one strain, are superlatively silly-viz. "Composed of more syl lables than words."-" In which divers letters of the alphabet are made use of," &c. The title has no relation to our gracious sovereign, but merely to the hero, who, according to his mother, owes his fortune to being "the third George of the family;" and to this fortune he comes on a very hard term-the necessity of taking the name of “Kyrillounanaritchkinawischniewolotsethokk." The Public undeceived, written by Mr. Dibdin; and containing a Statement of all the material Facts relative to his Pension. 8vo. pp. 57. 28. Chapple. 1807. a trifling pen MR. DIEDIN calls two hundred per annum sion," which he has received since June 1803, till within a twelvemonth, when his "hopes of its continuation grew very faint, and have at length gone off in convulsions," P. 6. The plain English of this is, that the pension received prior to Pitt's decease was discontinued by Lord Grenville, and being now, to use Mr. D.'s words, "too impalpable to be tangible," he thinks it necessary to tell the public so, and this he calls undeceiving them. This he does in an ill-written, loose, and often ungrammatical pamphlet, (p. 5-55.) comprising full forty pages more than it was necessary to use on the occasion. No person is readier than ourselves to testify approbation of Mr. Dibdin's talent in the composition of popular ballads and pleasing melodies, but we must contend that if the labourer be worthy of his hire, he has also received it. The prodigious sums which the public patronage, at the Sans Souci and in the sale of his works, contrived to put into Mr. Dibdin's pocket, nothing but prodigality, (not extending to his children,) and a style of living incompatible with his situation, could have exhausted. With common prudence he might now have been sans souci, and not, as he at present appears to be, sans six sous. At p. 8. and every where in these sheets, we are told of his volunteering for six and forty years to serve the public—“To serve thyself, good cousin!” it should rather be, for none on this side of St. Luke's will believe but that the advantage intended to the public was a more removed ground" of action. Mr. D. is desirous, at p. 14, not to seem "the most fulsome egotist that ever existed," and he would have his disinterestedness appear as great as his detestation of egotism.-We believe that they are precisely on a par! 66 Quoting the remark of Sharp, in the farce, he says, I must eat."-We shall not reply with the Frenchman to a similar observation-"Je n'en vois pas la necessitè," but certainly we do not see why he should eat through the means of a pension on any other score than that, being once granted to him, we think it a paltry act of government to discontinue it. Mr. Dibdin, in his pamphlet, deals in sentences replete with wisdom. "Certainty," says he, "is better than suspense."What, is it better to be certain that you are to be hanged to morrow than to have a doubt about it? Perhaps Mr. D. will say, as to hanging, that is suspense; and so make his escape. Our author, in one place, compares himself to Dr. Johnson, his talents excepted, and declares, in another, that he "would not be the minister of this country for the world." He affirms that it is an "unquiet, tormenting, and pitiable situation." So much so that "one would almost congratulate him on being out of office." A congratulation quite new to us, and one, we believe, never kindly received! As Mr. D. talks about being minister, and possesses so much nobleness of soul, suppose he acts, on this occasion, like Lord Sunderland, who, in Queen Anne's reign, when offered a pension, on being turned out of place, said, “That if he was no longer permitted to serve his country, he was resolved not to pillage it." A great lesson for the present times. But Which? or, Domestic Grievances of the Wolmore Family. By the Author of Leopold. 2 vols. 12mo. 10s. boards. Bentley. THE principal characters of this novel are: a merchant, who, in his younger days, was left with the charge of his brothers and sisters; two of whom, differing widely in their sentiments on some subjects, and not being so obsequious to his will as he expected, he neglects, and refuses to countenance or assist. In the course of business, he amasses a considerable fortune, and endeavours to make his family of importance in fashionable life. A brother, Isaac, who, by an uncourtly air, and a primitive simplicity of manners, is, throughout, unintentionally thwarting and defeating all his vain schemes and projects. The wife, also, of the merchant, who separates from him before the birth of their first child; and who, when he intends to take the infant under his own protection, in revenge presents him with two, telling him, that one is his, and that the other as certainly is not. The merchant is baffled in all his enquiries respecting his real child, and kept in a state of suspense throughout; from which circumstance the singular title (But Which?) is derived. Among the other characters are Lord Vallory, a dissipated nobleman; and Martha, an antiquated maiden sister of the merchant's, who, though she has lost many of her teeth, has not lost the little prettinesses and fancied attractions of her youthful days. Mrs. Sidney, a lady who, in early life, had been most basely deceived by the schemes. and arts of a profligate man of rank: this character is extremely well drawn, and her story affectingly related. Much interest is excited by the children in their maturer years: one of whom becomes a lady of great beauty and lively sensibility; the other, a youth, with all the spirit and some of the follies attendant upon his time of life, who loses the favour of the merchant by a too hasty resentment of his neglect. There is likewise a son of the before-mentioned Lord Vallory, whose education has been much neglected by his father, and who, on coming to his title, inherits all the bad qualities of his predecessor, associates with characters unbefitting his rank in life, and latterly becomes a professed unbeliever; the dreadful tenets of which class of men (if they deserve to be so distinguished), are ably controverted and refuted by our author. Other characters are introduced, which diversify and greatly improve the story. Tales from Shakspeare, designed for the Use of young Persons; by C. Lamb. Embellished with Copper-plates. In 2 Vols. 12mo. 8s. Hodgkins. 1807. One good turn deserves another. Shakspeare had turned these tales into dramas, and Mr. Lamb has turned the dramas back again to tales. They are intended for young persons, and to precede the study of our great bard. The execution of the design is excellent. A Letter to the Rev. F. Stone, M. A. in Reply to his Sermon, preached at the Visitation at Danbury, on the 8th July, 1806. By Rev. E. Nares, M. A. 8vo. pp. 70. 1s. 6d. 1807. Rivington. THE heterodox doctrine, broached by Mr. Stone, on the above occasion, since printed, and for which he is now, we believe, in the Ecclesiastical court, is admirably exposed, by a member of the established church, whose reasoning and orthodoxy are equally honourable to him. Documents and Observations, tending to shew a Probability of the Innocence of John Holloway and Owen Haggerty, who were executed on Monday, the 23rd of Feb. 1807, as the Murderers of Mr. Steele. By J. Harmer, Attorney. 3s. Jones. 1807. 66 MR. HARMER'S remarks are forcible, we confess, and his attempt "to shew" the innocence of these men has the effect, in some measure, to shew our eyes and grieve our hearts," but to hang first and try afterwards does not seem to promise much redress to those who have been hanged, or satisfaction to those who have hanged them. Cui bono. Such a discussion is certainly interesting, but it is horrible and unavailing. The Writings of a Person in Obscurity, and Native of the Isle of Wight; collected from 1796 to the present Year. By the Author, T. Nutt. 12mo. 5s. Newport, Isle of Wight. Albin. THESE writings of a person in obscurity, should have remained where they were. The classical exhibitions are sad things indeed. Mr. Nutt is a school-master.-What says Hamlet?— "Give every man his deserts, and who shall escape whipping !" Love's Lyrics, or Cupid's Carnival; original and translated, by J. Scott Byerley, Esq. Small 8vo. 7s. Boards. Chapple. 1807. MR. BYERLEY's method of translation is his own. Horace's rule seems perpetually before him; his versions have the spirit and fire of the originals, and were he to prune the luxuriancy of his ideas, he might boldly claim an exalted niche amongst modern translators. Anacreon Moore, however, will not thank him for proving unequivocally, (without mentioning it) that many of his most beautiful pieces are only translations-the originals are given by Mr. B. and new translations on the opposite pages. The lines on Lord Nelson's interment are worthy of their subject; and the poetry of modern noble authors, (Part 2), will probably enlarge the catalogue of some future Walpole. The work is very neatly printed, and merits a popular reception. THE BRITISH STAGE. "La scene, en general, est un tableau des passions humaines, dont l'original est dans tous les cœurs." FRAGMENTS OF THE DRAMA, PROM AN UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT OF THE LATE In the Possession of J. Scott Byerley, (Continued from P. 414, Vol. I.) SECTION VI. Continued. To please our natural indolence, or love of variety, the objects must be diversified. To please, therefore, there must be 2. Novelty, 1. Importance, Hence it follows, that the object presented to the mind must have all these qualities to afford full pleasure. SECTION VII. I. The importance of the subject arises from 1. The dignity of the persons. 2. The greatness of their interests. The interests of the persons may be the same among people of subordinate station, as among persons of illustrious rank. When the interests are such as may be the lot of inferior persons, in that case illustrious names throw a borrowed dignity upon the subject. Ex. gr. If Ariane* (or Ariadne) was only a simple citizen, betrayed by her lover and her sister, the tragedy that bears her name would By Thomas Corneille. F-VOL. II.* |