Philosophy of Contemporartj Criticism, No. XXX. 



1823.] 



icvcmioB, dining tlie storniy periods of 

 the Ifulbioiation, and the subsequent 

 contending rivalsliips of Episcopacy 

 and Piesbyt riiuiisni. Jii the scramble 

 tor possession of lb. tithes between 

 the lay-improprictors and the crown, 

 the churcii, — who claimed all, and pos- 

 sessed none, — was neglected. In the 

 time of Charles the First a general 

 adjustment was made, and rendered 

 more effectual by subsequent enact- 

 ments. The tithes were all valued at 

 a fifth part of tiic rental of the estate, 

 and sold to the proprietors of the land 

 at nine (afterwards six) years' pur- 

 chase. If not purchased, a fifth of the 

 rent was the commutation. In addi- 

 tion to this, the landholders still re- 

 mained liable to the maintenance of the 

 parochial clergy, in snch sum as slrould 

 be modified by the Commissioners of 

 Funds appointed for that purpose. 

 The stipends of the clergy, at first 

 small, are augmented from time to 

 time, according to the will of these 

 commissioners, never to exceed a fifth 

 of the rent; and these "processes of 

 augmentation," as they are called, pro- 

 duce continual heart-burnings between 

 the minister and the heritors of his 

 parish, with which the farmer, always 

 holding at rack-rent, has nothing to do. 

 The chief objection to tithes is the 

 vexatious mode of exaction when le- 

 vied in kind, and the uncertain dura- 

 tion of any commutation, in conse- 

 quence of the livings not being here- 

 ditary. On the Scotch system the 

 stipend of the clergyman is no griev- 

 ance to the lessee; because, if he pay 

 it in the first instance, it is always 

 deducted from his rent. 



Moore's Loves of the Angels, and 

 Byron's Heaven and Earth, form tlie 

 .subject of the second article ; which, 

 we acknowledge, is a bona fide review. 

 The contrasted comparison and dis- 

 tinctive description of the mannerism 

 of these favourite poets, will be read 

 with pleasure by every admirer of 

 sound criticism and fine writing ; not- 

 withstanding a few dashing meta- 

 phors, that remind us of faults which 

 the critic himself condemns. To say 

 that Mr. Moore may " shine on, and 

 fear no envious eclipse, unless it bo 

 from an excess of his own light," is an 

 inconceivable conceit worthy of an Irish 

 poet; but the following jjaragrajdi, 

 extracted from several pages, posses- 

 sing in an e<pjal degree the same rare 

 combination of fcjicitous and ilorid 



MO.VTHLY M.vu. No. 3bl. 



313 



discrimination, demonstrates that the 

 criticism has been drawn up by the 

 hand of a master. 



We do not believe Mr. Moore ever 

 writes a line, that in itself would not pass 

 for poetry, that is not at least a vivid or 

 harmonious conimon-phice. Lord Byron 

 writes whole pages of sullen, crabbed prose, 

 like a long dreary road, that, however, 

 leads to doleful shades, or palaces of the 

 blest. In short, Mr. Moore's Parnassus is 

 a blooming Eden ; Lord Byron's is a rugged 

 wilderness of shame and sorrow. On the 

 tree of knowledge of the first, you can see 

 nothing but perpetual flowers and verdure; 

 in the last, you see the naked stem and 

 rough bark ; but it heaves at intervals with 

 inarticulate throes, and you hear the 

 shrieks of a human voice within. 



The publication of the Speeches of the 

 Right Honourabh Henry Grattan, has 

 brought forth nearly forty pages of ful- 

 some panegyric upon the public con- 

 duct and the eloquence of that gentle- 

 man. After wading, with praiseworthy 

 patience, through this wearisome mass 

 of words and sentences, we confess 

 that the writer has failed, with all his 

 talents, in convincing us, (as he really 

 strives to do,) cither that Mr. Grattan's 

 eloquence was equal to that of Demos- 

 thenes, or that his patriotism was more 

 enlightened than that of a modern 

 Whig. In the former, the few extracts 

 given in this Review give evidence of 

 his inferiority ; and, in the latter, it is 

 sufficient to state, that he was always 

 found by the side of the ministry when 

 there was a question of waging war 

 against the liberties of France. 



The fourth is a well-written article 

 upon Botany Bay, consisting, chiefly, 

 of Remarks on the " Riport of the Com- 

 viissioner of Lujuiry into the State of the 

 Colony of New South Wales." Mr. 

 Bigge, the author of that Report, was 

 sent to that colony, for the purpose of 

 enquiring into the conduct of Gover- 

 nor Macquarrie, who, it would seem, 

 was more foolish than wicked. One 

 of the strongest charges against the 

 governor, was that of advancing con- 

 victs to the dignity of magistiates ; 

 and, on the probable necessity, and 

 even utility, of doing so, in such a 

 colony, the Reviewer makes many 

 very sensible remarks. " Men," says 

 he, " are governed by words; and, un- 

 der the infamous term convict, are 

 comprehended crimes of the most dif- 

 ferent, degrees and species of guilt: 

 therefore, to say that a man must be 

 placed in no situation of trust or elcva- 

 S s tion. 



