20 
may always surrender his farm to his 
landlord. Individuals may do so, but 
a population of many thousands could 
not, by a simultaneous effort, quit their 
residences, and throw themselves upon 
the world, without encountering diffi- 
culties at the contemplation of which 
human nature revolts. 
These observations are made with the 
honest hope that they may meet the eye 
of those who have it in their power to 
alleviate the distresses—and correet the 
evils which lead to the direct commis- 
sion of crimes destructive of every prin- 
ciple of moral obligation and humanity. 
Dec. 15, 1821. A.G 
—>——_ 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
OUR correspondent, J. of last 
month, is desirous of learning 
Anglo-Saxon, in order to acquire better 
knowledge of modern English. Ele- 
mentary books, of that language, or 
classical works of any kind, to answer 
his purpose, never existed. Lye’s 
Dictionary willsupply him indeed with 
the words; but German is now the 
polished standard of modern gothic 
literature ; which, if attained, will en- 
able him to understand any of the 
other dialects as easily as a Londoner 
would a Cumberlander. In fact, our 
dialects, north of the Humber, partake 
more of the Scandinavian than of the 
Anglo-Saxon, which are both gothic, 
as well as the German or Teutonic. 
Jan. 5, 1822. ats 
—>—_ 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF CONTEM- 
PORARY CRITICISM. 
No. XVII. 
Quarterly Review, No. 50. 
CRAZY forgotten book, the “ Pur- 
LK suits of Literature,’ contains one 
observation meriting notice: * Lite- 
rature,”’ says the writer, “ well or ill 
conducted, is the great engine by which 
all civilized states must ultimately be 
supported or overthrown.’ It were a 
difficult point to decide, whether reli- 
gion, education, or literature, in the 
1ands of power, would tend most to its 
stability: it is certain, however, if by 
any means it could obtain the direction 
of all three, its influence would be un- 
bounded, and a nation so enslaved 
would enjoy only an automaton exist- 
ence, following every impulse of its 
rulers. Perhaps in a country where 
knowledge has become a source of en- 
joyment to nearly all classes, the last 
The Philosophy of Contemporary Criticism. 
[Feb. J. 
would be the most powerful engine of 
authority : the impressions of education 
are frequently modified by experience, 
and the influence of religion in a scep- 
tical age (for such it is said to be) can- 
not be considered universal; but litera- 
ture—inecluding in that term every 
production of mind—interesting nearly 
every individual at the most important 
period of life, may be considered all- 
powerful, and whoever has acquired its 
direction, holds all the great springs of 
sociely. 
It is, no doubt, from a conviction of 
the great importance of this instrament, 
that modern policy has seized on the 
press as its most powerful auxiliary. 
Offences against established opinions 
are in conseqnence no longer punished 
as formerly ; they have become obnox- 
ious to a far more scientific mode of in- 
fliction, and instead of the rude ma- 
chinery of ancient tyranny—inquisi- 
tions, tortures, and massacres—maga- 
zines, reviews, and newspapers, have 
been instituted as the more effective 
guardians of intolerance and abuse. 
There is some wisdom, as well as mer- 
cy, in this innovation. It was only 
clumsy work to sacrifice whole sects 
and parties tothe Moloch of Orthodoxy ; 
and the present practice of stifling use- 
ful truths by destroying the eredit of 
their authors, with imputations of zm- 
morality and impiety, appears more hu- 
mane and judicious. Under this sys- 
tem writers are nearly the only suffer- 
ers; they are the scape-geats of their 
parties, and the productions of their 
pens, their philosophy, poetry, travels, 
and histories, are made to atone for 
their own want of faith in the utility of 
decayed boroughs and the purity of the 
Holy Church. 
Having just adverted to this new 
reign of terror, we shall enter on our 
task. The Quarterly is the head of the 
inquisition we have attempted to de- 
scribe; the followers in the train of 
the literary Jaggernaut are more an- 
noying from number and noise than 
poiguancy of venom. In the present 
Number, we havea fair assortment of 
the good and bad qualities for which 
this Journal has long been distin- 
guished ;—some authors are impaled 
for their politics, some for their reli- 
gion, and some for their licentiousness ; 
anid in cases where there are no sins of 
this nature to answer for, they are 
treated with fairness and discernment. 
It will be best, however, to show up 
the lot in detail. 
On 
