1822.] 
‘The third article is a review of the 
Epistole Obscurorum Virorum, a~ se- 
vere satire upon the indolence, igno- 
rance, stupidity, and knavery, of the 
Romish priesthood. It was ‘written 
about the period of the Reformation, 
by Usricw von Hutten, a Franco- 
nian gentleman and a scholar,—of 
whose life and writings, a brief but 
interesting account is here given. 
As‘the wit of the original (consisting 
in part of its barbarous Latinity,) 
would necessarily be lost in transfer- 
ring it'into another language, the re- 
viewer has judiciously translated spe- 
eimens. in the text of his article, 
appending the original Latin in the 
form. of annotation. 
The fourth article treats most 
amusingly of the Oourts of Love, an 
institution unfortunately not known 
within these realms. The partiality 
of our laws,—all enacted by the male 
population,—has unjustly excluded 
the fairer part of the creation from all 
share in public magistracy; and we 
sincerely hope that the perusal of the 
present article may induce our lady 
readers to refuse all obedience to 
those laws, in the making of which 
they had no voice. Of this, at all 
events, we are very sure, that, from 
the spirit of wit and gallantry so un- 
usualin such ‘‘decent gentlemen in 
black” as we suppose the reviewer to 
be, which pervades this article, our 
fair readers will use their influence to 
promote the circulation of a work so 
favourable to the imprescriptible rights 
of women. 
The next is a; subject of graver 
character, and one to which we are 
glad to see the attention of the public 
at length attracted. We allude to the 
History of Witchcraft. Of all the 
degrading superstitions. which have 
at different periods possessed the 
human mind, none had a greater or 
more baneful influence than this. Its 
contagion was universal. No rank, 
age, sex, or character, presented a 
defence against the supposed: power 
of its practices; and, on the other 
hand, the most remorseless cruelties, 
and the *vilest judicial iniquities, 
excited no indignation when their 
object was supposed to be a witch. 
* The first’ book of Scot’s “‘ Discoverie 
of Witchcraft” contains an able exposure 
of these horrible and illegal practices ; 
and see Montesquieu, Esprit. des Loix, 
liv. xij. chap. 5. t é 
Retrospective Review, No.9. 
-“ Literary Hours.” 
493 
Tt will not of course be expected that 
we should here enter into any disqui- 
Sition upon the subject; but such of 
our readers as are desirous of further 
information, will be gratified by the 
perusal of the present article, or some 
very able papers in the London Maga- 
zine. 
The subject of the stath article is 
the Lives of Sir Dudley and Dr. North, 
a pair of family portraits, by the same 
hand, and painted in the same style, 
as that of Lord Keeper Guildford, 
reviewed in a former number of this 
work. It will hardly be expected, 
that the lives of an industrious Turkey 
merchant, and of a quiet, unambitious. 
scholar, should afford very striking 
materials for history; but the anec- 
dotes and observations contained in 
them throw considerable light upon 
the manners and character of the 
times. he work under review de- 
rives great interest from ‘the amiable 
picture which is here presented to 
us of the youngest of four brothers 
being firmly and tenderly attached to 
each, and all, through life; and, after 
their death, spending the last years of 
his retirement from the world in re- 
cording their virtues, and describing 
their actions.” 
Article seventh is a notice of the 
Poems of Robert Herrick, a poet 
whose very name was almost unknown 
till the publication of Dr. Drake’s 
Some. charming 
specimens are here produced, which, 
as usual, excite in us a desire to be- 
come better acquainted with the 
author. The following bijow is so 
“short and sweet,” that we cannot 
resist the temptation of transplanting 
it to a more congenial soil. ? 
To Blossoms. 
Fair pledges of a fruitful tree, 
Why do ye fall so fast? 
Your date is not so past, 
But you may stay yet here awhile, 
To blush and gently smile, 
And go at last. 
What, were ye born to be 
An hour or half’s delight, 
And so to bid good night? 
‘Tis pity Nature brought you forth, 
Merely to show your worth, 
And so to lose you quite. 
But you are lovely leaves, where we 
May read how soon things have 
Their end, tho’ ne’er so brave; 
Atter they have shewn their pride, 
Like you a while, they glide 
Into the grave. 18 
And 
