1824.] 



though few, arc so explanatory of the 

 iiatiiie and scope of his design, tiiat \ie 

 cannot better preface ilie observations we 

 are abont to make, tlian by their quota- 

 tion. — '* Of the perfections of Bachelors' 

 Wives it is unnecessary to speak : they are 

 so well known, tiiat no eulogy, even from 

 the ablest pen, could do tlieni any decree 

 of justice. But the manner in which 

 those sweet intellectual creatures enter- 

 tain their solitary husbands, their conjugal 

 c(^nversations, and the manifold poetical 

 graces and rational blandishments with 

 which they render their society so delight- 

 ful and endearing, are not generally 

 known. We have, therefore, undertaken 

 the agreeable task of informing the world 

 with respect to topics so interesting; and 

 we doubt not, that, before our labours are 

 completed, we shall have persuaded all 

 our (air and gentle readers to emulate the 

 fascinating intelligence of the faultless, 

 the ever-placeiit, ever-pleasant, compani- 

 on, Egeria." These prefatory remarks 

 indicate, that the undertaking to which 

 they relate is humourous in its kind; and 

 that, though looking through a coloured 

 medium, we may see things wearing a hue, 

 derived in part from the tints artificially 

 thrown upon their surface; yet their 

 forms, at least, are delineated with truth, 

 and rendered amusing, as much by the 

 judgment with which they are selected, as 

 by the cast or maimer in which wit has 

 displayed their natures and character. 

 Among the subjects introduced under the 

 general head of The Bachelor's IVife, or 

 Egeria, the principal are those of Elo- 

 quence, Manners, Stray Essays, Stray 

 Poetry, IVitchaaft, Death of a Cynic, Ncg- 

 lecttd Poets, Plague Poets, Battle of the 

 Titans, Rhymes of Idleness, German Genius, 

 Old English Manners, Scottish Scenery, and 

 Standard Novels, These are treated with 

 acuteness and perspicuity. A knowledge 

 of life and maimers, the possession of just 

 sentiment, and a certain animated and 

 striking style in their display, form the 

 distinguishing features of the volume; 

 which will not, we think, fail to inform, as 

 well as amuse, its readers. Historical, 

 poetical, biographical, dramatic, and hu- 

 morous, the Bachelor's IVife is diversely 

 interesting ; and, presenting pabulum for 

 almost every taste and disposition, will be 

 found as generally acccpl<iblc in its mate- 

 rials as it is various in its qualifications to 

 interest and gratify. 



Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Mrs. 

 Frances Sheridan, Mother of the late Right 

 Hon. Richard Brinsky Sheiiuan. This 

 volume, in addition to the matter im- 

 plied by its title, includes criticisms and 

 selections fiom the works of Mrs. Sheri- 

 dan, and biographical anectlotes of her 

 family and contemporaries. From this 

 publication, (a single volume,) those wlio 

 arc curious respecting a fuuiily, stiikin^ly 



Literary and Critical Proemium, 259 



distinguished by its mental endovjments 

 and domestic afflictions, may learn what- 

 ever is most worthy of being known. 

 While tl'.e merits of the mother of the late 

 Richard Brinsley Sheiidan are repre- 

 sented, and justly represented, as very 

 considerable, a variety of interesting anec- 

 dotes concerning the latter are succinctly 

 and pointedly given ; and no little light is 

 thrown on the early and later habits of his 

 life, as well as on the qualifications, feel- 

 ings, and moral character, of his amiable 

 consort, the elder daughter of the ingeni- 

 ous Mr. Dniey, whose musical composi- 

 tions were so honourable to his genius. 



1 he Sweepings of my Study is a diverting 

 little work, comprised In a single volume ; 

 the author's manner of obtaininu' the con- 

 tents of which is described as follows: — 

 *" What isallthis, Sukey?' was the question 

 I put to my house- keeper, who was busied 

 in rummaging her wardiobe. 'Yon ap- 

 pear to me to have made a large collec- 

 tion of manuscripts.' ' They are the 

 sweepings of your study, sir. I was con- 

 cerned, after the pains I had observed you 

 to bestow on them, to see you tear, and 

 scatter on the fioor, so many of your pa- 

 pers; so, with the help of a few wafers, I 

 brought the pieces together as well as I 

 could, thinking they might amuse me 

 hereafter, as I perceived that the greater 

 part of them weie in the anecdote way.' 

 ' You are a good girl, Sukey, and a sensi- 

 ble girl, equally prudent and careful. I 

 am thankful to you for this, as fo"- other 

 favours. Hand me the bundle, and I will 

 see whether I cannot find something that 

 may be acceptable to my friends. I have 

 neglected them for a long time, but who 

 can guard against sickness. Unless for 

 your tender nursing, they might never 

 have heard from me again. As it is, the 

 sooner, I think, I set about it, the better ; 

 and you shall help me out with your judg- 

 ment in the selection.'" Thus furnished 

 with his materials, and aided in their selec- 

 tion and arrangement by Sukey, the au- 

 thor produces a collection of humorous 

 scraps, or pleasant morceaux, ner.r three 

 hundred and fifty octavo pages of very 

 varied and occasionally entcitaining, anil, 

 in some instances, instructive matter. The 

 anecdotes branch into subjects connected 

 with every order of society, and include 

 remarks on every kind of circumstances, 

 sentiments, habits, and piiuciplcs. 'I'hey, 

 in fact, form a sort of historical and bio- 

 graphical patch-work, exhibiting, in ditt'er- 

 ent columns, the various characters of 

 men and things, and human affairs in all 

 their incidental details. 



Sketches nf the Philosophy of Apparitions ; 

 or an Attempt to truce such Illusions to their 

 Physical Causes, by Samuel HiiiiiEKT, 

 M.I). Inasnmch as this publication is 

 directed lothescnsibleand urbancpiirpose 

 of arming the mind agaiust delusion, of 



every 



