1821.} 



Critical Notices of Books of the Month. 



365 



foraiiig a junction with one of the revolu- 

 tionary bands. In the first battle, that of 

 Peolillos, 172 men beat a force consist- 

 ing of 690 infantry of the European regi- 

 ments of Estremadora and America, 1100 

 cavalry, and a rear-guard of 300. Mr. 

 Robinson maintains, and it is hardly pos- 

 sible to read this narrative without agree- 

 ing vf ith him, that if Mina had then had 

 1000 instead of 150 foreigners, he might 

 have marched at once on the capital of 

 Mexico, and put an end to the authority 

 of Spain ; likewise that 2000 foreign in- 

 fantry under the banners of freedom, led 

 by intelligent and gallant officers, would 

 overturn the Spanish government of Mexico 

 in l€ss than six mouths from the day of 

 their lauding, either on the coast of the 

 Pacific Ocean, or on that of the Gulph of 

 Mexico. Had it been known that a much 

 smaller force than that which left Europe 

 under General Devereux, could have 

 effected the emancipation of the richest and 

 most v^uable of all the Spanish colonies, 

 it is more than possible that long ere this 

 k ■would have ceased to be in the possession 

 of Spain. The late revolution in the govern- 

 ment of Spain, has in some degree altered 

 the rehitions between that country and 

 America, and given rise to expectations 

 of peace and reconciliation. What the re- 

 sult of the attempts now making with that 

 view, way be, it is impossible to say. One 

 thing, however, is certain — the old colonial 

 system ofSpain is for ever destroyed ; and 

 whether or not the American possessions 

 of Spain shall hereafter remain connected 

 with it in a state of entire independence, 

 the inhabitants will never again submit 

 to-their former exclusion from the rest of 

 the world. 



Mr. Charles Bucke, the ill-requited 

 author of the tragedy of the Italians, has 

 produced a considerable work of much 

 taste, research, and combination, On the 

 Beauties, MarmonUs, and Sublimities 

 of Nature. The work, extends to four 

 volumes; but the lovers of literature, phi- 

 losophy, and natural beauty, will not 

 think the subjects unnecessarily dilated ; 

 they will find " the last as welcome as the 

 former." The present compilation appears 

 gi^fted on the best portions of the author's 

 " philosophy of nature," and consists of a 

 series of essays, forming a rich fund of 

 literary amusements for retirement. The 

 work we are informed was compiled in one 

 of the most Ixtautiful valleys of North 

 Wales ; and it is amidst the unmolested 

 tranquillity of such seclusion that its pages 

 wUl be relished best. To such as have not 

 leisnre or sufficient acquaiutancc with 

 books to make a proper selection of mentitl 

 researches for the hours of rural retire- 

 ment, these volumes will supply light 

 and amusing desiderata. The author 

 appears to have pursued no fixed plan in 

 Monthly Mag. No. 3&U. 



the arrangement, more than the aatiml 

 progress of his mind and taste seem to 

 have suggested, in associating the objects 

 of his contemplation — he roves like the 

 bee from flower to flower " extracting 

 sweets," and seems with justice to con- 

 ceive that the enjoyment he shall afford to 

 his readers by the result of his labours, is 

 the best object he can have in view. Mr. 

 Bucke has a true relish for the beauties 

 of nature, and a mind tuned to the harmo- 

 nics of elegant composition ; his work 

 evinces how richly science, literature, and 

 the elegant arts, impregnate the privacy of 

 life, and how much the love of these is 

 calculated to prove a shield against the 

 misfortunes of the world. A number of 

 beautiful, and apparently original pieces 

 of poetry are interspersed through the 

 volumes. 



Lord Byron has favoured the literai-y 

 world with an excellent refection^ in the 

 form of a letter to his publisher, on the 

 Rev. W. L. Bowles's Strictures on the 

 Life and Writiiifis of Pope. We know 

 no' modern pamphlet, of a critical nature, 

 at once so rich in wit and so correct in 

 judgment as the present. It effectnally 

 redeems the character of Pope, both as a 

 poetaudamau, from the false criticism and 

 illiberal biography of Mr. Bowles ; it ini- 

 flicts a most severe (we hope a salutary) 

 castigatiou on the critic and biographer ; 

 it holds up to resistless ridicule a well- 

 known canting class of soL-disant poets, 

 and canting slip-slop critics ; and it also 

 contains some exquisite remarks on the true 

 principles of the art of poetry, in opposition 

 to the absurd notions of Mr. Bowles, Mr. 

 Sout hey and others, on what they are pleased' 

 to call the invariable principles of poetry. 

 The whole of this task is executed in such 

 a style of fascinating ease, that though '^ 

 it required, and has exercised, the combined 

 talents of a poet and critic of the first order^' 

 it has the air of a trifle, composed by a man' 

 of the world, in " his night-gown and slip-' 

 pers." We wish that our limits would per-'^ 

 mit a few extracts, there are so many that , 

 invite our pen. One short sample we can-' 

 not resist : — " Mr. Southey agrees entirely 

 with Mr. Bowles in his nirfmo^Zc princi-' 

 pies of poetry. Tlie least that Mr. Bowles 

 can do in return is to approve the invari- 

 able jninciplcs of Mr. Sonthey. I should 

 have thought that the word invariable^ 

 might have stuck in Southey's throat, like' 

 Macbeth's Amen !" 



Tlie poetical powers of Mr. BiRi>, the 

 author of " the Vale of Slaughden," appear 

 to great advantage in his last production of 

 Machin ; or, the DIscorery of Madeira. . 

 The story is founded on an interesting and' 

 pathetic tradition of two lovers, who, after 

 various adventures and misfortunes, Weix? 

 wrecked, and perished on the island of Ma- 

 deira. Mr. Bird's descriptive powers are 

 2 Z great ; 



