1824.] 
usual time employed in arithmetical pro- 
cesses. 
-A contribution to military history has been 
published * in the Journal of an Offic ery writ= 
ten during the Siege of Quebec, i 1775-6. 
The narrative is circumstantial and very in- 
teresting, and it is enriched by notes, a sup- 
plement, and. preface, by Mr. Short, who, 
in spite of circumstances, continues to call 
the Americans revolutionists and rebels. 
We cannot wonder that the Journal should 
be mingled with such’ feelings; but the sen- 
timents of the editor are not in keeping. 
He does not seem to be aware of the maxim, 
that no glory can be gained in a war which 
is not both just and necessary. 
_ Itis our duty every month to notice some 
new English Grammar, as though the Eng- 
lish language were so intricate or former 
grammarians so stupid, that twelve new 
grammars per annum were necessary. In 
a late number we noticed a very copious 
one by Mr. Martin, of B irmingham, and we 
are now called upon to notice another by 
Mr. Peter Smith, of Edinburgh. At the 
same time we are far from undervaluing the 
intense’ labour and- metaphysical accuracy 
which appears in every page of Mr. Smith’s 
work; but we lament that he should have 
devoted two hundred and twenty-four pages 
to an analysis of the grammar, and only one 
hundred each to his chapter on literary cri- 
ticism and practical logic, which are evi- 
dently the best parts of his volume, and 
ought to have been printed and sold sepa- 
rately. - It is impossible to analyze a work 
which is itself a complete analysis, nor to 
give a specimen of the author’s manner, 
when such uniform ability appears in every 
part. Considered as a book in its totality, 
we cannot but regret that such a mass of 
information should be devoid of an index or 
copious table of contents, without one or 
both of which the volume loses half its use. 
The great reputation of Bredow’s Histo- 
rical Tables, has very. properly suggested to 
Mr. Hunt the propriety of translating and 
reprinting three of them—one of ancient 
history, one of the middle ages, and one of 
modern history; and they are sold either in 
sheets or on rollers to hang in libraries, for 
which latter purpose they will serve as com- 
panions to Priestly’s Chart of History. 
Mr. W. Eléy, of Rolleston, has arranged 
a new English Spelling- Book, with much care 
and learning, but unhappily the display of 
learning in such a performance is a draw- 
back from its utility, rather than an adyan- 
tage. . The -taste which, however, has been 
displayed in getting up the book, will serve 
to increase the local reputation of Mr. Eley. 
Some interesting remains of the genius 
of the late Roznerr BLoomrie.yp, in verse 
and prose, have appeared in 2 vols. edited 
by Mr. J. Wrsron. As the work is printed 
for the exclusive benefit of the author’s fa- 
mily, and as-it contains several pieces of 
merit. and some pleasing contributions -in 
calogy of the departed poet, we hope and 
. \ 
’ Literary and Critical Proémium. 
171 
trust it will meet with extensive success. 
Unless Mr. Weston, intended to produce 
something for stage effect, we are utterly at 
a loss to conceive what phrase or sentiment 
contained in our obituary for September 
1823, can have drawn upon us the abuse in 
which he has indulged; and if he had had 
the candour or honesty to reprint our arti- 
cle, we are persuaded that every reader of 
his volumes would ascribe to him a disor- 
dered imagination. We introduced an anec- 
dote of Bloomfield, at once true and cha- 
racteristic, in which the display of our want 
of judgment in not discovering the incipient 
merit of Mr. Bloomfield gratified no yanity 
of our own, and in no degree detracted 
from the merit of the poet. At any rate 
we were not alone in our cold and mistaken 
conception of the work. We know no- 
thing of its being shewn to Mr. Bent, but 
Bloomfield having submitted it to Mr. 
Charles Dilly, that gentleman referred him 
to the Monthly Magazine ; and speaking 
from recollection of twenty-five or six years, 
it was transmitted with other poctry for the 
inspection ‘of the late Dr. Aikin, who 
promply returned it as unsuited to the Ma- 
gazine. Bloomfield called again, and heard 
this decision, but pressed if again on the 
publisher’s attention in 60 earnest a man- 
ner that, at a subsequent interview with Dr. 
Aikin, the MS. was re-discussed, and pe- 
remptorily rejected. Bloomfield ‘called a 
third time, and on this occasion Dr. R. Ws 
Dickson, author of the System of Agricul- 
ture, happened to be present, and before 
Bloomfield entered the room, the MS. was 
shewn to Dr. D., whose opinion concurring 
with that of Dr. Aikin, Bloomfield was in- 
formed of the result in Dr. D.’s presence. 
There was an anxiety in his manner, and a 
novelty in the unlettered aspect of his MS. 
which led the publisher to treat him with 
attention and delicacy; and after a pro- 
longed conversation, m which the uncertain 
rewards of poetry, and the difficulties of lite- 
rary pursuits, without some pecuniary inde- 
pendence, had been enlarged upon, the MS. 
was handed to Bloomfield, with an obser- 
vation, not sakeastey expressed, “ J ad- 
vise you, Sir, to return into the country, and 
stick to your last.” This observation, how- 
ever proved sarcastic, inasmuch as Bloom- 
field was really a shoemaker ; but in truth, 
.the publisher and Dr. Dickson both agreed 
after he was gone, that he was a carpenter. 
Nothing but the extravagant language used 
by dupes of false feeling, would induce us 
now to state that on B.’s leaving the room, 
Dr. Dickson with great warmth, and even 
with tears in his eyes, exclaimed, ‘* I never 
saw akinder action in my life; if that poor 
devil takes your advice, you will be the means 
of saving him from destruction.” | Nearly 
the whole of what passed, was afterwards 
repeated as a good joke at the expense of 
the publisher, by Hood, Bloomfield’s: book- 
seller, who taunted his neighbour for having 
missed so good a thing as he deemed the 
Z2 Larmer’s 
r 
