The blufhing rofe, Mentor of virgin pride; Woodbines with cumbrous wealth hung cluft'ring down, That make a paradife and fcent the fummer tide. But most his luscious fruits with glittering eye, Loft bloom bemoans, like worth sad-stain'd by flander's brand. Securely there the painted goldfinch breeds, All on their downy couch his offspring feeds, For, happy guests! from thence no fongiters ftray; Not all for pleasure, herbs for ufe defign'd, Uprears afparagus his fpiry head; Child of the fea, fnug cole in native sand; There ftretch'd upon his bed of falts, fupine, In jeftful mood the mafter tells his friends In little minds that cannot raise fupreme delight. There too the currant hangs its loaded head; With harmless pride nice culture's care requite; ADDRESS to MARCH. [From FIRST FLIGHTS, by JOHN HEYRICK, jun.] THY younger fifter's conftant tears Invite the poet's lyre, And laughing May, when the appears, But let the gaudy tulip gain The loftier poet's verfe, For once will I, an untaught fwain, The full-blown beauties of the year Let the auricula and rofe On May's warm breast be fet; The opening thorns for me difclofe Thy fweeter violet. No raging fun's tyrannic fire Forbids my wand'ring feet To fearch, with friendly mufe and lyrc, Thy primrofes' retreat. Ah! would my lov'd Eliza deign To take my eager hand, Thy bard, dear March, would ne'er complain At fterneft fate's command. How How gaily then my fong fhould rife, Then gazing on Eliza's eyes, How foftly change to love! APOSTROPHE to an OLD TREE. [From the Second Volume of SONNETS and other POEMS, by CHARLOTTE SMITH.] HERE thy broad branches brave the bitter North, WH Like rugged, indigent, unheeded, worth, Lo! vegetation's guardian hands embofs -Thus in fate's trying hour, when furious storms And Fortune's minions tremble as they learn; Bent the lithe knee, and troul'd the honey tongue, And fcorn alone remembers that they were. N4 But But given to useful arts, his ardent mind While studying them, has taught him what he is ; SMALL, viewless aeronaut, that by the line Float'ft on a funbeam-Living atom, where Mocking the eye?-Alas! before the veil Life's dull realities, while feven-fold wreaths Of rainbow-light around his head revolve. Ah! foon at Sorrow's touch the radiant dreams diffolve! ODI DOMESTIC DOMESTIC LITERATURE Of the Year 1797. THE HE biblical and theological Department of our annual Labours for the year 1793, commenced with the ift volume of "The Holy Bible, or the Books accounted facred by Jews and Christians, &c. faithfully tranflated from corrected Texts of the Original; with various Readings, explanatory Notes, and critical Remarks, by the Rev. Alex. Geddes, LL.D." In the opinion which we then expreffed of the general merits of the new verfion, our readers may perceive the high estimation in which it led us to hold the erudition, abilities, and industry of the tranflator; and the ample tribute of gratitude to which we confidered him entitled from the biblical student. The appearance, during the year 1797, of the 2d volume of that work, comprising the books of Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ruth, and the Prayer of Manaffeh, has in no respect tended to leffen Dr. Geddes's claims to commendation, and encouragement. The text, like that of the former volume, contains numerous improvements of the common verfion; and is accompanied with va luable, although brief, notes, and important various readings. In the Preface to the volume, when treating of the generally received opinion refpecting the infpiration of the Hebrew fcriptures, Dr. Geddes affords ftriking evidence of his li berality, and of the boldness of fpirit with which he can dare the cenfure and obloquy of bigots of all perfuafions. His obfervations on the difficulties infeparable from the common hypothefis, and on the advantages which would refult to the caule of revelation from adopting the doctrine of partial and putative, in preference to that of abfolute and plenary inspiration, are highly important, and deferve the ferious attention of believers and unbelievers. What he says, indeed, at prefent, is only applicable to the Hebrew writers confidered as historians: his opinion concerning the infpiration of their legiflator and prophets, he referves for his volume of critical remarks. That volume we hope to have it in our power to notice in our next year's Regiiter. During the year 1797, likewise, we have been enabled to renew our acquaintance with another eminent fcholar and critic, whofe labours have deservedly claffed him among our most valuable feripture commentators. Dr. Blayney, regius profeffor of Hebrew, and canon of Chrift-Church, Oxford, has prefented the public with "Zechariah; a new Tranflation: with Notes, critical, philological, and explanatory, &c." In his preliminary difcourfe our author, with fingu lar |