The expediency of Sir G. Prevost's distribution of the small force under his command, at the commencement of the war, has been questioned by very competent judges. If, instead of scattering the troops along that immense frontier, he had concentrated them, and directed their united efforts to the destruction of Sackets-harbour, and afterwards of the Fort at Niagara, there can be little doubt of complete success in these enterprises, and that this success would have been specdily followed by pacification on our own terms, with an immense saving of treasure, lives, and honour. That the squadron on Lake Erie was lost from being badly manned, and in a defective state of equipment, none can deny; but, having no positive data on this subject before me, I dare not undertake to say where the blame ought properly to attach. A reference to Capt. Barclay's Court martial would, I presume, give the requisite information. Our disaster on Lake Champlain was by no means "unaccountable" the squadron was hurried into action, chiefly by the urgent remonstrances of Sir G. Prevost, and by his assurances of simultaneous co-operation; and partly by the zeal of that brave and lamented officer, Captain Downie. Sir George did not redeem his pledge, and the ships were sacrificed. I do not assert that our fleet, even with his support, would have been completely victorious, or that the ulterior objects of the expedition would have been accomplished; but that an attack upon Plattsburgh and the destruction of Burlington would have paralysed the enemy in that quarterput their flotilla in our power- occasioned the loss of fewer men-preserved the confidence of the distinguished General Officers* employed on that service and prevented the disgraceful, the unparalleled retreat of nearly ten thousand British troops, before an undisciplined rabble of about two thousand militia under General Macomb. The panegyrist has prudently avoided the mention of Sir George's memorable attack on Sackets-harbour in May 1813, and its lamentable issue; nor will I expatiate on so revolting a topic. * Sir F. P. Robinson, Sir T. Brisbane, and Sir M. Power. of have never been at the expence publishing a Catalogue of the very valuable MSS. and Printed Books in the Public Library. Mr. Dibdin in his " Bibliomania" gives a few hints, which are inserted in your Maga zine*, for the formation of a general Catalogue, which would present not only every volume in the Public Library, but every valuable Edition of a work in the whole University. Talking upon the subject, the other day, with some friends, I was told that such a Catalogue was a great desideratum to the Literati of other countries, as well as our own, but that a publication of this kind was not thought of by that learned body. Should this letter meet with the attention of the Vice- chancellor, or any of the Syndics, I beg leave to say that, with their sanction, I shall be proud to undertake the task of ar ranging a Catalogue according to the plan laid down by Mr. Dibdin, or in any other manner that may seem best to the University at large. RICHMONDIENSIS. Wholesome and Substantial Food at a Cheap Rate. [In continuation from p. 102.] AS, in the common course of things, Potatoes must become dearer as the season advances, Barley, if properly used, will become daily more deserving the attention of the FRIENDS OF THE POOR. Persons of this description, who are desirous to give a copious and savoury meal to a numerous deserving family, have only to * Gent. Mag. Oct. 1811, p. 355. pot put in practice the following receipt. N. B. The coarse Scotch Oatmeal Take notice.-Barley makes excellent Puddings; Barley, when boiled in Broth, ought not to boil more than four hours, otherwise it loses much in substance. Potatoes must not be boiled in Broth above half an hour, for the same reason. All other Vegetables must be treated accordingly. Mind and put your Bacon or Meat into the kettle at the same time with your Barley; for unless you do this, the Soup will not be rich and savoury. Copy of a Letter from Admiral Lord RADSTOCK to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, together with his Lordship's Answer. Shirley Cottage, Croydon, Jan. 2. My Lord, Your Lordship has ever shown yourself such a zealous friend to the poor, that I trust you would consider any apology I could offer for this address as superfluous. The feeding the bungry is, no doubt, a truly charitable act; but this, at best, can be considered only as a temporary relief-Whilst to teach our poor suffering fellow-creatures to feed themselves, is an indisputable permanent good. It is almost needless for me to trouble your Lordship with more ou this subject, as the printed letter that appeared not long since in the Times*, and which may be found on the reverse of the hand-bill, will nearly furnish all the details of that which is further required to carry this most desirable object into effect. I entreat your Lordship not to suffer yourself to be persuaded, that the Poor themselves will never enter into the plan here presented for their relief. Be assured, my Lord, that such an assertion would be most unjustly founded, as many of my poor cottage neighbours have, with grateful hearts, evinced the contrary, having not only received with gratitude the wholesome messes which I have afforded them,-but they are at this present time occupied in cooking for themselves the afore-mentioned messes, having learnt from fexperience, their goodness, and the facility of the process. The result of these experiments, has been a reduction of three loaves a week in a family. This is a saving of 4s. 6d. per week, besides lessening the consumption of bread, and affording the family far more heartening and palatable food. if, for argument sake, I grant that many refractory persons will be found among those to whom this mode of cooking is proposed, it surely, on the other hand, ought to be admitted, that many will gladly accept it. Now as we all of us are, more or less, creatures of imitation, why may we not suppose that, by degrees, the wise will lead the foolish respecting these experiments? As a proof that I am not singular in my opinions on this subject, my printer informs me, as your Lordship will perceive by the inclosed letter, that he has sold 2,500 of my hand-bills since the 12th ultimo. All that remains for me to add, is to earnestly entreat your Lordship to * Reprinted in our last, p. 101. put Copy of a Letter from the Right Hon. Lord RADSTOCK to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor. Portland Place, Feb. 3, 1817. My Lord, I had the honour of addressing your Lordship on the 2d ultimo, soliciting your powerful aid in favour of the circulation of my hand-bills; at the same time clearly demonstrating that the scheme which I had the honour to lay before your Lordship, was calculated not only to remove a very pressing “temporary evil," but also to establish a permanent good." Your Lordship's reply was concise, manly, straight forward, and well befitting an upright benevolent heart. Your words, my Lord, were: "The Lord Mayor presents his compliments to Lord Radstock, and will do all in his power to forward his benevolent intentions." What more could reason and the most sanguine expectations desire? The measures which your Lordship may have since pursued in order to carry into execution your "benevolent intentions," I am utterly ignorant of, your Lordship having made no further communication to me on the subject. But this silence on the part of your Lordship, I have considered as what might reasonably have been expected, as every man of common sense must feel that your incessant ar duous labours must entirely preclude you from minutely attending to the current forms and ceremonies that are usually practised among the higher orders. In fact, my Lord, I was not seeking from your Lordship fine speeches, and flowery (and but too of ten unmeaning) professions, but I wished you to ACT, for "Ye shall know them by their fruits." I am sure that it will be nearly as gratifying to your Lordship as it was to myself, to learn that upwards of 8000 of the hand-bills have been circulating during the last month, and that the demand for them is rapidly increasing. This fact is decisive as to public opinion; and I am confident that your Lordship will fully agree with me in thinking, that in all cases, whether moral or political, or schemes of any kind for promoting the happiness of our fellow-creatures, we cannot do better than suffer ourselves to be guided by the opinions of the great majority of the wise and good. I do not consider myself at liberty to divulge to your Lordship the names of certain individuals who have profited by the circulation of the hand-bills; sufficient to say, that they are of a description of persons who have known better days. What an additional motive have we here, for at least endeavouring to pro mote to our utmost, the circulation of the hand-bills! I have the honour to be, my Lord, &c. RADSTOCK. Answer. The Lord Mayor presents his com pliments to Lord Radstock, and begy to inform his Lordship, that he has distributed his papers by sending seve rai into Devonshire, and other places. The Lord Mayor lost no time in mak ing a trial of giving soup to the poor instead of bread, after the receipt which Lord Radstock favoured wim with. TheLord Mayor is now delivering soup (made from one of his Lordship's receipts) twice a week, instead of bread, as he did for the last year; is made in the Mansion-house, and gives satisfaction. The Lord Mayor thinks it a most excellent plan, as it serves both for meat and drink, and is extremely nutritious; and returns Lord Radstock many thanks for his commurication. ← Mansion House, Wednesday. 五 REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. "In the years 1805 and 1806," he says, I published the first part of the following translation with the text of the origi nal. Since that period, two impressions of the whole of the Divina Comedia, in Italian, have made their appearance in this country. It is not necessary that I should add a third: and I am induced to hope that the Poem, even in the present version of it, may not be without interest for the mere English reader. The translation of the second and third parts, The Purgatory' and 'The Paradise,' was begun long before the first, and as early as the year 1797; but, owing to many interruptions, not concluded till the Summer before last. On a retrospect of the time and exertions that have been thus employed, I do not regard those hours as the least happy of my life, during which (to use the eloquent language of Mr. Coleridge) my individual recollections have been suspended, and lulled to sleep amid the musick of nobler thoughts;' nor that study as misapplied, which has familiarized me with one of the sublimest efforts of the human invention. To those who shall be at the trouble of examining into the degree of accuracy with which the task has been executed, I may be allowed to suggest, that their judgment should not be formed on a comparison with any single text of my Author; since, in more instances than I have noticed, I have had to make my choice out of a variety of readings and interpretations, presented by different editions and commentators. In one or two of those editions is to be found the title of The Vision,' which I have adopted, as more conformable to the genius of our language than that of The Divine Comedy." Dante himself, I believe, termed it simply The Comedy;' in the first place, because the style. was of the middle kind; and in the next, because the story (if story it may be called) ends happily. Instead of a Life of my Author, I have subjoined, in chronological order, a view not only of the principal events which befel him, but of the chief public occurrences that happened in his time: concerning both GENT. MAG. March, 1817. of which the Reader may obtain further information by turning to the passages referred to in the Poem and Notes. H.C." As a specimen of the Translation we select a part of the thirteenth Canto. "Ere Nessus yet had reach'd the other bank, We enter'd on a forest, where no track Of steps had worn a way. Not verdant there The foliage, but of dusky bue; not light The boughs and tapering, but with knares deform'd And matted thick: fruits there were none, but thorns [than these, Instead, with venom fill'd. Less sharp Less intricate the brakes, wherein abide Those animals that hate the cultur'd fields, Fast bound I stood. He, as it seem'd, conceal'd, And thus his speech resum'd: 'If thou vanish quite.' Thereat a little stretching forth my From a great wilding gather'd I a branch, And straight the trunk exclaim'd: 'Why pluck'st thou me?' [side, Then as the dark blood trickled down its These words it added: Wherefore tear'st me thus ? Is there no touch of mercy in thy breast? Men once were we, that now are rooted here. Thy sends Thy hand might well have spar'd us, bad we been [green, The souls of serpents.' As a brand yet That burning at one end from th' other [wind A groaning sound, and bisses with the That forces out its way, so burst at once Forth from the broken splinter words and blood. [one I, letting fall the bough, remain'd as Assail'd by terror, and the Sage replied: 'If he, O injur'd spirit! could have believ'd [scrib'd, What he hath seen but in my verse deHe never against thee had stretch'd his band. But I, because the thing surpass'd belief, Prompted him to this deed, which even [wast; now Myself 1 rue. But tell me, who thou That, for this wrong to do thee some amends, In th' upper world (for thither to return Is granted him) thy fame he may revive.' That pleasant word of thine,' the trunk replied, [speech Hath so inveigled me, that I from Cannot refrain, wherein if I indulge A little longer, in the snare detain'd, Count it not grievous. I it was, who held [the wards, Both keys to Frederick's heart, and turn'd Opening and shutting, with a skill so sweet, That, besides me, into his inmost breast Scarce any other could admittance find. The faith I bore to my high charge was such, [my veins. It cost me the life-blood that warm'd The barlot, who ne'er turn'd her gloating eyes [and pest From Cæsar's household, common vice Of courts, 'gainst me inflam'd the minds of all ; [flame, And to Augustus they so spread the That my glad honours chang'd to bitter woes. 31. Narrative of a Journey in Egypt, and the Country beyond the Cataracts. By Thomas Legh, Esq. M. P. 4to. Murray. THIS Publication reminds us of an old and homely Proverb, "Great cry and little wool." It is of much parade, but of little substance, exciting considerable expectation, but communicating little to satisfy the curiosity of the reader. The title is not perfectly correct: it should have said, the Country beyond the FIRST Cataract. It is very true that these Gentlemen penetrated farther than any Europeau had done before them. Norden, the most enterprising, and the most accomplished Traveller, acute to remark, and qualified to describe and delineate all that he saw, was not able to proceed beyond Derri. Mr. Legh and his companion went somewhat further, and advanced as far as Ibrim. But barbarian rudeness, rapine, and imposition, compelled them hastily to return. |