LEYDEN’S SCENES OF INFANCY——CRAWFORD’S POEMS. 
as it is, it will be useful to the lovers of 
Italian literature in this country, where 
foreign books are not easily to be pro- 
cured, even at a price three and four-fold 
of their original cost. 
The prefatory notices are brief but 
useful. The editor must surely be mis- 
taken, when he asserts that Pope was ac- 
customed to say there were only two per- 
ART. XXI. Scenes of Infancy 
WE have seen many poems of the pre- 
‘ sent day which greatly resemble this, and 
yet we scarcely know how to characterize 
it. The verse is smooth, the diction ele- 
gant, the matter varied, a picturesque 
country is described, many fanciful su- 
perstitions are touched on, many histo- 
rical facts narrated, which are interesting 
even in plain prose; yet altogether the 
performance is not impressive. Except 
a slight degree of affectation, we are un- 
able to point out any positive fault inthe 
style; but in the plan of the piece there 
is a great and obvious one—it wants re- 
gularity, compactness, and union of parts 
mtoa whole. Perhaps we should be full 
as correct in saying the piece has no 
. plan. 
_ Still, if this were all, detached parts, 
however, might please, or indeed the 
whole, when considered as a miscellany, 
_ like Cowper’s Task, which surely arrests 
attention full as forcibly as any regular 
3 epic in our language. But, if we must 
Arr. XXIL. Poems on several Occasions. 
“(Oh 12mo. 
©. IN these volumes there is a great deal 
of sound morality and orthodox religion, 
and about as much poetry as in a copy 
of the Bellman’s verses. But these 
sweeping censures are unpardonable : 
gentle reader, then, judge for yourself, 
.** Pale sickness spread o’er Delia's face of late, 
“Threaten’d her brilliant charms t’ obliterate ; 
Dimm’d was the lustre of that beauteous eye, 
Whiclvapathy might warm to extacy. 
__ They fear’d, who knew the highly valued maid, 
That medicine would try in vain its aid.” 
__ The maid recoyered, however: phy- 
_ Sicians sore, long time she bore, but at 
4 Jast got well. © 
$63 
sons inthe world who understood Greek, 
Calvini, in Florence, and he himself in 
London. Pope was too feeble a Grecian 
for this vaunt. The Rector of L. does 
not extend his supremacy beyond the li- 
mits of England, not even after dinner, 
when he confines the knowledge of Greek 
to one man. 
; descriptive of Tiviotdale. By Joux Leyozx. 12mo. 
pp. 184. 
say it, one trifling circumstance still re- 
mains to be objected---Mr. Leyden és not 
a poet, and when this is the case, a man is 
as little likely to succeed in a scene as in 
a drama—in an epigram as in a satire— 
in a couplet as in a volume. 
Though it may rather militate against 
our assertion, we quote Mr. Leyden’s 
best passage, in which the genuine feel- 
ings of his heart seem to have been his 
inspirers. Speaking of himself is apt 
to render the plainest man eloquent. 
Mr. L. it is to be observed, is about to 
embark for the East Indies. 
«* Not yet, with fond but self-accusing pain, 
Mine eyes; reverted, wander o'er the main; 
But, sad, as he that dies in early spring, 
When flowers begin to blow, and larks tosing, 
When nature's joy a moment warms his heart, 
And makes it doubly hard with life to part. 
I hear the whispers of the dancing gale, 
And, fearful, listen for the flapping sail, 
Seek, in these natal shades, a short relief, « 
And steal.a pleasure from maturing gricf.” 
By Cuarres Crawgprp, Esq. 2 vols. 
pp- 250. ota : 
Among other pious breathings, we 
have a poetical paraphrase, as it is call- 
ed by a violent misnomer, of our Sa- 
viour’s sermon on the mount: exempl: 
gratia: 
“« Ye know full well, by those of ancient time, 
Adultery was held a heinous crime; 
But I to you laws dictate more severe, 
And say—unto a woman whosoe’re 
The wishfal eye a love of lust shall datt, 
Is a complete adulterer in heart.” 
Reader, hast thou enough? If not, ze- 
pair to Mr. Becket, of Pall Mall, and 
buy the book. ‘ 
Oo2 
