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about him. If he walks out and is caught in a shower of rain, he makes amends for this unlucky accident by a criticism on the shower in Virgil, and concludes with a burlesque copy of verses on a city shower. He entertains us when he dates from his own apartment, with a quotation from Plutarch, or a moral reflection; from the Grecian coffeehouse with politics; and from Will's or the Temple with the poets and players, the beaux and men of wit and pleasure about town.

"In reading the pages of the Tatler, we seem as if suddenly carried back to the age of Queen Anne, of toupees and full-bottomed periwigs. The whole appearance of our dress and manners undergoes a delightful metamorphosis."

This passage is long, but its good ness will atone for its length. We agree with our critic that there is a finer freshness, a more delightful originality and simplicity in the Tatler, than in the Spectator, as a whole work: But the second volume of the latter book seems to us as complete as any thing can be of the kind. It is a perfect pastoral.

In our boyish days we read the Spectator through with the greatest delight, and we remember that no volume of a periodical work ever took such an absolute possession of our hearts, or won so much of our time of leisure, as the volume of this pleasant book to which we have just alluded. It was our early companion in the fields, it was the first and the best friend that said sweet things to the heart and to the mind. The other evening we took it up by chance, after having neglected it for some years. It is impossible for us to describe the host of happy thoughts and feelings that started into life, as we returned to the old country residence of Sir Roger de Coverley, and once more mingled with the sociable and whimsical creatures which are to be met with there. Those who have loved some country spot in their young days, and visited it after years of absence, can alone have an idea of our pleasure at retracing scenes and characters which we had long been kept apart from. There is nothing so pleasant as the association of ideas. No man leads so sweet a life, as he who keeps those feelings green round the heart, which were first sown in the vernal days of

his boyhood. The memory of things long gone is in itself an existence ;—it calls up feelings in our bosoms as instantaneously as if they had been touched by a wand of enchantment; like the spirits of romance, they rise to music of their own making, and circled by light of their own shedding; it makes a fairy-land of early scenes, and gives a beauty and a sweetness to sorrow. The second volume of the Spectator sent our hearts wandering over innocent times, and brought to us the days

of splendour in the grass, of glory in the

flower.

We found ourselves seated with the short-faced moralist, and with the good old white-haired knight, enjoying once more their pleasant discourse. We have never seen, in the course of our reading, any mention made of this volume in particular. To us it appears to be not only by very far the most excellent portion of the work, but to be the most amiable description of a happy country retirement, and of kindly and peculiar characters, that we ever met with. It is like a smooth green field in spring. Though it cannot be expected that we should be able to create a fondness for it in others, equal to that which we our selves enjoy; yet we will just hastily run over the principal incidents and characters, to prove that we have some cause for this our enthusiasm.

First, There is the Spectator's ar rival at Sir Roger's country residence, and the joy of the servants at the old Knight's return. Then, there is the venerable chaplain, with his plain sense, sociable temper, and a turn for backgammon. Sir Roger understands, too, that he is a good scholar, though he does not shew it. He always dreaded lest he should be insulted with Latin and Greek at his own table. Next we meet with Will Wimble, who meddles with every thing but thinking: Nothing can be more amusing than his note to Sir Roger,-it is full of kindness, simplicity, and ignorance. He hunts and fishes away his life out of pure good nature; he does kindly acts all round the country, and makes a May-fly to a miracle. Will's way of telling the Spectator of his having sprung a cock pheasant in the woods is very characteristic, and it is pleasant to listen to him, when

he talks of the jack-fish, and of his late invention for improving the quail pipe. Will Wimble is one of the most agreeable pieces of nothing in the world. Who would wish him a bit wiser or a bit better? The picture gallery is a delightful place. Sir Roger gives an excellent account of his ancestry in his simple manner. There is the gentleman who distinguished himself in the tilt-yard at Whitehall, which, as Sir Roger well observes, " might be exactly where the coffeehouse is now." His predecessor had also a turn for music, as the bass viol hanging at his baskethilt-sword could testify. Next, there is the Maid of Honour, who brought ten children into the family, and who had written out in her own hand, and left, the best receipt in England both for an hasty pudding, and a white pot. How well Sir Roger then describes the soft gentleman of the family, who is drawn sitting with one hand on a desk, writing, and looking as it were another way, like an easy writer, or a sonneteer; he ruined every body, but never said a rude thing;-nothing can be better than the good old knight's innocent satire on this kind of personage. "He left the estate L. 10,000 in debt, but, however, by all hands, I have been informed, that he was every way the finest gentle man in the world." Lastly, there is Sir Humphry de Coverley, the honour of the house, a man of his word, and a knight of the shire. We scarcely like to quit the picture gallery. We next come to the Spectator's account of Sir Roger's behaviour in church,-of his standing up and looking about him after a nap, to observe whether any other person has been guilty of the same, of his lengthening out a verse in the Psalms, half a minute after the rest of the congregation, of his earnest manner of pronouncing amen, and of his plan of counting the congregation, to see if any of his tenants are missing. The walk at a distance from Sir Roger's house, which is sacred to the widow, is beautifully described. It is the spot which shaded him in the hopeless hours of his affection, and

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It is very probable that this number of the Spectator suggested the picture gallery scene in Sheridan's comedy of the School for Scandal.

bough, every leaf is dear to him. It is the pleasure-ground of his associations; the bower of his heart. There is a fine touch of character in the following observation which Sir Roger makes to the Spectator," You are to know this was the place wherein I used to muse upon her; and, by that custom, I can never come into it, but the same tender sentiments revive in my mind, as if I had actually walked with that beautiful creature under these shades." The knight's account of his life is very amiably told here. He is deluded into the passion by learning that the widow looked upon him as the tamest and most human of all the brutes in the country. How touching is his strange and hopeless passion for this most charming of women! What can surpass the tremulous ardour with which he remembers her fascinations, and dwells on the whiteness of her hand. The heart of romance is in this. The hall of the old knight is well described, with its trophies of deer horns, and otters' skin stuffed with hay. How amusing is it to see Sir Roger in his pride pointing out the fox's nose on the stable door, with the brass nail driven through it. It cost him fifteen hours hard riding, carried him through half a dozen counties, killed him a brace of geldings, and lost him above half his dogs. This was looked upon by the knight as the greatcst exploit in his life. The hare hunt is admirably told. The jolly knight rides on a white gelding, encompassed by his tenants and servants; the scene is inspiriting,-the weather is bright and cheerful, and the dogs are musical to perfection. Next, we have a description of Moll White the witch, and her cat, who is reported to have spoken twice in her life. Then we have Sir Roger's philippic against confidants, with the illustration of Will the huntsman, and his lover. We like the account of Sir Roger riding to the assizes with the Spectator,and of Will Wimble riding before them in company of Tom Touchy, a fellow famous for taking the law of every body, and the yeoman who just comes within the game act, and kills his own dinner twice or thrice a week. The knight's boldness in court is excellently set forth in his speech to the judge. Lastly, there is the entertaining account of Sir Roger meeting with

the gypsy. The old knight's good heart shines out in all he does or says; he is all humanity!

We have lost sight of our critical dignity in these long and pleasant recollections, and precluded ourselves from giving the observations in this lecture, which are ten times more valuable than our own; but we confess the string of our feelings was touched, and we could not for our lives check its vibration. From the Tatler and Spectator, Mr Hazlitt proceeds to a review of the Rambler and

Idler of Johnson. This part of the lecture is most powerfully written, but we cannot trust ourselves to in dulge in further extracts. The character of Johnson was never so well understood before, or so faithfully given. The amiable writings of Goldsmith are pleasantly noticed, but the name of Goldsmith is but another name for humanity. The lecture concludes with some remarks on the Lounger and Mirror, and with a short but well deserved tribute to the novels of Mackenzie.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A Statistical, Political, and Historical Account of the United States of North America. By D. B. WARDEN, late Consul for the United States at Paris. 3 Vols. 8vo. Edinburgh, Constable and Co.

TOPOGRAPHICAL accounts of America seem to be more popular at the present day than any other class of books. This may be attributed partly to the existing rage for emigration. The pressure of population in most of the European states, with the reverses and vicissitudes to which numbers of persons in every rank of life have been exposed during long and calamitous wars, have forced many to seek an asylum beyond the Atlantic. Such persons are naturally anxious to have full and minute accounts of the country to which they mean to remove, before they take a step, which, if wrong, must be almost irretrievable. Others also, who have no thoughts of emigration themselves, are yet curious to learn what extraordinary attractions a country possesses, for which such multitudes in every part of Europe are abandoning their native homes. To this we must add the interest excited among all classes by the novel aspect which America presents. She has but newly emerged from colonial obscurity, and taken her place in the rank of independent States ;and though she has much in common with other civilized nations, there are yet so many peculiar features in her political, moral, and physical condition, that she may almost be considered as presenting us with a

new and

ty.

distinct order of socie

A great number of books of travels, professing to give the public full information on every topic connected with America, have been published within these few years. Some of these works are of considerable value, and supply a great store of information; yet it has often been felt, that the accounts they furnish differ so much in the most essential particulars, that, instead of leading us to clear and accurate notions of the people and the country, we rise from their perusal perplexed and confused, by the opposite and irreconcilable impressions we have received. In these cases we feel the necessity of having recourse to such a work as is now before us, in which facts are separated from opinions, and digested under general heads, so as to throw light on each other, and lead us to solid and satisfactory conclusions on every point of importance.

Mr Warden's book differs in its plan from any work of the kind with which we are acquainted; and the arrangement he has adopted appears to us a decided improvement. It contributes greatly to distinctness; the matter is rendered more accessible, and bears more directly on general principles, than when piled together promiscuously, as in the common books of geography. To give our readers some idea of this plan: we have first an introduction of forty or fifty pages, in which the author gives a rapid general view of the territory, population, and government of the United

States. This is followed by a short chapter on the boundaries of the United States, in which the questions that have arisen with Spain regarding limits are discussed. We have then a chapter "On the General Aspect of the Country, its extent, and the nature of the soil;" a chapter on the lakes and rivers; another on the climate; and three chapters more devoted severally to " the Forest Trees," "the Quadrupeds," and "the Diseases of America," complete the first section of the work; which, with the exception of the first chapter, may be considered as treating of the natural history of the country. The second section, in twenty-seven chapters, describes the nineteen states, and eight territories or districts not holding the rank of states, included in the possessions of the republic. A chapter is appropriated to each state or territory, and the description is given under the general heads of "Situation," Aspect and Soil," Temperature," "Lakes," 66 Rivers," "Minerals," "Forest Trees," "Quadrupeds," "Fishes," Population," "History," "Civil Divisions," "Constitution," "Religion," "Agriculture," "Manufactures," &c. In the third section of the work, which occupies sixteen chapters, the author has brought into one view the facts relating to the population, agriculture, manufactures, commerce, canals, and roads, government, judiciary, revenue, &c. of the whole Union. The fourth and last section treats of the Indians.

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If this plan offers advantages to the reader, it is no less evident that it imposes peculiar difficulties upon the writer. It tries the accuracy and extent of his knowledge, and brings to light deficiencies which a looser arrangement would have concealed. It is but justice to Mr Warden to state, that he appears to have collected his Inaterials with great diligence, from a very wide surface; and the book unquestionably contains a great amount of information not to be found in any other single work. He has added much to its value by introducing a number of useful tables, many of which we have never before seen in print. His statements, too, are generally given in a concise form, without the obtrusion of individual opinions, or a parade of philosophy. Indeed, we think he has wisely avoided in

dulging much in discussion or speculation, for though, by following an opposite course, he might perhaps have rendered his work more acceptable to readers of a certain description, he would infallibly have lessened its authority in the eyes of more discerning judges, who always feel most confidence in information presented without any mixture of opinion or hypothesis.

We despair of giving our readers any adequate idea of a work so extensive and multifarious, in the small space to which we must confine ourselves; but we shall endeavour to notice some of the more interesting general facts, with the results and conclusions to which they lead.

In looking at the situation of the United States, one of the first circumstances that strikes us, is the great advantages they derived from their English parentage, if we may so express it. The Spanish colonies certainly enjoy a superior soil and climate, and Mexico, in particular, has a better geographical situation. These colonies also, at least the latter, were planted nearly a century earlier. Yet, with all these advantages, their progress has been much slower, their population, which ought to have been inuch greater, is considerably less, and they are infinitely behind the United States in arts and industry, in wealth and power. This vast superiority, which is every day becoming more conspicuous, is justly ascribed to the superior intelligence and moral habits of the first settlers of the English colonies. It is the industry, the rational morality, the energy and independence of spirit which belong to the English character, that have laid the foundation of that prosperity and greatness of which America is now so proud. This is fully admitted by our author, though Americans at the present day are not very apt to acknowledge any obligations to England.

"It was a favourable circumstance for the United States, that the country was colonized chiefly by population drawn from the most enlightened nations of the old world, and at a period when a variety of happy changes had disabused the human mind of some of its worst prejudices. What would have been its situation if peopled by some of the other nations of Europe, is apparent from the state of the Spanish colonies. The English, who

formed the leading part of the colonists, had been emancipated from superstition and priesteraft by the reformation; they had imbibed more liberal ideas than other nations in politics, and had made greater progress in arts and industry. The first settlers, no doubt, considered their removal to this country a painful sacrifice, but, after they had acquired strength to maintain themselves against the Indians, the advantages of their situation began to appear. It was an unoccupied world, of the richest soil, and most favoured climate, spread out before a small number of men, who possessed the skill and industry of a 'mature society.

"Their society, held together by common wants, and moulded by their circumstances, was disencumbered of many of those corruptions and abuses which time

and accident accumulate in all old communities. A fortunate combination of circumstances, by bringing them all under one government, left them free from the distractions of war; and they had no powerful neighbour, jealous of their prosperity, to compel them to load themselves with a great military establishment. They were placed at too great a distance from Europe to be often embroiled in its quarrels, and yet near enough to share the benefits of its commerce and its improvements. They lived under the protection ment then in the world; and though they of the most liberal and enlightened governdid occasionally suffer from its ignorance or violence, the force of circumstances generally prevailed over the errors of their rulers, and bore them through their difficulties with little injury."

The great range of country over which the Americans extend their claims, and which they are likely to occupy much sooner than is generally supposed, is one of the most singular facts connected with their situation. This is an advantage which can seldom be enjoyed on such a scale. The world cannot furnish many continents like North America, to allow future colonies equal room to multiply; and considering the rate at which the American population increases, though the polar regions were rendered habitable, and the ocean itself converted into fertile land, the whole would soon be occupied, were no political arrangements to interfere. The extent of country claimed by the United States between the Spanish colonies on the south, and British Canada on the north, our author estimates in round numbers at 2,700,000 square iniles. About one-third of this lies on the eastern, and two-thirds on the

western side of the Mississippi. The population, which is yet almost entirely confined to the former, extends, with various degrees of density, over a surface of 700,000 square miles. From the account he gives, there appears to be a remarkable simplicity in the physical features of this portion of North America. The breadth of the continent at the latitude of 40° is about 2200 miles, and in this space there are but two elevated chains deserving of the name of mountains, the one following the line of the Atlantic coast, at the distance of two or three hundred miles from the sea; the other following the coast of the Pacific Ocean, at a distance about three times as great. The altitude of these mountains corresponds to their distance from the sea. The rocky moun tains, or the western chain, at the point where they were crossed by Lewis and Clarke, were but about eight or nine thousand feet high, and the Alleghany or eastern chain, south of the Hudson river, does not exceed three thousand feet. These elevations, which are quite inconsiderable when compared with those of the Euvel and uniform. It is to this cirropean mountains, show that the surface of the country is much more lecumstance our author ascribes the vast extent of inland navigation the United States possess. Vessels of small size ascend by the Mississippi, Ohio, and Alleghany rivers, to a height of 1200 or 1400 feet above the sea, without the help of canals or locks. The great basin of the Mississippi, situated between the two chains, has a breadth of 1400 miles at the latitude of 40°, and is unquestionably the richest and finest valley in the world. Though stretching to the distance of more than a thousand miles from the

ocean, it possesses, by means of its numerous rivers, almost all the advantages of a sea coast, and a facility of communication unparalleled. Mr Warden, in his chapter on Lakes and Rivers, concludes his description of the various streams that water this valley with the following observations:

1

described flow into the Gulf of Mexico by "The whole of the rivers we have now the Mississippi, of which they are properly branches. The country watered by these streams, which may be considered as the basin of the Mississippi, consists of the vast

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