Literary and Critical Proemittm. 



1824.J 



respect rather polite to his readers : 

 though, even with him, we were casually 

 at fniilt. However, we closed his pages, 

 pleased to describe them as instructive 

 and entertaining. 



The Poetical Grammar of the English 

 Language, by J. Fitch, is a little book, 

 which, in this age of in{;enuons speculation 

 and varied iniprovenient in systems of 

 education, may prove to many instructors 

 an agreeable present. Poetical grammars 

 are common to most languages : for our- 

 selves, we do not like them ; in onr own 

 day we were fiogged up to their rote, but 

 ^Idom nnderstood them. Every initia- 

 tory book should be as simple as possible; 

 Terse has its fetters for this, and therefore 

 is subject to objections. Mr. Fitch's 

 Morocco is not without as much j)oetry as 

 may be in such things; yet we are a little 

 apprehensive, it has words too big for a 

 child's comprehension, as well as too long 

 for his memory. We underlined some 

 verses as rather lame for a grammarian. 



Hints on Ornamental Gardening, is a 

 Tolume pleasing to look over, and still 

 more pleasing to copy from. Tiie designs 

 for adoption are light, imitable, and taste- 

 ful ; the pi iuts clear and perspicuous, and 

 the descriptive text pressed with intelli- 

 gence. To the improvements of rural 

 residence, this book is likely to fuinisli 

 considerable facility : perhaps it is by fos- 

 tering a kindness for such embellishments, 

 and smoothing their execution through 

 the proprietor's hands, that the architec- 

 ture of the country may be most readily^ 

 j)rofitpd, and the pleasures of domestic 

 retirement most attractively increased. 



Vie de Rossini, par M. de Stenuiial. 

 Signer Kossini's visit to this country was 

 preceded by the best recomniendalion 

 any man may enjoy in a strange place : 

 we mean that general appreciation by 

 which his musical talents were applauded 

 amongst us. Biit what a pity is it, that, 

 secure of a grateful meed upon high aud 

 unquestioned deserts, men will so fre- 

 tpicntly and so idly pervert the eye of 

 )ii aise, often to a weakness, and sometimes 

 to a sin. Jiossini is unusually vain : the 

 contents of these vdlumes, ani more so 

 the circumstances of fliem, amply evi- 

 dence the truth. Stendhal is confessedly 

 a fictitious name : Rossini ha.s not, per- 

 haps, written the book ; to such a task he 

 may be unequal, but we are without 

 doubt that he furnished the contents. 

 And what are they ? A too particular 

 account of how often and lowly this lewd 

 composer has debauched the name of 

 love, disgraced his tah'Uts l)y a crnde 

 subserviency; and, to j)i(|ue a ^uperior, 

 inarricd his mistress. In F'anco, where 

 it is so seldom a bride's fault to have been 

 virtually another's before marriage, or in 

 his own Italy, where most hnsbuiids arc 

 too observant of other woiugu to guard the 



C)3 



purity of their own wives; these dirty 

 pages might make a black feather in the 

 musician's cap ; but assuredly, in this 

 country, his impndence will meet its 

 merit. The decency which has loi;g made 

 the happiness of our homes is not to be 

 violated by such a Giovanni as Signor 

 Joachim Rossini. We most heartily_ 

 reprobate this biography: yet who ivoulii 

 have thought it 1 The shameful theme was 

 first puffed and quoted here by two peri- 

 odicals, tiie first of which is unceasingly 

 prosing over the dull immorality of my 

 Lord Byron's works, and the other is the 

 retained advocate for those sainls-quotha ! 

 once of Bridge-street, and those others of 

 Vice, who mined a poor bookseller for sel- 

 ling the Chevalier de Faublas! Fie, 

 Doctor Mawworm ! 



The Pilgrim's Talc, by Chari.es 

 Lock ART, deserves a word of note for its 

 odd inscription, frank advertisement, and 

 easy verse. In those days when pilgrims 

 roamed, and sung wild tales, our author 

 Bays they were then, and even still are, 

 ever best when simg for bread and 

 cheese. One of this brotherhood of repu- 

 table vagrants presented himself before a 

 bower, in which sate a Spanish don, his 

 daughter fair, an only child, and her 

 lover— 



Iij lionont'8 canse who faced his country's foes. 

 And lost an eye among their onter works; 



Tlicn in the lioly wars lie lost Iiis nose, 

 An ear, and his Jclt leg, among tlie Turks. 



Tiie pilgrim poet '' smoothes his beard," 

 aud '' tells a tale for bed and board." We 

 hav e not quite room to tell it now ; but, as 

 a specimen, here is a toast to scare from 

 New Year gambols : 



Vet for the hackney'd wish of health and Joy, 



Til is were my cry in prison and in storm,— 



' May rank disease prey on thy wasting form 



Till life become thy curse, and drath deny 



Thy only, ceaseless, soul-breatlied prayer, to diet 



Then shall thy hand, perchance, be druL'ged like 



mine. 

 To venom more that rancorous heart of thine. 

 And my glad spirit — if such spirits he— 

 Knsh from its home of punishment to thee, 

 Aud bear thy tainted soul to hell's eternity." 



This, gentle reader, is a suicide's sentiment 

 over a bowl of poison ; need we add, that 

 the poem is a dark romance, all passion, 

 crime, aiwl horror P Yet is it checkered 

 by several pretty songs, and some tender- 

 ness: as this vow from an unfortunate 

 lover. 



Oh ! rapture ' 



To think thy love at lengtli will realize ' 

 My youthful visions; that distress will flee 

 Jleforc lliy smiles, and life's bole purpose be 

 To view the tearful dew arise, and slmw 

 Hehind it the Iresii morn's empvreal Amv, 

 WillidrawiiiL;, like tlieelonds (jf onr distress, 

 I'rum Veiling scenes ul' heaven and liaii|i]ness. 

 To wander oy the i;lh!irin streamlet',~ side, 

 Anrl feel onrtraminil life as gently glide- 

 To gaze togellier on the stars aJM.ve," 

 And thiidi tbeui angel't eyes that view our love; 

 'Iluu- 



—Fertile, indeed, as i.s the litciatnre of 



the age, it yet is sad to think how lew iii>; 



the corfcct models the student may be 



guided 



