"If that's all," thought the crow, "I will soon let you know
That all doubt on that score may be ended."

Then most laughably piped the poor silly biped,
When quickly her dinner descended!

If this biped had not been so vain and conceited,
She would not by the fox quite so soon have been cheated;
But perhaps the term biped to some may be new,

'Tis a two-legged creature-perchance it is you.'

The story of the Chameleon has often been told, but never ith more spirit and conciseness than by the present Author. With this we must take our leave of him, cordially recomending his rhymes to our readers.

Two friends, B and A, were disputing one day,
On a creature they'd both of them seen;
But who would suppose the debate that arose,
Was whether t'was scarlet or green ?

Said B, "If you're right, I will own black is white,
Or that two, with two added, make eight;"
"And so will I too," replied A, "when you show
That that creature is green as you state."

"Sir, it was, I maintain; I affirm it again:
Am I not to believe my own eyes!"

"It was not," replied A, " it was scarlet, I say,
Which none but a madman denies."

Then said C," My good fellow, you'll find it is yellow,
You surely have never been near it :"

"That cannot be true, for I'm certain 'twas blue,"

Said another who happened to hear it.

"O! said D, "it's absurd! if you'll credit my word,

The creature was brown as a berry:"

"Not brown, Sir," said Jack," when I saw it, 'twas black;" Then the neighbours began to be merry.

"Come," said E, "hold your tongue, you are all of you wrong,
Or, at least, you are none of you right.

Then a box he display'd, where the creature was laid,
When this marvellous lizard was white!

"Good people," said I, “a chameleon's dye,
He can change any colour to suit;

Now if this had been known, all must candidly own,
You would not have commenced the dispute."

'This great altercation show'd small information,
As such disputes constantly do ;

For ignorant minds, one most commonly finds,
Are excessively positive too.'

Art. X. Select Female Biography; comprising Memoirs of Eminent British Ladies, derived from original and other authentic Sources. 12mo. pp. 331. Price 6s. 6d. London. 1821.

THIS

HIS collection contains the following twenty-four biographical articles: Mrs. Ann Askew. Lady Jane Grey. Mrs. Hutchinson. Lady Elizabeth Brookes. Lady Catharine Courtin. The Countess of Warwick. The Countess of Suffolk. Lady Rachel Russell. Miss Margaret Andrews. Queen Mary II. Mrs. Rowe. Lady Elizabeth Langham. Lady Cutts. Lady Elizabeth Hastings. Mrs. Carter. Miss Talbot. Miss Hamilton. Miss Hurdis. Miss Elizabeth Smith. The Dairyman's Daughter. Miss Caroline Symmons. Miss Maria The Princess Charlotte. Miss Ann

Kemp Ward. Some of these are abridged from the un'polished_pages of a valuable old work,'-Gibbons's Memoirs of Pious Women; others from the published memoirs of the individuals. The Memoir of the Princess Charlotte consists chiefly of extracts from the Sermon of the Rev. Robert Hall, on the death of her Royal Highness. Two of the articles are original. On these it would be invidious to pass any critical remark, as they are indebted for insertion to the partial estimate of affection, and occupy no great space. It is a common, and a pardonable illusion, which leads us to mistake what is lovely for something anomalous, and to dwell on what has strongly excited us, as in itself extraordinary. One can scarcely forbear to smile, however, at the details which are thought remarkable enough to be recorded as proofs of rare endowment; details which, had the young person been so unfortunate as to reach maturity, would have been forgotten.

The merits of the present selection as a whole, speak for themselves. The memoirs are neatly drawn up, and the volume will form a useful and acceptable present.

Art. XI. A Clue for Young Latinists, and Non-Latinists, to trace the original Forms and Signification of Nouns and Verbs, from their Terminations, alphabetically arranged, with explanatory References to the Grammar. By John Carey, LL.D. 12mo. pp. 68. London. 1821.

DR.

R. CAREY has distinguished himself in the useful and honourable labour of facilitating the progress of beginners, by several judicious expositions of the difficulties of classical composition. His collections on Latin Prosody, of which a third and much improved edition now lies before us, are comprehensive, and are expressed in distinct and intelligible language; a quality not always to be found in treatises on quantity. He has, besides this larger digest, recently published two small works,

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admirably suited for prompt reference, and well adapted to the wants of the young student. His illustrations of the Eton Prosody form a most useful vade-mecum; and his Clavis Metrico-Virgiliana will save the plodding school-boy many a desponding sigh. The present little publication is of the same unpretending but available description, and will assist the beginner in extricating himself from entanglements often exceedingly vexatious, and consuming very unprofitably much valuable time. The title and the following short extract from the prefatory notice, will sufficiently explain the object of the book.

The plan is simple, and so obvious at first sight, that a single instance will be sufficient to exemplify its application and use.-Suppose, then, the young Latinist, or the Non-Latinist, to meet with the word Pugnavissemus: on turning to the termination AVISSEMUS in its alphabetic place, he will at once find that it is the first person plural of the pluperfect subjunctive, from Pugno, of the first conjugation. But suppose, on the other hand, that he should mistake the point of division between the radical letters and the grammatical termination—and, instead of looking for AVISSEMUS, should direct his attention to ISSEMUS, EMUS, or even the single syllable, MUS, or US-he will, under any of those heads, find references, to guide him in his search.' pp. iii. iv.

In addition to these terminations, Dr. Carey has inserted (and this we think a valuable enlargement) those antique forms of declension and conjugation which frequently occasion so much bewilderment to inexpert Latinists. He has also appended useful remarks, explanatory of some perplexing peculiarities of the gerunds and supines.

Art. XII. An Italian and English Grammar; from Vergani's Italian and French Grammar: with Exercises, Dialogues, &c. Corrected and improved, by M. Piranesi. Arranged, &c. with Notes and Additions. By M. Guicheny. 12mo. pp. 222. London. 1820. WE have heretofore examined not a few of the best introduc

tions to this beautiful tongue, and have never met with any one for which we should have been willing, all things considered, to part with the old and excellent Grammar of Veneroni. The present little volume, however, appears to us entitled to equal approbation, and, on some accounts, to preference. The Compiler has adapted to English use, the method of grammatical initiation and improvement, which had been originally prepared for the French nation by MM. Vergani and Piranesi. He has shewn his judgement in omitting such definitions and explications as are familiar to every person of respectable education, and which are, therefore, cumbersome and useless in an introduction to a language which scarcely any persons can be supposed to culti

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vate, except those who have a previous knowledge of Latin or French. The order is natural, the expression precise and brief, the display of paradigms clear and striking, and the succession of Exercises is well adapted to familiarize and fix what has been didactically laid down. The classical scholar who studies Italian proprio marte, having chiefly or only in view the delight and instruction of reading works in that language, will here have every thing that he wants, presented in a luminous manner, aud without the too common load of redundancies: at the same time, this work will be found not the less suitable for the instruction of those who have the additional advantage of a judicious master.

Art. XIII. Remarks on the Internal Evidence of the Truth of Revealed Religion. By Thomas Erskine, Esq. Advocate. Third Edition, corrected and enlarged. 12mo. Edinburgh, 1821. THIS little volume will not disappoint those whom the name of the Author may induce to peruse it. Without the affectation of eloquence, it exhibits the primary evidence in support of Revealed Religion with much force, feeling, and elearness. It ought, perhaps, to be considered as addressed to those whose minds are habituated to continuous thinking, rather than to the wider class of readers; the style, however, is far from being abstruse. But, in fact, argumentative books which are designed to be popular, must differ greatly, both in manner and in matter, from what might be the direct and undisturbed product of a cultivated and comprehensive mind. If such writings aim at brevity, it must be not by terseness and condensation, but by neatness and selection; or if they are more voluminous, the bulk must be furnished not by fulness, but by digression.

It is evident,' says the Author in his introductory chapter, that a man may be a very useful member of this world's society, without eyer thinking of the true relation in which he stands to the beings about him. Prudence, honourable feelings, and instinctive good nature,may in sure to any man, in ordinary times, an excellent reputation. But the scene of our present contemplation lies in the spiritual universe of God, and the character that we speak of must be adapted to that society. We, cannot but believe that true moral perfection contains the elements of happiness in that higher state; and therefore, we cannot but believe, that that view of our moral relations, and of the beings to whom we are so related, which leads to this moral perfection, must be the true view. But if the attainment of this character be the important object, why lay so much stress upon any particular view? The reason is obvious: we cannot, according to the constitu tion of our nature, induce upon our minds any particular state of moral feeling, without an adequate cause. We cannot feel anger, or love, or hatred, or fear, by simply endeavouring so to feel. In order

to have the feeling, we must have some object present to our minds, which will naturally excite the feeling. Therefore, as moral perfection consists of a combination of moral feelings (leading to correspondent action), it can only have place in a mind which is under: the impression, or has a present view of those objects which naturally produce that combination of feelings.

The object of this Dissertation is, to analyse the component parts of the Christian scheme of doctrine, with reference to its bearings both on the character of God and on the character of man; and to demonstrate, that its facts not only present an expressive exhibition of all the moral qualities which can be conceived to reside in the Divine mind, but also contain all those objects which have a natural tendency to excite and suggest in the human mind, that combination of moral feelings which has been termed moral perfection.

This passage sufficiently explains the design of the Writer. We think, however, that the subsequent reasoning would have been presented to the reader with much more effect, if the precise ground on which an appeal to the internal evidence is rested, had been more clearly defined at the commencement of the Essay. The following paragraph is liable to cavils or to perversions.

If the actions ascribed to God by any system of religion, present a view of the Divine character which is at variance with the idea of moral perfection, we have no reason to believe that these are really the actions of God. But if, on the contrary, they have a strong and distinct tendency to elevate and dilate our notions of goodness, and are in perfect harmony with these notions, we have reason to believe that they may be the actions of God; because they are intimately connected with those moral convictions which form the first principles of all our reasoning on this subject.'

The explanation, or limitation, with which this too loosely stated principle should have been accompanied, might easily have been found in the simile which the Author introduces in the commencement of his Essay. In order to shew how a narration of facts may command belief, independently of external evidence, and even in the face of suspicious circumstances attending the external evidence of such a narration, he supposes→

that the steam-engine, and the application of it to the movement of vessels, was known in China in the days of Archimedes; and that a foolish lying traveller had found his way from Sicily to China, and had there seen an exhibition of a steam-boat, and had been admitted to examine the mechanical apparatus of it, and, upon his return home, had, amongst many palpable fables, related the true particulars of this exhibition-what feeling would this relation have probably excited in his audience? The fact itself was a strange one, and different in appearance from any thing with which they were acquainted. It was also associated with other stories that seemed to have falsehood stamped on the very face of them. What means, then, had the hearers of distinguishing the true from the false? Some of the rabble might probably give a stupid and wondering kind of credit to the