1825,} 
terrific, or pleasing, or mournful, or ludicrous ; but 
whether they are poetical or not, must wholly de- 
pend on the powers of the artist by whom they are 
represented ;”"—that ‘* There are no great subjects, 
but such as are made so by the genius of the artist ;” 
—that ‘* Poems on the most unfavourable subjects 
have, through the mere genius of their authors, been 
engraven on the tablets of immortality. Thus, we 
have the Battle of the Frogs and Mice, of Homer; 
the Georgics of Virgil; the Chess-Play of Vida; the 
Bees of Rucellai; the Syphilis of Fracastoro; the 
Lutrin of Boileau; the Rape of the Lock, by Pope; 
the School-misiress of Shenstone; the Task, by 
Cowper; the Deserted Village, by Goldsmith; the 
Cotter’s Saturday Night, by Burns; and the humo- 
rous or ludicrous compositions of Butler and of 
Swift.” 
We own it was with some degree of sur- 
prise, that we beheld, in this enumeration 
of “subjects the most unfavourable,” the 
School-mistress, the Deserted Village, and 
the Cotter’s Saturday Night; and the 
reader will readily conclude, that Mr. B. 
should have had little difficulty in triumph- 
antly shewing, that, according to the princi- 
ples he had laid down, these were subjects 
completely favourable for poetry. Nor is he 
less successful with respect to Cowper’s 
Task—whichhe is even disposed, somewhat 
extravagantly perhaps, to suffer to be rank- 
ed with “‘ poetry of the very highest order ;”’ 
but shews, satisfactorily enough, that it is 
not in the sofa, or in any imagery derived 
from the sofa, or immediately applicable to 
the sofa, that the poetry, er materials for 
the poetry, will be found; but in the di- 
gressions from it, which the poet so 
excursively indulges,—wandering, at will,. 
through all the beautiful and sublime of 
nature, with nevyer-failing appeals to the 
best passions and emotions of the hu- 
man heart. To the other productions, 
referred to by Mr. Roscoe, the appellant 
assigns, as we think, pretty correctly, their 
proper rank and station: and, in short, 
much as we are disposed to rate the general 
talents of Mr. Bowies beneath some ef that 
host of antagonists with whom he has had 
to contend, we cannot but regard him, so 
far as the fundamental principles of criti- 
cism are concerned, to have come off, in 
this controversy, with flying colours. 
“The Bar, with Sketches of eminent Judges, 
Barristers, &c. &c.; a Poem, with Notes, 
12mo.—What might not this subject have 
been in the hands of a Churchill! Asa 
theme, the Rosciad is nothing in compa- 
rison with it. But our author is not a 
Churchill. His satire is not poignant, nor 
his panegyric splendid ; and his poetry, not 
often above mediocrity, is apt occasionally 
to be a little prosy. Yet there is a class of 
readers to whom it may furnish some 
amusement, and some information. Asa 
brief specimen, the following is one of the 
most favourable that occurs to our recol- 
lection :— 
** Behold me then (the first bright season pass'd) 
On the Law’s rough and boundless ocean cast, 
Full freighted with a student’s precious store, 
Bald Norman French, gnd deep black lottei'd lore, 
Literary and Critical Proémium. 
165 
Statutes at large ‘‘ by Rimmington” complete, 
Tp force—repeal’'d—modern, and obsolete; 
Correct reports-of ‘* Cases in IKX.B.” 
Later decisions still which don’t agree, 
Sound dicta—rules for ever to abide, 
Settled to-day—to-morrow set aside! 
Guide-posts, with hands reversed since yesterdsy, 
That only serve to lead our steps astray |” 
The Star in the East : shewing the Analogy 
which exists between the Lectures of Free- 
masonry, the Mechanism of Initiation into 
its Mysteries, and the Christian Religion. By 
Georce OLIver, Vicar of Clee, &c., Au- 
thor of “* The Antiquities of Free Masonry.” 
12mo.—The reverend author seems yery 
desirous of convincing us that no man can 
be a true Freemason without being a good 
Christian ; and seems almost disposed to 
infer, that no one can be a good Christian 
without being a Freemason—at least in 
his heart. We, however, can see nothing 
in Freemasonry that should prevent a mo- 
ral and benevolent Turk, a Brahmin, or a 
Pagan of Africa, from being of the craft. 
It has more to do, we conceive, with the 
religion of the heart, than of creeds and 
ceremonials: a bond of universal benevo- 
lence and reciprocity ;—a link to bind again 
togetherthe scattered brotherhood of man, in 
whatever regions dispersed, or by whatever 
prejudices of education separated. This 
little book, however, will of course be read 
by those of the uninitiated who are desirous 
of catching such glimpses of the venerable 
mysteries of the order, as his bond of faith 
may permit a loyal brother dimly to sha- 
dow forth. 
Practical Observations upon the Education 
of the People, addressed to the Warking Classes 
and their Employers, By H. Broucuam, 
Esq:, M.P., F.R.S. This little pamphlet, 
says Mr. B., in his dedication to Dr. Birk- 
beck, 
** Contains a portion of a larger discourse, which 
more pressing, but less agreeable, pursuits have long 
prevented me from finishing, upon the important 
subject of Popular Education, in its three branches, 
Infant Schools, Elementary Schools (for reading and 
writing), and Adult Schools.” 
We recommend it to the attentive perusal 
of all those who feel an interest in the 
morals, the comforts, and the utilities of 
the industrious classes of the community ; 
in whose well being :nd improved intel- 
ligence, according to our view of the sub- 
ject, are involved all that is connected with 
the real welfare and prosperity of the na- 
tion. 
—— 
FOREIGN LITERATURE, &c, 
FRANCE. 
La Morale et la Politique d’ Aristote. Par 
M. Thurot, Professeur aw Collége Royal de 
France.—The essay on politics, contained 
in the present (the second) volume, is one 
of the most interesting treatises of Aristotle. 
M. Thurot has written an introduction to 
this volume, in which he gives many im- 
portant observations gn the origin and pro- 
YY 2 
’ 
gress 
