22 The Philosophy of Cotemporary Criticism. [Aug. \ f 
That still could keep afloat the struggling 
tars, 
For yet they strove, altho’ of no great use: 
There was no light in heaven but a few 
stars, 
The boats put off, overcrowded with their 
crews.; 
She gave a heel, and then a lurch to port, 
And, going down head foremost —sunk, in 
short.” 
52. 
Then rose from sea to sky the Yi\i& fare¬ 
well. 
Then shriek’d the timid, and stood still the 
brave, 
Then some leap'd overhoard with dreadful 
yell, 
As eager to anticipate their grave; &c. 
men might have some chance to save them¬ 
selves, for the boats were at some distance. 
Loss of Pandora frig . p. 378. 
“ We had scarcely quitted the ship, w r hen 
she gave a heavy lurch to port, and then 
went down head foremost.” 
Loss of Lady Hobart packet. 
52. 
“ At this instant, one of the officers told 
the captain she was going down, and bid¬ 
ding him farewell , leapt overboard : the 
crew had just time to leap overboard, which 
they did, uttering a most dreadful yell." 
Loss of Pandora frig. pp. 197-8. 
$ For the Monthly Magazine. 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF COTEM¬ 
PORARY CRITICISM. 
No. XIV. 
Quarterly Review , No. 49. 
T HE first article in the present 
Number bears tile title of 44 the 
Spanish Drama.” This is improper; 
for, in fact, it is a disquisition concern¬ 
ing the plays and genius of Calderon, 
with a few slight preliminary remarks, 
and an extract from Lord Holland’s 
Life of Lopez de Vega. Such, howe¬ 
ver, as it is, the critic is temperate and 
judicious; hut we do not agree with 
him in thinking that there was any 
other cause than the general spirit 
of the age, for the resemblance which 
he finds between the plays of the 
Spanish and English stage. But per¬ 
haps when it is considered, that at one 
time the English and Spanish crowns 
were united—and that there was a 
chance of the union becoming perpe¬ 
tual by the progeny of Philip II. and 
Mary I., it may have been the fashion 
in England, during their time, to cul¬ 
tivate a taste for Spanish literature, and 
to imitate Spanish amusements, and to 
this fashion we may owe the resem¬ 
blance in our dramatic entertain¬ 
ments which has been so often noticed, 
and never satisfactorily explained. We 
merely throw out the idea for consi¬ 
deration, with remarking only, that it 
was not till some time after this sup¬ 
posed fashion, that the resemblance al¬ 
luded to became general, for the first 
English plays possessed a Grecian sim¬ 
plicity of fable. 
The second article is a gentlemanly 
notice of Captain Lyon's narrative of 
his travels in Northern Africa, w ith a 
few touches at a most absurd example 
of the ignorance of mere book learning 
concerning the Niger and the Nile, by 
one John Dudley,a vicar. Weentirely 
agree with the reviewer in thinking 
Captain Lyon’s book highly interesting, 
from the manner in which it is written ; 
we think, also, that w r e can discern in 
the address and natural urbanity of 
the Captain, that he w r as well qualified 
for the task of exploring Africa. As 
for his companion, Ritchie, he seems 
to have been a poor, weak, impractica¬ 
ble creature—and as little qualified to 
wend his way among barbarians as any 
one that ever embarked in an enter¬ 
prise so difficult. 
44 The Sketch Book,” the pleasant 
publication of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., 
furnishes the materials for the third ar¬ 
ticle. We are gratified to observe that 
the endeavours of the American authors 
have been treated of late with more 
candour and indulgence among us than 
formerly. This is no doubt owing to 
their own improved taste, and partly 
to a better humour springing up to¬ 
wards them. Hitherto, indeed, to use 
a Yankee expression, the productions 
of the American press have been very 
trashy; but there is an urbane and 
European ease, even elegance, in the 
style of Mr. Washington Irving—that 
has done much to increase the literary 
consideration of his countrymen. We 
anticipate from his pen a lively and in¬ 
teresting account of the continent, al¬ 
though lie seems to have fewer associa¬ 
tions, in connection w ith wliat he will 
see in France and Italy, than any other 
author who writes so w 7 ell. Perhaps 
his freedom from classical ideas will 
enable him to give us the more amus¬ 
ing work. 
The Jourth article, on the Military 
Force of Great Britain, is drawn up 
with ability, but deserves the severest 
censure 
