we are at a loss to guess. In four little words, we have nearly as many errors; but there is one amongst them which seems so likely to happen to him, or his fellow student, that we cannot but forgive it. At page 31, in writing Peri, he naturally thought, and the publican would no doubt have sworn, that it was written with a P; and to one who knew nothing of Greek, what could look more like a P. than the Greek R. in its capital P? But, in future specimens of his learning, we would advise Mr. J. however strange it may appear to him, to print his Greek P thus, п.

To proceed with the symptoms, which we every where discover, of ignorance and vanity, we may observe, that, if Mr. J.'s scholarship had been equal to the knowledge of the quantity of Amycus, he would not have placed that proper name after Orontes, but before it, in the line

Orontes and Amycus claim his care.* P. 20.

But enough of this; for, to use an expression suited to the meridian of our author, "we sing psalms to a dead horse."

-We know not what the rules are of this society, but as none are so perfect as not to admit of improvement, we recommend to their consideration a very wholesome one to be found amongst those invented by Ben Jonson:

Qui foràs vel dicta vel facta eliminat, eliminator.

A Picture from Life; or, the History of Emma Tankerville, and Sir Henry Moreton. By Henry Whitfield, M. A. in 2 Vols. 7s. Highley. 1804.

NOVEL WRITING, in the hands of men of wit, but of unsound and irreligious principles, as we sometimes find it, or, as we frequently view it, in those of ignorance, dullness, and insipidity, is in the first instance never to be too severely condemned, nor, in the second, ever too much to be despised. But we scarcely know any literary composition better calculated to combine the advantages of moral instruction, and the pleasures of innocent amusement, or likely, in a greater degree, to promote the interests of rectitude and virtue, than this species of mental production, when it is executed by those, who, with genius, wit, judgment and learning, pos

* If Mr. J.'s school-fellow is as liberal to the society in his measure, as Mr. Jones has been to Amycus, they are more to be congratulated on their Publican than their Poet.

Z VOL. XVII.

sess an ardent love of truth, and a generous wish for the welfare and happiness of mankind.

To see a considerable share of these desirable qualifications in the author of the Picture from Life, affords us no small satisfaction; and we congratulate the numerous corps of volunteers in the service of circulating libraries on the enrollment of Mr. Whitfield's name on the brief list of those from whose labours they may expect both pleasure and improvement.

Having recently been called to the examination of two pleasing little poems by this gentleman, we took up these volumes with some eagerness, promising ourselves much gratification; and, it is but just to confess, that our anticipation has met with no disappointment.

The ground work of A Picture from Life is by no means so intricate as that of many novels of inferior merit. It is simple, and has few claims to novelty; but the simplicity of the outline does not preclude ornament, nor does its want of novelty render it the less interesting.

Previous to our entering more particularly into the qualities of this ingenious publication, we shall present the reader with a short sketch of the fable.

Miss Tankerville having lost, at a very early period of life, her mother and father, Colonel Tankerville, is educated by her aunt, Mrs. Maitland, a lady ranking in the class of female politicians, and famous for her good and domestic recipes. Under such care, she is represented as grown up, and already become conspicuous in the fashionable world.

At this period the story commences, At a masquerade Miss Tankerville is insulted by Sir Richard Oliver, and is protected by Sir Henry Moreton: a duel is the consequence, and Sir Henry Moreton having wounded Sir Richard Oliver, makes his escape to Vienna, where he encounters many difficult and perilous adventures. Among these, the art which a beautiful Italian female uses in endeavouring to seduce Moreton, is not the least formidable. Miss Emma Tankerville is forced away by Sir Richard Oliver in a post-chaise, and is overtaken by Moreton's intimate friend Dauncy, who rescues her, and restores his fair charge to her disconsolate guardian. Mr. Lester, a distressed merchant, is relieved by Emma, and relates a calamitous tale to his benefactress. After this, by the

Christmas Holiday and Black Monday. See our last Number.

advice of the physician, she goes to Germany. In a forest, near Vienna, she is surprised by banditti. Sir Henry Moreton delivers the lady, whom he has so faithfully loved, from the haunts of this nefarious and rude set.

A marriage is the result, an union which the politic Mrs. Maitland ratifies. The parties arrive in England, and the novel concludes with giving a brief finish to the characters, among whom the Honourable Mr. Pellet, a dashing buck, and Dr. Anapest, a pedant, claim a great share of attention.

Such is the basis on which Mr. Whitfield has raised a superstructure, that reflects great credit on him as a scholar and a man of genius. Being this month confined in space, we must defer our observations on the characters, sentiments, and conduct of this entertaining work, until our next number.

Life of Buonaparte, in which the atrocious Deeds which he has perpetrated, in order to attain his elevated Situation, are faithfully recorded; by which Means every Briton will be enabled to judge of the Disposition of his threatening Foe; and have a faint Idea of the Desolation which awaits this Country, should his Menaces ever be realized. By Lieut. Sarratt, of the Royal York Maryle-Bone Volunteers. Crown 8vo. pp. 286. price 3s. 6d.

A faithful exposition of the life and crimes of the Corsic Despot, calculated to increase our just hatred against him, and strengthen us in our noble resolution of dying in defence of our king, our constitution, and our liberties.

A Wreath for the Brow of Youth. By W. M. Craig. Ornamented with Engravings in Wood. Vol. I. 8vo. Harris.

The author of this very pleasing volume, convinced of the truthof the poet's assertion, that

Example moves where precept fails,

And Sermons are less read than Tales------

has been induced to give it to the public, from a wish to extend to other families those benefits, which the result of that conviction has yielded his own.

We heartily wish that public may encourage him to proceed; and that his labours may be crowned with the success to which we consider them so justly entitled.

The Stranger in France; or, a Tour from Devonshire to Paris. Illustrated by Engravings, in Aqua Tinta, of Sketches taken on

the Spot. By John Carr, Esq. 4to. 1. 1s. Od. Large Paper 1/. 11s. 6d. Johnson. London. 1803. (Continued from Page 331, Vol. XVI.)

THE following is the interesting account of Sir Sidney Smith's escape from the Temple, which we promised to extract, when this very entertaining volume was last under our notice. No apology will be deemed necessary on account of its length.

"After several months had rolled away, since the gates of his prison had first closed upon the British hero, he observed that a lady who lived in an upper apartment on the opposite side of the street, seemed frequently to look towards that part of the prison in which he was confined. As often as he observed her, he played some tender air upon his flute, by which, and by imitating every motion which she made, he at length succeeded in fixing her attention upon him, and had the happiness of remarking, that she occasionally observed him with a glass. One morning, when he saw that she was looking attentively upon him in this manner, he tore a blank leaf from an old mass book which was lying in his cell, and with the soot of the chimney, contrived, by his finger, to describe upon it, in a large character, the letter A, which he held to the window to be viewed by his fair sympathizing observer. After gazing upon it for some little time, she nodded, to show that she understood what he meant, Sir Sidney then touched the top of the first bar of the grating of his window, which he wished her to considér as the representative of the letter A, the second B, and so on, until he had formed, from the top of the bars, a corresponding number of letters; and by touching the middle, and bottom parts of them, upon a line with each other, he easily, after having inculcated the first impression of his wishes, completed a telegraphic alphabet. The process of communication was, from its nature, very slow, but Sir Sidney had the happiness of observing, upon forming the first word, that this excellent being, who beamed before him like a guardian angel, seemed completely to comprehend it, which she expressed by an assenting movement of the head. Frequently obliged to desist from this tacit and tedious intercourse, from the dread of exciting the curiosity of the gaolers, or his fellow prisoners, who were permitted to walk before his window, Sir Sidney occupied several days in communicating to his unknown friend, his name and quality, and imploring her to procure some unsuspected royalist of consequence and address sufficient for the undertaking, to effect his escape; in the achievement of which he assured her, upon his word of honour, that whatever cost might be incurred, would be amply reimbursed, and that the bounty and gratitude of his country would nobly remunerate those who had the talent and bravery to accomplish it. By the same means, he enabled her to draw confidential and accredited bills, for considerable sums of money, for the promotion of the scheme, which she applied with the most perfect integrity. Colonel Phelipeaux was at this time at Paris; a military man of rank, and a secret royalist, most devoutly attached to the fortunes of the exiled family of France, and to those who supported their

cause. He had been long endeavouring to bring to maturity, a plan for facilitating their restoration, but which the loyal adherent, from a series of untoward and uncontrollable circumstances, began to despair of accomplishing. The lovely deliverer of Sir Sidney, applied to this distinguished character, to whom she was known, and stated the singular correspondence which had taken place between herself and the Heroic captive in the Temple. Phelipeaux, who was acquainted with the fame of Sir Sidney, and chagrined at the failure of his former favourite scheme, embraced the present project with a sort of prophetic enthusiasm, by which he hoped to restore, to the British nation, one of her greatest heroes, who, by his skill and valour, might once more impress the common enemy with dismay, augment the glory of his country, and cover himself with the laurels of future victory. Intelligent, active, cool, daring, and insinuating, colonel Phelipeaux immediately applied himself to bring to maturity, a plan at once suitable to his genius, and interesting to his wishes. To those, whom it was necessary to employ upon the occasion, he contrived to unite one of the clerks of the minister of the police, who forged his signature with exact imitation, to an order for removing the body of Sir Sidney, from the Temple, to the prison of the Conciergerie: after this was accomplished, on the day after that on which the inspector of gaols was to visit the Temple and Conciergerie, a ceremony, which is performed once a month in Paris, two gentlemen of tried courage and address, who were previously instructed by colonel Phelipeaux, disguised as officers of the marechausse, presented themselves in a fiacre at the Temple, and demanded the delivery of Sir Sidney, at the same time shewing the forged order for his removal. This the gaoler attentively perused and examined, as well as the minister's signature. Soon after, the register of the prison informed Sir Sidney of the order of the Directory, upon hearing which, he at first appeared to be a little disconcerted, upon which the pseudo-officers gave him every assurance of the honour and mild intentions of the government towards him. Sir Sidney seemed more reconciled, packed up his clothes, took leave of his fellow prisoners, and distributed little tokens of his gratitude to those servants of the prison, from whom he had experienced indulgencies. Upon the eve of their departure, the register observed, that four of the prison guard should ac company them. This arrangement menaced the whole plan with immediate dissolution. The officers, without betraying the least emotion, acquiesced in the propriety of the measure, and gave orders for the men to be called out, when, as if recollecting the rank and honour of their illustrious prisoner, one of them addressed Sir Sidney, by saying, "citizen, you are a brave officer, give us your parole, and there is no occasion for an escort." Sir Sidney replied, that he would pledge his faith, as an officer, to accompany them, without resistance, wherever they chose to conduct him.

"Not a look or movement betrayed the intention of the party. Every thing was cool, well-timed, and natural. They entered a fiacre, which, as is usual, was brought for the purpose of removing him, in which he found changes of clothes, false passports, and money. The coach moved with an accustomed pace, to the Faubourg St. Germain, where they alighted, and parted in dif