ducting it they are most warmly concerned. In what is called polite company, that is, of men experienced in life, all arguing is looked upon as ill breeding, and a proof of the grossest pedantry.

Romances and Novels.

The readers of these first kind of compositions delight in the embattled castle, as the lover of modern novels is pleased with the honeysuckled cottage. With regard to the essential difference between the writers, with respect to the delineation of manners and characters, they are very opposite indeed. This difference may be illustrated by the titles of two celebrated modern novels, " Man as he is," and "Man as he is not." Amadis de Gaul differs as much from an Innamorato in a modern novel, as a spruce villa from a gothic

mansion.

Low Company.

When a writer of fictitious history, "who has all the world before him where to choose," delights in introducing characters of humble life and dissipated minds, he either supposes that the public taste requires of him such personages, or he is fond of them himself. In both cases, the author thinks that he is justifiable in giving such speeche

sentiments, and actions as seem suitable to his characters. Hence much scenery, oratory, and description, very hurtful to the minds of young persons, occur in their favourite course of reading modern novels. Dr. Smollet is particularly objectionable in this point of introducing his reader to very low company.

Ludicrous Mistake in Terms.

Brydone relates, that in passing some river in Italy, a passenger in the boat observed, “that that great man Julius Cæsar had crossed this river." 'He must have been a great man,' replied one of the watermen, for the river is thirty feet deep in some places." Mr. J. Spense, in his "Anecdotes," relates another of the same kind:-" Mr. Pope was with Sir Godfrey Kneller, when the painter's nephew came in, who was a Guinea trader. 'Nephew,' said Kneller, you have the honour of seeing the two greatest men in the world.' I do not know how great you may be,' said the Guinea man, 'but I don't like your looks: I bave often bought a man much better than both of you together, all muscles and bones, for ten guineas.'"

* According to Horace,

Reddere personæ scit convenientia cuique.

Anacreon.

It has been a dispute among some profound Greek scholars, whether this amatory bard is to be ranged with classic authors. Certain critics have considered him as a forgery of some Byzantine scholar. However, with some exceptions, he is less objectionable than some other classics of the erotic kind, and less loaded with mythologic fables than any of the minor Greek poets. Though his muse treats of love merely physical; yet one of his late translators, in this sentimental age of that passion, has exaggerated the warm language of the old Teian, so as to have brought a disgrace on his name, which he does not merit. In general, nature and simplicity prevail in his composition, though on themes which were likely to have led him into gross improprieties of thought and diction.

N.B. Let the reader compare T. Moore's translation with that of T. Girdlestone, M.D. 1804, 2d edit. the latter is more like Anacreon, the other like T. Moore.

Love at First Sight.

Some grave reasoners have doubted the existence of love at first sight, though experience tells us that, in many cases, it is more likely to happen

than at the second interview; for then the observer becomes more cool, and examines the mind of his favourite object, which has little to do with her external beauties; and it is well known that what are called love-matches are seldom or never happy.

Oh! how the spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day;

Which now shews all the beauty of the sun,
But knows of him no more.

Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Shenstone,

Who sought his chief happiness, though he ultimately found his misery, in the regions of fancy, has well observed on a common error of the imagination. "I have often considered why those possessed of palaces, yet often esteem a roothouse or a cottage as a desirable object in their gardens. Is it not from having the experience of the imperfection of happiness in higher life, that they are led to conceive it more complete under a straw roof, where, perhaps, it may really be as defective as in the apartments of a minister or a king?" A living poet, who has searched into the scenes of the cottage with equal diligence and humanity, have given us the inside of one with a most melancholy detail :

Come, search within; nor sight nor smell regard,
The true physician walks the foulest ward.
See, on the floor what frowsy patches rest,
What nauseous fragments on yon fractur'd nest.
"The Parish Register," Poems by the
Rev. G. Crabbe, 1809.

Natural Philosophy.

The too quick transition from the study of natural phenomena to the causes of them is one instance of the pride and weakness of human learning. The diligent search into the various phenomena of nature, and the technical arrangement of them, in vegetables, has rendered the name of Linnæus immortal. Even the wonderful abilities and learning of Newton, though he had observed, with an accuracy and profundity unequalled, the phenomena of the skies, did not enable him to search into the causes of gravity and attraction; but his modesty was satisfied with stating facts, and not establishing systems: the errors of Descartes shewed the sense of the English philosopher.

M. Descartes.

Born with a volatility of fancy which marred his judgment, Descartes was not contented to observe phenomena with the modest patience of