Coleridge, 



1 8 1 7. J Critical Notices of New Books. 



dence of Dr. FranhKn may be said to 

 beloiifT to K. as well as the Memoirs of 

 Sheridan, T !ie value of tlie first of these 

 is undeniable; and it is pleasant at this 

 time of day to contemplate the acknow- 

 ledged superiority of a man who acted a 

 part so honourable to the cause of gene- 

 ral freedom, though partially injurious 

 to the country which pays the homage, 

 and which is tlierefore doubly honour- 

 able for paying it. These letters 

 {which, by-the-bye, are published at a 

 price much too high in relation to quan- 

 tity,) exiiibit Franklin to great advan- 

 tage; as an individual uniting, in an emi- 

 nent degree, philosophical speculation 

 with practical ability. There is a calm 

 tTnpretending socratic kind of simpli- 

 city in the excellent sense of this emi- 

 nent man, which, when compared with 

 tlie verbose sophistry of more recent 

 and fashionable models, is quite re- 

 freshing. 



The Memoirs of Sheridan appear from 

 two quarters; one of them is edited by 

 .' a Constihitioiml Friend' and comprises 

 (lis speeches. The other has been 

 •ompiled by Dr. Watkiiis, and presents 

 9 curious specimen of bookmaking inge- 

 nuit}', being advertised as a complete 

 wprk, and yet ending with an announce- 

 ment of anotiicr volume of the same size. 

 Are either of tiiese publications for the 

 benefit of Mrs. Sheridan ? and, if so, 

 which of them ? for, considering the cir- 

 cumstances and manner of her husband's 

 (Jcatb, the disgrace of tlie authors of the 

 rival work is extreme. The Memoirs 

 of Mr. Sheridan, in both cases, are 

 just what a hasty assemblage of facts 

 in a race to the press, two or three 

 months after death, may be supposed 

 to produce. — It is proper to ob- 

 serve also, that a Life of Raphael 

 has also been given to the world ; it ap- 

 pears judicious and faithful ; but pos- 

 sibly, at this time of day, should have 

 been written by one who could exclaim, 

 M'ith respect to Raphael, ^s Corregio did, 

 "I also am a painter." 



The classical and general student will 

 derive much assistance from a work of 

 reference, entitled, Genealogia Antiqua ; 

 which consists of mythological and clas- 

 sical tables, so compiled as to supply 

 the required fact by a coup-d'ail. The 

 exceeding intricacy and perplexity of 

 fabulous genealogy renders this kind of 

 assistance peculiarly welcome. 



A new and elaborate attempt has 

 been made to prove that Sir Philip 

 l-'iiANCls wrote the liCtters of Junius. 

 We conceive that that gentleman set 

 t)ic question at rest by his Letter to the 

 Mosnjtv Mac. No. 'iQI. 



545 



Editor of this Magazuie ; but, if anjr 

 doubt should remain, no better evidence 

 could be adduced tlian Sir Philip's 

 LettfT Missive to Lord Holland, pub- 

 lished in the summer, «liich, though 

 able and interesting, is as unlike Junius 

 as Clarendon is unlike Ulair. These 

 investigations lead, however, to the de- 

 velopment of much curious anecdote, 

 and in that sense the new enquiry merits 

 attention ; but, in coni|)aring the preten- 

 sions even of DeLoIme, as so ingeniously 

 asserted by Dr. Husby, we confess we 

 think the balance of arguments, in re- 

 gard to these two persons, to be against 

 the hypothesis which ascribes them to 

 Sir Philip Francis. 



In Theology, this month has not been 

 so prolific as the last ; its principal cu- 

 riosity, if it can be classed properly un- 

 der the head, is tiie Lay Sermon of Mr. 



to the higlief 



addressed 

 classes. Should the latter ever be in- 

 duced to honour it with more attention 

 than sermons in general obtain from 

 them, it is to be feared they will split 

 upon another rock — that of never being 

 able to understand it. Mr. Coleridge 

 ought, by this time, to know that the 

 high, as well as low, mob comprehend 

 only what is exceedingly clear. It 

 seems he is about to address other ser- 

 mons to the middle and lower ranks ; 

 but, if not more trnnslucent, as he would 

 say himself, the whole of these edifying 

 compositions may as well be transmitted 

 to the capitol of the Tower, and there 

 be preserved to puzzle posterity, like 

 the Sybil's leaves. 



In Medicine, or rather Physiology, the 

 public is indebted to the sound science of 

 Dr. Gordon for a work entitled, Obser* 

 vations mi, the Structure of the Brain, 

 comprising an estimate of tlie Claimg 

 of Drs. Gall and Spnrzheim, to dis" 

 cover y in the Anatomy of that Organ ; 

 which seems likely to put an end to 

 that ill-concocted mass of fact and 

 inference known by the formidable 

 term — Craniology; at least as far as 

 taking away the support of loose and iiH 

 accurate experiment on the brain can 

 affect it. It is strange how such a jum- 

 ble of physics and metaphysics can have 

 sustained itself on the surface so long. 



Under the head of Travels, may be 

 noticed Legh's Travels beyond the 

 Cataracts of the Ai'/e,— -a work of consi- 

 derable interest; and Memoirs of a lute 

 Residence in France, written by a pro- 

 fessional gentleman, who tells his tale 

 on the triumphant side, but with such 

 an abundance of circumlocution, that 

 every fact supplies a commentary much 

 4 A longer 



