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Vol. V.1 Retrospect of Domestic Literature.-Education.

it is a refpectable performance. Mrs.
BENNET has difplayed confiderable ta-
lent for the diffufe, in her "Beggar Girl,"
a novel, which he has happily fucceeded
in fpinning through feven volumes!
"Count Donomar" is a translation from
the German: it is, in every respect but one,
entitled to the highest encomium: the
ftory is original, the characters natural,
the language rich, the imagery fplendid,
and the fentiments fine; but the tenden-
cy of the work is immoral; its fcenery is
hamefully voluptuous. Mr. J. Fox's
"Santa Maria" is a romance which be-
trays unufual imbecility, and unusual
licentioufnefs. "The Midnight Bell"
is the production of Mr. FRANCIS LA-
THAM, a gentleman who has before em-
ployed himself in this fpecies of compo-
fition. Mr. L. has a talent for invention,
which, however, is not under fufficiently
ftrict difcipline were the delineation of
character an object of greater attention
with him, he would avoid that intricacy
of plot, that hurry and confusion of in-
cident, which rather perplex than inte-
reft his readers. The Midnight Bell is
faid to be a German ftory; if fo, Mr. L.
is, of course, exonerated from any error
which may attach to the original. "The
Rector's Son," by Mifs ANNE PLUMP
TREE, is a work of moral tendency; a
merit which places it in a higher ftation
than many, which, in other refpects,
would, perhaps, be confidered fuperior.
"The Hiftory of Vanillo Gonzales" is a
tranflation from the French of Le Sage,
the well-known author of Gil Blas,
which, in many refpects, it refembles,
but to which it is fo much inferior, not-
withstanding the originality of fome
characters, that its authenticity has been
fufpected. The author of "Ammor-
vin and Zallida" has chofen for the hero
of his novel an emperor of China!
This work is not deftitute of ingenuity,
and allows us to believe that the writer
of it is capable of producing a work of
fiction lefs expofed to critical objections
than the prefent. "The Hiftory of Sir
George Warrington" is written by the
author of the Female Quixote, whofe re-
putation will not fuffer by his laft pro-
duction. Mr. WALKER'S "Cinthelia,
or a Woman of Ten Thousand," dif.
plays original invention, but the ftyle is
very contemptible, the language fo grofs-
ly ungrammatical, that we are forry the
author, who is certainly a man of talents,
did not folicit fome literary friend to
revise the manufcript. "Ellinor, or the
World as it is," by MARY ANN HAN-

509

WAY, though written incorrectly, contains many fpirited and fenfible obfervations. The author appears in no very amiable point of view, when the indulges herself in fome fplenetic, invidious ailufions to contemporary writers, feveral of whom are certainly far fuperior to herfelf. A fecond volume has appeared of Mifs LEE's" Canterbury Tales," which, like the first, are lively, elegant, and ingenious. We could enumerate a great many more novels and romances, but the catalogue would be tirefome and totally uprofitable.

It affords us the greatest pleasure to obferve, that fo important an object as moral and scientific

EDUCATION

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meets with merited attention. Mr. Dow
LING'S Elements and Theory of the
Hebrew Language, &c." intended to fa-
cilitate the ftudy of it: but fo long as
the difpute continues, fub judice, concern.
ing the importance or inutility of the
points, it can never be a book of ge-
neral circulation. Mr. D. rejects the
ufe of them. Mr. WALKER'S Key
to the claffical Pronunciation of Greek
and Latin Proper Names, &c. &c." is a
work, the plan of which is good. Mr.
W. however, is fomewhat dogmatical in
his opinions, and particularly on a fub-
ject where diffidence would have been
much more becoming, namely, the ac-
centuation of proper names.
This work,
though by no means invariably correct,
and confequently very far from perfect,
may be of confiderable ufe to many per-
fons, and probably may ferve as the
foundation of fome valuable fuperftruc-
ture. Mr. SALMON, the ingenious author
of Stemmata Latinitatis, has published “ A
Comparison of English Grammar with
the French," in which the principles and
idiomatic expreffions of the two lan-
guages are difcuffed and illuftrated: this
work is defigned, and is extremely well
calculated, to facilitate the study of the
English language to foreigners: it fur-
nifhes our own youth, moreover, with a
grammatical knowledge of their own
tongue, at the fame time that they are
improving themfelves in French. Mr.
HORNSEY'S "Short Grammar of the
English Language, &c." is a compilation
from the writings of Lowth, Wood,
Johnfon, Blair, &c. &c. and fimplified to
the capacities of children. The rules are
fhort and perfpicuous. An anonymous
writer has published fome "Thoughts on
Elocution;" he appears to have studied
his fubject with attention, as he writes

on

510

Retrospect of Domeftic Literature.-Mifcellanies.

on it with difcernment and good fenfe. "The Refuge" is written by the author of the Guide to Domeftic Happiness,' who in this, as in his former work, difplays much good fenfe and cbfervation. A Prefent for a little Girl" is neat, and, no doubt, will be an acceptable prefent to the young people for whom it is intended. The cuts are executed with unufual neatnefs and accuracy. The "Youth's Mifcellany" confifts of original effays, moral and literary; they are intended to promote a love of virtue and learning, to correct the judgment, to improve the tafte, and to harmonize the mind." It is fufficient to fay, that they are well calculated to promote the import ant objects which the author profeffes to have in view. Mrs. PILKINGTON's Obedience rewarded, and Prejudice conquered," is an ufeful little work, The New Children's Friend" is tranflated chicfly from the German, and correfponds more completely than common with its title page, which announces the volume to contain "pleafing incitements to wisdom and virtue, conveyed through the medium of anecdote, tale, and adven rure; calculated to entertain, fortify, and improve the juvenile mind." Mrs, SAUNDER'S "Little Family" is a work of very confiderable merit; it blends, as all books for children should do, inftruction with amusement and morality. It may poffibly be objected, that fome of Mrs. S's obfervations are too refined for the comprehenfion of children in general. Moral Biography;" a wretched performance, propofes to give the lives of perfons eminently diftinguished for their virtue and talents: it is deficient in language, fentiment, and anecdote. "Paftoral Leffons" are intended as an accomcompaniment to Mrs. BARBAULD's Hymns in Profe," to which, however, they are by no means equal.

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Our readers will, perhaps, be relieved to fee, that we are, at last, come to the fubject of Mifcellaneous Literature. After which they fhall receive a respite of fix months.

MISCELLANIES.

Among the mifcellaneous publications is to be diftinguished, as a work of claffical merit, the fecond volume of Mr. UVEDALE PRICE, on the "Pictur.fque, and on the Ufe of ftudying Pictures, for the Purpofe of improving real Landftapes;" this latter fubject is very warmly inculcated, and is never once loft fight of throughout the whole work. Moft of us recollect, that, in the firft vo

[Sup.

lume, Mr. P. fucceeded in proving the
picturesque to poffefs as diftinct and ex-
clufive a character, as either the fublime
or the beautiful. Its most efficient causes
were ftated to be roughness, intricacy
(which implies fudden and unexpected
variation), and irregularity. Thus, it
holds a fort of middle ftation between
beauty and fublimity, and is evidently
founded on principles oppofite from ei
ther. Beauty, on fmoothness, on foft,
undulating outlines, on flowing forms,
and almoft infenfible variation; on ideas
of freshnefs and of youth.
The pictu-
refque,. in addition to the conftituent
principles already mentioned, is founded
on ideas of age, and decay. The fub-
lime alfo, although it poffeffes fome pro-
perties in common with the picturefque,
differs from it in many effential points:
in greatnefs of dimenfion, ideas of infi.
nity, eternity, darkness, terror, ftillness,
and in many other qualities, which are
feparately the foundation of fublimity,
but of which not one enters neceffarily
into the compofition of the picturefque,
From this enlarged view of the fubject it
appears, that the word picturesque is not
to be narrowed in its application, and con-
fined, as its etymology might indicate, to
thofe objects alone which may be reprefent-
ed with effect on the canvas. Far from
it: a piece of mufic, light and playful, with
fudden unexpected variation in point of
time and key, &c. may be called pictu-
refque with equal accuracy, as

That rich stream" which" winds along,"
"Deep, majestic, fmooth, and strong,"
may be denominated fublime; or the foft,
melodious melancholy of a Scotch air,
beautiful. The application of pictur
efquenefs to poetry, the lyric particularly,
in oppofition to the fublimity of the ode
and the epic, or the polished beauty of the
fonnet and the elegiac meafure, is obvi-
ous, and equally correct; as alfo is its
application to the different objects of art
and nature, fuch as trees and waterfalls,
buildings, birds and beafts, &c.

Mr. PRICE's fecond volume contains three effays, ftill farther illuftrative of the fubject, and explaining the mode of reducing to practice the theory of his former volume. The firft effay is on artificial water, and on the method in which picturefque banks may be practically formed. In order to gain a juft idea how the banks of artificial pieces of water should be formed, Mr. P. moft judiciously begins with enquiring how thofe of natural lakes and rivers are formed. This is quite a novel enquiry; at least the ap

plication

Vol. V.] Retrofpea of Domeftic Literature.-Mifcellanies.

plication of the enquiry to landfcape gardening is novel, and throws great light on the fubject. Mr. P. is in truth a worfhipper of nature, and may exclaim, with Peter Pindar,

Thou art my goddess, Nature! lo to thee, Parent of dove-eyed peace, I bend the knee. The fecond effay treats on the decorations near the houfe; Mr. P. conceives, that bere the embellishments of art are not only to be employed, but even in fome degree to be difplayed: to go at once from art, from the obvious and avowed work of man, THE HOUSE, to fimple, unadorned nature, is too fudden a tranfition; and wants that fort of gradation and congruity, which, except in particular cafes, is fo neceffary in all that is to please the eye and the mind. The decorations, therefore, of an ornamental garden, like thofe belonging to fome of the Italian villas, fhould be rich, regular, and symmetrical; according with the manfion, they may unite fculptured and architectural magnificence, fuch as terraces, fountains, parapets, ftatues, vafes, baluftrades, &c. Stiff and glaring formality, however, may be avoided by a judicious mixture of irregular and varied vegetation: the prevailing fondnefs for fimplicity, therefore, and the defire of banishing all embellishments of art, are feverely cenfured. Architecture and buildings are the fubject of the concluding effay: here Mr. P. makes a judicious diftinction between architecture in towns, where it may be faid to be principal and independent; and architecture in the country, where it is, in fome meafure, fubordinate and dependent on the furrounding objects. The building, which may be juftly admired in a street or a fquare, where fcarcely any thing but the front is confidered, and little elfe is feen, if tranfferred to the country, where it does not blend with the scenery, may be bald and unpicturefque. An architect, therefore, fhould be acquainted with the principles of painting, and fhould apply them to his own art; fuch an one will not be folicitous to fink all the offices under ground, that his houfe may ftand a fort of eye-trap to all paffengers, ftaring and impudent; he will not remove every tree which intercepts the view, and level every hill which rifes within fight; but, on the contrary, will rather wish to conceal fome parts of the building, in order to give an interefting and picturefque effect to others. Mr. P. has directed the attention of painter-architects to a fubject, which has not been fufficiently tudied, namely, the fummits of their build.

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ings. Here again he has illuftrated the effects of art, by fimilar effects in nature. The form and character of rocks are the moft analogous to thofe of buildings the different effects produced by the intricate and broken outline of fome, and the flat monotonous fummit of others, may inftruct the architect how tame is the level flated furface of moft modern houfes, interrupted only by a few folitary and afpiring chimnies, in comparifon with the rich and varied roof, with which Vanbrugh has fo magnificently ornamented Blenheim.

A great variety of obfervations on this and the other effays, difplay the most chafte and cultivated tafte; but Mr. P. has already fafcinated us to dwell on his volume longer than is quite confiftent, perhaps, with the nature of our retrospect. With regret we leave him.

Mr. JACKSON, that enchanting harmonift of Exeter, has published a mifcellaneous volume of very great merit : the effay, which gives a title to his book, is called "The Four Ages." In this Mr. J. with great propriety, has inverted the order of the ages as it was eftablifhed by the ancients: he afferts, aud we are forry to be unable to difcredit his affertion that no golden age has yet exifted, but in poetry. Thofe periods of uncivilized fociety, when each man made laws for himfelf,

Nullaque mortales præter fua littora nôrant, are degraded into the iron age; to each age Mr. J. has attributed what he conceives to be its diftinguishing characteriftics, and from them it appears, that we are advanced into the filver period. Mr. J. has touched on a variety of other fubjects in this volume, poetry, painting, mufic, architecture, literary compofitions, &c. &c. in all of which he has difplayed confiderable genius, tafte, and difcernment. A collection, in three volumes, has lately appeared, of Oliver Goldsmith's "Mifcellaneous Works :" this collection is a very acceptable, prefent; for the effays, criticiims, and jeux d'efprit, of that eccentric character, have hitherto been buried among the periodical rubbish of the time when they were written. Dr. BANCROFT has published the first volume of his "Experimental Refearches, concerning the Philofophy of permanent Colours, &c." In this volume Dr. B. treats of all the fubftantive colours, and of thofe adjective colours, from among the animal and vegetable kingdoms, which produce the yellows." To understand the meaning of this divifion of the articles ufed in dying, we

T

512

Retrofpect of German Literature.

must recollect, that there are fome, which require a previous preparation to bite in the colour which is afterwards to be added; and that there are others, which of themselves fix on the fubftance to be dyed. The former are called adjectives, the latter fubftantives. Dr. B. attributes the permanent change of colour to the attraction of fubftances for particular rays, which are abforbed, and remain latent, while others are reflected. An elegant and concife effay on the hiftory of dying is given in this volume, which is replete with found philofophical refearch, which abounds with fagacious reflections, and which relates to a variety of accurate and ingenious experiments in relation to the fubject of it.

A more agonizing appeal to the feelings can fcarcely be conceived, than Mr. MACKAY'S "Narrative of the Shipwreck of the Juno on the Coaft of Arabia:" this narrative, which appears to be perfe&ly authentic, is addreffed by Mr. M. the fecond officer of the fhip, in a feries of letters, to his father, the Rev. Thomas Mackey, minifter of Lairy, Sutherlandshire, North Britain. Out of 72 perfons on board this ship, 58 actually perished, ei her by fatigue or famine, in the courfe of 23 days and nights, which had elapfed before the furviving 14 (who, during that long period, exifted without food) had the happiness of gaining the land by means of rafts and fpars: the protraction of life during

Τ

[Sup.

fuch a period of inanition, exceeds,
perhaps, whatever has been before re-
corded. Mrs. Brenmer is a furvivor of
this difaftrous fhipwreck her husband,
the captain of the veffel, died in her
arms! Mr. YOUNG'S "Effay on Hu-
manity to Animals" does high honour
to his heart the fubject is not always
fufficiently attended to in the education
of our youth; this little publication,
therefore, rendered interesting by the
infertion of fome hiftories characteristic
of the affection which animals bear to
their offspring, is particularly proper to
be put into the hands of children.
"The
Spirit of the Public Journals for 1797"
is a judicious felection of the beft effays,
jeux d'efprit, anecdotes, &c. from the
fugitive publications of the day, and
promifes to form a very entertaining an-
nual mifcellany. Mr. JONES's "Ma-
fonic Miscellanies, in Poetry and Profe,"
is an entertaining, and. probably, an useful
manual. "The Prompter" is the pro-
duction of an American moralift, Mr.
NOAH WEBSTER, who has fhewn his
good fenfe, in taking the manner and the
matter of Dr. Franklin as fubjects of
imitation: it is an useful little work.

We have now finished our Retrospect of the domeftic Literature of the laft fix months; fome few books, it is obvious, muft efcape the most rigid research. Should this be the cafe with refpect of any of literary eminence, we fhall be happy to bring them forward on a future occafion.

HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT OF
GERMAN LITERATURE.

IT has frequently been remarked, and perhaps with juftice, that the Ger- mans, fince the middle of the prefent century, have made greater efforts, in every department of the arts and sciences, than their learned ancestors collectively from the times of Tacitus. Although the fame remark may apply in great measure to the prefent, or rather the late, ftate of French literature, yet it is by no means fo characteristic, nor fo general, as when applied to the Germans: they were much behind in various departments of fcience, at a time when France produced many eminent writers in almost every branch, particularly in hiftory, belles-lettres, and political economy.

The new era of German literature began with the conclufion of the feptennial war in 1763, when the mufes of Germany were once more relieved from the horrid clangour of arms, by the

long-wifhed-for peace, concluded between the Emprefs, Queen Mary Therefa, and Frederick the Great of Pruffia. Long before this period, the groundwork of national erudition, philology, had met with many able and fuccessful profeffors; but as their laborious refearches were almost exclusively directed to the cultivation of the dead languages, that of the natives was till then unaccountably neglected. The works of Klopftock*, Leffing. Haller, Geffner. Bürger, Gellert, Rabner, Ramler, Herder, Facobi, Göthe, Schiller, &c. but particularly thofe of the inexhauftible and accomplished WIELAND +, however, afford ample proofs that the Germans, be

* The first edition of Klopftock's Meffiak, appeared as early as the year 1750.

See an account of his works, in the Monthly Magazine for April, 1797.

Vol. V.]

Retrospect of German Literature.-Hiftory.

513

In this place, however, it behoves us for the prefent, to afford only a concife view of the state of Literature in Ger many, during the last fix months.

HISTORY.

Although the Germans cannot boaft of many good hiftorians, and, perhaps, of none who writes with the elegant fimplicity of a Robertfon, or the powerful colouring of a Hume, there nevertheless have lately appeared several valuable publications in this department. At the head ftands the veteran SCHLÖZER, aulic counsellor, and profeffor of univer fal hiftory, in the university of Göttingen, whofe acute and chaftifing pen has long been dreaded by the arbitrary princes of Germany. We hope, for the good of his country, he will continue his monthly "Statistical Accounts," begun about 20 years fince, and containing every information required by foreigners upon the true ftate of Germany, in its political relations to foreign ftates, as well as to the different fovereign co-ftates of the German empire. His latest work, under the title of "Critical and Hiftorical Difquifitions in Leifure-Hours," contains three very interefting articles; namely, 1. "Origines Ofmanice, or an Inquiry into the Origin of the Ofma-' nian Hiftory;" 2. "Proofs, that the Mongols have been the Inventors of Papermoney, in the thirteenth Century;" and

fide their peculiar industry, perfeverance, and phrafes that cannot be fatisfactorily and a fingular propensity to abftrufe in- tranflated into foreign languages. quiries, alfo poffefs tafte and genius.-We cannot, without injuftice, omit to mention in this place the name of ADELUNG, the excellent and profound philologift, of whom the Germans have just reafons to be proud. By his indefatigable' exertions to improve his native language, he has produced fuch works, as whole academies and royal focieties, convened for that purpose in other countries, have not been able to accomplish. We allude to his “Elementary Grammar of the German Language, in two Volumes, large Octavo," which may ferve as a model of a fyftematic grammar in any language; and to his Complete Dictionary of the High-German Language, in frue Volumes, Royal Quarto," of which, the fecond edition is already in the prefs. As this would not be the moft proper place to expatiate upon the merits of this extraordinary publication, the work of a fingle man, who spent the greater part of thirty years in the compofition of it; we must content ourselves with briefly faying, that this dictionary contains a greater ftock of words than any other yet published fince the invention of the art of printing; that every word is fcientifically arranged as to its real and metaphorical fignification; that the words are either clearly defined, or amply illuftrated with the most appofite examples; and that the various ufes of them are unequivocally determined. It is to this incomparable work that the Germans are chiefly indebted for the orthography, as well as the fyntax, of their language, which by it have been fettled on the most folid bafis of juft etymology and found analogy. Animated by the inceffant efforts of fuch a leader, his countrymen have of late years beftowed a laudable degree of attention to the improvement and refinement of their copious and energetic language. Hence the numerous grammars and dictionaries of all fizes, published during the last twenty years; hence the endless variety of philological queftions propofed by academies and focieties in every part of Germany; hence the great diverfity of critical effays on language, which continually appear on the Leipzig bookfairs; and hence, laftly, the bold attempts of their dramatic and poetical writers, to delineate the genuine fentiments of the heart, and to exprefs the various emotions of the mind, in words MONTHLY Mag. No. XXXIII.

3.

"An Introduction to the Knowledge of the political Hiftory of Alia.". Prof. MANGELSDORFF'S "Epitome of univerfal Hiftory, &c." in one volume, 8vo. is a concise and elaborate abftra&t from his larger work, on the subject of ancient hiftory, and well adapted for the ufe of academies, and as a compendium for private ftudy; it is written in a pleafant, eafy, and inftructive style, and contains no tenets adverse to the prevailing religious and political opinions. Another valuable work, but confined

to

a particular province, is, "WIARDA'S Hiftory of Eaft-Frifia ;" the feventh volume of which appeared lately, and brings it down to the year 1734The author is fecretary to the States of Eaft-Frifia, and a man of unquestionable veracity; his fources are genuine, as he has free accefs to all the archives of the

ftate. "Prof. WOLTMAN'S Hiftory of France," being the firft volume of a "Hiftory of the European States," is likewife a book of great merit; in as

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