74 



Monthly Rrviciv nf Literature, 



[Jan 



the best of tlie editor's contributions. The 

 " Deserter" is a striking tale, rendered 

 more interesting by its being founded on 

 fact. There are many others of considera- 

 ble merit — among them some simple poems 

 by Clare, and some which are not wortliy 

 of insertion, jNIi-. Watts may improve the 

 whole volume. The prose portion is su- 

 perior to the poetical, although, two or 

 three pieces of the poetry are of a high 

 stAmp. The engravings are very beauti- 

 ful, yet we hope that all the subjects 

 in the next volume, will equal several in this 

 one. 



The Literary Album. — If this volume 

 only contained Montgomery's " Questions 

 and Answers," it shoidd be in the bands 

 of every poet, and every lover of poetry. 

 It is, to our taste, one of the most extra- 

 ordinary short poems in the English lan- 

 guage : tlie finest is Montgomery's " Com- 

 mon Lot." Lord Dillon's contribution is 

 worth ten thousand of his " Sir Richard 

 Maltravers," and removes him from the 

 black-list to which that work deservedly 

 condemned liim. This volume is intended 

 for the young, the innocent, the gay — 

 what right then ha^■e the Stanzas by Lord 

 Byron to Lady Caroline Lamb in the 

 collection? Does the editor think tiie 

 present generation is wholly blinded by 

 the brilliancy of a name? If he docs 

 he is mistaken. It is the common error 

 of those who do not mingle with the world, 

 to suppose that a name has the power of 

 transmuting bad poetry hito good : it is a 

 mistake, let what is really good appear, 

 make it known, and name will be vox et 

 prcEterca nihil. Mr. Maturin'spoem on the 

 Duke of Wellington is the best wc ever 

 read on that renowned warrior. Lord Por- 

 chcster has also a poem, written with facility 

 and good taste. Many more might be enu- 

 merated if our space wold pemiit it. The 

 engravings and typography are not so costly 

 as those in the " Souvenir," but are credi- 

 table and deserve commendation. 



Forget-Mc-Xot. — Another volume similar 

 in structure to the two preceduig. The 

 " Ever;ing Prayer" by Mrs. Hemans, is 

 touchingly beautiful, and full of thought and 

 taste. " Ua More" is interesting and well 

 described. There are many contributions 

 of great merit among the number; but it 

 will bear being raised several degrees, as 

 well as the others. The frontispiece from 

 Westall's Contemplation, 's quite beautiful, 

 and the other engravings superior. We hope 

 next vear to have all subjects, not dining- 

 tJibles, &c. 



All ^infvmn in Greece, .Jr., hri II. LvT- 

 TOV Bi'i.WER, Esq. — These lively letters 

 are evidently the production of a joung, ta- 

 lented, and enthusiastic man, on whoso 

 mind every uncommon object appears to 

 have created some degree of astonishment. 

 We have so few impartial accounts of the 

 state of Greece, that tiiese letters are of 

 value, since they contain much of what the 



writer saw, and are interspersed with de- 

 scriptions of Eccner)', which prove him to 

 have both poetical and pictorial feeling. 

 There is rather a forced attempt at shrewd- 

 ness and witticism, as if the writer con- 

 ceived it to be fashionable, or necessary, to 

 attempt that «hich his friend Mr. Sheri- 

 dan, to whom he dedicates his book, pos- 

 sesses by nature — we might say inherits. 

 His remarks on the admniistration of Sir 

 Thomas Maitland are boyish, and shew a 

 sad degree of ignorance, or of misinformation 

 on the nature of his government. If Mr. 

 BuUver had inquired into the state of the 

 inhabitants, on Sir Thomas Maitland's ap- 

 pointment, he would have found them to 

 have been in the daily practice of forgerj-, 

 perjury, and chicanery of every description, 

 and their mercantile character at a very 

 low ebb. The laws he instituted were 

 such as he saw would progressively im- 

 prove their moral state, and add to their 

 credit. The improvement produced by 

 his system, has so elevated the inhabitants, 

 that the same off-hand command would 

 not suit them now. Sir Frederick Adam 

 has continued his system, without his pre- 

 decessor's eccentric deportment- We are 

 not prejudiced, and so admit, that fools 

 and knaves were always in danger of Sir 

 Thomas Maitland's anger; and that even a 

 person he disliked, with or without a rea- 

 son, would have been «ise to have kept 

 out of liis way ; but he was not " an abc- 

 minable tyrant," but a frugal, ethcient com- 

 mander, to whom the inhabitants of the 

 Seven Islands owe a great deal, and will 

 hereafter own, with gratitude, the benefi- 

 cial results of his decision and laws. 



Mirror of Months. — Those v\hq are 

 pleased with highly-finished pictures, will" 

 be gratified with the contents of this vo- 

 lume. It is evidently written by a minute 

 observer, and a person somewhat acquaint- 

 ed with the manners of the great world. 

 The playful hits at many distinguished in 

 the beau-monde, arc gentlemanly and haji- 

 py. It classes with Miss Mitford's Mi- 

 lage Sketches, and in the estimation of 

 some will be considered superior to tluit 

 popular work. 



Brady's Varieties of Literature — Tlie 

 late industrious author of the Clavis Calen- 

 daria was not likely to leave behind him 

 any work which was not well worthy of 

 notice. The present volume will be found 

 a very curious an^ amusing collection of 

 Proverbs, Miscellanea, Names of Places, 

 Curious Derivations, &c. It is well 

 adapted, either to be thrown on the table 

 of the drawing-room, to be made the com- 

 panion of a journey, or the playtliing of a 

 man of letters, or the after-dinner enter- 

 tainment of the solilcire. We will indulge 

 ourselves with the following quotation : — 



" Burutan's Ass, — Curidan supposed a hungiy ass, 

 or ail ass equally hungry and thirsty, placed between 

 two bi'.slieJs of oals, or a bushel of oats aad a vessel of 

 water, taih being equidKlar.t ficm liiqt : he tfccu in- 



