We are pleased to add that the authors of such lines as these are to be added to the list of those Friends, who have lately ventured to diffuse the graces and amenity of poetry over the severer spiritual graces of the mind, and the more silent musings of the Meeting. When they inquire, in their preface, Is there any department of literature, which may be cultivated and employed by any good Christian, which cannot be tolerated in a Friend?" we boldly venture to say there is not and we cordially advise them to acknowlege and to act on this article of faith. Art. 13. The Proud Shepherd's Tragedy; a scenic Poem, in 18 Scenes. Edited by Joseph Downes; to which are added, Fragments of a Correspondence, and Poems. 8vo. 9s. Boards. Hurst and Co. 1823. The editor of these poems deprecates with great earnestness the severe decrees of criticism, by urging the circumstances under which they were written: for they are the productions, it seems, of an unhappy man, labouring under an affliction which intitles him to the sympathy of every compassionate bosom. It may be best, however, to permit Mr. Downes to state his own reasons for ushering this volume into the world. They are as follows: First, he (the editor) considers, that as written prior to the appearance of some great poetic leaders, whose " supreme dominion" almost compels involuntary imitation in followers as the outpourings of a man who knew nothing of schools of poetry read few modern books - but formed his own style by his own emotions, really writing for himself - these effusions of a recluse may possess a sort of curious interest, even distinct from what merit they may intrinsically bear. Secondly, he may be permitted to avow the weak wishes of a friend, toward an unhappy friend, in a sort of suspended existence from mental malady. He would fain test his pretensions to the character of a poet of the passions, during that suspension, in the fond hope of surprising his convalescence should it ever occur- with the cheering voice of public acknowledgment, of that once-cherished ambition he had almost ceased to confess to himself. Lastly, and what is most to the purpose, the editor has some ground for believing that such freshness, raciness, or strong stamp, as intense real feeling, with too real occasion, may impart to poetry, will be found herein, inasmuch as the author, no less than his shepherdhero, suffered. A catastrophe, which, several years ago, drew public curiosity rather intensely round the mysterious fate of a very young and very amiable female, (which curiosity, as unsatisfied, quickly dismissed the poor victim to total oblivion, up to this hour,) the editor has suspected to have been connected with the man, (or poet, if the world will allow him that title,) whose writings are in his hands; and who desired, if ever known to the public, to be ever known only by the name of Perditus. Whether Perdita was this unfortunate lady, or the mere "coinage of the brain," he has, however, no real grounds for forming any positive opinion. This only is sure, that he (the author) watched, for a very long time, the results of that melancholy incident, which involved a possibility of fearful injustice, (indeed years after its being forgotten by the world,) and, perhaps, such watch and interest might be merely the attraction of any dismal mystery for his morbid state of mental excitement. Of this the editor may be allowed to say, that he is morally certain if it were as he suspected - and had there arisen results or could any good possibly have occurred from publicity, beyond gratifying lewd and idle curiosity in any such case, that publicity would have been given, in spite of any, even the most solemn pledges to privacy. Indeed these only (not any fear or danger) existed to withhold it; were these suspicions not, indeed, conceits only of his friend the editor.' : All this is very sad, and very obscure but we think that it does not amount to a good and sufficient reason for swelling the catalogue of published books; and, above all, for adding to the immense multitude of poetical monsters, whose countless swarms buz, crawl, and creep in every direction around us. We were somewhat suspicious of the rectitude of Mr. Downes's taste, from the style of his advertisement; and we became more than suspicious of it when we found him to be the instrument of dragging into day a long poem called Perditus to Perdita, beginning with such lines as these. Wild yet soft-beam'd-though wandering, blest- --- Down down to his everlasting rest, Ways, home again to earth - serene Star of a soul, where all has been Still blessed be the hour it shined Forth on the blackness roll'd behind.' We have, in the strict discharge of our duty, read through The Shepherd's Tragedy;' which is "such stuff as dreams are made of:" but we may often discover in it a wild energetic strain of thought, though involved in a cloudy chaotic mountain of words, as in the following lines: Woe to the sceptic, woe! for other Below Calling; to those who dream they hear, But for the infidel-woe, woe Sick helpless heir a beggar-left, Him who has lost a kingdom, even Out death alone; than death-sick worse, Him fainting, prostrate, all pass o'er, Him, blind 'neath all those sorrows groping, Crying, "Go, wicked," for not hoping!' To justify our opinion that these poems are to be considered and pitied as the agri somnia, we extract a sonnet, the meaning of which we must request the editor to interpret. Ah! welcomer as by the world rejected! That was between us? Spite of fate, before, not Through change and chance, we forc'd a meeting yet; Still found ourselves together, talking o'er Youth's ardent aims, still pleas'd and smiling met! Now, never more!-- Could life like death forget! Them, them Thought wakes-thou cry'st to Thought; each haunt, Waking a life-long miserable want!" *Art. Art. 14. Mary Stuart. By Miss Macauley. 8vo. 7s. stitched. Sherwood and Co. 1823. pp. 138. Avowedly written for the purpose of a 'histrionic delineation' of the character of the heroine, this production is announced, with some truth, as a novelty in our dramatic literature. As we are without any existing models in this untried path, excepting Mrs. Siddons's admirable readings, we cannot judge what effect might be produced by a genuine master of the passions, in recitations unsupported by scenic splendor, dialogue, and action. Neither can we calculate on the degree of interest which was elicited in the present instance; although we trust that the lady's audience may have reaped more pleasure from such an exhibition of this mixed species of dramatic and historical composition, than her readers are likely to find in perusing the poem. We can easily appreciate the charm of a similar delineation of the passions, brought out in one short and definite effort, recommended by the voice and accomplished manners of a Mrs. Barclay, and seconded by the glowing effusions of Collins or of Moore: but the attempt, we think, to throw the whole history of an individual into dramatic recitation is equally injudicious and unavailing, however respectable the performance of the task may be. Such a plan combines many of the disadvantages belonging to each style of composition, while it comprehends very few of their excellences; and it forms altogether a medley of descriptive, narrative, and dramatic writ-, ing, by no means so attractive as any of them may be found in their distinct character. Accordingly, though Miss M. has very tolerably executed her task, seldom falling below and as seldom rising above mediocrity, we dare not venture to encourage her in the new career which she appears to have chalked out for herself: but we sincerely hope that the degree of judgment, which would appear to have dictated the following words in her preface, will be allowed to influence the writer's taste in her future efforts :- To realize such a plan requires a peculiar combination of ability, aided by a peculiar combination of circumstances.' She adds that the design is hazardous:' but we cannot go along with her when she 'continues, it is worth the hazard.' Still it is only justice to remark that the poem contains several very pleasing and poetic passages, with a few beautiful incidents and situations, by no means feebly treated. MISCELLANEO U S. Art. 15. An Appeal to the People of Great Britain on the Subject of confederated Greece. By Thomas Lord Erskine. 8vo. Pamphlet. Whittakers. 1823. The little tract, of which we have just given the title-page, was scarcely in our hands when the melancholy intelligence reached us that its noble author was no more! We must claim the liberty, for a moment or two, of suspending the ordinary course of our critical labours, in order to express (feebly, indeed, and inadequately) our regret for the loss of this venerable patriot and indefatigable champion of the rights and freedom of mankind. In one sense, the death of a man full of years, and who had already done so much in his generation towards improving the moral and social happiness of his country, cannot be said to be immature: "suis multo immaturam mortem haud sibi et patriæ:" but, when we recollect that Lord Erskine was so lately enjoying a green and vigorous old age, which had scarcely dimmed the brightness of his eloquence, and most assuredly had not enfeebled the activity and enthusiasm of his mind, we are made to feel that the blow, which sooner or later comes to all, has in this instance been untimely. Yet it consoles us to observe, in the closing period of his life, that dignified consistency with his opening career which constitutes the character of the truly great: for in this his almost posthumous address to the public, we see him engaged in the same manly conflict against tyranny and oppression which called forth the first efforts of his indignant eloquence, and appealing to the same generous and exalted principles which his whole public life has defended and illustrated. As a distinguished member of the British Bar, he will be long remembered; for he may be said to have conferred on the forensic style of English oratory an honor which did not before belong to it. Acuteness, sound and solid reasoning, precision, and even rhetorical elegance, were not indeed, wanting to it; and Yorke, Pratt, and Murray, had each shewn how the severity of legal · argument might be relieved not only by the graces of classical diction, but sometimes by the play of a lively fancy. It was not, however, till Mr. Erskine appeared, that the eloquence of the Bar appeared capable of much higher efforts. In a few sentences, he was enabled to produce an effect on the minds of the jury, which the insinuation and address of the most finished advocate would scarcely have wrought by the most elaborate and studied discourse: -the manner, the gesture, and the tone of the speaker wore resistless, and stormed at will the bosoms of his auditors. Those who have heard him on great, occasions will never forget that keenness of rebuke, or that appalling strength of denunciation, which pursued vice and corruption, and dragged them from their hiding-places; which unveiled hypocrisy and cunning; and which exposed perjury and prevarication to scorn and contempt. His defence of Captain Bailey, and his speech for Lord George Gordon, are among the recorded specimens of his excellence in this branch of his art: but those, whose professional duties have given them opportunities of witnessing the daily exercise of his powers, will call to mind still higher instances than these. The independence of the Bar is not the least of our civil securities, and it owed almost its existence to the virtue and courage of Mr. Erskine. It was his fate to be thrown into frequent contests with the Court, and on those occasions especially when questions of the highest constitutional import were agitated. Then it was that, without the slightest departure on the one hand from the courtesy of a gentleman, or the respectful demeanor which is due to those who preside at our tribunals, but on the other hand wholly unawed by threats and frowns, he proceeded |