1792* • °" Smollefs writings. 133 



family, enfor jes, with asioniihihg eloquence, the mad- 

 nefs and infamy of paternal tyranny, and the delici- 

 ous raptures of paternal tendernefs. In the character 

 of honest Bowling, Smoliet, if any where, excells him- 

 self : The captain's speech to his crew, when about 

 to engage a French man of war, is such a master- 

 piece, that, in reading it, we feel a sort of involuntary 

 impulse for a broadside. The phlegm of an old 

 lawyer is happily illustrated in the conchict of Ran- 

 dom's grandfather, and forms the most striking con- 

 trast imaginable to the ferocious benevolence of the 

 naval veteran. The disappointment of the maidea 

 aunts, on opening the old man's will, is infinitely na- 

 tural and amusing. The entertainment in the man- 

 ner of the ancients, affords a strange specimen of 

 the learning and abilities of its author. The oration 

 of Sir Launcelot to an election mob, is in the true 

 spirit of Cervantes. The knight elucidates, with 

 exquisite sense, humour, and propriety, the miserable 

 farce of representation in parliament ; and the inso- 

 leace of a rabble, incapable and unworthy of a better 

 rrovernment, is in harmony with the conviction of 

 very reader. In this age, many gentlemen publifli 

 volumes of criticism, and attempt to illustrate the 

 Jiuman mind upon metaphysical principles. In their 

 works, it is usual to cite pafsages from poets, and 

 other writers in the walk of invention ; yet it is sin- 

 gular that they have seldom or never quoted Smoliet, 

 whose talents reflect honour on his country, and who, 

 next to Buchanan, is by far the greatest literary ge- 

 nius of whom north Britain has to boast. The ad- 

 miration of the public bestows an ample atonemedt 



