1823.] 



Literary and Critical Proemium. 



it 18 rather a great pnblic manifesto, fully 

 charged with the genuine public sentiment, 

 and reflecting back upon the mind of 

 every one the suggestions of his own rea- 

 son, with an increase of beauty and force, 

 equally gratifying and irresistible. It is, 

 truly, a statement which admits of no re- 

 ply, nor do we hear of one dissentient 

 voice to the truth of its leading arguments. 

 The government and the people ; the 

 crown, the aristocracy, and the body of 

 the nation, through all degrees and capa- 

 cities, have upon this head one only com- 

 mon feeling. If there be men so unwor- 

 thy of the name and the privileges of Eug- 

 Jishraeu, as to entertain a secret wish for 

 the subjugation of Spanish liberty, they 

 prudently confine the atrocious sentiment 

 to their own bosoms. But the time is 

 now arrived, and it has been hastened by 

 the apparently insane conduct of the des- 

 pots of Verona, when England must make 

 her choice of good and evij, and determine 

 for ever her line of policy. The point at 

 issue is, whether we are to league with the 

 old despotisms for the destruction of free- 

 dom, or whether we are to espouse the ad- 

 vancing cause of representative, limited, 

 and constitutional, government. The an- 

 swer of the nation has been already loudly 

 and unequivocally given. That of the admi- 

 nistration seems, for the present, suspend- 

 ed. Negociatiuns are probably going on, 

 which may excuse the silence of both par- 

 ties in the House, since the night of Mr. 

 Brougham's memorable oration. But our 

 confidence in the weight of public opinion 

 is snch, that we doubt not the ministers 

 will answer the general expectation. 

 Spain and Portugal must be protected; 

 and, if the arm of Great Britain be extend- 

 ed in their defence, or even if her voice 

 be seriously raised in their favonr, they 

 will be placed far beyond the reach of 

 their holy and allied enemies. It is obvi- 

 ous to what a crisis the question has ar- 

 rived ; and we may add that it is equally 

 obvious what its decision must be, when 

 we find principles gravely propounded in 

 the declarations of great powers, which 

 we should think it almost impossible for 

 even an idiot to utter, without a smile at 

 their folly, or a blush for their wickedness. 

 The monstrous doctrine which the Holy 

 Alliance is endeavouring to force upon 

 mankind, that no change in the constitu- 

 tion and form of government of any coun- 

 try can or shall be permitted, which does 

 not proceed from the free concession of an 

 absolute sovereign, needs but little com- 

 ment. 'Ihe object of their infamous 

 league is now fully a|>parent; nor can 

 there exist the slightest doubt as to the 

 issue of their experiment. The common 

 scn'^e, ilic common rights, and the common 

 interests, of mankind, combine in an alli- 

 ance, truly holy, against tJicni ; and, if their 

 most wicked and unprovoked project 



253 



against Spain be carried into effect, we 

 trust that from that country they will first 

 receive the blow which shall dissolve their 

 confederation, and sever the ignominious 

 chain with which they would bind the 

 world. 



We have, on a former occasion, made 

 favourable mention of a small topographi- 

 cal work, written by the Rev. G. N. 

 Wright; and it is with much pleasure 

 that we now advert to a new publication 

 by the same author, in no respect inferior 

 to that volume. It is entitled, a Guide to 

 the County of fVicklow, and is illustrated 

 by engravings after the designs of George 

 Petrie, esq. with a large map of the coun- 

 ty. Works of this nature are very gene- 

 rally dry and uninteresting ; but, with such 

 elegance does Mr. Wright describe the 

 beautiful scenery, and the curiosities, both 

 natural and artificial, of the districts upon 

 which he treats, that his volumes cannot 

 be perused without exciting feelings of 

 interest and pleasure. These are by no 

 means lessened by the beautiful drawings 

 which accompany the text. If it should 

 ever be our fortune to visit this romantic 

 country, we could wish for no better 

 guide than this little volume to accom- 

 pany us. 



So well are we acquainted with most 

 parts of the globe, tiiat we do not often 

 receive much original information respect- 

 ing the curiosities and topography of the 

 countries which are visited by our travel- 

 lers, through their numerous journals, 

 which are so constantly issuing from the 

 press. We cannot recommend any of our 

 readers to peruse Notes during a Visit to 

 Egypt, Nubia, the Oasis, Mount Sinai, and 

 Jerusalem, by Sir Frederick Hen- 

 NiKER, bart. with that view ; but, if they 

 wish for amusement, and for a knowledge 

 of the manners of the provinces through 

 whicli the worthy baronet |)assed, they 

 may derive much of these from his per- 

 sonal adventures. He gives us an account 

 of his various successes at his favourite 

 sport of shooting, of his many dangers, 

 and complains bitterly of the number of 

 dogs by which he was every-whcre tor- 

 mented : nor does he omit to inform us of 

 his " delightful" intrigues with a native 

 woman, of dark colour. Such are the 

 principal subjects of his volume, and his 

 style is exactly suited to them. Those 

 who peruse it will derive much entertain- 

 ment from the pleasant manner in which 

 the various incidents are narrated ; but we 

 will not uudei'take to promise them any 

 more substantial advantage. 



Amongst the numerous dramatic at- 

 tempts of the present day, we may distin- 

 guish, as entitled in many respects to our 

 warm commendation, the Bride's Tragedy, 

 iy S. L. Beddues, of Pembroke College, 

 (ixford. It is characterised by a highly 

 poetical ca?t of imagery and diction, 

 Tihicht 



