548 
producing few eminent writers, but memor- 
able for the dominion exercised by Gotts- 
ched, whose models were exclusively French. 
The tyranny of this leader was resisted by 
the Swiss Bodmer and Breitenger, the pa- 
trons of the English models, and under 
their vigorous exertions, succumbed the 
authority of Gottsched. The subsequent 
history of German poetry is better known, 
and we conclude our brief notice, with the 
editor’s reply to the charge of sentimentality 
and mysticism usually urged against Ger- 
man literature. 
As to the first (says he) it cannot be denied that 
from the time Giethe wrote his Werter and Mil- 
ler his Siegwart, Germany was deluged with sen- 
timental novels and plays, calculated to emascu- 
late even the most robust minds; nor could poetry 
entirely escape the lacrymose infection. But sen- 
timentality has never been one of its charac- 
teristics; and thanks to the stern realities of the 
times in which we have lately lived, my country- 
men are now almost. radically cured of this 
malady, 
But the charge of mysticism, as a general one, 
is unfounded. The German language supplies 
many terms for the mysterious emotions of the 
mind, which are not found in English. The ex- 
istence of such peculiar expressions naturally 
produces peculiar and more profound methods of 
reasoning, which render inany of our philosophical 
writings, and even some of our didactic poems, 
unintelligible to those who like to read, ‘‘ as they 
run.’ For such, there certainly is much mysti- 
cism in German literature; but it soon disappears 
to those who are in the habit of applying thought 
to the productions of thought. 
The volume contains also biographical 
notices of all the poets quoted. 
Apician Morsels, §c. by Dick Humelber- 
gius Secundus ; 182G.—The votaries of the 
kitchen and Dr. Kitchiner—and who are 
not votaries of the Dit Culinarii 2—will, 
no doubt, find ample materials in this olio 
to tickle their palates, though they may 
have to dip and plunge their forks or feelers 
into the mess more than once before they 
fish up any thing precisely to their taste. 
The truth is, here are conglomerated, by 
singular industry of research, all sorts of 
matters, any thing and every thing, that 
could, by ingenuity, and even violence, be 
twisted into any connexion with the science 
of good eating—and all in most admired 
disorder. Here are gravities upon tempe- 
rance, and gaieties upon gluttony ; maxims 
from Hippocrates to Cornaro, and from Cor- 
naro to Cullen—memorable sayings of me- 
morable gowrmands, and still more memo- 
rable doings—truths masked by ironies, and 
absurdities by puns and parodies—receipts 
for punch and prescriptions for pills—the 
bane and antidote—dainties of yore, and 
delicacies of the day—miseries and feli- 
cities—advice to Amphitrions, and warn- 
ings to parasites—with sundry other anti- 
theses, too numerous to mention—_together 
with endless allusions, and abundant ex. 
tracts from the Al/manach des Gourmands, 
and a multitude of other French publications, 
Monthly Review of Literature. 
[ May, 
on the subject of eatics, of which we con- 
fess ourselves in most unenviable ignorance, 
and quite incompetent to dive into the mys- 
teries that crowd upon us, and wrap us ina 
cloud of more than Egyptian darkness. 
Hunc igitur terrorem animi tenebrasque ne cesse 
est f 
Non radii solis neque lucida tela diei 
Discutiant, sed natura—edendique cupido. 
An Analysis of the Second Decade of 
Livy, chronologically arranged on Two 
Charts, by Fred. Russell. M.A.; 1829.— 
This, it may be presumed, was originally 
executed to assist the analyser himself to 
encounter some examination, perhaps, and 
very effectual assistance it probably furnish- 
eds but we have no notion it can assist ano- 
ther to the same extent. Like causes, like 
effects, and, we have little doubt, the same 
result—a clear and full possession of the 
contents—can only be obtained by a similar 
process, or some equivalent labour. It is 
the very effort of such a reduction that fixes 
—not glancing over the tabular statements 
of another’s analysis. More is perhaps 
grasped for the moment, and for immediate 
shew, but we are pretty confident it will 
slip from the memory, as readily as water 
through the fingers. Nevertheless, a thing 
of this kind is good for reference—for re- 
freshing facts and dates. 
No part of Livy is so generally read as 
this of the Second Punic War; but the 
narrative is so broken and detached, by 
being thrown into the form of annals, that 
it is extremely difficult, especially by such 
as are learning the language at the same 
time, to keep up with the connexion. Year 
by year the author details the events of the 
city and the seats of war, and the reader is 
driven from Italy to Sardinia, and Spain, 
and Africa, to pursue cotemporary details ; 
but that is the fault of the writer, or rather, 
perhaps, of the subject, which is incapable of _ 
strict unity, or more compact statement. In 
one respect the order is natural enough—it 
is that of councils and results—but it fails 
in continuity ; matters might have been more 
insensibly, and, in the same proportion, 
more agreeably mixed. Mr. Russell has, 
however, analyzed the whole; and the 
materials, by the aid of two of the “ broad- 
est”’ sheets—some nine square feet—he has 
contrived to throw into two tables, which, 
studied previously and simultaneously with 
the narrative, cannot fail of facilitating the 
reader’s acquisition, and keeping things in 
his mind all in their proper places. Truly, 
with all the aids that are now daily supply- 
ing, the student will soon have no occasion 
for his own intellect—all will be done me- 
chanically, and steaming will soon be as 
common as “ grinding.” We begin to 
wish we were young again, when we think 
of our own comparatively unaided faggings. 
The rising generation will put their fathers 
to shame. But, seriously, though much 
may be superfluous, we cannot think it will 
be all thrown away. 
