of its contents, my mind is enchanted, as if it were placed among the landscapes of Valais, which Rouffeau has defcribed with fuch picturefque beauty. I fancy myfelf feated in a cottage, amid thofe mountains, thofe vallies, those rocks, encircled by the enchantments of optical illufion. I look and behold at once the united feafons. All climates in one place, all feafons in one infant.' I gaze at once on a hundred rainbows, and trace the romantic figures of the fhifting clouds. I feem to be in a temple dedicated to the fervice of the Goddess of VARIETY *." P. 21. These remarks are followed by an historical sketch of the Effays, of different kinds, which had preceded the publication of the Tatler. The author next gives a judicious view of the national manners at that period, and of the neceffity for that amelioration which the Effays of Steele and Addifon were able to produce. This Effay, which occupies only 40 pages, forms a truly appropriate introduction to the general defign. It is followed by the "biographical sketch of Steele," in which, of courfe, as in the other narrative parts, much is told that had been frequently related by others. This is, in fact, one of the difficulties which the writer had to encounter; and if he has generally fucceeded, as we think he has, in giving the graces of novelty to a very old narration, he has done all that could in reafon be expected of him. He has fometimes done even more, for he has illuf, trated the hiftory of Steele, in particular, by paffages from his Effays, which become more delightful than ever, when thus viewed as fketches of fo favourite an author, drawn from the life by himself. This obfervation is exemplified, in the very first page of this Life, in a manner perfectly affecting. We find no fault, whatever, with the execution of these biographical sketches,, except that the compiler has omitted to mention a preceding writer, to whom he must have been indebted, on many different occafions; namely, Mr. A. Chalmers, whofe very excellent lives of the authors of the Spectator, and other illuftrations, we commended with great juftice at the time of their appearance t. We fhall not give any analysis of Steele's life, the principal features of which are fo well known; but fhall content ourselves with inserting the concluding reflection of the biographer, which flows but too naturally from the preceding narrative, and well deferves attention, particularly from thofe who are young enough to receive it as a warning. "D'Ifraeli's Mifcellanies, p. 22." "Let "Let it be impreffed, therefore, on every reader of his life, that the moft fplendid abilities, together with a pleafing temper, a generous and a feeling heart, are, if unaccompanied by well re gulated affections, and a due attention to ftrict juftice and economy, not only incapable of producing happiness, but are even frequently productive of extreme mifery." P. 184. We fee no reason to controvert any opinion of the author, in this Effay, except where he feems to affent to the fuggef tion, that the dedication to the tract entitled, "The State of the Roman Catholic Religion throughout the World," addreffed to the Pope, was written by Bifhop Hoadley (p.118). To our apprehenfion, it is fo ftrongly marked by the peculiar humour and vivacity of Steele, as not eafily to be mistaken. Befides which, it appears to be diftinctly claimed by Steele, in the Epilogue cited in page 125, where, fpeaking of him. felf, be fays, "In a few months he is not without hope, As the Letter, or Dedication, is here exprefsly avowed by Steele himself, no other author can poffibly be introduced by furmife or conjecture, in the face of fuch evidence. The Second Ellay is "on the Style of Steele;" and contains many found and useful remarks. It is properly obferved, that this pleafing writer fometimes offends against grammar, and fome inftances are given, in proof of the affertion. One of them, however, is erroneous. "It is not Me you are in love with," is marked as if me was incorrect, which it is not; as may be feen, only by changing the pofition of the words, "It is not with me [that] you are in love;" which is perfectly right, whether the elliptical form be used, or that be inferted. Dr. D. proceeds, in Effay III, to confider "the tafte and critical abilities of Steele;" and under that head, he cites one or two paffages of his author, on the drama of his day, which, frange to fay, apply fill more ftongly to the prefent ftate of dramatic writing than to that of the period, when they were written. "There is very little," fays Steele," which concerns human life, or is a picture of nature, that is regarded by the greater part of the company. The understanding is difmiffed from our entertainments. Our mirth is the laughter of fools, and our admiration the wonder of ideots; elje fuch improbable, monstrous, and incoherent dreams, could not go off as they do; not only without the utmoft corn and contempt, but even with the loudest applause and approbation." P. 208. O for O for a Steele to correct our stage again! for to this very point, or rather to one yet lower are we now degraded. Thus alfo, in the Tatler, he fays, what a critical obferver muft fay, yet more ftrongly, at this hour. "Of all men living I pity players (who must be men of good understanding, to be capable of being fuch) that they are obliged to repeat and affume proper geftures for reprefenting things, of which they must be afhamed, and which they must disdain their audience for approving." P. 209. That Steele could relish Shakespeare, and recommended the ufe of his dramas to banish this barbarifm, is then obferved; but fome moft curious inftances are added to show how imperfectly the great bard was known, and how carelefsly cited, even by his few admirers, at that period. This Effay, like the preceding, is interefting and judicious. Effay IV, treats of "the invention, imagery, and pathos of Steele," and the Vth," on his "Humour and delineation of Character." Both of these are illuftrated by fuitable quotations from the author, and fufficiently establish the opinions of the Effayift. In the fixth Effay Dr. Drake takes up "the Morality of Steele;" and this, which concludes. his view of that author's character, is admirably closed by the following fummary of the whole. "Having now confidered at fome length the principal features of Sir Richard Steele's literary character, as a writer of periodi cal effays; we may, as the refult of our enquiry, affirm, that if he cannot be diftinguished as a man of profound learning, he was at least intimate with the authors of ancient Rome, and poffeffed a keen and critical relifl of their elegancies and beauties. "In vigour, verfatility, and penetration of intellect, he was inferior to none of his contemporaries who figured in the department of general literature; and though in purity and delicacy of tafte, he was certainly not upon a level with Addison, he was, even in these qualities, fuperior to moft of the then literary world. His countrymen, therefore, juftly and deservedly confidered him as an able arbiter elegantiarum, and in general fubmitted to his decifions with deference and esteem. "If in his style he was neither peculiarly polished nor correct, he was feldom deficient in perfpicuity, and his periods usually flow with fpirit and vivacity. "His imagination was fertile, and fometimes brilliant; his memory ftrong and capacious; his powers of ratiocination, for the moft part, clear and perfuafive, and his humour and wit, if not confpicuously elegant and chafte, were, at leaft, original, full of life, and well applied. L BRIT, CRIT, VOL. XXVIII, aug. 1806, "The "The great utility of his compofitions, however, arifes principally from his fertility in the delineation of character, as founded on an extenfive knowledge of mankind and its varieties." These sketches, which every where diverfify his writings, and give them a dramatic caft, are rendered fubfervient to the beft purposes, by teaching through example, of all modes the most impreffive, the nobleft leffons of moral wisdom and domeftic virtue. "When we duly reflect, therefore, that the long feries of effays, including the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian, was origi nally planned, and uniformly conducted by Sir Richard Steele; that to him we owe the incorporation and united exertion of the first literary talents of his time (talents ever directed, under his fuperintendance and fupport, towards the real improvement of his fpecies); and that, notwithstanding much calumny and political oppofition, much expence and hazard, he vigorously perfevered in carrying his views into execution; we fhall, without doubt, be convinced, that few men have deferved better of fociety; and that no one, every circumftance confidered, can with greater propriety be termed a benefactor to mankind." P. 289. 66 We proceed next to the contemplation of Addifon, the biographical sketch" of whom forms the firft Effay of a new feries. On this we shall not further remark than to say, that it is in general well arranged and pleasingly written*; and that they who are beft acquainted with the general facts, will yet find fomething here to fix and reward their attention. The following note we infert, because we are among those who are ready to anfwer the author's queftion in the affirmative, and to defire the publication of the book. Drake here mentioned, was, we prefume, an ancestor of the present writer. Dr. "I have lately had the pleasure of perufing fome manufcript travels in Italy, written upon the plan of Addifon, by the late Francis Drake, D.D. They were compofed fo far back as the year 1750; but embrace a much wider field of illuftration, and exhibit a more abundant harveft of claffical quotation, than their celebrated predeceffor. The ftyle is familiar, but perfpicuous; and each scene or object appears to have been viewed with intelli * A few trifling lapfes of the pen feem hardly worth noticing, as a deduction from the merit of the ftyle, for they are in fact very trifling fuch as "defalcation" p. 326 rat er improperly ufed, and one or two other inftances of ftill lefs confequence. "Defalcation" occurs again, for defect, which it does not fignify, in Vol. 11. p. 141. Defalcation means the taking away of fomething which did exift, not an inherent fault or deficiency. gent affiduity, and with a warm attachment to the ftudy of Ro nan antiquity. They would form a handfome volume in quarto; and if it be confidered that travels of this nature are, in fact, rendered more valuable by the lapfe of time, and the devastations of conqueft, their publication at the prefent period may probably not be deemed altogether ufelefs or ill-timed. I have written this note with a view of enquiring how far fuch a work may be thought acceptable in the literary world." P. 323. With this Effay on the Life of Addison, the first volume concludes. The fecond volume contains five more Effays, all having reference to the genius and merits of Addifon, as enumerated in a former part of this article. They all poffefs confiderable merit, both critical and hiftorical; and the first of them," on the Progrefs and Merits of English Style, &c." is particularly judicious and inftructive; containing examples well felected, and reflections very properly fubjoined or premifed. If we fhould differ from the author in his judg ment on any example, it would be on that from Shaftesbury, of which he fays, that it is not cafy to fay whether brilliancy of language or fublimity of imagination be most apparent. Part of this is true; but the language abounds, as profe, with one grofs fault, which the critic does not feem to have obferved; it runs continually into blank verfe; the most abortive effort at elevating a profaic ftyle that can be ima gined. For example, 66 "Behold, through a vast tract of sky before us, The mighty Atlas rears his lofty head Cover'd with fnow, Above the clouds. Beneath the mountain's foot The rocky country rifes into hills; A proper bafis of the ponderous mafs Above: Where huge embody'd rocks lie pil'd on one another, and feem to prop the high arch of heaven. See, with what trembling fteps poor mankind tread The narrow brink of the deep precipices, From whence with giddy horror they look down, Miftrufting even the ground which bears them; whilft They hear the hollow found of torrents underneath With falling trees which hang with their roots upward, Vol. 11. p. 90. In all this paffage we have not changed a fingle word. We remember a modern author coming before us, on whese feeble attempts at a fine ftyle we paffed no other cenfure, L 2 than |