beyond all doubt, an early death, with pious refignation, ought in reafon to be thought much happier than a life which was to depend for fupport upon the breath of public favour, and the penurious profits of authorship. The number of minor poets, who deferve fome praise, though they cannot be highly ex-, tolled, is too great for enumeration. They must be fought in the first fection of our Monthly Catalogues, where they will, with eafe be found. Several indeed are anonymous; as the Poem on the Wye, the col-. lection called Metrical Effufions †, and others; and when the authors come forward with their names. they shall meet with more attention. Mr. Jerningham, as an established bard, may expect fome mention of his Farewel; and in truth they must have little feeling, who regret not the final departure even of a mere acquaintance. We return therefore Farewel, for his farewel! and wish him all the fame to which he can afpire. The reader will find fome ingenious poetry, particularly Latin poetry, in the third volume of We did not Mr. Skinner's pofthumous Works .. mention the former volumes, under Divinity, becaufe. though we efteem the learning we do not receive the fyftem of the author.

ཝཱ

The collections of our national Poetry are now becoming numerous, but no one hitherto has united fo many advantages as that which was conducted by Mr. Chalmers. The important additions to the collection, the beauty of the paper and type, but above all the highly valuable biographical additions, ftamp a value upon the edition which can hardly be too highly eftimated. The Editor's fame as a biographical writer is daily increafing, by the publication of the completeft work of that kind that has ever yet, been produced. A neat edition of the poetry of No. V. p. 523. No. VI. p. 635. No. 1. p. 77. No. IV. p. 334. No. I. p. 18. and II. p. 167. "The General Biographical Dictionary. Three volumes are now published (July) which afford a fufficient pledge for the excellence of the whole.

L..

Burns,

Burns, with fome worthy of notice.

confiderable additions *, is also Of the engraved illuftrations, the comic are the beft; and fome of them of uncommon merit.

NOVELS.

With the periodical manufacture of novels, deftined to fupply the the liftless reading of fummer wanderers, we do not profefs to meddle. Now and then an exempt cafe demands our notice. Such have we found Mifs Hawkins's production, entitled the Countess and Gertrudet, which, though disfigured by fome minor blemishes, contains enough of ingenuity and original thought, to fet up twenty novelfpinners. Though we cannot equally commend the production of Mrs. Opie, entitled Temper, we do not feel inclined to país it by in filence. There are authors who, when they write below themselves, ftill furpafs the multitude; and that this lady is of the number will hardly be denied. We by no means counsel Mr. Card to continue in this line of authorfhip; his former productions being of a better kind : but in his Beauford there will be found. fufficient merit to reward the perufal, and a fair proportion of originality.

MISCELLANIES.

To the anonymous author of the paper entitled the Projector §, we own ourselves indebted for much of liberal amufement. We felt continually the force of the claffical question,

* No. II. p. 132. No. VI. p. 571.

+ No. I. p. 39.
No. III. p. 294.

+ No. V. p. 526.

4.

ridentem

ridentem dicere verum

Quid vetat?

for, with all the liveliness of the author, he never fails to inftruct; and his lucubrations are always of the most beneficial tendency. In the American Effays entitled Salmagundi* there is more of buffoonery, and lefs of folidity; but it it may gratify curiofity to fee how the effayifts, of this country are imitated beyond the Atlantic. Mr. Gilchrift's letter to Mr. Gifford† is worthy of remark, from the foundness of its arguments and the liberality of its object. We truft alfo that its object will be attained, and that the fair fame of honeft Old Ben will not longer require protection.

During the prefent laudable defire to improve the education of the poor, we cannot recommend our readers to a better fource of information, than Sir Thomas Bernard's Account of the Barrington School a feminary established by the liberality and fupported by the protection of the Bishop of Durham. The patriotic and truly chriftian zeal of the worthy prélate and his friend is never relaxed, and the poor will long be bound to bless their various efforts.

Our task muft here terminate: and we paufe with the fenfation, which we have often felt, that of all the exertions of Criticifm none is fo gratifying, nor in fact fo useful to the mind, as the beftowing of praise, where praife has been well deferved. It is ufeful alfo to the perfons commended.

-non parvas animo dat gloria vires, Et facunda facit pectora laudis amor,

TABLE

OF

BOOKS REVIEWED IN VOLUME XXXIX.

N. B. For remarkable Paffages in the Criticifms and Extracts, fee the INDEX at the End of the Volume.