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transitory, little ease will be experienced after using it, and the practitioner will be disappointed in the expected cessation of pain, and the alleviation of the symptoms.'

The external application of laudanum is recommended, on theore tical principles which may be contested: but its use is sanctioned by experience, whether the theory be right or wrong. Mr. Noble uses a particular formula, which we shall quote exactly as he has printed it :

Tinctura opii mitior.

R Extracti opii, drachmas quinque,

Spiriti vini rectificati, uncias quinque.
Aquæ distillate, uncias decem.
Digere per dies sex, & cola.'

This is not the only instance of bad Latin which we have remarked in the present performance.

The application of tincture of tobacco is strongly recommended, especially to the temple and forehead, for the removal of the violent pain with which those parts are affected during the progress of Ophthalmia.

We certainly think that Mr. Noble's publication, with all its disadvantages, merits the regard of the profession: but it would have found more readers and followers, if it had appeared as a practical treatise, divested of that technical language which, however seducing it may appear to Mr. Noble, will probably become obsolete and unintelligible in the course of a few years. It has never, indeed, been adopted by authors whose attention has been directed to useful facts rather than to speculations.-The expressions of original genius are always simple; those of ingenious theorists are commonly difficult to be comprehended; and there subsists, perhaps, the same difference between the style of Hippocrates and that of Brown or Darwin, as between that of Homer and Lycophron.

POETRY, &c.

Art. 31. The Pleasures of Retirement, in three Cantos. With other Poems. By John Jefferys. Small 8vo. 3s. 6d. Boards. Longman and Rees. 1800.

These poems, which we have accidentally overlooked, appear to be the production of a very young writer, who has acquired a "knack at rhiming," without much poetical genius. The mechanical structure of the lines is rather pleasing, but the thoughts are trite, and the expressions common. The following passage is a fair specimen of the principal poem:

• Grant me, propitious heav'n! a humble cot,
Deep in the country, a sequester'd spot;
Far from the city, and the envious croud
Of praise penurious, but of malice loud:
Let poplars, elms, and oaks, the forest's pride,
Defend my hamlet on the Northern side;
And rising lofty from the covered plain,
Afford a refuge to the feather'd train :

REV. JULY, 1802.

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There

There let the partridge and the pheasant shun
The dread explosion of the sportsman's gun.
All-gracious God! let not that murderer rove
With steps unhallow'd through my sacred grove
Let thorns grow round, and let the timorous hare
From hounds pursuing find a shelter there.
In murmuring streamlets let a fountain flow
Along the meadows to the woods below;
Around my wall the pliant woodbine glide,
And form an arbour at my cottage side.
Unbar the fasten'd gates, ope
thou my door

Wide to the stranger and receive the poor;

Crown then my hopes, and make thy happy youth

Sacred to Virtue and her sister Truth!

Teach me to know thy will, oh! teach me this
By blessing others to increase my bliss.

What, though the dome be wanting at whose gate
In servile pomp the pamper'd menials wait!
What, though the pillar'd roof or marble pile
Does not auspicious on my dwelling smile!
Can massy plate, or rich embroider'd vest
Alter my transports or preserve me blest?'

Among the smaller pieces is a Latin Ode, in Otia Ruris, which wę cannot praise; and there are also some translations from Horace, which possess neither the ease nor the elegance of the original.

Should this author design to persist in his poetical career, we earnestly recommended to him Retirement, for the next seven years, from the bar of the public.

Art. 32. Mary Stewart;

Queen of Scots, an Historical Drama. 8vo. 4s. sewed. Longman and Rees. 1801. This play is submitted to the public without any introductory address; and we are left to a few notes to learn the author's reasons for departing from historical truth, in so well-known a story, and for the appearance of other excentricities in the performance. It is not improbable that the temporary credit, obtained in this country by the German tragedians, had seduced the anonymous writer to copy their model; for we observe in this piece many of the faults which we have had occasion to reprehend in the Teutonic play-wrights: but it seems that it was composed without a knowlege of Schiller's play on the same subject. Let the intention of the author, however, be what it may, the tragedy will not attain either of the legitimate ends "of poetry, aut prodesse, aut delectare. The language, without betraying any particular fault, is too little elevated for this species of composition; as will appear from the subsequent passage, which is onę of the most favourable specimens that we can select:

As for their discipline, it seem'd but rude; But for their hearts, I am concern'd to say, In number many, they are yet but one, Glowing with zeal in Mary Stewart's cause: And well they may;

For

For well she knows, and practises each art
To win men's love. She wore a crown of bays
Begemm'd with primroses; and in the front
A thistle-sprig appear'd, as if to say,
This emblem, dear to Scotland, still I prize
The brightest jewel of my diadem:

In her right hand, unglov'd, a sword she bore,
While with her left she rein'd her pawing steed,
As pass'd the several clans. She knew the name
Of every chief; to each one's homage bow'd,
Then kissed her hilt: But when the Douglasses
Advanc'd, she stoop'd so low, her lovely locks,
Disorder'd with the wind, were seen to join
Her charger's flowing mane. When all had pass'd
They form'd a ring around this fair Bellona
Then she harangued them with a modest boldness:
She spoke of English arts, and English gold;
And vow'd she would not see her realm reduc'd
To be a province of a foreign queen.'

;

The author's talents seem, indeed, better adapted to description
than to pathetic verse; witness the hermit's account of his retreat :
Ill thank your Highness with my heart's last throb;
But know, I would not leave this lonely place:
Those I hold dear; one I held dear is laid

Within that roofless chapel wall: Each weed
That grows about her grave I know: They spring
With gaudless flowers, year after year the same:
The wind that sighs among you aged trees

Sounds like an old friend's voice: Even Cluden's stream,
Whether 'neath summer suns it gently flows,
With such a whispering murmur, that the bee

Upon the farther bank is heard to hum;
Or whether, in its ice-fraught course, it roar
So loud amid the wintry thunder storm,

That though the flash is seen, the peal's unheard,-
All, all its sounds are grateful to mine car:
I would not part from it, or from these woods,
The very birds of which are tame, and know me;
I should even miss the echo's wonted voice,
That gives responses to my lonely hymn,
And bears it, with a music not its own,

To heaven. But hark, the woodland matins rise.'

We cannot avoid noticing, as one blemish of this drama, the intro duction of the vulgar Scotch dialect in several of the scenes. This disagreeable mixture is not rendered palatable by any tincture of wit; and the author should have known that the language was very different at that period which he has undertaken to represent.-In this, as in too many other instances, we have the misfortune of writing an epitaph, instead of rearing the character of a work. Nascentes moriuntur is all that can be said of such productions.

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Art. 33. The Meteors. Small 8vo. 2 Vols. 12s. Boards. Black, &c. 1800.

Whatever notice these literary meteors of the last century might attract, at the time of their first (periodical) appearance, and during their evanescent existence, it cannot be expected that any record of them will receive much attention, after the lapse of two years which have passed before they came into our hands. Time, however, we imagine, has already in this interval done fair justice to the merit of these little poems, epigrams, &c. by kindly throwing over them the friendly veil of concealment.

Art. 34. John the Baptist, a Poem. By Joseph Cottle. 8vo. IS. Longman and Co

The author of this poem has already introduced himself to the notice of the public, by various poetical compositions.-The small production before us betrays many imperfections, although it contains at the same time many good lines. The purity of the sentiment, and the piety which shines throughout it, blended with a degree of severity which well becomes the character of the Baptist who here speaks, deserve particular commendation. Towards the close of the poem, we were not so well pleased. We think that it would have ended more happily at the 530th line; after which the Muse descends. The Lime labor might be applied in many parts with much advantage; and particularly to correct a confusion of tenses, which frequently occurs.

Art. 35. Youth, a Poem. By J. Bidlake, A, B., &c. 8vo. Is. 6d. Murray and Co. 1802.

This poem contains many just reflections, and much good advice to youth: but we cannot say that the composition reaches the elegance and simplicity of Gray's ode "on a distant prospect of Eton College," which the author seems to have had in view. Our readers, however, have so long been acquainted with the poetical powers of Mr. Bidlake, that we need not either enlarge our remarks, or illustrate them by quotations.

Art. 36. The Female Volunteer, or the Dawning of Peace, a Drama, in Three Acts. By Philonauticus. 8vo. 3s. Smeaton. Philonauticus apologizes for the defects of his composition, on the ground that it was written under circumstances of anxiety and embarrassment, and finished in the space of a single week. He has endeavoured, he says, to arrest the attention of the public by other ` literary productions: but, when he settled with his bookseller, he always found the balance against him. What could be done? He has now tried his dramatic talents; and we sincerely wish that he had a prospect of better success; but indeed we cannot praise this drama. The occasional songs interspersed have a better claim to commendation; and we therefore solicit the patronage of the public for a collection of poems, which the author says it is his intention to publish.

EAST INDIA AFFAIRS.

Art. 37. Letter to the Proprietors of East-India Stock, respecting the present Situation of the Company's Affairs, both abroad and

at

at home; in Answer to the Statements given in the latter Part of the Third Report of the Special Committee of the Court of Directors, dated 25th of March, 1802. 8vo. pp. 113. 38. Hatchard.

Those who have perused the third report mentioned above will, in our apprehension, here find matter worthy of their regard: we, however, not having seen the papers in question cannot presume to enter into particulars, especially on a subject of such great importance, not only to the Proprietors of East-India Stock, but to the public at large. We may, nevertheless, transcribe the concluding paragraph of Mr. Dundas's Speech, to which it relates:

The summary Abstract of what I have now brought to the notice of the Committee is as follows:-An examination of the Accounts upon the table, both abroad and at home ;-The Influence and Power of the Company in the year 1784, and at the present time;-The acquisition of Territory and state of Alliances-Of foreign Relations;-The improvement of the internal administration of their own Dominions;-Of the Commerce in India, at China, and at home;-An explanation of the increase of the charges, and the prospect of again obtaining a surplus revenue ;-The supplying investments by means of loans;-The improvement of the Company's Affairs, under every event, during the periods of comparison; -And finally, the Plan in contemplation on the return of peace.

In retiring from my official connection with the affairs of India, the Committee will do me the justice to believe, that I can never be indifferent as to the success of the measures I have pointed out. I entertain on the subject the most sanguine expectations. Under other circumstances, I might, at the present moment, have felt deep regret, in the apprehension that new Systems might have been introduced, and new Theories applied to the administration of our Indian Empire. I make no doubt, many things will be found to require improvement and correction, and none will rejoice more sincerely than I shall in the fame and glory of those who may be the instruments of those improvements. But I am perfectly satisfied, no radical change in the System I have pursued will be made, but on the fullest conviction of its propriety; and under that impression I shall continue to contemplate, with heartfelt joy, every progressive improvement in our Indian Concerns; reposing the most entire confidence in the talents and integrity of those whom His Majesty has appointed to succeed to me in this important charge.'

ANTIQUITIES.

Art. 38. Grecian Antiquities; or an Account of the public and private Life of the Greeks: relating to their Government, Laws, Magistracy, Judicial Proceedings, Naval and Military Affairs, Religion, Oracles, Festivals, Games, Exercises, Marriages, Fu nerals, Domestic Employments, Entertainments, Food, Dress, Music, Painting, public Buildings, Harbours, Baths, &c. Chiefly designed to explain Words in the Greek Classics, according to the Rites and Customs to which they refer. To which is added, a Chronology of remarkable Events in the Grecian History, from

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