1825.]

REVIEW. Cæsar, Buonaparte, Byron. The latter lived like a fool, and died like a fool, as to conduct. He gave up a beloved wife and daughter from foolish pride, and he would not leave Missolonghi for Zante, as if it was any part of heroism to defy the plague and pestilential climate. The legacy which he left to an unknown female, laid the groundwork of this Novel. That female died, and, says our author, “What, it may be asked, was the fate of him, whose heart, insensible to so much gentleness, such unvarying devotion, betrayed the fond trust reposed in him? Did not his cruelty meet its reward? Did affluence, did literary fame, did the world's splendour lull to sleep the voice of Conscience? Did domestic peace dwell with him, did the society of his brilliant beau

tiful bride banish from his recollection the wrongs he had inflicted on Reine Canziani ?

Or did her image present itself to him, bowed down with suffering, her melancholy but unrepining countenance looking just as when they parted for ever?" P. 292.

37. Journal of the principal Occurrences during the Siege of Quebec, by the Ame rican Revolutionists, under Generals Montgomery and Arnold, in 1775-6, containing many Anecdotes of moment, never yet published. Collected from some old Manuscripts, originally written by an Officer, during the Period of the gallant Defence made by Sir Guy Carleton, afterwards Lord Dorchester. To which are added, a Preface and illustrative Notes, by W.T.P. Shortt. 8vo. pp. 111.

THE reduction of Canada in 1760 by the embattled forces of Britain, "far more merciful than wise," while she exhausted her treasure to guard her offspring, and extend their trade, certainly weakened the bond of allegiance among the Colonists, and made them feel less indebted to the military power of Great Britain, since they had no longer any fear from the savages of that quarter, or of aggression from the chain of French forts which had been planned and constructed by able officers, to unite their vast colony with Louisiana, through the efforts of the Sieurs de la Jonquier and La Galissoniere, who claimed all the countries North and West of a line they had drawn, from Cape Canso to the river Penobso, and from thence nearly as far as New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico, and thus deprived Great Bri

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tain of her most valuable settlements,, and the fur trade on Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Champlain; circumscribing her within a track of land lying between the sea and the Alleghany mountains. It was never, perhaps, foreseen by our Ministers, that the reduction of it, although attended with much glory, would materially weaken the dependence of the neighbouring States on England; or that it would have hastened that disunion which sooner or later takes place, whenever the offspring of the parent State consider themselves capable of being supported by their own resources alone.

Thus Mr. Shortt, Pref. p. vii. The Journal consists of course of a very valuable document, but one which, from its very nature, consists of the same thing over again,-attacks and repulses. Such details, however, are of high national import. They show future Generals what may be done, and such documents ought to be printed by order of the War Office, and distributed among the military depots and the public libraries. Why are there not garrison libraries?

Mr. Shortt annexes a valuable Appendix, in which he illustrates the clumsiness of ancient warfare till the late revolutionary contest; and ridi cules the ancient politesse of our régiment of Guards, in taking off their hats to their opponents, and asking them to pay them the compliment of giving them the first fire. P. 110.

We quote for warning sake the following passage, in p. 105:

Stendhal) says with exultation, that we have "A French military writer (the Count de rendered ourselves particularly odious to most of the continental nations, and are at the same time detested by the Americans, who in twenty years will swarm upon our trade with five hundred privateers."

38. A Discourse concerning Transubstantiation, preached by the Rev. Dr. Harris at Salters' Hall, on the 13th of February, 1734-5, now reprinted by Rear-Admiral Bullen. 8vo. Lond. pp. 43.

INTERESTED and private motives occasioned nonsense to be propagated, because a barbarous age presented no check to credulity. This is the whole history of Popery in general, and Transubstantiation in particular.

1525.]

its consequences continues to excite so important an influence upon the destinies of the civilized world, that we welcome every attempt, however faint, to throw some new light upon this topic. Histories and memoirs without end encumber our reading tables, without exhausting our patience; and here we are treated with a Novel, founded upon this endless theme. The author, M. Picard, of the French Academy, is a very successful dramatic writer; and the work is altogether such an one as might be expected to emanate from an intellect rich in the experience of many-coloured life, acutely susceptible to the ridiculous, and thoroughly master of the sophistries which influence the conduct of what are emphatically called men of the world.

The story, from its nature, defies analysis, being a tissue of adventures, a narrative of the vicissitudes of the bero Lawrence Giffard, who is represented as a mere creature of circumstances, a moral camelion, assuming simultaneously the hue of proximate objects; a man devoid of fixed principle, vain, frivolous, selfish, but rather weak than wicked; a complete timeserver and sycophant. Our hero commences his career as a barber apprentice; and passing during the memorable period of the last thirty years, through the various grades of society, sometimes at the summit of fortune's wheel, and finally, as consummation of poetical justice, ends his days as a pauper in a "Maison de Charité."

Commencing in 1789, we are presented with an animated-and piquant sketch of society in its various phases, during a remarkable epoch, up to the second return of the Bourbons. The darker aspects of these disastrous times are cautiously kept in the background, for the author is apparently conscious of his want of power to describe passion or profound emotion. His forte is the gay, elegant, satirical delineation of common every-day life; his portraits are replete with character, and show a most amusing, and doubt less a very accurate picture of French

manners.

M. Picard does not assume a very lofty moral standard, but his satire is always good-humoured, and his reflecLions just; he generally leaves his readers, which is perhaps more judicious, to draw their own inferences.

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In fine, there is in these volumes much to delight, and nothing to offend, and we are occasionally dazzled with the rapid succession of incidents, which, like the brilliant but evanescent images of a phantasmagoria,

"Come like shadows, So departed."

42. A respectful Address to the Archbishops and Bishops respecting the necessity of Morning and Afternoon Service on Sunday in every Parish Church in his Majesty's Dominions, with a few Thoughts concerning the Residence of the Clergy. By a Churchman. 8vo. pp. 32. Riving

tons.

OF the propriety of the measure recommended, there can be no doubt, nor of its adoption, where there is an adequate value in the benefice. The advowsons of the Church of England are, however, private not national property, no more than are the funds of charitable institutions. The tithes, &c. were given by our ancestors, not for the sole purpose of praying their souls out of purgatory, but for that of bringing the blessing of God upon their posterity. Henry the Eighth thought proper, however, to convert a portion of these sacred funds into lay hands, for the purpose of augmenting the number of livery servants, hunters, and foxhounds, in the establishments of usurpers. A poor meek Apostle, who went about doing good, preaching up glad tidings of salvation, and peace and good will towards men, might turn out a St. John, who interfered with royal marriages, and there can be no doubt that Henry had not even the qualms of conscience upon these subjects which Herod felt. But to the purpose. A man who cares not for murder, cares less for theft; and if the nation in the name of King and Parliament, thought fit to appropriate private property to their own disposal, they ought to make up the damages by taking steps to supply the funds necessary for supporting the due performance of ecclesiastical duty. Be it recollected that our ancestors amply endowed the Church; that the consequences of the sacrilege have been Poor Rates; that Providence has therefore punished the spoliators with a permanent curse; and (as we solemnly believe) if the Church was utterly extinguished to-morrow, that the squabbles of the sects would destroy the

Con

the 45th year, and the following is the test, when they become necessary to save the eyes:

"The first indication of the eye beginning to be impaired by age is, that when you wish to read a small print, you are obliged to remove it further from your eye than you have been accustomed to do, and desire the aid of plenty of light; and on looking at a near object, it becomes confused, and appears to have a kind of mist before it, and the letters of a book run one into another, or appear double, &c.; and BY CANDLELIGHT you catch yourself holding a book

&c. close behind the candle." P. 26.

There are many other things in this serviceable work which every man ought to know, and every wise man will know. Dr. Kitchiner is such an

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original pleasant writer, that he makes the acquisition of fame and esteem a mere every-day birth, while to others, even Jupiters, it is that of a Minerva hammered out of the brains.

We shall end our remarks with a piece of apposite pleasantry in p. 42. Every man ought to use magnifying spectacles at a feast, for the conversion of morsels into mountains, and may check over-gorging, a rule of no small moment; for it seems that the usual allowance at a turtle feast is six pounds live weight per head, an enormous ration, exceeding even Fielding's Parson Thwackam, who used to eat at one dinner only two pounds of beef, and as many of pudding.

Ready for Publication.

The Third Portion of the History of Modern Wiltshire; containing the Hundred of Branch and Dole. By the Rev. JOHN OFFER and Sir R. C, HOARE, Bart.

Part IV. of Progresses of King James. Mr. BRAYLEY'S Historical Descriptions of the London Theatres, illustrated by 14 exterior Views (besides ground plans), coloured.-His Londiniana, or Reminiscences of the British Capital, &c. is likewise far advanced through the Press, and will appear at the commencement of the ensuing winter, with numerous graphic illustrations. Roman Antiquities; or the Durobrivæ of Antoninius Identified, in a Series of Plates illastrative of the excavated remains of a Roman Station in Castor, Northamptonshire. By E. T. ARTIS, Esq. F. S. A. who has nearly ready for publication, Antediluvian Phytology, illustrated by a Collection of the Fossil Remains of Plants peculiar to the Coal Formations of Great Britain.

No. X. of Mr. BRITTON'S Illustrations of the Ancient Architecture of Great Britain, to complete the Volume; another Number of the Cathedral Antiquities; and vol. III. of the Beauties of Wiltshire.

Remains of the Rev. Christian Frederick Schwartz, Missionary in India; consisting of his Letters and Journals.

The Secret Correspondence of Madame de Maintenon and the Princess des Ursins, from the original Letters in the possession of the Duke de Choiseul, containing an interesting account of the political transactions of the Court of Louis XIV.

A Treatise on Epidemic Cholera, and Sketches of the Diseases of India, including Statistical and Topographical Reports, &c. By JAMES ANNESLEY, Esq.

GENT. MAG. August, 1825.

Preparing for Publication.

A new and enlarged Edition of the Rev. Mr. BREWSTER'S History and Antiquities of Stockton upon Tees.

Four Volumes of Sermons, by the late Dr. DODDRIDGE.

Essays on practical, religious, and moral Subjects. By the Rev. S. HOPKINSON, Rector of Etton, Northamptonshire.

The Speeches of the Right Honourable GEORGE CANNING on various Public Occasions in Liverpool.

Dr. CHARLES PARRY, of Bath, F. R. S. Author of a valuable Work of the Arteries, &c. &c. is engaged in publishing new Editions of his late father's Medical Works, and extensive Collections from his unpublished medical writings. Of the latter, one interesting Volume has already appeared, and with it an introductory volume by the Editor, in which the scope and tendency of Dr. Parry's doctrines are exhibited.

Of Telescopes; being the result of thirty years' Experiments with fifty-one Telescopes, of from one to nine inches in diameter, in the possession of WILLIAM KITCHINER, M. D. author of “The Cook's Oracle," &c. &c. &c.

A Translation of the Six Cantos of Klopstock's Messiah, in verse.

Practical Observations on the Nature, Causes, and Treatment of Water in the Brain. By Dr. SHEARMAN.

A Practical Treatise on Poisons; forming a comprehensive Manual of Toxicology. By JOHN GORDON SMITH, M.D.

A Work, displaying the Useful Arts and Manufactures of Great Britain, similar to "les Arts et Metiers" of France. By Dr. BIRKBECK.

The Session of Parliament for 1825, containing