1822.] REVIEW.-Walpole's Memoires. original, a string of calumnious assertions, unsupported by any testimony at all likely to weigh with the reader; and where it is not, an interlopated transcript of Parliamentary Proceedings from books in every body's hands. In this volume he enters into a minute, and to us an interesting detail of the circumstances attending the trial and judicial assassination of the gallant but unfortunate Admiral Byng. It was in the year 1756 that this most detestable act of cruelty and injustice was perpetrated, and for once we are pleased to be able to sympathize with our Historian in the indignation he expresses on the subject. "From Portsmouth (says Walpole) Byng, strictly guarded, at once to secure him from the mob and inflame their resentment, was transferred to Greenwich. His behaviour continued so cheerfully firm and unconcerned, that those who thought most moderately of his conduct, thought full as moderately of his understanding. Yet, if he could be allowed a judge, Lord Anson had, in the year 1755, given the strongest testimonial in Byng's favour, recommending him particularly for an essential service, as one whose head and heart would always answer. As a forerunner to the doom of the Admiral, so much demanded from, and so much intended by the Ministry, General Fowke was brought to his trial for disobedience of orders in refusing the regiment for Minorca. He pleaded the latitude and discretion allowed to him by his orders, and the imminent danger of his important government. Though the danger of that was increased by the probability that France would either of fer Minorca to purchase the alliance of Spain, or assistance to recover Gibraltar, yet Fowke found neither efficient to save him; no, nor the diversity of opinions in his judges: yet it was plain from their sentence, that they by no means thought he came under the rigour of the law, condemning him only to be suspended for a year for having mistaken his orders." Of the numerous Addresses forwarded from all parts of the country against Byng, the most violent was that of the City of London. The author notices with much feeling the interest generally felt in the Admiral's unfortunate affair. "As the day approached for the execution of the Admiral, symptoms of an extraordinary nature discovered themselves. Lord Hardwicke had forgot to make the Clergy declare murder innocent, as the lawyers had been induced to find law in what no man else could find sense. Lord Anson himself, in midnight fits of weakness and wine, held 343 57. A Dictionary of French Homonymes; or, a New Guide to the Peculiarities of the French Language. By D. Boileau. 8vo. pp. 380. Colburn and Co. THE French language is now so generally extended, that it may be truly said to keep pace in every country with its native tongue. In fact, in what part of Europe is it not in use? But to what cause shall we ascribe this universality? What has contributed to give it this preeminence over the living languages? Why has it become the language of Courts, and the medium of communication between Sovereign Princes? It would be, perhaps, difficult to answer these questions in such a manner as to satisfy the different opinions of Scholars upon these points. However, let us here only advance the opinion most commonly admitted, and let us say that the lustre and politeness of the Court of Louis XIV. which since that period has served as a model for other nations, very much contributed to this end. No one will deny that his age was the glory of the Literary world. The rewards granted to learning and merit, awakened the energies of mankind, and produced an infinity of learned persons, who by their talents and writings reflected immortal honour upon that celebrated age. These splendid results did not remain long confined within the narrow limits of France; science, learning, and genius, 344 REVIEW.Boileau's French Homonymes. genius, know no bounds, but soon extend, and overcome every obstacle which are opposed to them. Corneille, Racine, Boileau, Moliere, La Fontaine, and a great number of transcendant geniuses, produced works, which not only astonished, but excited the admiration of the learned world. A reputation so justly acquired, soon expanded among all classes of society. Every one was eager to read these productions; but to draw from them all the fruits which they contained, it was necessary to understand them in their native dress. For it is generally acknowledged, that Translations resemble their originals just as much as the day does the night. An infinite number of persons then felt the necessity of familiarizing themselves with these regenerators of Literature and Taste. Such was the first and most powerful motive which induced enlightened people to study the French language. The less enlightened classes of society, upon whom a less laudable motive perhaps, but not less powerful, operated, equally applied themselves to this study, fascinated by the beauties of this language, and the smartness of its expressions, which appears to adapt itself in a peculiar manner to conversation and society in general. Every reader will find in this work the means of surmounting a great number of difficulties which this language presents, especially for the understand ing of conversation and narrative, of which foreigners often lose the thread and connexion. This treatise of Homonymes will be particularly useful to the student in this respect; he will find here a great number of expressions which offer the same sound to the ear, but quite a different meaning to the mind. Perhaps there already existed works which treat of this matter, but we believe we may say with truth, that there are none which have so well attained the object which the author proposed, or in which the subject has been so satisfactorily and so ably treated. 58. An Account of the National Anthem entitled God Save the King! with authorities taken from Sion College Library, the Ancient Records of the Merchant Taylor's Company, the Old Cheque-Book of his Majesty's Chapel, &c. &c. &c. Selected, edited, and arranged, by Richard Clark, Gentle [April, man of his Majesty's Chapels Royal, Deputy Vicar Choral of St. Paul's Cathe dral, and of Westminster Abbey, and Secretary to the Glee Club. 8vo. pp. 208. Wright. THIS eminent Musical Composer (to whom the Publick are indebted for the favourite pieces of the Glee Club, reviewed in our vol. LXXXIV. ii. 41.) has now produced, by patient inves tigation, from an apparently minute question, a series of entertaining historical facts, to which, it is gratifying to us to perceive, the Correspondence in our various Volumes has in no small degree contributed. The best and shortest way of introducing the present Volume to our Readers, will be the transcribing a part of Mr. Clark's Dedication to "the Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Tailors :" "In writing the History of our justlycelebrated National Anthem, God save the King,' which, by your kind permission, is dedicated to you, I beg to assure you that this account has been the result of long and most assiduous research, during which no expense has been spared to render it in all respects worthy the Patronage of your Loyal and Worshipful Company, as well as interesting and acceptable to the Public. I beg also most respectfully to thank you for your kindness in permitting me to search your ancient Records respecting the grand and sumptuous entertainment given by your Loyal Company to His Majesty King James the First, on Thursday, July 16, 1607, congratulating him on his happy and wonderful escape from the Powder Plot, for which occasion the Anthem was written. "These records have been of the most essential service to me, as they have been very instrumental in proving what I asserted in my prospectus, that the words of the Anthem were written at the particular request of the Merchant Tailors' Company by that celebrated poet Ben Jonson, that the music was composed by Dr. Bull, and that it was first sung in your Hall by the Gentlemen and Children of the Royal Chapel, who were all in attendance, with the Dean, the Sub Dean, the Organist, and Master of the children, in their habits; an organ also being placed there on that occasion only. It also appears from the same records that the grace Non nobis Domine*' was first "The composer, Mr. Byrde, being present as one of the Gentlemen of the King's Chapel. No other grace is known, and that has been handed down to us from the same period, viz. 1607.” sung 1822.] REVIEW. Lady Jane Grey, and her Times. sung on the same occasion by the said children, standing at the King's Table *; and that the reason why such difficulty and obscurity have so long hung over the history or origin of the above Anthem, must be, that the grace, songs, sonnets, and music, which were composed and sung, and the speeches made at your Hall upon that great occasion, were all lost, or purposely destroyedt, or burned in the great Fire of London, in 1666, when part of your Hall was cousumed. Your worshipful Company may, however, justly claim the honour of having set the example to succeeding ages of true and genuine loyalty, by having caused to be written at your particular request, and first sung in your Hall, the most loyal and popular Anthem that ever was composed: for this Anthem not only prays to the Almighty for the safety and future protection of the King, but for that of our holy religion, laws, and people, thereby embracing every thing that is sacred to us as Protestants, and dear to us as Englishment. It is also worthy of notice, that the present Court of Assistants follow, most religiously, the example set them by their predecessors: the same beautiful and solemn grace, Non nobis Domine,' and the incomparable anthem, 'God save the King,' are invariably sung at the public festivities given at your Hall." The Historical Introduction concludes with "a song written in honour of his late Majesty King George the Third, but applying equally to our most gracious Sovereign George the Fourth, and all the glorious House of Brunswick, whom God for ever preserve! and "Send them victorious! Happy and glorious! Long to reign over us! Around let acclamations ring, Bless the true Church, and save the King!" This loyal Song, which we need not copy, as it is well-known to most of our Readers, begins thus: "Here's a health to old honest John Bull." In this Volume are some good Portraits; much original Music; some Anthems on the Gunpowder Plot; a Loyal Scotch Song; a Translation of 345 THE dawn of the Reformation, that only sure basis of our Civil and Relibeth inclusive, is in many respects the gious Liberties, from Henry to Elizamost interesting period of English anhals; and deserving of illustration far beyond what the pages of general history can possibly afford. To fill up the outline of the earlier and middle divisions of that period, appears to have been the object of the Author of the work before us, in addition to a most minute biographical sketch of the unhappy Lady herself, the influence of filial obedience, paforced to become an Usurper through rental ambition, and conjugal solicitation, and to expiate that usurpation of nine days on the scaffold. . For this extended view of the "Times" of Lady Jane, he has availed himself of the connexion of dons, with the Court, the politics, her ancestors, the Greys and Branand the manners of the country, from Henry's reign downwards; and the work itself bears ample testimony to the Author's industry, and to the truth of his assertion that he has endeavoured to draw from the dust of antiquity every important anecdote or illustration referring to, or delineative of that era. Those Illustrations, especially in original Letters and other documents, are, accordingly, very numerous, and highly interesting; many of them, tending to correct our opinions as to the characters of men, and our knowledge of the manners of that day. There are many of those original extracts which coincide most curi "Stowe and Howe's Chronicle," p. 891, 1615. "Jonson might probably have destroyed them himself, for after he had killed Chris. Marlow, in a duel, he was committed to prison, and made a convert to the Church of Rome, in whose communion he steadily persisted for twelve years."-Biog. Dram. p. 414. "This Anthem being addressed to the Divine Being for protection, should be performed in a much slower and more solemn manner than it is usually done; and it is worthy of commemoration that the late much respected and truly lamented Duke of Kent, (the great friend and patron of public charity, wherever he presided,) commanded that it should be so performed." GENT. MAG. April, 1822. ously 346 REVIEW.-Report of the Royal Humane Society. ously with passing, or past events of the present day; more particularly the report delivered to Henry the Eighth by Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Sussex, and other Commissioners appointed to divest Katharine of Arragon of her regal state after sentence of divorce, "whereunto the said Princes p'systynge in her great stomacke and obstynacye, made answere with_an opene voyce, saying," among other things, when directed to remove from her royal residence to Somersham, that although the King had directed her removal," she may ne will in any wise followe y Grace's pleshur therein, unless we shall bynd her with ropes, and violently enforce her ther .unto. Our limits forbid any extracts respecting Lady Jane herself; but we may record two or three very curious passages of general interest. At p. 193, is an extraordinary letter from the Bishop of London to Cecyl, calling for the charitable establishment of Bridewell; and at p. 252 a more extraordinary one, copied from the original draft of a circular dispatch in Northumberland's own hand writing, with all its interlineations and erasures, written by him in the Tower, and preserved in the British Museum. Every justice has been done to the work both in paper and printing. There is a very well-engraved portrait of Lady Jane, and the wood-cuts are neatly executed. HAVING experienced a fellowfeeling in the prosperity of this laudable Institution from its early establishment, and having uniformly devoted our humble efforts to the promotion of its interests, we cannot but notice, with peculiar pleasure, the progressive improvement of its concerns. Some years ago the annual Report of the Society consisted of a few pages of comparatively uninteresting matter; but the present one assumes the appearance of a respectable octavo volume. The acknowledgments of the Society are certainly due to their able Registrar and Secretary, Dr. Martin, for the improvements he has introduced, and the ability he has displayed. [April, We have no doubt but his exertions will tend most effectually to promote the interests of the Institution. The objects of the Royal Humane Society are so well known, that it is unnecessary to recapitulate them here. They are particularly explained, and illustrated with graphic representations in vol. XCI. ii. 305, to which we refer our readers. We shall simply confine ourselves to the Registrar's statements, in which he gives an interesting view of the concerns of the Society from its infant state to the present time. He observes that the "Royal Humane Society in its past history exhibits all the criteria of future prosperity; every year gives new confirmation to this cheering prospect, and the last by no means the least flattering.” The life of that zealous and indefati gable promoter of the Institution, Dr. Fothergill, forms a prominent feature of the Report. The statements are chiefly gleaned from Nichols's “Literary Anecdotes." He was a Life Director of the Society for upwards of thirty years; and the Reports were frequently enriched by his communications. Many valuable friends of the Institution, who have recently paid the debt of nature, have received the tribute of grateful remembrance. The Society have particularly to lament the loss of the Rt. Hon. Lord Henniker, Admiral Sir John Colpoys, Dr. Barry, B. Hawes, J. Burgess, P. Guillebaud, J. Newby, and J. Perry, esqrs. The Society still express their sanguine hopes that these losses will only serve as a stimulus to the living friends of the Institution to use their influence in procuring new supporters. The following is a brief statement of the number of Cases that have come under the Society's notice. We extract the words of the Report. "The Cases which have come under the notice and consideration of the Society during the past year amount to 149, of which number 134 were successful, and 15 unsuccessful. Among the 149 were 20 attempted female suicides, and 3 attempted male suicides; and two unfortunate individuals, one man and one woman, who fell victims to the ber of successful cases, added to that of fordesperate act of self-destruction.-The num mer years, amounts to 5154; and the number of claimants rewarded, added to the total of former years, amounts to 20,535. It is pleasing to announce, that the proportion of cases of resuscitation, set against those of 1822.] REVIEWS.-Literary Intelligence. of rescue from imminent danger, continues to decrease, owing to the Society's preven tive means." Many interesting cases of resuscitation are recorded, in which animation had been totally suspended. Among other distinguished communications, is a letter from Lord Sidmouth on behalf of his Majesty, and another from Count Nesselrode, expressing the sentiments of the Emperor of Russia, in approbation of the Society's objects. We are happy to observe that Cap 61. Of Mr. Rattenbury's Poems, the small pieces are the best. In pp. 48, 49, some Radical politicks threw us into such a fit of sneezing and coughing, that we were afraid to take up the book again, and complete our investigation of it. 62. The Literary Gossip is a series of original Essays and Letters, Literary, Historical, and Critical, Descriptive Sketches, Anecdotes, and original Poetry, published in XXI weekly Numbers, from March to August 1821; and the greatest fault we perceive in them is their cheapness. They are written with much spirit, and with some few marks of juvenility; but they should have been printed in a larger type, and on better paper. 63. Observations chiefly in Reply to Remarks made in Parliament during the last Session, by a Clerk, is a Pamphlet of 78 pages, in answer to the observations of Lord Milton, Mr. Hume, Mr. W. Barrett, and Mr. Creevey, well worthy the attention of the Legislature. 64. Mr. W. H. White's Complete Course of Arithmetic, Theoretical and Practical, is well adapted to the use both of the publie and private scholar. 65. The Letters to Richard Heber, Esq. containing Critical Remarks on the Series of Novels beginning with Waverley, and an At 347 tain Manby's invention, for rescuing Shipwrecked Seamen, is fully illustrated in this year's Report. The plan indeed richly deserves the Society's consideration; its object being the relief of suffering humanity. Capt. Manby's method of Saving Shipwrecked Persons is recorded in vol. XCI. ii.; which account Dr. Martin has copied, with due acknowledgment. The representation and description of a curious Raft for the purpose of landing from a wreck, invented by Lieut. Rodger, are given in p. 354. tempt to ascertain their Author, fully answer the purpose for which they are intended, by proving what we before never doubted, of which The Pirate has since given much corroborative evidence, and which before was as clear as the Sun at noon-day, that the Author is either Sir Walter Scott or Diabolus. 66. The Sketches from St. George's Fields, by Georgiani di Castel Chaiso, of which the first series appeared in 1820, and the second in 1821, abound in witty reflections and pleasant raillery; and are evidently the production of a man of real talent. He calls himself "an unknown author;" but we fancy that we trace the features of an intelligent young traveller. The volumes are handsomely printed, and contain several beautiful vignettes. 67. In the Confidential Memoir and Adventures of a Parrot, a Greyhound, a Cat, and a Monkey, by Mary Ellcott, late Belson, the Juvenile Reader will find both amusement and edification. 68. The Story of Pigon, a Malay Boy, containing all the Incidents and Anecdotes of his real life, by WILLIAM GARDENER, is a pretty interesting story, showing that industry and real integrity will prove the surest means of promoting even temporal welfare; and will never fail to produce peace of mind in the hour of death. LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. CAMBRIDGE, March 18.-At a congregation on Wednesday last, a grace passed the Senate to confirm proposals for the institution of a previous examination of candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor in Civil Law, and Bachelor in Physic. That there shall be, every year, a public examination in the Senate House, in the last week of the Lent term, to continue for three days: the subjects of examination to be one of the four Gospels or the Acts of the Apostles in the original Greek, Paley's Evidences of Christianity, one of the Greek, and one of the Latin Classics.-The first of these annual examinations to take place in the Lent term of 1824. OXFORD, April 6. The whole number of degrees in Lent Term was, D.D. 2; D. C. L. 2, B. D. 4; B. C. L. 1; M. A. 45; B. A. 49; Determiners 231; Matriculation 115. CAMBRIDGE, April 12.-A handsome silver ink-stand has been presented by the Mayor and |