158 
pearls scarce fairer than the brow?” All 
the rest is mere yerbiage. For as for the 
pearls, themselves, being scarce fairer than 
snow, there could be little occasion to tell 
us that«|But it. may, be:mecessary to in- 
form our poetesses, and our poets too, that 
instead of rhyme being an apology for am- 
plifieation of words, the only true licence 
of poetic language consists in that liberty 
of metaphor and elision, by means of 
which thoughts can be expressed in a 
much smaller number of syllables than 
they could possibly be in prose. If sacri- 
fices of propriety and conciseness are made 
to the measure, it will not be surprizing 
that they should also be made to the 
rhyme. , 
*© Slowly he bow'd, with graceful air, 
Then leaning on his harp s0 fair, 
He stood.” 
¢* But the fond mother’s softer heart 
Still closer press'd th’ envenom’d dart.” 
What is the meaning of a fair harp? or 
of a heart pressing a dart? ‘The only an- 
swer that can be given is—that what was 
meant, in both cases, was merely to make a 
thyme. Faults of this class come so thick 
in the first thirty pages of this volume, 
that if we had applied, in its full extent, 
Dr. Johnson’s critical metaphor of the leg 
of mutton, we should certainly have read 
no further; but should have condemned 
the whole work, perhaps, with a single line. 
But our candour was more patient, and it 
was rewarded. In the simple octosyllabic 
stanza with alternate rhyme, we found our 
fair’ minstrel much more happy. ‘Two of 
her tales in that metre, “‘ The Legend of 
Furness, and “ The Milk-white Hound,” 
(though not free from critical blemishes, 
and occasional plagiarisms) are really very 
beautiful. We extract the following speci- 
mens from the former. 
«« Where peace and learning seem to dwell, 
Mark those deep lines of woe and care! 
Where yon dim window lights the cell, 
' Behold the image of Despair! 
“« See that fair form in youth’s first glow, 
As tow’rd the Cross are raised her eyes :— 
Are those Devotion’s tears that flow ?— 
Are those pure Rapture’s sainted sighs ?” 
«« There are some pure, some youthful hearts, 
That catch the wild Enthusiast’s glow ; 
And oft, in momentary starts, 
May feel such fancied raptures flow ; 
«* But can a state that rends away 
Life's purest, sweetest, holiest ties, 
The Almighty Father’s will obey, 
Or hope for favour in hiv eyes?” 
And the following from the song of the 
bard in the same tale— ; 
«© The flowers have sprung the wreath to twine, 
By Beauty’s hand for Valour wove; 
And bright their hues were form’d to shine, 
Emblems of glory, joy and love! 
«<« Lowly they bend each blooming head, 
And slowly drops the fragrant tear; 
_ They mourn for beauty, blighted, dead, 
‘They droop around the silent bier.” 
Monthly Review of Literature,’ 
[Sept. 1, 
The superstitions of the Isle of Man are 
worked up with some felicity of fancy in 
“ Milk-white, Hound” and the poem is 
by no. means deficientin. that) kind of ro- 
mantic. interest. of which the fairy tale is 
susceptible: But-in her ‘Saxon’ Legend 
—Edwin” she has degraded one of the 
finest historical subjects in our annals, into 
an insipid half heroic pastoral. Even in 
ballad, Mrs. R.’s is not the historic vein ; 
and she should certainly be a. little better 
informed in these matters before, she ven- 
tures to illustrate, even in her own poetry, 
by historical reference or annotation; the 
historical note upon this subject being-ere 
tissue of the most inconceivable blunders. 
Adelfrid, the brother-in-law of Edwin, is 
called his uncle Ethred; the riyér Lea is 
brought into Norfolk to supersede the 
Yare; and Ethelburga, the daughter. of 
Ethelbert, King of Kent, is made daughter 
to Redwald, King of the East Angles. But 
these are only part of the errors included 
in the short compass of nine lines. We 
may admit some licence in these matters to 
the poet; but the historical annotator 
should have some regard to facts. 
—S 
FOREIGN LITERATURE, &e. 
FRANCE. 
Essais sur les Rapports Primatifs, &c.—. 
Essays on the Primitive Affinities of Philo- 
sophy and Morality. By Chevalier Boz- 
zeLu1.—Paris.—Of this very philosophical 
work, M. Laujuinais, of the Institute, 
thus speaks, in No. 77, of the Rev. Lne. 
for May. ; 
The author understands, by Philosophy, the ne- 
tural science of the development of the human 
mind, or of man considered as a being endowed 
with thought and volition. Morality is the science 
of the rules of voluntary action, or the natural 
science of man considered as an aetive agent. As 
to the development of mind, M. Bozzelli adopts 
the theory of Aristotle, Locke, -Condillac, &c. 
From sensibility he passes to sensation, tojudgment, 
and volition, to feelings of grief, and to pleasure, 
which, whether preceded or followed by pleasure or 
by pain, appeared to M. Bozzelli, the sole and’ ne- 
cessary source of the determination of the will. It 
is hence that he arrives at his deduction of morality, 
and it must be confessed of a morality the most 
strict, pure and religious, from the phenomena 
alone of pleasure and pain—that is to say from the 
two sole desires of man, to shun pain and to seek 
for pleasure. The doctrine is of great antiquity, 
but has often been rejected by great philosophers; 
and more lately by M. B. Constant and. M. Torom- 
bert ; and it must be said, that misappréhension of 
the basis has frequently conducted to, the most 
culpable theories, and the most pernicious mis- 
applications. The author’s system is certainly nei- 
ther ancient nor modern platonism, nor, stoicism. 
But we must take it entire; with him, thoroughly 
distinguishing sensual pleasure from those, moresub- 
lime, of enlightened intellect and,_ good, feeling; 
and which originate in communication with God, 
and the contemplation of eternity, Thus practically 
wo Sess **Saterpreted 
oer err OO EE eee 
