485 
hiftory, in the period now under re- 
trofpection, is unqueftionably BioGRras- 
Puy. This department has been en- 
Fiched with feveral very excellent and 
amportant works: Mr. Hayley has pre- 
fented the public with an enlarged and 
much improved edition of his ‘ Life of 
Milton :”’ he has exhibited the perfonal 
character of the poet in new and ‘inte- 
refting points of view 3 and has very fuc- 
eefsfuily vindicated him from the obloquy 
ef former biographers: the work. is 
written with found judgment, correct 
zaite, and patient good-humour. j 
Dr. Burney has publifhed, “ Memoirs 
ef the Life and Writings of Metafta- 
fio,” in which, though the incidents 
are few and fimple, the reader will be 
highly gratified with an elegant exhibi- 
tion of the character, tafte, and fenti- 
ments of the poet, prefented chiefly in 
his own letters. Lord Sheffield has pub - 
iithed, in two large volumes, very valu- 
able Remains cf his friend, the juftly ce- 
lebrated author of “Fhe Decline and 
Fall of the Roman Empire.” In his Li- 
terary Papers, are feen the {cholar and 
the man of tafte; and, in his Memoirs 
and Letters, the man, in all the amiable 
- gualities, and interefting peculiarities of 
bis perional charaéter. “Fhe well earned 
reputation of the hiftorian has net been 
impaired by permitting him to become 
his own biographer.—But the moft im- 
portant publication of the period before 
us, and one of the mof valuable addi- 
tions which have for many years paft 
been made to the ftock of Englifh lite-_ 
¥ature, is Mr. Rofcoe’s Life of Lorenzo 
de Medici; a work which was received 
with fuch avidity by the public, that the 
whole impreffion was fold within a 
month from its publication. From 
fources little known, and many of them 
now for the firft time brought to lighr, 
fr. Rofcoe has diligently colleéted, and 
accurately communicated to the public, 
much information concerning one of the 
firft characters in the fifteenth century, 
and concerning one of the moft import- 
ant portions of modern hiftory. With 
the biographical memoir, are interwoven 
many particulars, highly interefting, con- 
cerning the recovery of ancient manu- 
fcripts, the revival of letters, the re- 
ftoration of the fine arts, and the general 
hiftory of the times. The work is 
written with that elegant fimplicity, 
which indicates correétnefs and refine- 
ment of tafte; and, at the fame time, 
bears ftrong marks of vigorous intelle, 
ce 
and fupericr genius. Many of the 
Bitgraphy .i. Voyages and Travel. 
[July 
poetical productions of this period, both 
in Latin and Italian, are in this work 
jxft prefented to the publics and of thefe, 
not a few are tranilated in exquifitely 
{weet and harmonious verfe, and with 2 
peculiar felicity of expreilicn: in fhort, 
we hazard nothing in afferting, that the 
author of this work has ere‘ted for him- 
felf a lating monument of literary fame. 
At a period, lefs {plendidly diftinguifhed 
in this walk of literature, a larger pors 
tion of attention might have been drawn 
towards Dr. Anderfon’s judicious re= ~ 
view of “ The Life of Johnfon3” -and - 
towards Mr. Dyer’s ‘“* Memoirs of Ros 
bert Robinfon ,” in which an original 
and ftriking character, mafked with ees 
centricity and rudenefs, but diftinguifhed 
by ftrong-fenfe and fterlmg merit, is de= 
cribed with pleafing fimplicity ef fentis_ 
ment and language. Dr. Thompfon’s 
correct and handfome “ Tranflation of 
Suetonius,’ ought not to be overlooked, 
nor to be mentioned without commen- 
dation: we with we ‘could fay the fame 
of Dr. Coote’s. feeble attempt to fupply 
that great defideratum iw biography, a 
good “‘ Life of Julias Cefar.” 
VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. —_ 
That ever-growing magazine @f pubs 
lic amufement and information, the li- 
braty of voyAGES and TRAVELS, has” 
lately received feveral’ valuable accef= 
fions.—Mis. Wollftoncraft’s ‘* Letters 
from Sweden,” &c. though not written 
with fiudied elegance, interefts the reader 
in an uncommon degree, by a philofo- 
phical turn of thought, by bold fketches 
of nature and manners, and, above ally’ 
by ftrong expretlions of delicate fenfi=” 
bility —Mr. Pratt’s «‘ Gleanings through 
Wales, Holland, and Weftphala,” are 
very amufing, and will be particularly 
acceptable" to the fentimental reader $ 
had the author, however, confined him= 
felf more ftri€ily-to faéts, the work, if 
lefs entertaining, had been more valu- 
abie.—Mr. Murphy, a-refpectable ars 
chiteét, has given the public fome new 
information, and much entertainment, 
mixed with profeffional details, in. his 
‘“¢ Travels in Portugal.’’—Mr. Heéarne’s 
“* Journey from Prince of Wales’s Fort, 
in Hudfon’s Bay, to the Northern 
Ocean,” though not elegantly written, 
provides much food for curiofiry.—Mr. 
Owen’s “* Travels into different Parts of 
Europe,’’ are more remarkable for cor- 
rectnefs of ftyle and fentiment, than for 
variety of entertainment 5 the reader, 
throuch the whole tour, perceives that 
=} 
Ut 
™m 
aii 

his guide is an Englifh cergyman,—Light 
and 
