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able idleness," as Hume terms it, of general reading, will find more gratification in

The laugh that charms the grosser sons of earth, p. 26.

than in those sensations which it is the object of this work to excite. But this fact will not discourage Mr. Peacock, or diminish the merit of his poetry in the eyes of that select class to whom alone it can be addressed. "The swinish multitude" have neither leisure nor inclination for refinement, even in the most natural affections; and to those which spring from the cultivation of fancy, they are completely impervious.

The author gives his definition of melancholy in the following passage of the first part.

O melancholy! blue-eyed maid divine! Thy fading woods, thy twilight walks be mine! [feel:

No sudden change thy pensive votaries They mark the whirl of fortune's restless wheel, [scan, Taught by the past the coming hour to No wealth, no glory, permanent to man. Not thine, blest power! the misanthropic gloom,

That gave its living victims to the tomb, Forced weeping youth to bid the world farewell,

And hold sad vigils in the cloistered cell. Thy lessons train the comprehensive [mankind,

mind,

The sentient heart, that glows for all The intrepid hand, the unsubdued resolve, Whence wisdom, glory, liberty, devolve. pp. 8, 9.

His continuation of the apostrophe will be found interesting.

Thy witchery first, to Tasso's gifted eyes, [cerers rise. Bade knights, and maids, and wily sor While thee he wooed, in pastoral shades retired, [inspired, And poured the lay thy pensive haunts At once, his forest-cinctured seat around, Mysterious music breathed a solemn sound:

The whispering air, the stream's melodious play, [bird's lay, The lute, the virgin's voice, the wildIn one commingling strain around him flowed: [glowed:

care,

With flashing arms the echoing woodlands Heroes and damsels scoured along the glade, [in every shade: Love sighed, spears flew, spells frowned, Clorinda poured her softened soul in pain, [vain. And false Armida knelt and wept in Far from the scenes the wretched vulgar prize, [arise. Thy cedar-groves, and cypress-bowers, Thrice happy he, who flies from public [there! At twilight-hour to court thy influence In every mead, and grove, and upland dell, Some silent walk, some solitary cell, Where'er untutored nature blossoms free, The lone enthusiast consecrates to thee. Where nature is, thou art: her every [lands green, Her every sound that wakes the woodThe lamb's soft cry, the night-bird's note divine, [horn, are thine. The watch-dog's bark, the wild-bee's Thy potent spells with solemn mystery

scene,

fill

[rill, The raging torrent and the murmuring With elfin whispers load the trembling

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urn,

Thy altar saw my votive incense burn, May thy propitious star, thy deathless flower, [bower. Illume my path, and twine my rustic p. 42.

The energy of the savage charaçter, and submission to the inflictions of Providence, are recommended to the cultivators of truth and science, as a useful addition to their other advantages.

And shall the savage faith, by phrenzy taught, [thought, Nerve the wild spirit with all-conquering While polished man, by sacred science led, Shrinks in the blast, and bends his weary [head? No! let the mind, that pious truth inspires, [ing fires, The mind that wisdom wakes, that feel

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But let thy heart endure the woes it feels. Fortune and fate may give, and may re

sume:

[tomb. Yet love's lost treasure sleeps not in the No more with earth-directed eyes complain : [pain. But bow to him whose mercy sends thee p. 64-5.

The ode to the spirit of fire concludes with a skilful adaptation of the superstitious worship of fire to the Day of Judgment.

Tremble, sons of future ages!

Tremble at the emblemed doom,
When the red volcano rages,

When the meteor fires the gloom, When the thunder-brand of heaven On the mountain-tower is driven. In these let earth my sleepless might be hold: [given. In these the signals of my wrath be In final hour shall my vast waves be rolled

Round this revolving planetary frame ; And, while terrestrial nature shrinks and dies,

The mighty torrent of eternal flame, In one wide ruin sounding through the skies, [altar rise. Shall bid o'er all the world my lonely p. 118.

ESSAY ON THE MILITARY POLICY AND INSTITUTIONS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. By MAJOR PASLEY. Third Edi tion. Part I. 8vo. Lloyd, London. 1812. pp. 533. Pr. 128.

THE object and progress of this work will be best unfolded in the words of the author himself, in his Preface to the first, and Advertisement to the second edition, which we shall therefore insert.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDI

TION.

"THE following work was commenced, and the two first chapters of it actually written, in the spring of the year 1808. The estimate made of the comparative force of the French and British empires, is consequently adapted to that period, when Buonaparte had the resources of all the continent of Europe at his command. I did not think proper to alter that estimate, so as to suit any subsequent state of affairs ; because, if he succeeds in his Spanish war, the same will again hold good; if he fails, it will show the danger which we have escaped; and, in the mean time, it serves as a warning of what we ought to endeavour to avoid and prevent.

"The progress of my work has been interrupted, by having been employed, first in Spain, and afterwards on the expedition to Walcheren; since my return from which island, it has been long suspended and much retarded by ill health.

"It was my original intention, after three or four preliminary chapters, to have proceeded, at once, to treat of our military institutions, reserving the full developement of the principles of martial policy, and of the offensive system of warfare, for the second part of my essay; and such an arrangement might, perhaps, have been more suitable to the complexion of the times, in which this work was begun. Upon further reflection, however, it appeared, that the latter not only deserved, and required, to be treated more at large, than I had at first designed; but that, as forming by far the most important subject of the two, they ought to precede the consideration of our military institutions. More than a hundred pages were printed off,

before I determined upon this change. For this reason, the introductory chapter, although it sufficiently explains the whole of my plan, as well as the principles upon which I write, may appear somewhat defective in arrangement; which I hope the reader will excuse.

I

"The facts given in the following sheets have been brought forward, solely, with a view of illustrating general principles laid down. have selected them, in preference, from such of our late operations, as have taken place in countries of which I have some personal knowledge: in other cases, I have endeavoured to profit by the conversation of officers, upon whose judgment I can depend. Few incidents will appear, which have not already been published in official documents; none, that I do not either actually know, or fully believe, to be true.

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Opinions are not, like facts, reducible to any kind of certainty. Every one must have remarked, that, by credible eye-witnesses of the very same events, the most contrary opinions will often be advanced, both as to the motives of those concerned, and the probable results of their measures. Nothing can more strongly show this, than the jarring accounts given, as well as the contradictory inferences drawn, respecting Spanish affairs, by British officers, and others, who have had exactly the same data to reason from.

"The present war, in Spain, being one of the most interesting and important, in modern times, I have made frequent use of it in the following sheets. My opinions upon the character of the Spaniards were formed, during a short, but active, and eventful period; for the last two months of which, I had the honor of serving as extra Aide-decamp, first to Sir David Baird, and

afterwards to Sir John Moore; in which situations, as well as in my previous duties under Major-General Leith, I had continual intercourse with Spaniards of all ranks and classes of society. Should this book fall into the hands of those officers to whom I was known, in Spain, they will see, that my sentiments upon the affairs of that country have not varied from that time to this: indeed, the observations, upon our first Spanish campaign, which will be adduced to illustrate various points in the second part of my essay, were committed to paper, and have been shown to private friends, before any of the narratives, which appeared upon that subject, last year, were published.

"I have only alluded to one paper, (see the note to page 34,) which my official situation as a staff officer, in Spain, gave me an opportunity of seeing, that I otherwise should not have had this paper, it will be perceived, is not of a confidential nature; and it had no reference to, nor can it be adduced either in praise or dispraise of, our own national measures or operations. To have published or to have alluded to any document or information, officially acquired, of the latter description, which has not appeared through other channels, before a British public (had any of importance been in my possession, which I confess is not the case), would have been equally contrary to my feelings, and to my duty.

"I have hopes that the second part of this essay will appear in the ensuing spring: but, exclusive of the introductory chapter, which is common to both parts, I have endeavoured to make, what I now offer to the public, complete and independent as an essay, in itself.

It has been my object, without confining myself exclusively to the

present prospects of Great Britain, to endeavour to analyse the spirit of military policy and institutions in general, so that if I have succeeded in the inquiry, something may be found applicable, to all times and circumstances; but, in what regards military details, little or no new information will be communicated.

"If the language, held in any part of this work, should appear too sanguine or decided, I trust, that an indulgent public will ascribe it not to presumption, but to zeal and sincerity. If I have erred in my opinions, they at least open some important matter for consideration, which has been little discussed; and free discussion upon important subjects, when dispassionately conducted, must always prove beneficial."

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE

SECOND EDITION.

"In the second edition of the first part of his Essay, which is now offered to the public, the author has judged it best to subdivide the subject into twelve chapters, in preference to his former arrangement. The only other alterations introduced are of a verbal nature, none of which in the least affects the tenor of his arguments.

"Several notes have been added. Those illustrative of Mediterranean affairs have been principally taken from Messrs. Clarke and M'Arthur's Life of Lord Nelson. The extracts from the letters of his lordship, and of Sir T. Troubridge, of whom, the former seems to have felt the strongest attachment, and both of whom rendered the greatest services, to the royal family of Sicily; both of whom, too, were no less exemplary for their sincerity, than distinguished by their martial spirit; may, it is hoped, convince an impartial reader not personally acquainted with foreign affairs, that

the character of the Sicilian government, given in this Essay, was moderate and correct; since the very same unfavorable account of the measures of that government, and of the disposition of its subjects, is to be found in the official as well as private statements, of those its most strenuous supporters.

"Lord Nelson's letters upon Sardinia are also particularly to be remarked; for, in treating of the state of that island, which he thought it necessary for us to occupy, it appears, that he wished the British government to act upon the very same principles of policy, which have been inculcated throughout the whole of this Essay. Impressed with a conviction of the propriety and necessity of these principles, the author cannot but deem it highly fortunate, that Lord Nelson's representations of the importance of Sardinia led to no practical results; for it may be inferred, from a document published in the same work, that had we interfered at all in the affairs of that island, measures would have been adopted radically contrary to those recommended by his lordship.

"That the policy, in this instance, distinctly laid down, as well as the general statements made, by so renowned a hero and patriot, should have coincided with, or corroborated, his own views of Mediterranean politics, is a circumstance of which the author would gladly have availed himself in his first edition, had not almost the whole of it been printed, before he perused the valuable documents contained in the above-mentioned work.

"With respect to the war in the Spanish peninsula, the author has not thought it necessary to bring forward, now, any additional matter, in the form of notes, in support of his opinions. The incidents to The incidents to

which he has alluded, will sufficiently mark the time, when this part of his subject was first sent to press. Subsequent to that period, the accounts of the battle of Busaco and of other important events, have been received; which are too generally known, even in their minutest details, to require that he should remind any of his readers of them; and these, he trusts, will, of themselves, appear to have afforded considerable confirmation, of his views of Spanish and Portuguese affairs.

"He has only further to observe, that the professional duties, which at present occupy his time, may retard the publication of the second part of his Essay, considerably beyond the period in which he had at first hoped to complete it."

The first chapter, which, with the second, as the author observes in a note, is applicable to the state of Europe in 1808, when they were written, consists of an introduction, and explanation of the plan of the work. Major Pasley commences with urging the necessity of firmness and unanimity on the part of this nation, placed in a situation of unprecedented danger, and threatened with destruction by a much superior force. He adverts to the incapability of this country, according to its present policy, to resist a powerful invasion. Its preservation from having become a province of France is justly ascribed to the superiority of its navy; but he argues on the impossibility of retaining that superiority beyond a limited period, which, he conjectures, may be expected in less than thirty years. The author, however, by no means thinks our case hopeless, but entertains an opinion, which it is the great object of his Essay to prove, that, though we had not a single ship on the ocean, we might still maintain our independence. With this view the

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