iSi 



Memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton. f Sept. 



lively and luTinorous pictuie of the slo- 

 ▼eiily habits, the iiulolciit winna-he- 

 fashed temper, the baneful content 

 which prevails among some of the lower 

 class of people in Scotland. It is a 

 proof of the great merit of this book, 

 that it has, in spite of the Scottish dia- 

 lect with which it abounds, been univer- 

 sally read in England and Ireland, as 

 ■well as in Scotland. It is a faithful re- 

 presentation of human nature in general, 

 as well as of local manners and cus- 

 toms ; the maxims of economy and in- 

 dustry, the principles of truth, justice, 

 family afilection, and religion, which it 

 inculcates by striking examples, and by 

 exquisite strokes of pathos, mixed with 

 humour, arc independant of all local 

 peculiarity of manner or language, and 

 operate u])on the feelings of every class of 

 readers, in all countries. In Ireland iu 

 particular, the history of the "Cottagers 

 of Gleiilunnie" has been read with pecu- 

 liar avidity ; and it has probably done as 

 much good to the Irish as to the Scotch. 

 Wiiile the Irish have seized and enjoyed 

 the opportunity it afforded of a good-lm- 

 moured laugh at their Scotch neigh- 

 bours, they have secretly seen, through 

 shades of ditfereiice, a resemblance to 

 themselves; and arc conscious that, 

 changing the names, the tale might he 

 told of them. In this talc, both the dif- 

 ference and the resemblance between 

 Scottish and Hibernian faults or foibles 

 are advantageous to its popularity in 

 Ireland. The dificrence is suHicient to 

 give an air of novelty that awakens cu- 

 riosity ; while the resemblance fixes at- 

 tention, and creates a new species of in- 

 terest. Besides this, the self-love of the 

 Hibernian reader being happily relieved 

 fiom all apprehension that the lesson was 

 intended for him, his good sense takes 

 ajid profits by the advice that is oft'ered 

 to another. The hnmour in this book 

 is peculiarly suited to the Irish, because 

 it is, in every sense of the word, good hu- 

 mour. The satire, if satire it can be call- 

 ed, is benevolent; its object is to mend, 

 and not wound, the heart. Even the 

 Scotch themselves, howevernational they 

 are supposed to be, can bear the " Cotta- 

 gers of Glenburuie." Nations, like indivi- 

 duals, can with decent patience endure 

 to be told of their faults, if those fanlts, 

 instead of being represented as forming 

 their established unchangeable charac- 

 ter, are considered as arising, as in fact 

 they usually do arise, from those passing 

 circumstances which charactei ize rather 

 a certain period of civilization than any 

 particular people. If our national faults 



are pointed out as indelible stains, inhe* 

 rent in the texture of the character, from 

 which it cannot by art or time be bleach- 

 ed or purified, \\'e arc justly provoked 

 and ofiended ; but, if a friend vvarns us of 

 some little accidental spots, which wo 

 had, perhaps, overlooked, and which wo 

 can, at a moment's notice, efi'ace, we 

 smile, and are grateful. 



In " the JNIodern Philosophers," 

 where the spirit of system and party in- 

 terfered with the design of the work, it 

 was difficult to preserve throughout the 

 tone of good-humoured raillery and can- 

 dour ; this could scarcely have been ac- 

 complished by any talents or prudence, 

 bad not the habitual temper and real 

 disposition of the writer been candid 

 and bctievoleut. Though this work is 

 a professed satire upon a system, yet it 

 avoids all satire of individuals; audit 

 shews none of that cynical contempt of 

 the huMian race which some satnists 

 seem t(j feel, or affect, in order to givo 

 poignancy to their wit. 



Our author has none of that Misan- 

 thropy which derides tlie infirmities of 

 human nature, and which laughs while 

 it cauterises. There appears always 

 some adequate object for any pain that 

 she inflicts; it is dttne wi(h a steady 

 view to future good, and with a humane 

 and tender, as well as with a skilful and 

 courageous, hand. 



The object of " the Modem Philoso- 

 phers" was to expose those « hose theory 

 and practice difl'er ; to point out the dit- 

 ficidty of applying high-flown principles 

 to the ordinary, but necessary, concerns 

 of human life ; and to shew the danger 

 of trusting every man to become his own 

 moralist and legislator, ^^'heu this no-« 

 vel first appeared, it was, perhaps, more 

 read, and more admired, than any of 

 Mrs. Hamilton's works; the name and 

 character of Brigettina Bothcram passed 

 into every company, and became a 

 standing jest— a proverbial point in con- 

 versation. The ridicule answered its 

 purpose ; it reduced to measure and rea- 

 son those who, in the novelty and zeal qf 

 system, had overleaped the bounds of 

 common sense. 



"The Modern Philosophers," "the 

 Cottagers of Glenburnie," and, " the 

 Letters of the Hindoo Rajah," the first 

 book, we believe, that our author pub- 

 lished, have all been highly and steadily 

 a|>proved by the public. These works, 

 alike in principle and iu benevolence of 

 design, yet with each a different grace 

 of style and invention, have established 

 Mrs. Hamilton's character as an origi-. 



