414 
charged bim in his account the ex- 
penses of both journeys; and so en- 
tangled was his lordship, that he was 
obliged to allow it. 
Another instance is that of an old 
usurer, who went down to the seatof a 
duke, and actually knocked him up in 
the night to get money, or such securi- 
ties as might enable him to raise it. 
The duke never liked the usurer alter- 
wards, but he was too far gone to be 
able to resent the liberty taken with 
him. 
—= 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
NEWS FROM PARNASSUS. 
NO. XXIX. 
Don Juan. Cantos 9, 10, and 11. 
HE surprising fecundity of Lord 
Byron’s muse, together with the 
interest which, from his acknowledged 
superiority as a writer, attaches among 
the admirers of poetry to all of his 
productions, have latterly kept the pen 
of the monthly critic in almost constant 
exercise. In our Number for Sep- 
tember, we gave a notice of the sixth, 
seventh, and eighth, cantos of the Don 
Juan; and, sirce writing that article, 
three more cantos of this singular, 
poem have appeared before the pub- 
lic. Weare aware that some of his 
lordship’s admirers entertain fears for 
his reputation, in consequence of the 
rapidity with which bis recent publi- 
cations haye succeeded each other; but 
we consider their apprehensions as 
unfounded. ‘The peculiar cirecum- 
stances of the noble author’s life and 
character, by abstracting him from 
public business, and even in a great 
measure from society, have rendered 
writing at once his occupation and 
amusement; and hence we may natu- 
rally expect, that his effusions must 
be more numerous than they wouid 
have been, bad he continued, as for- 
merly, to mingle in the frivolities of 
the fashionable, and the dissipation of 
the gay. Nor is a mind like his,—so 
amply furnished by reflection and ob- 
servation, as well as by transcendent 
genius, with the richest materials for 
poetry,—in danger of speedily ex- 
hamusting itsstores. We readily admit 
the fact, which every day’s experience 
confirms, that yery voluminous writers 
are frequently found to excel in no- 
thing but the quantity of their produe- 
tions; but we believe it, will be found, 
upon), examination, that. the best 
authors in every language have gene- 
rally written wuch. Anacreon and 
Catallus among the ancients, and our 
News from Parnassus, No. XX1X. - 
[Dec. 1, 
own countrymen Gray and Collins, are 
almost the only instances of very 
limited labours obtaining an exalted 
literary reputation. Nor is this to be 
wondered at; for there is in all compo- 
sition, particularly in verse, something 
of a mechanical art, whieh, though it 
will not of itself ensure excellence, 
contributes greatly to embellish the 
intellectual part, and which attention 
combined with practice must necessa- 
rily improve. The success, too, which 
has generally attended the early at- 
tempts of those who have been distin- 
guished for literary eminence, would 
infallibly operate as a powerful stimu- 
lant to continued exertions, particu- 
larly upon persons with most of whom 
fame was the dearest, if not the only, 
prize sought. 
‘The same excursive style of digres- 
sion which prevailed in the former 
cantos of the ‘‘ Don Juan,” is conspi- 
cuous in these. The ninth opens with 
an address to Wellington; in which, 
to adopt the author’s own language, 
his “unflattering muse deigns to m- 
scribe” to his grace “truths that he 
will not read in the Gazettes.” After 
alluding to many passages in the life 
of the “great captain. of the age,” 
which will not do much honour to his 
memory in history, the poet concludes 
his address with the following pithy 
and just remark :— 
You did great things; but, not being gread/ in mind, 
Have left undone the greatest,—and mankind ! 
We are then indulged with some 
metaphysics and pyrrhonism, which, 
with all our admiration of his lordship, 
we think not particularly pleasing ; 
and are at last reminded of the exis- 
tence of Juan, who was left on his way 
to Petersburg with Suwarrow’s dis- 
patch. The mention, however, of this 
seat of despotic power makes the 
author diverge into an indignant 
tirade, in which we so heartily join, 
that we cannot forbear transcribing 
it :-- 
For me, I deem an absolute autoerat. 
Not a barbarian,—but much worse than that. 
And I will war, at least in words, (and—should 
My chance so happen,—deeds,) with all who war 
With Leones and of thought’s foes, by far most 
rude 
Tyrants and sycophants have been, and are. 
1 know not who may conquer; if k could ; 
Have such a prescience, it should be no bar 
To this my plain, sworn, downright detestation 
Of every despotism in every nation. 
It is not that Ladulate the people; 6 6 
Without me there are demagogues enongh, 
And infidels to pull down every steeple, 
And set up in their stead some proper stuff, 
Whether ariniend sow scepticism to reap hell, 
As is the Christian dogma rather tough, 
1 do not know;—I wish men to be free 
As much from mobs as kings,—from you as me. 
In 
