The welcome relics of the plenteous board *. Was then unknown. The soul-disheart'ning badge "But not to ENGLAND'S isle alone confin'd To 'scape the dangers from more cruel man, From their homes driv'n, their kindred, and their flocks, Our generous-hearted countrymen forget, Assuage the pain, and staunch the bleeding wounds." Here are no marks of bigotry, but a spirit of true Christian benevolence, justly distinguishing between the use and abuse of an institution, which had much in it that was praiseworthy, and which was particularly useful in the early periods of civilised society, when the intercourse between the different parts of a country was difficult, and before rates were established for the relief of the poor, Certain it is, that monks were always the best masters and the best landlords; and, with all the abuses which had, unfortunately, crept into monastic establishments, there is every reason to lament their abolition in France and the adjacent countries. But we must finish our quotation, which ends with a sentiment in perfect unison with our own feelings and opinions. "Although the Muse rejoices in the day, When the Church burst the bands of papal Rome, Yet when she views the ruin'd piles around, Whose vaulted roofs once echoed with God's praise; Or when she sees the sacred exiles roam Without a country, and apart from friends, She cannot check th' involuntary sigh, She will not blush to drop some pitying tears." *An almoner, who was styled Eleemosynarius,' distributed the alms and broken victuals every day, at the conventgate, to the poor."-- Fosbrooke's Economy of a Monastic Life. In describing the rural sports of the country, Mr. Skurray, very naturally, refers to that which give to them, at once, their zest and security-that equal liberty, and those equal laws, which bless this happy isle, and this alone. "Where is the heart, that every blessing shares But throbs with pity for their harder lot, The pillag'd honours of Italian states, Or who, perhaps, had roam'd in quest of health By the harsh mandates of a tyrant's will. Upon the branches of the willows grey, Their harps suspended hang. From their mute tongues For how shall they attune their harps to mirth? The lighter pieces embrace a variety of subjects, chiefly rural, and display a correct taste and a chastened judgThe following stanzas of an Ode to the Isis have something better than poetic beauty to recommend them. ment. "With partial fondness we retain A sense of pleasures past, Mingled, however, with some pain, 'Tis vain, we know, for man to mourn Pastimes that never can return, * With the bard's permission, we must except the late Mr. Fox, Mrs. Armstead-we beg pardon, Mrs. Fox we mean-and Mr. (now the Right Honourable Lord) Erskine.-Rev. Yet all mankind past pleasures prize; Would pluck him from the skies. "But ah! my friend, why should we mourn Youth's dangerous stage of life is run, We should rejoice that in our youth "If airy projects now be fled, If ardent impulses be dead, Or calm'd to holy rest; Where example and precept unite, the lesson can scarcely fail to produce the desired effect. We shall extract one more piece, and then consign our poet to the judgment of our readers, without the smallest fear of having our own sentence reversed by them.. << THE CRIMINAL. "Near the side of the road, on the bleak wild heath, A gibbet is seen (sad memorial of death) Where a poor hapless criminal yielded his breath, "The neighbours still say he was greatly carest; He sung very sweetly, genteelly he drest, "When the barbarous deed in which he had join❜d·· "The brightness soon low'r'd in his dart-piercing eyes; "The villagers mark'd his much-alter'd mien, Away to the justice they hastily run, He's question'd 'bout blood that was spilt; "Within the dark dungeon he's quickly confin'd, The gloom of his cell suits the state of his mind; He longs for release from his pains. "The trumpets they sound, and the judges are come, To enforce the laws of the land; To court he is brought (his face clouded with gloom), With speechless emotion he hears his sad doom Pronounced by the jury's command! "The throng which had gather'd the trial to hear, But seeing his mother distracted with fear, "The day is now come when the criminal dies; The thunder loud pealing convulses the skies, "The victim is drawn in a cart through the crowd, He joins with the priest in petitions aloud; "The bells from the neighbouring parishes toll His crime is forgot; with his fate we condole, "Still on the high gibbet suspended he swings, Upon his bare breast ravens flutter their wings, "At night, when the moon the mid firmament gains, Then SUSAN, despising the pelting of rains, The thunder loud rumbling, the clanking of chains, "If by chance the lone traveller, mov'd by her sighs, Then away to the thicket disorder'd she flies, 6 When the rosy morn dawns, and the labourers rise, To the cave's dark recess she unwillingly hies; "At length, frantie maiden! thy sorrows forget! Forget! when the sun of my true love is set?'- "Whoe'er shall read over this pitiful tale, Ah! ne'er at misfortune let vanity rail, These poems are inscribed in a very neat and modest dedication to The Marchioness of Bath. The plates which embellish the volume are illustrative of some of the principal scenes which the poet describes, and are beautifully executed. One of them exhibits a good view of Longleat, one of the few remaining seats of old English hospitality, manners, and virtue. The Family Picture, or Domestic Education; a Poetic Epistle from a Country Gentleman, to his College Friend, the Bishop of ******* 12mo. pp. 72. 3s. 6d. Cradock and Joy. 1808. IT is the fashion of the present age, in which show is so much more regarded than substance, whenever a poet |