trived to enrich with pertinent and judicious reflections, which greatly embellish them, though fuch topics are in themselves but little favourable to poetry. In the various obfervations that naturally arife from the fubjects, and are ftrewed through the whole, whether in the text or the annotations, there are marks of a ftrong mind and found understanding; and both the verfe and profe are executed with great energy, precifion, and elegance of language. The verfification is more in the manner of Dryden than of Pope; the flowing eafe and apparent artlefsnefs of the former, appears to be fuccessfully attempted in the narrative parts, while the point and correctnefs of Pope is called in aid to give finishing and polish to the fentiments and characters.

Among the diftinguifhed pieces in this gallery of poetic productions may be felected the character of Scipio Africanus, and that of Marius; the comparifon of the gigantic Marius, brooding over his meditated vengeance, to Mount Vesuvius before an irruption, is one of the happiest we can at present recollect in the range of Englifh Poetry. The Battle of Phar falia is highly interefting, and the catastrophe of the great Pompey is equally pathetic. Julius Cæfar is defcribed in very noble verfes. The varied character and temporifing policy of the crafty, but cruel Octavius, are delineated with great skill, the beautifully contrafted characters of Octavia and Cleopatra are painted with fo delicate a pencil, that it is to be withed, Mr. Jephfon had introduced more Roman ladies among his ftatefmen, warriors, and poets. The mother of the Gracchi, Julia the daughter of Cæfar, and wife of Pompey, the lamented daughter of Cicero, and Portia the wife of Brutus, deferve the pencil of, fuch a painter. The concife and ingenious manner in which he has compreffed into mufical verfe the causes that produced the genius of the Auguftan Age, is very striking; nor do we know where a better idea could be collected of the four great Poets of that period, than in Mr. J.'s beautiful delineation of them. Our favourite, like the author's, is Virgil. As fpecimens of Mr. J.'s verfification, we fhall give a few extracts from his characters of the Ro¬ man Poets. First, from that of Virgil, which begins thus:

"Hufh'd be each ruder breath and clam'rous tongue!
Apollo littens to the Mantuan's fong.

You chief, who own. bright in piration's Яame,
With might, Homer's palm divide his claim;
Favour with me of all the harmonious quire,
A child I felt him, and a man admire;
If grief or care my anxious mind engage,
Secure of cafe, I fearch great Maro's page;

For

For deep and rankling fure must be the wounds
That find no balm in his enchanting founds.
As Jeffe's fon Saul's frenzy could compofe,
The madness finking as the mufic rofe;
As oil diffus'd with philofophic skill,
At once the agitated wave can ftill,
His tuneful magic o'er my fenfes glides,

The charm prevails, and all my pain fubfides."
&c. &c. &c.

The character of Horace he begins in this manner:
"Perfuafive Horace! how his varying lay
Can dash bold vice, or with light foibles play!
The task of reformation he beguiles,
Alike inftructing, if he frowns or smiles ;
Till, by his eafy precepts wifer grown,

Men pardon others' faults and mend their own;
They find fierce paffions by calm fenfe withstood,
And fmall the labour to be juft and good.
No frowning virtue in his ftrain appears.
To wring the heart, or stain the cheek with tears;
But gently foothing, of benign address,
And ftill more blefs'd, as most inclin❜d to bless.
Bold daring crimes avenging law purfues.
Leaving man's foibles to the fportive Muse;
And deep they feel, who fin 'gainft reafon's rule,
The pains and penalties of ridicule."

After giving the portaits alfo of Tibullus and Ovid, he proceeds to thefe obfervations on the character of the Augustan

age.

"Rivals to thefe, in more inftructive profe,
Hiftorians, orators, and critics rofe;
With fancy's rays the power of truth combin'd,
Pour'd rich effulgence on the enlighten'd mind.
Why teem'd the Auguftan Age beyond the reft,
With prodigality of genius blefs'd?

Was man a different compound from before?
No;-war and civil difcord were no more.
The iron gates of double Janus clos'd,
The mind grew active, and the arm repos'd.
Long-banish'd peace, and all her gentle train,
Return'd to tranquil Italy again;
Then all was verfe, felicity, and love,
Sportive each vale, and vocal ev'ry grove.
The ufelefs veteran, four and unemploy'd,
Curs'd the fair paradife he ne'er enjoy'd;
Or told in accents hoarfe to fuburb fwains,
Of martial Julius, and the Gaul campaigns;
And loft the mem'ry of his fcars and crimes,
In ftern revision of more warlike times.

The

The Nile, Euphrates, Rhene, and Danaw, own
On Tyber's banks the world's great master's throne,
There the rich produce of their regions meet,
To pour their tribute at the Roman's feet;
Choice ftuffs, ftrange beafts, rare gems, barbarie gold,
Their wonders to admiring eyes unfold;
But admiration moft THIS wonder craves,
Thy fons, Quirinus, fycophants and flaves.

"Left in grave talk too deeply might be weigh'd,
Why one man rul'd, and all the reft obey'd,
The crafty Prince, in human paffions wife,
Bids new delight from harmless fources rife :
Invited Poets to his feafts refort,

And verfe becomes the fashion of the court;:
Where liberal wit, from jaundic'd envy free,
Felt emulation without jealousy."

We think the Roman Portraits fhould be recommended particularly to the attention of young readers, as containing a most judicious abstract of the Roman policy and conftitution, which are too frequently little known, or wilfully mifreprefented. The examination of Cæfar's character and conduct and the Differtation on the Roman Conftitution, both compendious and inftructive, which are to be found in the ADDIIONAL NOTES, deferve to be attentively perufed. But before this work can be introduced among the younger ftudents, it must be reduced in fize and in price, and give up its prefent coftly beauties, for that homely appearance which is better fuited to the ufe of fchools. For we must not omit to notice, that the mechanical part of this work is uncommonly well executed, and does great credit to the prefs that produced it. Befides exhibiting a beautiful letter-prefs, it is embellished with twenty engravings from ancient bufts, coins, or paintings, together with a portrait of the author, and his friend Mr. Malone, to whom the work is addreffed. In faying that this is a work, which it is hoped will become familiar, as we think it would be useful, to younger readers, we mean to bestow on it a very high praise. Whatever may be its fate in that refpect, we think it cannot fail to meet with a good reception, among those who are more advanced in the acquifition of claffical learning, and the cultivation of taste.

ART.

ART. VIII. The Hiftory and Antiquities of the Abbey and Borough of Evesham, compiled chiefly from MSS. in the British Mufcum, by William Tindal, M. A. late Fellow of Trinity College, Oxon. 4to. 363 pp. Il. Is. Agg, Evesham. Longman, London. 1794.

WE

E have lately had occafion to commend Dr. Ruffel for rendering a work, the object of which feems at first view of a limited kind, the vehicle of much folid remark, and miscellaneous information. The fame may be observed of the volume before us, of which, if we were to attend alone to the author's fimple and modeft introduction, we should be induced to draw conclufions of a lefs favourable kind, than muft neceffarily be the refult of a diligent examination of the whole performance. Local hiftories are entitled, if properly executed, to an honourable place in the fcale of literature. They are useful to hiftory, illuftrative of manners, and they effectually prevent the wheel of Fortune, and the hand of Time, from crushing or tearing up by the roots, what may deserve either fupport or prefervation.

Mr. Tindal is a vigorous and able writer; his book is ju diciously arranged, and will be found to contain much inftruction for the antiquarian, and much amusement even for the defultory reader. The volume is divided into two partsThe first treats of the foundation of the abbey, an account of the abbots, the revenue and regulations of the establishment, its fite, and remaining antiquities. To this part an appendix is added, containing the charters, &c. of the abbey. This may be confidered, and will certainly be found, a rich and delightful banquet, for the antiquary, properly fo called. The fecond part is more mifcellaneous, and muft be agreeable to every reader. It defcribes the Vale of Evesham, the origin of this and of the other English towns, its air, foil, and antiquities. The feventh chapter circumftantially gives an account of the public edifices of Evesham, and the two which follow treat of the eminent perfons who have been born in this town, and of the memorable battle of Evesham, between Henry III, and the Earl of Leicester. To this part also an appendix is added, containing lifts of reprefentatives, mayors, conftitutions, &c. &c.

Having been thus explicit with regard to the author's plan, and having spoken, in general terms of approbation, of the execution of the whole, we might fafely, with refpect both to the writer's credit and our own, commit the reft to the judgment

of

become public ftock; our lives and fortunes must be in a state of requifition; and the British Cabinet must become a Committee of Public Safety." If this be not a pofitive acknowledgment that the ruling powers in France have recourse to compulsory means in order to recruit and maintain their armies; and that they exercise a defpotic authority over the lives and fortunes of individuals, we know not what expreffions can amount to fuch an acknowledgment, yet in p. 279 we find a direct contradiction thereto contained in the following paffage :

"When we confider their general feeling as a people, and their conviction of the nature of the conteft in which they were embarked, that they should give them money, and offer their lives, cannot be aftonishing. They were only offering a part to preferve the reft; they were rifking their lives for what alone renders existence eftimable.To conceive it involuntary is abfurd, and is contradicted by their uni form conduct in the field;-by our total want of intelligence-by their conduct when prifoners-by every practical inftance that can be adduced!!!"

With these specimens we take our leave of his Lordship's performance.

ART. IV. Elegia Grayiana, &c. à Wefton.

ART. V. Graii Elegia Sepulchralis,

c. à Coote.

ART. VI. Elegia Thoma Gray, &c. à Sparke.

(Concluded from our last, p. 142.)

EAN COOTE's tranflation next demands our notice; and

Deve muft declare curfelves much pleased with the fire and tention to the purity of attic dialect, with which he has written his gyva. His remarks are judicious, candid, and προλεγόμενα. delicate. We fhall only obferve that the more obvious word Tyga would have pleafed us better than ito, in his titlepage. It is no more than juftice to remark, that the Dean of Kilfenora's work is printed with uncommon accuracy, particularly as far as refpects his accents; but we are once for all compelled to point out a very important tranfgreflion against that law of Greek verfification, which renders a fhort final vowel long by pofition, if the fubfequent word commences. with two mute confonants. This error unfortunately per vades the Dean's whole tranflation.