390 ^ MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



de paix qui ne valut mieux qu'une telle victoire." The victor lament- 

 ing- his victory. M. Leon Cogniet's " Departure of the National 

 Guards of Paris for the Frontiers, in 1792," is well worthy of at- 

 tention. In this excellent picture the artist supports his reputation 

 as one of the very first historical painters of which Europe can boait. 

 Charlet, the witty caricaturist, gives us in an episode of the retreat 

 from Russia a sad but salutary lesson on human vicissitudes. C. Ro- 

 queplan, who has numerous pictures at the exhibition, still continues 

 (o maintain his well-earned reputation. Messrs. Jolivard, Coignet, 

 Cdurst, Dupressoir, E. Isaby, and Leportevin, have given us some 

 valuable proofs of talent in landscape and marine painting. Por- 

 traits are, we regret to add, much too numerous, offering an assem- 

 blage of insipid and unknown likenesses which reflect, with few ex- 

 ceptions, little credit either upon the artists or the persons whom 

 they are : intended to represent. Amongst the miniature painters, 

 Lequeutre and 'Madame Merbet undoubtedly rank first. We are 

 disposed to think that the number of pictures in the present exhibition 

 is alarmingly great. What will arise from this profusion of canvas 

 and so numerous a host of artists ? 



MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



Memorials of Mrs. Hemans, By H. F. CnoRLEY,2 vols. Saunders 



and Otley 



THE present generation gainsay it who will is more barren in real poetry 

 than any within the last 200 years. Up to the present time from the com- 

 mencement of th Stuart dynasty, England has been able to boast of some 

 poet actively engaged in his vocation and worthy of the veneration of his con- 

 temporaries. Alas ! it is not so now. Wordsworth, Campbell, and More, 

 as poets, are dead to us ; John Wilson and J. Montgomery seem contented 

 with their fame already won ; and we have none on whose head we can fairly 

 place the poetic prize of the cap and bays. Alas ! how do these thoughts 

 calls us back to the sweet warblings of dear Mrs. Hemans, who united to so 

 exquisite a degree the most philosophic and fervent piety with the true spirit 

 of poetry. Her memory is entwined with so many beautiful recollections of 

 youth, and with so many passages of romance in real life, that it would be an 

 act of the basest ingratitude to forget the claims of her ' memorials' to a pub- 

 lic and favourable notice. Those of our readers who are acquainted with her 

 exalted genius as a mistress of song will not think us enthusiastic in this im- 

 perfect expression of our sentiments. An outline of her history may not be 

 unacceptable. 



FELICIA BROWN, -for such was her maiden name, was born at Liverpool 

 in 1794, but at the early age of five years was removed with her family into 

 Denbighshire in North Wales, where she lived till the time of her marriage 

 with Captain Hemans, which happened when she was eighteen. By this 

 gentleman she had five children ; but shortly before the birth of the last a 

 separation took place, owing partly perhaps to the delicacy of her husband's 

 health partly to the want of congeniality in their intellectual dispositions. 

 Till the year 1828 Mrs. Hemans remained in Wales, when she removed to 

 Wavertree near Liverpool ; and here she resided till 1831. In the summer of 

 1829 she visited Scotland, and, besides being honoured with the attentions of 

 other men of letters in modern Athens was treated with the greatest hospitality 

 by Sir Walter Scott : in the following year she visited the lakes and met with 

 a kind reception from Wordsworth. In the early part of 1831 she removed to 



