Where, however, the organ breathes its solemn strains, and the human voice unites with it in real harmony, there the fire of devotion may certainly be fanned and maintained for a considerable time; and the advantages of such music can scarcely be doubted by those who have formed a due estimate of human nature. ART. 27.-The national Defence: a Sermon, preached in the Parish Churches of Wainfleet, All-Saints, and Thorpe, in the County of Lincoln, on Sunday the 7th of August, 1803, (the Day on which "Important Considerations for the People of this Kingdom," were distributed amongst the Inhabitants of the above-named Parishes.) By the Rev. Peter Bulmer, A. B. &c. 8vo. 6d. Spragg. 1803. A strong philippic against Bonaparte: this may, perhaps, yet have its use; but we prefer the exhortations to unanimity and zeal in defence of the country, with which the discourse abounds. ART. 28.-Courage and Union in a Time of national Danger.-A Sermon preached October 9, 1803, at the Unitarian Chapel, Essex Street, by the Rev. Jeremiah Joyce. Published at the Desire of several Persons who heard it. 8vo. 1s. Johnson. 1803. The example of Nehemiah is very aptly introduced as the subject of this discourse; and if he could say, Shall such a man as I flee? the British nation may well echo, Shall such a people as this be timid and irresolute in the hour of danger-be senseless of the privileges for which it contends, and of the high station it holds among the states of Europe?-The preacher does not enter into the political question relative to the origin of the war, but confines himself very judiciously to the state in which we actually exist at present; and urges every argument to promote patriotism, courage, and unanimity, at this awful crisis. ART. 29.-A Sermon, preached at Saint Andrew's Church, Plymouth, at the Visitation of the venerable Ralph Barnes, M. A. &c. May 27, 1803, by J. Bidlake, B. A. &c. Printed at the Request of the Archdeacon and Clergy, then present. 8vo. Is. Murray. The request of the archdeacon and clergy confers a sanction on the publication of this discourse, to which it is justly entitled. The supposed little prevalence of Christian motives on human conduct is shown to be ill founded, the utility of the clerical character is justified, and proper means of preserving and increasing it are pointed out with equal judgement and modesty. ART. 30.-French Philosophy: or a short Account of the Principles and Conduct of the French Infidels. By Thomas Thompson, Esq. F. A. S. The third Edition. 12mo. 3d. Whiteld. 1803. Philosophers and infidels are now fair game. M. Barruel's authosity is appealed to in this work, and all his extravagancies are ap plauded. There have been bad men professing Christianity, and bad men professing philosophy; but the zeal of some persons against philosophy and philosophers savours much of the pagan and popish spirit against their adversaries. ART. 31.-A Sermon, preached at Worship-street, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1803, the Day appointed for a national Fast. To which is added, an Account of the Destruction of the Spanish Armada; being the greatest Force ever brought together for the Invasion of this Country. By John Evans, A. M. Published by Request. 8vo. 1s. Symonds. 1803.. We are here each of us exhorted to help our neighbour by advice, by corporeal strength, and worldly property. EDUCATION. ART. 32. Progressive Exercises, adapted to the Eton Accidence; to be written or repeated whilst Boys are learning the Nouns and Verbs. To which are added, a few of the most obvious Rules, with easy Examples, to teach Boys ta construe or translate from the Latin. The third Edition, improved and much enlarged. 8vo. 2s. 6d. No London Bookseller's Name. The young scholar, who follows this excellent and judicious plan, will, if he have in his progress been frequently questioned on the meaning of the words introduced, be qualified to enter on a lection of the most difficult authors, and may employ his time much better than in learning rules by heart-a mode, which, though strongly recommended, is the last, not the first thing to be acquired by the young student. ART. 33.-A new Guide to the Italian Language. By which it may be learned with great Facility and Dispatch. Chiefly intended for young Ladies, and those who have not learned their own Language grammatically. On a very simple and easy Plan, never before attempted. By G. A. Graglia. 12mo. Bound. Longman and Rees. 1803. 3s. This Guide, by M. Graglia, differs principally from all other books of this nature by its having nearly the whole of it employed upon the Italian verbs, while the remarks upon the remaining parts of speech are confined to a very small compass. The author very properly considers the verbs as the most important, and at the same time the most difficult, part of a language; and he has, in consequence, bestowed upon them a great deal of attention. The labour, he says, has not been thrown away; for he finds his method to have succeeded greatly among his own scholars. Experience is the best criterion of the worth of a school-book; yet we should hardly have thought it necessary to conjugate eight-and-thirty verbs throughout, in order to give to any scholar, of a tolerable capacity, a proper degree of acquaintance with this individual part of the accidence. M. Graglia says he has observed punctually- - what we would recommend to every writer of foreign school-books, and what we are sorry to say he has not done-we mean the placing an accent on the predominant syllable of every word throughout the book. Perhaps it is his printer who has defeated this his laudable design; but we beg to call his attention to the verb persuadere (p. 168 to 182) for one proof that it has been greatly neglected. ART. 34.-English Parsing, comprising the Rules of Syntax, exemplified by appropriate Lessons under each Rule: with an Index, containing all the Parts of Speech in the different Lessons unparsed. For the Use of Schools, private Teachers, and elder Students. By James Giles, Master of the FreeSchool, Gravesend. 12mo. 25. Bound. Robinsons. 1803. Parsing is a very useful exercise: but it should be adapted to the genius of the language. It cannot be made too simple and clear; and the English tongue is happily free from a variety of rules which are found very troublesome in the acquisition of the Greek and Latin. In this work, however, we find the student is to be burdened with a pluperfect, first and second future tenses, with a potential and subjunctive moods. The instances, however, are well chosen, and the mode of parsing is, according to the writer's grammar, well explained. ART. 35.-Edwin, King of Northumberland. A Story of the seventh Century. By Clara Reeve. 18mo. 1s. 6d. Boards. Vernor and Hood. 1802. This is a pretty little history of Edwin, interwoven with some fanciful descriptions of the cave of Cymroc the druid, and other superstitions of the times, which render it an interesting tale to the minds of children. ART. 36. The rational Brutes; or, talking Animals. By M. Pelham. 18mo. 1s. 6d. Boards. Harris. 1803. The intent of the conversations held in this little volume is to inspire children with a hatred of cruelty to animals; but the brutes might have been taught to speak to much more advantage on this subject, than it has been the care of the author to make them. POETRY. ART. 37.-Poems, containing Sketches of Northern Mythology, &c. By F. Sayers, M. D. The third Edition. 8vo. 4s. sewed. Cadell and Davies. 1803. The second edition of these classical poems we have already noticed This re-publication is distinguished from the former by a considerable prolongation of the erudite notes (those at p. 105 and p. 112 are interesting specimens)-by a wholly new, somewhat free, and very skilful translation of the Cyclops of Euripides-by the omis sion of several minor poems which the author's maturer judgement has condemned and by the insertion of some original pieces, among which the following Ode to Night is perhaps the most beautiful. Hither, O queen of silence, turn the steeds, The slow-pac'd steeds which draw thy ebon car, And heave athwart the sky Thy starry-studded veil. • Come not with all thy horrors clad, thy heaps Of threat'ning pitchy clouds, thy wasteful blasts Which howling o'er the deep, High swell the boisterous surge. • Far be the fearful forms which round thee float! The owl shrill-shrieking, and the flitting bat, And every ghastly shape That frightened fancy spies ! But come with peaceful step, while o'er the land, Parch'd by the sultry sun, thy coolness breathes, And summer mists are shed Upon the withering herb. Let all be still-save the sweet note of her Who warbles to thy steps, and the faint sound Of yon tall trees that bend Before thy sweelling breeze. Or from the distant mountain, whose huge crags Are pil'd to heaven, let Echo feebly send The falling waters roar Across the wide-spread lake. • Then will I hasten to the firm built tower, And climb its winding steps, and from the top Gaze with a deep delight On heaven's bright burning fires; While from the northern verge of ether shoot Now ting'd with glary red; Pleas'd will I trace the meteor of the vale, Which smoothly sliding thro' its shining path Sinks in its swampy bed, And dims its fires in mist: Descending 'midst the fields below I'll stray, Where on the grass the quiet herds are stretch'd, Mixing their fragrant breath: With freshen'd scents of flowers, Or loitering on the brim of ocean, mark The pale beams dancing on its curled wave, While from the gleamy east The moon begins her course; Then slowly wandering to my peaceful home; I'll seek my silent couch, and floating dreams Shall feast my charmed soul With airy scenes of bliss.' F. 220. To this author may be applied what Dryden says of Virgil: we see the objects he presents us with in their native figures, in their proper motions; but so we see them, as our own eyes could never have beheld them equally beautiful in themselves. We see the soul of the poet, like that viewless mind of which he speaks, informing and moving through all his pictures. We behold him embellishing his images, as he makes Venus breathing beauty upon his own Pandora. ART. 38. Broomholme Priory, or the Loves of Albert and Agnes. A Poem, in four Books. 4to. 7s. 6d. Boards. Hurst. This poem, as we learn from a rhymed preface, is the work of a lady. It is printed with elegance, adorned with a good engraving, and adapted to illustrate a Norfolk ruin, called Broomholme Priory. The first book introduces, as the lonely resident in an old castle, the heroine Agnes, whom her father Rodolpho has betrothed to Godfrey, his friend, and now his companion in the holy wars. She is expecting their return, when an accident compels her to receive into the castle a wounded youth named Albert. In the second book, Albert, having recovered, withdraws, not without making a deep impression on the heart of Agnes: he is the nephew of Godfrey; and the lovers indulge the hope of the uncle's resigning his claim. In the third book, Rodolpho compels Agnes to marry Godfrey, having first persuaded her that Albert is dead. During the nuptial cere mony, Albert rushes into the church, and is wounded by his uncle dangerously. This moment supplies the finest picture in the poem. "Rash, foolish boy!" impetuous Godfrey crics, Whilst storms of passion darted from his eyes; And bar'd the beauty of her throbbing breast; "Oh lovely pleader, hide thy matchless charms, As Albert sorrowing o'er Agnes hung, Hope's soothing accents flowing from his tongue; |