1822,] 
indeed, was the first to* question the 
authenticity of old Izaak’s statement, 
but it was reserved for the author of 
this learned article satisfactorily to 
preve the identity of Chalkhill and 
Walton. 
The fifth article is a most elaborate 
Defence of the Knights Templars; and 
the author, as well from the examina- 
tion of the original proces, as from the 
testimony of the most approved and 
unbiassed writers, has, we think, sufli< 
ciently proved, that no legal decision 
could be founded upon such proceed- 
ings. We would not, he says, admit 
the truth of one single fact contained in 
the loathsome collection ; we would not 
allow one solitary conclusion from such 
facts. We do not mean to assert that 
portions of the evidence may not be 
true ; but we say that, from their ad- 
mixture of falsehood, it is impossible to 
distinguish such portions; and, there- 
fore, we cannot be sure that we are not 
erring whenever we give credit to any 
part of the evidence. 
well worthy of perusal, but we think 
that it pre-supposes tou much previous 
knowledge. 
The works of Robert Southwell, a 
pious and unfortunate Jesuit, executed 
for high treason in the reign of Eliza- 
beth, furnish a subject for the sixth ar- 
tiele. There is considerable beauty in 
some of his poetical productions, and 
his prose pieces are remarkable for en- 
ergy and passion; indeed, (as the re- 
viewer elegantly expresses it,) he seems 
to have been almost afraid to trust 
himself in the fairy-land of poesy, lest 
he should imbibe some of its illusions ; 
so that, in his poetical pieces, his genius 
is much more restrained than in his 
prose compositions. Perhaps the stan- 
zas, headed Loss in Delays, p. 274, are 
among the best of the extracts, though 
we disapprove of the metaphor in the 
concluding stanza. 
The seventh. is the conclusion of 
the highly finished and claborate ar- 
ticle upon the Novum Oreanun of 
Bacon. "Phe author is certainly Mr. 
* “T have sometimes thought, (says Mr. 
Singer,) that this might be a youthful pro- 
duction of his (old {zaak’s) own; and I 
think that he had enough of poetry in 
time to have written it.” See his Intro- 
duction to Whittingham’s elegant reprint, 
12mM0, 1820, pages vii, and viii. We quote 
from memory. 
Retrospective Review, No. VIII. 
The article is’ 
325 
Montagu or the devil,—aut Erasmus 
aut Diabolus. Vad he entitled his ar- 
ticle an analysis of the whole works of 
Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam and 
Lord Chancellor of England, he had 
not perhaps gone too far; but we can- 
not help wishing that he had indulged 
in a view of those noble speculations 
which a subject so inviting might well 
suggest. The most learned of our 
readers, however, cannot, we think, 
failto derive both profit and instruction 
from the perusal of this paper,—Indocti 
diseant, et ament meminisse periti. 
The eigth is an interesting and ele- 
gantly written article upon the Memoirs 
of Gaudentio di Lucca, a political ro- 
mance, which, however, istoo common 
to fall properly within the jurisdiction 
of the Retrospective Review. In con- 
tradiction to Mr. Chalmer’s positive, 
but unsupported, assertion to the con- 
trary, the writer has satisfactorily 
proved that this work was the produc- 
tion of the ingenious, but speculative, 
EBe:keley. 
The concluding paper is a review of 
the Tragedies of George Chapman ; his 
comedies, it is understood, are to fur= 
nish an article for the next number. . 
To asuperficial reader Chapman is uport 
the whole repulsive, and even incom- 
prehensible. His productions are re- 
markable for bombast and grandilo- 
quence. These faults are vital. They 
are dramas, and yet cannot be justly 
called dramatic; their language and 
thoughts are commonly turgid and in- 
flated in the highest degree, and it is 
but very rarely that the gross hyper- 
boles with which they abound sink into 
just and natural conceptions. When we 
add that, from one of his plays to the 
other, we do not recollect one touch of 
pathos, or a single powerful appeal to 
any one natural passion, we think, 
says the Reviewer, we shall have sect- 
tled his claims to be considered as a 
great tragedian. Nevertheless, George 
Chapman is made of stern stuff: he 
wears well, and is the better for know- 
ing ; and we feel obliged to the writer 
of the interesting article before us for 
having collected, as it were in a store- 
house, those passages which are worthy 
of aitention, and thereby saving his 
readers the trouble and Jabour of 
wading through the mass of rubbish 
in which his ‘* precious jewels” are too 
frequently enveloped. 
ORIGINAL: 
