Profeffor of Mufic in the University of Cambridge. Rivingtons. Price 16s. 1805. The object of this publication is to furnish a Collection of Songs on feftive occafions, that shall at the same time be cheerful, inftructive, and innocent. It may very properly be objected to many of the popular ballads that they are deformed by oaths, profane and indecent expreffions. The Editor, Mr. Plumptre, has undertaken to correct and reform these, and has produced very agreeable and entertaining collection. Dr. Hague, with the affiftance of fome of his friends, has adapted the fongs, many of them, to very beautiful and popular airs. A very fenfible letter, explanatory of the author's views and feelings, is prefixed, which terminates with a fpirited, and no lefs fplendid than juft apostrophe, in favour of the Society for the Suppreffion of Vice, whofe endeavours, publications like the prefent, muft neceffarily and effectually promote. ART. 18. Poems; and Theodore, an Opera; by the late J. H. Colls 8vo. 10s. 6d. Longman. It would be useless to point out, with critical feverity, the defects of this work, the author of which is no more. We fhall be fatisfied therefore with faying, that thefe poems contain many ftrong marks of lively fancy and poetical tafte. The following may ferve as a fpecimen. WAR, AN ELEGY; "Occafioned by feeing a number of wounded French prifoners landed at Mill-Prifon-Bay: Infcribed to Mrs. Maden. "When danger bids us to the field repair, "Some, fway'd by honor, in their country's caufe "Yet not to fear's impulfive touch they yield, Where else with honor they had proudly stood. A helplefs offspring from a father claim, And blaft their comforts to obtain a name? And drops a tear on every ftreaming wound. With that we triumph, or with that we fall. "But thofe, methinks, who mount Bellona's car, "The "The generous tear that fympathy lets fall Who 'midft his conquefts feels a wish to fave." P. 120. NOVELS. ART. 19. Love and Satire: containing the farcaftic Correspondence of Julius and Eliza. To which is prefixed, a few brief Memoirs of an unfortunate Lover. Small 8vo. 93 pp. 2s. Allen. 1805. We have feldom met with a more fingular publication than the Memoirs and Poems now before us; with a more striking inftance of early genius, unfortunately directed, than in the lover, or of ready wit, guided by a moft unfeeling heart, than in the lady whom his ill ftars influenced him to choose for his miftrefs. The young man, here called Julius, is defcribed as poffeffed of extraordinary genius and uncommon talents for amufement, and confequently as admired in a high degree by his friends. We fufpect, however, that prudence and found judgment did not form a very prominent feature of his character. He also appears to have been alfo a man of exceffive fenfibility. With this character, and without any poffeffion but his talents, he unfortunately became enamoured of a lady, who is described as uncommonly beautiful and gifted with fuperior talents, as well as an ample fortune; but (as we can eafily believe) of a proud, coquetish, and unfeeling difpofition. This attachment fhe is reprefented as having encouraged at firft; but on his venturing to write her an impas fioned, but refpectful declaration of love, answered him in a tone of mortifying contempt. The anguifh which he felt on this infulting rejection occafioned him to burft a blood veffel; an accident which (though he recovered from it for a time) brought on a decline, which put an early period to his life. On his tempo. rary recovery he wrote her an angry and rather fevere reply; and afterwards, when fome amatory verfes from him produced a bur. lefque and fatiric anfwer, he attempted to retort upon her, but (as might be expected in fuch a cafe) with no great fuccefs. His compofitions, however, in general, bear the marks of an early and elegant genius; as the following lines (faid to have been attached to the neck of a dove) will evince. "Pathetic warbler, in whofe fongs I find 0 3 With |