160 CRITICAL NOTICES OP NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



digger to a Hamlet whose transcendent pre-eminence he could never 

 hope to imitate. How few men there are, in our day, who would 

 sacrifice their time, and health, and respectability, to become the 

 merely tolerated listener, the butt and plaything of any man, how 

 effulgent soever might be his fame ! the spirit of independence liad 

 not, at that day, we presume, the predominating power which is so 

 obstinately maintained in our time. But we must not forget that 

 had Boswell thought thus, we should never have seen the particulars 

 of a life which, with all its outrageous faults, will always be found 

 on the shelf of every respectable library. We must protest, how- 

 ever, against all writings of this description. It is most unfair and 

 unjust, for men under the mask of kindness and good-nature, to 

 worm themselves into the unsuspecting confidence of others, and 

 then, to give an eclat to the writer's obscure name, publish those 

 failings incident to humanity which ought to have been most scru- 

 pulously shielded from the world's observation. Had Johnson been 

 aware of Boswell's intention, he would have spurned him from his 

 presence for liis premeditated dishonour. All literary men have 

 their moments of unguarded weakness ; — ^long and extreme tension 

 of the intellect always leads to corresponding debility ; and the re- 

 laxation of a luminous mind, from the obvious contrast, when mi- 

 nutely detailed in the shape of narrative, must partake of a certain 

 character of imbecility, at the bare mention of which the sensibility 

 must be inconceivably shocked. In ordinary life these transitions 

 are usually held sacred — ought they not, then, to be held equally 

 sacred amongst literary men, whose lives, and actions, and motives 

 are scrutinized usually with such minute circumspection, and often 

 with such unsparing severity ? How mych more delicately and 

 generously have Thomas Moore, Walter Scott, and others, model- 

 led their lives of departed genius ! 



This edition differs from most others in the attraction which it 

 possesses of a fund of most amusing anecdotes by Hawkins, Piozzi, 

 Murphy, Tyers, Reynolds, Steevens, and various other eminent cha- 

 racters. To this advantage, and it is a very considerable one, may 

 be added that of its being, without exception, the most elegant edi- 

 tion of the size ever yet submitted to the public admiration. It is 

 embellished with some exquisite plates and vignettes by Finden, in 

 his best style ; and these, with the letter-press and paper, do infinite 

 credit to the taste and liberality of the eminent publisher. 



The Gardeners Magazine, and Register of Rural and Domestic 

 Improvement. Conducted by J. C. Loudon, F. L. S., H. S., &c. 

 September, 1835. London : Longman and Co. 



There are, as usual, some very excellent notices in this monthly 

 publication of Mr. Loudon, including a highly interesting article 

 relating to Fonthill Abbey audits talented projector, from which we 

 intended to have given an extract had we not been prevented by 

 a pressure of other matter. 



