Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature —T he Drama. 
Mr. DuTron’s “ Wife Man of the 
Eaft” is a coarfe and ill-tempered at- 
tack on Mrs. Inchbald, for her want of 
poetical tafte in the alteration of a Ger- 
man Drama. In the Monthly Maga- 
zine we have often expreffed our de- 
cided difapprobation of Mrs. Inchbald’s 
dramatic alterations ; but never, we truft, 
has our difapprobation, however decided, | 
urged us to any violation of the laws of 
delicacy and decorum. 
Dr. Geddes is the reputed author of 
<¢ Bardomachia,’” a Macaronic poem, in 
bonour of the inglorious conteft between 
two bards of notorious irritability. 
“  Numerous—very numerous and non- 
fenfical are the poemata, which have if- 
fued from the prefs within the laft few 
months, but we have neither time nor 
inclination to enumerate them. We have 
enlarged fo much on the more important 
branches of literature, that we muft fo- 
licit pardon from the readers of 
NOVELS AND ROMANCES, 
for the brief notice which we are com- 
pelled to take of them, ‘ Leonard and 
Gertrude” is a popular ftory, written 
originally in German, tranflated into 
French, and now attempted into Englih 
with the hope of its being ufeful to the 
lower orders of fociety. The exalted ob- 
jeét of this interefting ftory is to imprefs 
upon the minds of the poor a complete 
‘refignation to the will of Providence, 
whatever feverity of affliction they may 
be called upon to fuffer. 
‘< Zimao the African, tranflated by the 
Rev. WEEDEN BUTLER,” is a very in- 
terefting and pathetic little tale, illuf- 
trative of the deep horrors of the Slave 
Trade: an appendix confifting of ex- 
traéts from the evidence delivered at the 
bar of the Houfe of Commons, when that 
fubjeét was under confideration, gives too 
much probability to the horrible events 
related in this heart-rending ftory. 
Mr. IRELAND’s “ Rinaldo, or the 
Caftle of Badajos,” is a romance, in 
which ghofts and goblins are perpetually 
haunting us. Mr, I. is obvioufly a man 
of genius. 
«©The School for Fafhion, by Mrs. 
THICKNESSE,” is a novel exhibiting 
in terrorem the vices of the fafhionable 
world. 
“ The Hiftory of Rinaldo Rinaldini, 
Captain of Banditti, tranflated from the 
German of Vulvius by Mr. Hincx- 
LEY,” might have excited confiderable 
intereft but for the foolifh machinery of 
magic and ghofts. 
61 i 
“ Selina,’ “ The Neighbourhood,” 
“ Memoirs of Modern Philofophers,”’ 
“¢ Conftantia Neville,” &c. &c. compote 
the infigrificant catalogue of Novels and 
Romances. 
THE DRAMA. 
‘© The Piccolomini ; or,. the firft Part 
of Wallenftein,’? and ‘* The Death of 
Wallenftein,’ which forms the fecond 
and concluding part, are the produétion of 
FREDERICK SCHILLER, whofe drama- 
tic mufe has fo often delighted us. She 
feems now to have loft a confiderable por- 
tion of her fpirit and fire: the violations, 
however, are far lefs frequent in thefe 
than in his former plays of the dramatic 
unities, and critics may, perhaps, on this 
account prefer them. ‘They contain alfe 
fome pathetic and impaffioned f{cenes ; 
but thefe are fo rare, that we felt rather 
tired than pleafed with the perufal. The 
plays are very affeétediy and unequally 
tranflated by Mr. COLERIDGE. 
Several numbers have appeared of 
“© The German Theatre,” a work con 
ducted folely by Mr. THompson, whofe 
tranflations are at leaft equal in point of 
fidelity to thofe of any of his rivals. 
‘The Father’s Revenge, a Tragedy : 
with other Poems, by Frederick Earl 
of CaruiisLe.” This is one of the mcft 
beautiful {pecimens of typography that 
ever iffued even from the prefs of Bulmer: 
it is accompanied with prints from fore 
exquifite drawings of Weftall: nor are 
the contents of the volume altogether un- 
worthy of the fplendour and magnificence 
of its decorations. The fubject of the 
tragedy is the tale of Sigifmonda and 
Guifcardo; and it muft be acknowledged 
that the noble author has evinced dra- 
matic talents of more than ordinary ex- 
cellence. 
Lady Burret’s “ Theodora’’ is en- 
titled to confiderable praife for the eafi- 
nefs and correétnefs of its dialogue, 
which, however, is deftitute of the dig- 
nity and elegance neceffary for tragedy: 
the fame may be faid of her ‘* Maxi- 
mian,”” a tragedy taken from Corneille. 
fr. BIDLAKE’s ‘' Virginia; or, The 
Fall of the Decemvirs,’”” is written with 
confiderable fpirit. Ehe “ Orphans,” 
by STEPHEN SHEPHERD, Efg. is an 
opera, publifhed with the benevolent mo- 
tive of contributing to the relief of the 
widows and orphans of thofe who fell in 
Holland. 
Mr. Hoare’s “ Indifcretion” is a 
dramatic performance of much merit. 
Mr. Gigson’s ‘ Streanthall Abbey ; 
or, 
