1822.] 
We think there is less sentiment, and more 
good sense and cleverness, than in some of 
the works of these latter ladies, without, 
however, displaying the powers of a Mrs. 
Brunton, or Hannah More, or the know- 
ledge of character possessed by Mrs. Opie 
or Miss Edgeworth. 
Mr. Mathias has continued to amuse his 
leisure hours abroad, by courting the so- 
ciety of the Tuscan muses, who seem to 
have conferred upon their votary all the 
warmth and brillianey of native song. Tn 
addition to his former collections and no- 
tices: of the Italian Poets, with original 
Canzoni and Sonetti, another volume is just 
come into our hands, published at Naples, 
“¢ Poesie Liriche Toscane di T. J. Mathias 
Cinglese.) Membro della Societa Reale ¢ di 
guella degli Antiquarj in Londra, Pastore 
Arcade, Membro Corrispondente dell’ Accu- 
demia della Crusca, e Soeio Corrispondente 
della Societa Pontaniana in Napoli’? All 
this is very honourable, and we are grati- 
fied to hear of it: an accomplished scho- 
lar, and a man of elegant taste and pur- 
suits, we are not surprized that he should 
rank high in the estimation of all the 
learned and best portions of society in 
which he moves. We find this is also a 
second Neapolitan edition; and that, like 
its anthor, it has been extremely. well re- 
ceived. Though the production of the 
“ fair and sunny clime,” 
Ch’ Appenin parte, el mar circonda e 
VAlpi,” 
we are not of opinion that it quite sustains 
the character previously obtained by some 
-of the best of his other pieces. What he 
has acquired by greater ornameut, idio- 
matic excellence, correctness, and richness 
of diction, he has more than lost in the na- 
tural strength and vigour of his imagery, 
and want of the ‘‘esiro poetico,” so essen- 
tial to give life and beauty to Italian 
poetry. On the whole, however, this work 
conveys a high idea of the powers of an 
author who can aft once unite so mach 
ease and yivacity with so much originality 
and correctness in a foreign tongue., The 
volume contains many high testimonies 
from several individuals and societies, to 
the author’s genius and merits, nor unde- 
seryedly so ; as, besides the re-publication 
of some “ Canzoni,” which place them 
beyond dispute, we have a “Drama 
Lirico,” a translation of Milton’s Lycidas, 
with stanzas to different ladies, written in 
very pure and eloquent Tuscan, ' 
Mr. MontGomery has lately presented 
the public with a new version of some of 
the Psalms, underthe title of Songs of Zion, 
being imitations of PsUms. His talents are 
peculiarly manifested in poems of a devo- 
tional character; and, in the present in- 
stance, he has not fallen short of his usual 
taste and feeling. He is undoubtedly en- 
titled to great commendation for the skill 
Literary and Critical Proémium. 
535i 
with which he has contrived to kecp suffi- 
ciently near to the meaning of the original, 
while he has avoided introducing any du- 
bious interpretations, and «necessarily 
attempting to develope those hidden allu- 
sions which those compositions are by 
some supposed to contain. It is no dispa- 
ragement to this effort of Mr. Montgo- 
mery’s muse to admit, that, in point of 
grandeur, he often falis below the simple 
and sublime elevation of the original. 
To those who find ‘a pleasure in exa- 
mining the interesting -antiquities with 
which the metropolis abounds, we cannot 
do better than recommend a curious and 
important work, entitled, Loadina Illus- 
trata ; Graphic and Historic Memorials of 
Monasteries, Churches, Chapels, Schovls, 
Charitable loundations, Palaces, Hails, 
Courts, Processions, Places of Early Amuse- 
ment, and Modern and Present Theatres in 
the Cities and Suburbs of London and West- 
minster. ‘This splendid volume, which is 
filled with prints, some of which are exe- 
cuted with great ability, contains a large 
body of historical and antiquarian informa- 
tion, and is agreeably interspersed with 
anecdotes of the distinguished persons 
whose names are connected with the build- 
ings which are described. The portion of 
the work which relates to the old theatres 
(chiefly in Southwark,) seems to have been 
composed with more particular care ; and, 
indeed, the information which it contains 
is curious and valuable, in a literary point 
of view. Many of the prints are now first 
engraved from: original drawings, and 
others are copied from plates which have 
become of rare occurrence. ‘The typo- 
graphy of the work is scarcely equal to the 
engravings. j 
A volume on the subject of publie edu- 
cation has just made its appearance, en- 
titled, Plans for the Government and Liberak 
Instruction of Boys, in Large Numbers, 
drawn from Experience. The principle is 
one, at the mention of which the ancient 
despotisms of Eton and Winchester must 
tremble “ from turret to  foundation- 
stone ;” being no other than that of leaving, 
as much as possible, all power in the hands 
of the boys themselves. The monarchy of 
the master is, in fact, constitutionalized, 
aud a representative government formed, 
accompanied by a formal administration of 
law, anda competent police establishment, 
Under this system, the: school becomes a 
well-regulated and orderly society, go- 
verned in a manner adapted to rational 
creatares. Had’ such plans as these pre- 
vailed in Cowper’s time, he would not haye 
had o¢casion to denounce, as he did in his 
‘Tyrocinium, the wickedness and evils of 
great schools. To such institutions as 
these, the most apprehensive father may 
commit his boy with confidence, without 
any anticipation of the insults and miseries 
which he must endure as a fag, o1 under the 
ferule 
