of one who argues that, because the English name is hated on the continent, we ought therefore freely to obey every impulse of ambition, and not make a single effort to wipe away the stain of national dishonour?—of one who affirms that we ought to have retained Zealand in order to prevent the creation of future fleets,'-yet is of opinion that the Danish revenue is totally inadequate to the creation of a formidable fleet at all; and that such a measure would be a most ruinous waste of the resources of the country:'-of one who imagines the invasion and possession of Zealand quite practicable, and yet asserts that the Danish ruler possesses advantages which, in spite of the difficulties that surround his throne, might save himself and his country?'-or lastly, of one who looks upon the retention of Zealand as a measure of the highest political expediency, and yet sets himself seriously to prove that it is for the general interest to support Denmark 6 in her independence and integrity', and concludes his ratiocination with the following elaborate paragraph?

In the present unhappy condition of the world, when every bond of political decency and expediency is relaxed or broken; when caprice, passion, or revenge, and a blind fury, seem to dictate to the different governments the conduct which they adopt, in direct opposition to the best interests of their constituents, the motives now started for the preservation of Denmark may have no weight; but this delirium of political fever cannot be of long continuance.'

Its duration will not certainly be curtailed, if such writers as Mr. Macdonald continue to assuage its violence with the Jenitives of their inflammatory logic. Indeed this gentleman appears himself to have entertained some disagreeable misgivings about the extravagance' of his opinions; we hope, if he should chance to cast his eye over these pages, suspicion will be converted into certainty.

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In his occasional remarks on the domestic condition of the country and the state of agriculture,' our traveller is much more successful than in his political reasonings. Land, it appears, is of little value, except in a few instances where the Scotch husbandry is partially introduced. The refinements of civilized life are comparatively little known in Denmark. Some of its customs might be changed to advantage; and our author is peculiarly forcible and animated in his attack on wooden shoes:' (Vol. I. p. 80.) His peroration is

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Melt as I do, yet public reason just,

-By conquering this new world, compels me now
To do what else, though damn'd, I should abhor'.
So spake the fiend; and with necessity,

The tyrant's plea, excus'd his devilish deed.'

PARADISE LOST. B. IV.

quite indignant; Were I king of Denmark, I would lay a heavy tax upon them, and give a bounty for leather tanned with the bark of the wood which is so abominably wasted in the manufacture of them.' We know not whether all this severity be deserved. In some circumstances they must be eligible; and we do not find that they have been hitherto admitted to adorn the drawing room.

Mr. M. has given a concise and not uninteresting account of Copenhagen, whither the resentment of a Danish officer had unjustly sent him apart from his fellow prisoners. His anger on this occasion is very fierce; and yet, in the event of authorship, we think, it may be considered on the whole perhaps, as rather a desirable piece of compulsion.' We would therefore intercede for poor Kammesherr v. Göde;" and earnestly exhort Mr. Macdonald to relinquish his sanguinary purpose of calling him to account at the return of peace." Mr. Macdonald appears to have been singularly unfortunate in his efforts to obtain satisfaction. Thus, having squabbled for a considerable time with the man who had charge of a packet boat-he says, 'I called after him to give me his name, but he flew off without returning any answer. Vol. I. p. 140.

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About 130 pages of the second volume are devoted to Sweden. Mr. M.'s range in this country, however, is by no means so extensive as the introductory map would seem, to indicate. His travels comprehend only that portion of the coast which lies between Helsinburg and Gothenburgh; while his map runs up to the extremity of Finmark. The greater part of his observations on Sweden are condensed at Gothenburgh. During his stay at this place, the murmurings of discontent broke out into open rebellion. The partiality of the people to French politics was every where visible; and their disaffection to the existing government formed a striking contrast to the loyalty of their neighbours. Mr. M. is a great admirer of Gustavus Adolphus: he defends him with considerable spirit; and supposes that in the solitude of his confinement he may exclaim with the hero of Utica,

"Tis not in Mortals to command success;

But we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve it.'

'Sweden,' we are told, has lost during this war one third of its superficial extent, one fourth of its population, and almost one seventh of its resources.' The present population Mr. M. estimates at 2,344,000. The condition of the country is altogether miserable. The calamities of war have been embittered by the severity of the season and the prevalence of pestilential diseases, Agriculture is yet more rude than in Denmark. The necessaries of life are equally exorbitant in

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price; the smaller coins are equally scarce; and the value of the paper money is as much depreciated. Among the majority of the people, there is a general deficiency of education.' The higher classes are neither remarkable for liberality of sentiment nor purity of manners; but the peasantry, we are told, are the most innocent and harmless in Europe,' (Vol. II. p. 101) and a few pages farther we find that they particularly abound in the virtues of drunkenness and indolence.' p. 109. The whole period of Mr. M.'s continuance in the countries of Denmark and Sweden, was from the latter end of November, 1808, to the middle of March, 1809. Of course he saw these countries under great disadvantages; and at a season when, as he beautifully expresses it, every place appears in dishabille.' We cannot, however, dismiss his volumes without observing, that, although in many places open to ridicule and reproof, they are, upon the whole, by no means devoid either of interest or information. He has dedicated them to the publisher; probably agreeing with Dr. Johnson, that the best, if not the only Mæcenas of modern literature, is a London bookseller. We are apt to think, however, that this may be Sir Richard's first public exhibition in the character of patron; and accordingly beg leave to offer him our best congratula tions on the event.

Art. XI. The Mountain Bard; consisting of Ballads and Songs, founded on Facts and Legendary Tales. By James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd. 8vo. pp. 230. priče 7s. Constable and Co. Murray, ADMIRERS of the Border Minstrelsy will find the principal part of

this volume much to their taste. It contains ten Ballads, in imitation of the Ancients', founded on traditionary tales, and illustrated with notes; resembling, in every thing but antiquarian lore, though not equalling, many of the pieces in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border.' The other poems are original, composed on different occasions, and in various kinds of measure and shades of dialect. They are not all scrupulously moral or delicate; nor marked with extraordinary indications of poetic talent. The ballads, however, are far more interesting than the original poems. A Memoir of the Author is prefixed; from which it appears that his education was of the most contracted kind, that he discovered no remarkable powers in early life, that he has been employed from childhood in the occupation of a shepherd, that at the age of eighteen he first read William Wallace,' and 'the Gentle Shepherd,' which he wished had been in prose, or in the metre of the Psalms; that in the year 1793, when he was about twenty-two, he began to write verses, at tempted something in the dramatic style, and at length, on seeing the Minstrelsy of the Border, chose a number of traditional facts, and set about imitating the different manners of the ancients. The best original piece, perhaps, the tale of Sandy Tod, describing the fate of a peasant, on finding his intended bride had become a mother, was suggested by seeing a young man in a state of derangement. We will quote the last verses of this poem.

Petrified, and dumb wi' horror,
Sandy fled, he kendna where ;
Never heart than his was sorer,
It was mair than he cou'd bear!
Seven days on yonder mountain
Lay he sobbin', late an' soon,
Till discovered by a fountain.
Railin' at the dowy moon.

Weepin' a' the day he'd wander
Through yon dismal glen alane;
By the stream at night wad dander,
Ravin' owr his Sally's name.
Shun'd an' pitied by the world,
Long a humblin' sight was he,
Till that fatal moment hurled
Him to lang eternity.

Sittin' on yon cliff sae rocky,
Fearless as the boding crow,-
No, my dear, I winna shock ye
Wi' the bloody scene below.
By yon aek, decayed an' rottin,
Where the hardy woodbin twines,
Now, in peace, he sleeps forgotten;
Owr his head these simple lines :-
"Lovers, pause, while I implore ye
Still to walk in virtue's road;

An' to say, when ye gang o'er me,

Lack a-day, for Sandy Tod!" pp. 161-163.

Art. XII. A Letter to the Livery of London, relative to the Views of the Writer in executing the Office of Sheriff. By Sir Richard Phillips, Knt. One of the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex. cr. 8vo. pp. 300. Price 5s. Phillips, 1808.

WHATEVER may have been the motives of Sir Richard Phillips,

a subject with which we are not anxious to meddle, and whatever petty irregularities or misrepresentations he may in the warmth and forwardness of his zeal have committed, we deem it only strict justice to say, that his unexampled diligence in the discharge of his duties, and the detection and (as far as possible) reformation of abuses within his jurisdiction, deserves the imitation of all his successors, and the gratitude of his constituents and his country. Every person who is desirous to know in what way the office should be executed, with what benefit to the public an intelligent active man may occupy important stations, what ample room there is for reform in most parts of the administration of justice, even in a country where it certainly is less corrupt and oppres sive than any where else in Europe,-should by all means read this publication. It is not surprising that Sir R. P. should have met with obloquy and opposition; a considerable portion would unquestionably have fallen to the lot of any other man of similar diligence, in spite

of the best established reputation for discretion, integrity, and dis interestedness. We sincerely hope Sir George Onesiphorus Paul, whose merit appears very conspicuous in these pages, will not suffer disappointment or clamour to abate his ardour, or suspend his activity, in the noble cause he has undertaken. It is not for the follower of HOWARD to despair. Assistance may arise to him from some able and independent Representative of the Commons in Parliament; and the press is open. Beside the Letters of this gentleman, the Appendix to the present work contains some valuable documents which it is needless to enumerate here. The following extract is a sort of recapitulation of the topics illustrated in the Sheriff's Letter.'

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• It cannot be denied, That the freeholders' book, whence all juries are struck, should be made as perfect as possible': That no persons should be detained in any prison, not under the control of the Sheriff, except those under temporary examination, and those suffering under a sentence of the law': That any [no] man should be subject to restraint or punishment, after a grand jury of his country have declared that there exists no ground of accusation against him': That it is the duty of every Sheriff to visit the prisons within his jurisdiction, i to protect his prisoners from undue severities, and from the impositions of subordinate agents': That no suffering should be inflicted in prisons, beyond what is necessary for purposes of safe custody' That Newgate is much too small for the various purposes to which it is appropriated': That twice as many debtors have been detained for several years in the Giltspur-street compter, as the place was built to accommodate': That Ludgate is far too small to be a place of imprisonment for unfortunate citizens of London': That the present gaol fees, in London, are exorbitant and oppressive, and that gaolers ought to be paid by the public, rather than by the victims of misery and want': That no man is justly responsible to laws of which he is ignorant, and consequently that the penal laws of England should be reduced to an intelligible system, and circulated through society by every possible means': That punishment should be apportioned to crimes, and that young offenders should not be confounded with old and hardened criminals': That no greater pu nishment ought to be inflicted on offenders, than has been adjudged by the law, and consequently that those ought not to be virtually expatriated for life,' [no means of return being provided for convicts] whose sentence extended only to a limited term': That the law_ought, in all penal cases, to set bounds to the discretion of judges': That petty juries ought to be taken from persons of various occupations, and various local interests' That grand juries should consist of persons of the highest respectability; brought together from various districts, and independent of every kind of influence': That those special juries which try causes between the crown and the subject, in the Exchequer or Crown office, should be exempt from the suspicion of influence, and should be chosen strictly according to the letter of the statutes made for their regulation': That any [no] person under arrest on mesne process, should be detained owing to any pretence of risk to the Sheriff, which risk may be removed by a simple arrangement': That those who are arrested on mesne process, should be protected from the impositions of the officers immediately concerned in the arrest and detention.

And such alone are the objects insisted on in this: discussion.!!