We make room for the following as a specimen of those on 'seasons and rural subjects.' For the Close of the Year. And all is but shadow beside; Or gave to the ocean its bound ;- His love will eternally shine.. 3. Then let the years hastily pass, They'll waft us the sooner above, 4. But O as our seasons decline, Let none on this point be deceiv'd; The throne of a penitent heart." Mr. Edmeston's little Tract contains fifty hymns, much in the style and spirit of his "Sacred Lyrics." Some of them are very pleasing compositions. We are not sure that they are par ticularly adapted to Cottagers; but our Minstrel will not object to find his verses chanted by voices less rude, to the gay tunes from Rippon and Walker which he has selected for them, with meet accompaniment. The following is to be sung to either "Geard' or Hamlet'! The Prayer Meeting, Ah, Cottage of Bethany, happy wert thou, 、。 But though not in presence our Saviour be nigh, Yes, Saviour, thou surely art here, for thou didst We suspect that these Hymns were not all originally composed for the purpose for which they are now collected. They are published for the use of the Home Missionary Society, and we cannot but warmly applaud the readiness with which the Author presented them to the Committee. He will excuse a smile at the uncouth names of some of his tunes, to our oldfashioned ears new and strange, since we are ready to shew our favourable opinion of his poetical abilities by inserting another of his hymus. The Grave of the Pious Cottager." All welcome to thine earthly bed, The flowers that o'er this low bed bloom, How lovelier than the costly tomb, Art. IX. 1. An Introduction to Latin Construing: or Easy and Progressive Lessons for Reading, adapted to the most popular Grammars, but more particularly the Eton; &c. &c. By J. Bosworth, Vicar of Little Horwood. 12mo, pp. 102. Price 3s. 6d. London, 1821, 2. Latin Construing or Easy and Progressive Lessons from Classical Authors; with Rules for translating Latin into English, designed ta teach the Analysis of simple and compound Sentences, and the Method of construing Eutropius and Nepos as well as the higher Classics; &c. &c. By J. Bosworth, &c. 12mo. pp. 108. Price 3s. 6d. 1821. WE have been greatly pleased with these two connected volumes, They avoid the evil of giving officious aid to the pupil, and so pre-occupying the exercise of his own attention and his powers of exertion. While they enable him to apply his attainments, from the very first step, to a perceptible and encouraging track of improvement, they call forth the powers of judgement and invention; they furnish all the aids which are really desirable, and drop them as they become familiarized; they anticipate difficulties and preclude objections, not by at once developing them, but by stimulating and guiding the learner's mind, so that he draws out the solution for himself. The passages are selected from the best Roman writers, and they are generally valuable for their sentiment or historical information. The quantities of such syllables as cannot be ascertained by the common rules of Prosody, are generally marked. To every paragraph, a judicious set of interrogations are annexed, adapted to awaken the mind, and to fix in it firmly the most useful principles and positions. To the second of the two works is annexed a more complete and practical illustration of the Roman Calendar than is to be found in any other schoolbook. In short, we cannot but think that, either in grammarschools or in private tuition, the adoption of these volumes will tend, more than any other books for the first readings after the accidence, to ensure a progress, not only more rapid than is common, but solid, and built upon principles clearly understood and indelibly impressed in the memory. It is another recommendatory circumstance, not always found in school-books, that the style of printing is clear, and pleasing to the eye. t Art. X. Retrospection: a Tale. By Mrs. Taylor, of Ongar, Author of "Maternal Solicitude," &c. &c. f.cap. 8vo. pp. 230. Price 6s. London. 1821. THE HE name of the Author of the "Family Mansion," will supersede with most of our readers, the necessity of any critical commendation of the present tale. In its general style, in its fidelity to life, but somewhat sombre colouring, in the vivacity of the narrative, the strongly defined individuality of the characters, and the impressiveness of the moral lesson, it presents a counterpart to the former work, the success of which bas amply justified our opinion of its very high merit and interest. Mrs. Taylor's style is so completely her own, that we do not know any contemporary writer with whom she could be with propriety compared. In whatever respects Miss Edgeworth may have the advantage as to the force and range of her genius, the key to human motive and human character which Mrs. Taylor possesses in her correctly Scriptural views, enables her both to go deeper into the science of the heart, and to exhibit, things, if not more dramatically as they appear, more truly as they are. Those who adinire Crabbe as a poet, can scarcely fail to recognise in Mrs. Taylor's sketches, a similar accuracy of observation, applied to subjects taken from much the same department of life, with a stern exclusion of the ideal and the romantic. But the spirit of these moral tales, is widely different from that of the moody satirist; and how dark soever the general colouring in which life is represented in these narratives, religion is always introduced in her native character of a comforter. The impression left on the mind by such a tale as the "Fa"mily Mansion," would vary with the character of the reader; but we are mistaken if its natural effect is not, to induce that pleasurable melancholy which is strictly an emotion of taste. That which will be produced by the present tale, is less pleasing, partly because less tragic,-because the feeling which the close inspires, partakes less of pity than of regret, and the picture of happiness with which the story ends, looks like desolation. Many of Mrs. Taylor's readers will partake of Miss Harriet's' dissatisfaction, who complains that it does not end happily;' notwithstanding the shewing of Miss Harriet's father that, in a certain sense, it does. The value of the lesson, however, is undiminished by this circumstance. Not only so, but we are inclined to believe, that had Mrs. Taylor consulted her young readers so far as to give a more poetical termination to the tale, and to render it in this respect more pleasing, the lesson would have been less salutary, since that same unpleasing emotion of regret is the one which belongs to such a retrospect. The irreparable character of many errors, the inefficacy of a long delayed amendment,-the fact that other things besides gold, may - · come a day too late,' these are lessons which it is well worth while to enforce at the expense of a happy ending of the tale. Retrospection" is an account of the life and adventures of Miss, or rather Mrs. Lucy Burrows, written by herself. The manuscript was discovered, as such MSS. generally are, in an old cabinet. It comprises the instructive confessions of an individual, all the miseries and sufferings of whose life originated in one source-temper. Miss Burrows was the daughter of a respectable solicitor in good practice. At fifteen, the world called her handsome: and she was disposed to believe it. She was also a wit, and could write poetry. Her natural temper, she informs was most sweet, and soft, and engaging, and humble, and teachable, when her will was not opposed, her opinions controverted, her convenience assailed, or her plans interrupted. But then she experienced an indefinite sensation, accompanied by a transitory flush in the cheeks, a sudden palpitation, and a us, quickness of utterance not usual in more tranquil moments.' Still, she was reckoned by most persons a very good tempered girl. The first serious trial of her temper, was occasioned by a domestic nuisance in the shape of a clerk of her father's, for whom Miss Burrows had conceived an aversion not wholly unreasonable, and whom she found both reserve and neglect ineffectual for keeping at a respectful distance. This dislike degenerated into a confirmed malice, and the Narrator candidly attributes to the carly indulgence of malevolent feelings in this instance, a most baneful influence on her future character. The constant obtrusion of this object of extreme dislike upon her notice, operating on the natural irritability of her temper, tended to confirm those habits of feeling, the inveteracy of which it required long and severe chastisements to subdue. Her mother dies, and after a decent period of mourning, during which Lucy's domestic management by no means raises her in her father's good opinion, Mr. Burrows announces his intention of bringing her home a mother in law. : It was but a recent acquaintance; my father had met with the lady at the house of her brother, with whom she lived thinking her a suitable person, he took no circuitous course, but came to the point at once. It was not in character for the lady to be quite so prompt in her decision she had many scruples--or would have had many, had her lover been disposed to listen to them; but having no time for dallying, he quickly brought the matter to a crisis-it was now or never, yes," or no." The lady said—“yes.” 66 66 I had never seen her till we were introduced to each other, as mother and daughter-it is a moment I shall ever remember. She received me with the utmost cordiality and apparent good will; but of my own feelings I had not an equal command-my demeanour was sullen and reserved, neither conciliating nor prepossessing. How unlike my mother!-thought I; how rosy and healthy she looks!-as though that had been a crime. But whatever might be her opinion of me, her behaviour continued to be unobjectionable; so that I seemed without the least shadow of excuse for my sullenness and reserve. My father was too much occupied in business to observe these things, or, if he did, to care about them; yet, I think, had he paid but common attention to what was passing in his family, he must soon have discovered that his new wife was a designing woman; and that, notwithstanding external appearances, her dispositions towards me were by no means friendly: but her general demeanour was so plausible as completely to conceal her arts from common observers; and even, in some degree, from those against whom they were especially directed. In the mean time, the improved aspect of the family was visible ! to every eye-the house throughout bore all the marks of manage ment, skill, and address; and she did not scruple to insinuate, in an indirect way, what was but too evident-that the present reformation in domestic affairs had not taken place before it was wanted. |