struction. adapted to produce a radical improvement Murray's Exercises; a new and improv. through all the exercises in Orthography, The Promiscuous Exercises in each of the four parts of False Grammar, in both volumes, have figures, or letters of the al phabet, introduced, referring to the partic-a These very neat and handsome school manuals will perform much service, save much time, and furnish teachers, private learners, and schools with those facilities which will enable the attentive and indus trious student to trace with precision, pleasure, and profit, the great variety of principles, which, like the muscles of the body, spread themselves through the English language. VALUABLE SCHOOL BOOKS, Walker's School Dictionary, printed on The American Arithmetic, by James Robinson, jr; intended as a Sequel to the Elements. This work contains all the general rules which are necessary to adapt it to schools in cities and in the country, embracing Commission, Discount, Duties, Annuities, Barter, Guaging, Mechanical Powers, &c. &c. Although the work is put at a low price, it will be found to contain a greater quantity of matter than most of the School Arithmetics in general use. The Child's Assistant in the Art of Read ing, containing a pleasing selection of easy The Pronouncing Introduction, being The Pronouncing English Reader, being Murray's Reader accented, divided into paragraphs. Enriched with a Frontispiece, exhibiting Walker's illustration of the Inflections of the Voice. The work is printed on a fine linen paper, and solicits the publie patronage. It is to be regretted that so few fully understand the grammatical and accurate construction of their own language. There is a fashion already too prevalent in our country, which has long obtained in Eng- Adams' Geography; a very much approvland, particularly among the superior class-ed work, which has passed through numeres of society, and which has by no means ous editions. With a correct Atlas. been conducive to a general and extensive Temple's Arithmetic, with additions and cultivation of the English language. The improvements. Printed on fine paper. subject of allusion is an extravagant predi- Eighth edition. lection for the study of foreign languages, The Pronouncing Testament, in which to the neglect of our own, a language all the proper names, and many other which by us should be esteemed the most words, are divided and accented agreeably useful and valuable of all. This extrava- to Walker's Dictionary and Classical Key; gance has been justly censured by Mr Wal--peculiarly suited to the use of Schools. ker in the following remark. "We think," says he, "we show our breeding by a knowledge of those tongues [the French and Italian], and an ignorance of our own." Conversations on Natural Philosophy, with Questions for examination, with additional Notes and Illustrations, a Frontis piece representing the Solar System, &c. &c., being a greatly improved edition. By the Rev. J. L. Blake. Alger's Murray, being an Abridgement of Murray's Grammar, in which large additions of Rules and Notes are inserted from the larger work. A knowledge of other languages is truly desirable, and the acquisition of them ought, in a proper degree, to be encouraged by all friends of improvement; but it is devoutly to be wished, by every friend to the interests of our country and of English literature, that American youth would show The English Teacher, being Murray's a zeal, in this respect, exemplified by the Exercises and Key, placed in opposite colmatrons of ancient Rome; and, like them, umns, with the addition of rules and obsersuffer not the study of foreign languages to vations from the Grammar;-an admiprevent, but strictly to subserve the culti-rable private learner's guide to an accurate vation of their own. knowledge of the English language, and also an assistant to instructers. By T. Alger, jr. It is confidently believed that the English Teacher and Exercises are excellently ** In issuing the above works, it has been the object of the publishers to elevate the style of School Books in typographical execution; and they cherish the expectation that instructers and school committees will, on examination, be disposed to patronise them. Feb. 1. JUST PUBLISHED, BY R. P. & C. WILLIAMS, 79 Washington-street, Boston, A Letter from a Blacksmith to the Ministers and Elders of the Church of Scotland, in which the manner of Public Wor ship in that Church is considered, its inconveniences and defects pointed out, and methods for removing them humbly proposed. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, for let thy words be few. Fccl. v. 2. God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. 1 Cor. xiv. 15, From a London edition. For sale as above, and by the booksellers throughout the United States. This work is published on common paper, and sold at a cheap rate for distribu tion; also on fine five dollar paper, to bind, and match other elegant books. Feb. 1. THE UNITED STATES LITERARY GAZETTE. Published on the first and fifteenth day of every month, by Cummings, Hilliard, & Co. No. 1 Cornhill, Boston.-Terms, $5 per annum, payable in July. VOL. I. REVIEWS. BOSTON, MARCH 15, 1825. published in this country sooner or later, Recollections of the Life of Lord Byron, If A writes a letter to B, B has the property in that letter, for the purpose of reading and keeping it, but no property in it to publish it. Mr Dallas contends that most of the letters in question were addressed to Lord Byron's mother, and given to him by his Lordship, to dispose of as he should think best. Whatever passed between them on this subject, however, was verbal and unwitnessed, and on that account not sufficient to take the case from under the law. The letters, therefore, could not be published without the permission of the executors, Messrs Hobhouse and Hanson,-and this permission was refused. The event proved the fallacy of human probability- Mr Dallas lived, at seventy, to see the death of Lord Byron, at thirty-seven. No. 23. ferent places abroad, a paraphrase of Horace's Art of Poetry, which would be a good finish to English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. *** He seemed to dertook its publication, as I had done that of the promise himself additional fame from it, and I unSatire. *** I looked over the Paraphrase, which I had taken home with me, and I must say, I was grievously disappointed. *** In not disparaging this poem, however, next day, I could not refrain from expressing some surprise that he had written nothing else; upon which, he told me that he had occasionally written short poems, besides a great many stanzas in Spenser's measure, relative to the countries he had visited. They are not worth troubling you with, but you shall have them all with you, if you like.' So came I by Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. He said it had been read but by one person, who had found very little to commend, and much to condemn; that he himself was of that opinion, and he was sure I should be so too; but he was urgent that the Hints from Horace' should be immediately put in train, which I promised to have done. How much he was mistaken as to my opinion, the following letter shows. *** Attentive as he had hitherto been to my opinions and suggestions, and natural as it was, that he should be swayed by such decided praise, I was surprised to find that I could not at first obtain credit with Lord Byron for my judgment on Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. It was any thing but poetry-it had been condemned by a good critic*-had I not myMuch, however, of the contents of the self seen the sentences on the margins of the manoriginal manuscript is said to be omitted in uscript?'*** He at length seemed impressed by the present work, for obvious reasons. The my perseverance, and took the poem into considerauthor of it, Mr Dallas, sen., died soon any of the stanzas, but they could not be published ation. He was at first unwilling to alter, or omit after the settlement of the legal question; as they stood *** [and he afterwards] undertook to the editor is his son, who is in holy orders. curtail and soften them. *** I did all I could to These Recollections do not throw much raise his opinion of this composition, and I sucnew light upon the character of their sub-ceeded; but he varied much in his feelings about it, nor was he, as will appear, at his ease until the ject; nor do they tend to alter the opinion world decided on its merit. He said again and we expressed of his Lordship in our review again, that I was going to get him into a scrape of Captain Medwin's book. The author was with his old enemies, and that none of them would a very different person from the Captain, rejoice more than the Edinburgh Reviewers at an to be sure. He was a relation of the poet, opportunity to humble him. and, as such, was proud of his talents, and a little vain of being connected with him. He was deeply interested in his character and conduct, and laboured with commendable zeal to make him a good, as well as a great man. Though his Lordship appears to have regarded him with some gratitude and respect, Mr Dallas' attempt to improve his moral and religious character was, as is well known, completely unsuccessful; and soon after the period, when these Recollections terminate, that is, about the year 1816, it was relinquished in despair. If we understand the case, the work before us is the same, or nearly the same, as it would have been if no injunction had been The most curious part of this book is the granted, with the omission of the letters literary history of the Childe Harold, of abovementioned. This omission was a matter which we shall extract several portions, of necessity in England, but it appears, from endeavouring, as far as possible, to give in the observations of the editor, that it was this way an abridgment of it, as here relatpublished in Paris in its original form. Weed. On the first interview between Mr think, therefore, that the American pub- Dallas and his Lordship, on his return from lishers would have found little difficulty in his travels in 1811, the latter observed giving us the whole,-which would have that been much more acceptable; especially as He believed satire to be his forte, and to that he there can be no doubt that they will be had adhered, having written, during his stay at dif Mr Dallas found it nearly as difficult to persuade the booksellers to undertake the publication. joining him the strictest secrecy as to the author. *It does not appear who this critic was. We think he would hardly wish to be known. Mr Dallas' perseverance was well rewarded. The first edition of the Pilgrimage was sold in three days, and its author, who, before its appearance, had become less anxious for that of the "Horatian Hints," at last consented to suppress the latter altogether. A singular circumstance attended the publication of the Childe Harold. It was announced for the first of March; but circumstances prevented its appearance, as intended, to the serious vexation of Mr Dallas, whose review of it in a periodical journal did actually appear on that day. Luckily the subject of it was issued so soon after, and excited so much admiration, that no one thought of ridiculing the review, which in fact proved an excellent advertisement for the poem, which was delivered as fast as it could be put up in sheets. Lordship in the line of collateral descent, print, at his expense, a handsome quarto edition, ings of the author of these Recollections, soon lose his wreath, but there are none the profits of which I should share equally with and we cannot but sympathize, in some de- who deny the great excellence of his prose him, and that the agreement for the copy-right This noble composition. His style is remarkable from should depend upon the success of this edition. gree, with his indignation. **While Childe Harold was preparing to be property was a grant from Henry VIII. to its vivacity and directness; the fervour of put into the printer's hands, Lord Byron was very the ancestors of the poet, and the estate composition is never quenched, never abatanxious for the speedy appearance of the imita- had ever since descended regularly in the ed; he understands himself well, and, as it tion of Horace, *** which I was nevertheless family. It was valued at more than half a must be with those who think clearly and most desirous of retarding at least, if not suppress-million dollars. Moreover, it came to his are in earnest, his language is perspicuous ing altogether. and strong. He appears to write with great facility; to throw off his thoughts as they arise, and in the garb which they voluntarily assume, as if it were an unnecessary and unworthy toil, to labour upon mere expressions. No doubt, his style is often elaborated with great care, and his finest passages owe probably as much of their excellence to his industry as to his ability. But he is artful enough to conceal his art; for no writer appears, especially to readers who do not read to criticise, to labour less, or to abandon himself more entirely to the impulses of his heart or imagination. There are scholars, who are men of fine sense and much general ability, but are not gifted with the power of fluent and varied expression. They are poor in words; and this poverty of language, whatever may be thought of it, has an injurious influence, if not upon the mind, at least upon its literary creations. The attention is diverted from the thought to its exponent; words must be sought with effort, and labour bestowed upon them, which might be employed otherwise to advantage;-but there is a greater evil yet; when the march of thought and imagination is stopped at every moment, while the reluctant memory yields up the necessary words, it must be difficult to urge the mind forward with such force and activity, that its own motion may enkindle it, and give to its emanations brightness and warmth. No impediments lie in the path of Mr Southey; his affluence of language is limited only with the reach of his native tongue, and his words come not unwillingly. He seems to deliver himself up to his subject; and, though often eloquent, pathetic, or even sublime, there is a naturalness in the most splendid and powerful passages, which compels the reader to believe, that his loftiest flights are reached almost without consciousness, and always without effort. There is too in the very harmony of his diction, something of the same character; it is occasionally carried quite too far, as there are passages which cannot be read without the regular cadence of measured rhythm; but it seems to be the result, not of artifice, but of the willing obedience by which a thronging multitude of words acknowledge the sway of a tuneful ear. It is unnecessary to speak of the adulation which was immediately lavished upon Lord Byron. But Childe Harold's Pilgrimage brought at once glory and ruin to its author. Among other gratulatory epistles, he received one from a lady, beginning with "Dear Childe Harold," enclosing a copy of verses, and concluding with the assurance "that though she should be glad to be acquainted with him, she can feel no other emotion for him than admiration and re gard, as her heart is already engaged to another." This, as the editor observes in another place, I have heard [says Mr Dallas] that the pur- In the course of this work we noticed many circumstances which tend to confirm the opinion which we expressed, in a preceding number, of the general authenticity led immediately to the most disgraceful liaison of of the Conversations of Captain Medwin. which he has not scrupled to boast. There was something so disgusting in the forwardness of the The author seems to have imagined that person who wrote, as well as deterring in the enor-his Recollections would tend, on the whole, mity of the criminal excesses of which this letter was the beginning, that he should have been roused against such a temptation at the first glance. But the sudden gust of public applause had just blown upon him, and having raised him in its whirlwind above the earth, he had already begun to deify himself in his own imagination; and this incense came to him as the first offered upon his altar. He was intoxicated with its fumes; and closing his mind against the light that had so long through every transparent part, he called darkness light, and the bitter sweet, and said peace when crept in at crevices, and endeavoured to shine there was no peace. It may be observed that the copy-right of this poem, as well as of some others, was given to Mr Dallas by his Lordship, who made a principle, at that time at least, of not receiving any thing for his literary performances. A copy of Lord Byron's maiden speech is here given. It is eloquently written, and was well received, but. according to Mr Dallas, his delivery was bad, resem bling that of a school-boy repeating from memory. But the sale of Newstead Abbey seems to have been the unkindest cut to the feel to place the character of Lord Byron in a We shall conclude our observations on this The Book of the Church. By Robert Southey, 8vo. MR SOUTHEY is unquestionably one of the It might well be expected, that all the works of this author must be interesting in no common degree; and the "Book of the Church" is eminently so. Few readers will lay it down until they have gone through it, and few, we think, will wish it had been less. It has, however, faults of a serious nature;-which will lessen its usefulness with all readers, and its interest with those who require that a work, the end of which is instruction, should be characterized by due regard for truth and impartiality. "The Book of the Church" is intended to be, and is, lent party, who identify church and state, tions were at the worst, the day-break of the Reformation appeared among us: the progress of that Reformation through evil and through good; the establishment of a church pure in its doctrines, irreproachable in its order, beautiful in its forms; and the conduct of that church proved, both in adverse and in prosperous times, alike faithful to its principles when it adhered to the monarchy during a successful rebellion, and when it opposed the monarch who would have brought back the Romish superstition, and, together with the religion, would have overthrown the liberties of England. The narration begins with the religion of the ancient Britons. Some account is then given of the religion and philosophy of the Romans, and of the doctrines and rites of the Danes and Anglo-Saxons. The history of the introduction and establishment of christianity into England, is exceedingly interesting. Unquestionably many circumstances of that period, related by the monk ish historians of a later age, are to be considered as resting upon slight authority Enough, however, is certain, to astonish one.with the rapid progress and wide spread of christianity in its earliest ages. Perhaps no single instance is more striking than the conversion of the king and people of Northumbria. Edwin had been driven from his throne in childhood, by Ethelfrith, and fled to Redwald, king of East Anglia, who, after protecting him for some years, was about to comply with the demand of Ethelfrith, and give him up. Sectarians will of course be governed by their respective partialities in judging of the merits and character of this work. They who love and venerate the Church of England, will regard it as a candid, eloquent, and irreproachable history of their church; while the dissenters, whose "pestilent errors" it is intended to beat down, will be disposed to bring against the author a heavy charge of guile and falsehood. Our opinion lies between these; and is precisely that which a consideration of Dr Southey's mediately communicated to Edwin by a faithful This resolution was taken at night-fall, and imcharacter, condition, and avowed object friend, who went to his chamber, called him out of would have led us to form, if we had never doors, exhorted him to fly, and offered to guide him seen his book. He stands forth the cham-to a place of safety. pion of his church;-and it must be remem-petual danger and anxiety of a wandering life. To But Edwin would not again encounter the perbered, that he is enthusiastic, and wants, in fly, he said, would be a breach of confidence on his his valour, its better part, and often merges part; he had trusted to the Uffinga Redwald, who, his judgment in his feelings, and is the same as yet, had offered him no wrong; and if he were man now, as when, at the age of twenty-one, Uffinga himself than by an ignoble hand. And, to be delivered up, better that it should be by the he wrote Wat Tyler, and, after his years indeed, whither could he betake himself, after havwere doubled, wrote and published a lettering, for so many years, in vain sought an asylum to a member of parliament, in defence of through all the provinces of Britain? Resolving, this most miserable farce. He is the cham- therefore, to abide his fate, whatever it might be, pion of the church, and its enemies are his he sate down mournfully upon a stone before the enemies; the "ungrateful" and "disaffect-palace, when a venerable person, in a strange habit, ed" to the hierarchy are also disaffected to fore he was sitting there, and keeping watch at an is said to have accosted him, and inquired wherehim, and do what in them lies to stain his hour when all other persons were asleep? Edwin, good name, by the exposure of all his errors omewhat angrily, replied, that it could be no conand faults. Moreover Dr Southey is hon-cem of his whether he chose to pass the night with oured by the institutions incorporated with that church, and his temporal interests are strictly the same with those of that preva indoors or without. But the stranger made answer. 355 father's throne, and acquire greater power than any of the Anglo-Saxon princes had possessed before him; and he asked of him, in requital for these filled, he would listen to instructions which would happy fore-tidings, that when they should be fulthen be offered to him, and which would lead him into the way of eternal life. This Edwin readily promised; with that the stranger laid his hand upon the head of the royal exile, saying, When this sign shall be repeated, remember what has passed between us now, and perform the word which you have given. Edwin afterwards subdued his enemies, recovered his kingdom, and married a christian princess. One day, while he was meditating in solitude, Paulinus, a missionary from Rome, entered the room, and laying his hand upon the king's head, asked him if he remembered that token? Startled at the appeal, as if a spirit was before him, the king fell at his feet. Behold,' said Paulinus, raising him the enemies of whom thou wert in fear! Behold, up, thou hast, through God's favour, escaped from through God's favour, thou hast recovered thy kingdom, and obtained the pre-eminence which was promised thee! Remember now thine own promise, and observe it; that He, who hath elevated thee to eternal misery, and take thee to live and reign with this temporal kingdom, may deliver thee also from himself eternally in heaven!' Edwin, overcome as if by miracle, hesitated no longer. He called his chiefs to council, that, if they could be persuaded tized at the same time: and when they were asto think and believe as he did, they might be bapsembled, he required them each to deliver his opinion concerning the new religion which was preached among them, and the propriety of receiving it. first who spake: As for what the religion is, which is now propounded to us,' he said, 'O King, see thou to it! For my part, I will assert, what I certainly know, that that which we have hitherto held, there is no one who has given himself more diliis good for nothing. For among all thy people, gently to the worship of our gods than I; and yet many have received greater benefits, and obtained higher dignities, and prospered better in whatever they undertook. But if these gods had possessed any power, they would rather have assisted me, who bave endeavoured so carefully to serve them. If, ceived that these new things, of which we are told, therefore, after due examination, you have perare better, and more efficacious, let us, without delay, hasten to adopt them.' Coifi, the Chief Priest of Northumbria, was the Another speaker delivered an opinion, more creditable to his disposition and understanding in relation to that which is to come, may be likened O King, the present life of man, when considered than that which had been given by the Chief Priest: to a sparrow flying through the hall, wherein you and your chiefs and servants are seated at supper, in winter time: the hearth blazing in the centre, and rain or snow; the bird flies through, entering at and the viands smoking, while without is the storm one door, and passing out at the other; he feels not the weather during the little minute that he is within; but after that minute he returns again to winSuch is the life of man; and of what follows it, or ter, as from winter he came, and is seen no more. of what has preceded it, we are altogether ignorant. Wherefore, if this new doctrine should bring any thing more certain, it well deserves to be followed.' The rest of the assembly signified their assent to the change; and it was then proposed by Coifi, that Paulinus should fully explain to them the nature of the new religion, which they were called upon discourse, the Chief Priest exclaimed, that he had to receive. When the prelate had concluded his long understood the vanity of their old worship, because the more he sought to discover its truth, the less he found; he proposed, therefore, that the alsures in which they stood, should be overthrown tars and temples of the idols, and the sacred incloand burnt. The king demanded of him who ought A session of great part of the seq supplied soldiers enough to ov of Becket's household, and the bury, if resistance should be at tered the city in small parti arms, that no alarm might be of St Augustine's, who was of ceived them into his monaster to set the example of violating them, and the priest | long descent which even tradition and fable, the primate are imputable, bec Mr Southey devotes a chapter to the consideration of the causes which promoted the success of christianity among the AngloSaxons. Contrasted with the slow, imperfect, questionable success of the missionary efforts of these days, it seems indeed miraculous. We cannot give even an abstract of Mr Southey's views upon this subject. Some, perhaps all, of the causes that he assigns for the different results which have attended efforts for a similar purpose in different periods, operated with great force; but we think there were other causes, of which he does not rightly estimate the efficiency. No doubt the missionaries prevailed the more, because they came from Rome, the heart of the civilized world,-the sovereign city, whose name was still great upon the earth, and whose majesty survived in the inherited feelings and opinions of men, long after her actual supremacy had departed. Certainly, too, these missionaries were favoured, in that the paganism they were called to combat, was not deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The Druids had been chased from their sacred groves by the Romans, whose religion, if religion it was, ere many ages, encountered the horrors of that Scaldic mythology which the Danes brought with them. Thus the heathenism of the Saxons was fluctuating and uncertain; of various origin, and sanctified by no long and universal tradition. It is otherwise with the The history of the church in England, during that stormy period while the popes and their ministers were perpetually conflicting with the civil government, and almost always subduing it, is very interesting in itself, and loses nothing in the hands of this author. He chooses to relate it by fixing upon prominent individuals, and narrating their lives with great minuteness. Dunstan, Lanfranc, Anselm, and Becket have each many pages given to them. The biog: raphy of Becket occupies one hundred pages. At his death,-we may say by his death,-the papal power triumphed. We have never seen the particulars of his assassination narrated so circumstantially as in this work; taken in connexion with some passages of his life, they almost compel one to believe, that this turbulent, ambitious, and obstinate rebel, actually believed himself labouring and dying in a good cause. The result of Henry's counsel was the legal and proper measure of sending over three Barons to arrest Becket. These messengers were too late. The ministers of vengeance, who were before them, landed near Dover, and passed the night in Ranulf de Broc's castle.—one of the persons whom Becket The four Barons then, in We will d Becket was presently told themselves in the palace-co vants barred the gate, and persuaded by the monks to ters into the cathedral, wher had now begun. He ordere before him, retired slowly, endeavouring to secure the forbidding to do it, saying, a castle of the church; it wi without being shut; neithe resist, but to suffer. By t after endeavouring to brea had entered, under Rober through a window, searched now following him to the ca have concealed himself, an escaped. But Becket disd errors, his was an heroic mi the steps of the high altar, their armed followers, rush drawn swords, exclaiming, Becket? where is that traite dom?' No answer was made |