nours which a poet only can pay to the memory of his merit and abilities. Aware that mere lamentation is, if not a barren, certainly a trite fubject for compofition, this author takes a wider range, and gives a dignified and hiftorical character to his poem, by reciting in it the fortunes of that country, in which Sir W. Jones was fo much diftinguithed, and in which he died. He gives it alfo the animation of the dramatic form by throwing the greatest part of it into a fpeech of the Genius of ancient Alia, who appears at the tomb of the deceafed. The plan of the poem will, however, be beft understood from the argument prefixed, which we therefore infert. ARGUMENT. "General introductory reflections fuited to the fubject: and confidering DEATH, according to the Indian hypothefis, as only inducing a change of being, and opening new fcenes for philofophical refearch into the ample volume of nature. Aftronomical investigations, a favourite line of fcience with the deceafed, fpecified as probably affording to the liberated foul the fublimeft fpecies of delight. Future felicity of this exalted nature to be looked to as the chief confolation and reward of toiling science and neglected genius, in an age in which preferment is obtained by mere weight of INTEREST.-The GENIUS of ANCIENT ASIA defcends-the diftinguishing features of her character-virtue, valour, generofity: contrafted with thofe of the GENIUS of MODERN ASIA-vice, cowardice, cruelty-fhe pronounces the eulogium of her favourite, and traces the progress of Eastern science, according to the arrangement of his own diflertations before the Afiatic Society. From Perfia, as a centre, taking the term in an extended point of view, fo as alfo to include the western parts of Mount Taurus, where the Noachidæ first fettled, the arts were dif fufed through Affyria, Phenicia, India, Egypt, Carthage, Greece, and the Roman empire. The horrors of the Mohammedan Irruption in the feventh century depicted, and the character of the first propagators of Iflamifin in Afia, defcribed as fatal to the fciences; afterwards, relaxing from their fanguinary fury, their defcendants became, throughout the Eaft, the patrons and promoters of the arts-the particular and fucceffive invaders of India enumerated, and their reIpective characters delineated-Mahmud of Gazna-Gengis-Timur-Shahrock-Uleg Beg-Baber-the Mogul dynasty of IndiaAkber-Aurungzebe-The decline of that dynafty. The irruption of Nadir Shah-of Abdallah-the fubverfion of the Mogul empire -the horrid exceffes and barbarity of the fucceeding period-Freedom and science revive at Benares, under the aufpices of the English. India principally indebted for the regeneration of the latter to the fpirited and extenfive plans of Sir William Jones, to promote and diffufe it-his character and accomplishments as a man, and as a schclar- -as a man, diftinguished by active piety, and an ardent love of liberty as a fcholar, more particularly eminent for his attainments in Aftronomy, aftronomy, chronology, antiquities, languages, mufic, botany. The GENIUS of ANCIENT ASIA having finished her eulogium at the tomb of Genius, difappears-The Dii Minores, or inferior genii of India, now arise, and pay their devoirs at that tomb-the beam of Aurora appearing, they chant the Mithriac hymn, and are finally abforbed into the beams of the SUN, the fruitful parent of Afiatic fuperftition." From the Poem itself it would be easy for us to extract large fpecimens in proof of its poetical and scientific merit. We fhall give juft fufficient to remove any poffibility of doubt on thofe fubjects from the minds of our readers. The excellence of the following ftanzas is of a kind which every lover of poetry will strongly feel. "Wide as thofe countlefs orbs diffuse their blaze, No fpot fo dear applauding Heaven furveys, Aloft their ever-verdant foliage spread, And rolling spheres their kindlieft influence shed, Light fall the dews, and foft the zephryrs blow." P. 4 The description of the Genius of Afia is animated in a high degree. "A flood of glory from the expanding skies, The jewell'd chaplet that adorns her brow, Her fpear, refplendent as the folar flame, Her cheek, that hames the morning's purple glow, The fovereign GENIUS OF THE EAST proclaim. P. 10 "I know her by her lofty oftrich plume, When Tyranny at Sardis found a tomb, And haughty Babel wept her myriads flain. I know her, by her rich emblazon'd shield, Round whofe vaft orb the radiant figns are roll'd. There raging TAURUS flames in fculptured gold. But ftill with brighter bays by Science crown'd, And confecrates to Fame the hallow'd ground." P. 12. As a fpecimen of the hiftorical part, we fhall give the account of Timur Bec, with the author's fatisfactory note, in which he affigns his reason for the portrait he has drawn. "The blood of Gengis glowing in his veins, By myriads, Man, his nobler victim, bleeds. *Timur Bec. There are two very celebrated, and very different hiftories, in the Oriental languages, of this renowned warrior, who was born at CASH, in the beautiful valley or plain of Sogd, the ancient Sogdiana. The one is in Perfian, and was compofed under the infpection of Timur himself, by the Mullah Sheriffedin Ali, a native of Yezd in Perfia, whence he is frequently denominated Ali Yezdi. The other is in Arabic, and was compiled by Ahmed Ebn Arabshah, a native of Syria, and a determined enemy of the hero, whofe exploits he recorded. Both of them are written with all the pomp and elegance of which their respective languages are capable, and take their complexion from the temper of the writers, and the circumstances under which they were compiled. "In the firft," fays Sir William Jones, "the Tartarian conqueror is reprefented as a liberal, benevofent, and illuftrious prince; in the fecond, as deformed and impious, of a low birth, and deteftable principles." Preface to Nadir Shah, I have both thefe hiftories in my poffeffion. That of Ebn p. 22. Arabfhah edited by Manger, Arabic and Latin, in three volumes quarto, was imported by myfelf for the intended hiftory of the Mohammedan fovereigns of Hindoftan. From thefe two hiftories, compared throughout with Timur's Inftitutes, edited by Dr. White and Major Davy, I have endeavoured to draw the true portrait of that ferocious hero; for whatever might have been his own liberality to the fawning fycophants of his court, and however illuftrions he might have been in arms, not all the laboured encomiums of the Perfian hiftorian fhall ever convince me, that the monfter, who could order 100,000 captive Hindoos to be maffacred in cold blood, under the walls of Delhi, and infilt upon his orders being rigorously executed, could ever poffefs one spark of benevolence. N n BRIT. CRIT. VOL. V. MAY, 1795. Frantic Frantic through Afia's ravaged vales they fly, And now the flames from burning Delhi rife; And vengeance, vengeance! echoes to the fkies. P. 21. An important circumftance refpecting Sir William Jones, appears in a note on the opening of the poem, with which, as it is highly pleafing in itself, and as we have ftrong reafons, from other teftimony, to believe it strictly true, we shall conclude our account of this publication. The last hour of the life of Sir William, Mr. Maurice relates, was marked by a folemn act of devotion. Finding his diffolution rapidly approaching, he defired his attendants to carry him into an inner apartment, where, at his defire alfo, they left him. Returning after a fhort interval, they found him in a kneeling posture, with his hands clafped, and his eyes fixed towards heaven. As they were removing him he died. ART. XII. Thirty Letters on various Subjects. By William Jackfon. Third Edition, with confiderable Additions. 8vo. Pp. 236. 55. Cadell, 1795. THOUGH thefe letters are not new to the public, the pre fent edition contains fo many alterations and additions that we cannot fuffer it to pafs unnoticed. We have always been pleafed with the originality of thought, which characterizes thefe productions of an ingenious writer, who expreffes his ideas with freedom and elegance. On mufical fubjects, however, we are particularly glad to hear him; and in his attack upon that barbarous, unmufical, and offenfive compofition the Catch, (Letter X.) we join with him moft heartily. In a note, which is new in this edition, Mr. J. makes a proper referve in favour of glees, and other vocal pieces in parts: (except canons) fome perfons having abfurdly fuppofed that these were in-. cluded in the other cenfure. But, as he afks himfelf, "can it be fuppofed that the author, who has published fo many compofitions compofitions for two, three, and four voices, would endeavour to establish principles to prevent their being performed, and make his own works the object of his fatire?" The twentythird of these letters, on tafte, is quite new, and demands, therefore, particular notice. It evinces great ingenuity and acutenefs; and, though we think the author has miftaken his term, and ufes the word tafte when he fhould have used refinement, we grant that his obfervations, as he intends them, are very juft. His principle, if admitted in its full extent, would allow no fuch quality as natural tafte, of which fuch abundant proofs appear in the poetry of Shakspeare and other early writers. Milton alfo had a tafte cultivated by the pureft models of antiquity, which he was truly capable of imitating. But if we fubftitute the word refinement, which the author himself is obliged fometimes to do, the following paffage will be unexceptionable. It should be observed, that we mean the refinement arifing from high polish of manners, which, in many instances, might properly be called falfe refinement or vicious faftidioufnefs. Shakspear and Milton had not tafte (refinement)-the fineft paffages of thefe great poets are very fuperior to any that the writers of a polished age can produce; but they are fuch as no writer of a po. lifhed age would produce: for tafte (refinement) equally tends to abate extreme beauties and great faults." P. 168. The following remarks, with the fame reftriction, have great merit and propriety, and may be very ufeful in the decifion of contested questions about writings offered as ancient. "When writers of a refined age affect the ftyle of barbarous antiquity, they fhould first diveft themselves of tafte (refinement). The impoffibility of doing this, inftantly difcovers the cheat. If this principle had been confidered, a difpute which fome time fince much engaged the public attention, would foon have been ended; for an affectation of ancient orthography, and a few old words with new applications would never have weighed a moment againft modern phrafeology, modern manners, and modern facts. What has exifted may be imitated, but nothing lefs than the gift of prefcience can dive into futurity. If it be improbable that an uneducated lad fhould be able to produce what are called Rowley's poems, it is impoffible that Rowley could write with tafte, and allude to facts of after times." P. 171. The obfervations on painting, in Letters V. VI. and XXI, show that the bond of union between the polite arts is not an imaginary one, and that the acknowledged excellence of Mr. Jackfon in mufical compofition, is accompanied by a critical judgment in congenial purfuits. We cannot difmifs this amufing mifcellany without a fhort remark on the paradoxical fyftem brought forward in Letter XXIV. where the fponta Nn 2 neous |