649 
and talents, which if chaftifed and culti- 
vated might produce works of f{vperior 
merit. 
** Cecco’s Complaint, tranflated from T1 
Lamento di Cecco da Varlungo of Fran- 
cefco Beldovini, by JoHN Hun Ter, Efq. 
The tranflator of this poem, fo juftly ad- 
mired in the original, feems completely to 
have entered into the fpirit of the author, 
and has related the ftory of poor Cecco 
with much fimplicity and effect. 
“©The Links o’ Forth ; ora Parting Peep 
at the Carfe 0’ Stirling : a Plaint, by HEC- 
TOR MackneEiL, Eig.” This gentleman 
is the author of the “* Hiftory o’ Will and 
Jean,’ and the ‘“« Waes 0’ War,” two 
poems, which for fimplicity and pathas 
have not been equalled fince the days of 
poor Burns: It is fufficient to fay, that 
the prefent defcriptive little. poem does no 
difcredit to the author’s fame. 
“The Parifh Prieft” is a tranflation 
by the Rev. Dawson WARREN, with 
feveral alterations, of a Latin poem, en- 
titled Sacerdos Parcecialis Rufticus, writ- 
ten by the Rev. JoHN BURTON: we have 
frequently feen the character and occupa- 
tion of a parith pricft exhibited in a more 
lively, and interefting manner. 
Mr Roscoe has publifhed a fecond 
edition of his * Nurfe,’” to which is pre- 
fNed, an original ‘¢ Infcription” of much 
beauty- 
The readers of 
NovELs AND ROMANCES 
muft excufe usif we content ourfelves with 
the fimple enumeration of fome of thofe 
which have lately been publifhed: «« Mor- 
daunt”’ is written by the author of Zeluco,; 
and in almoft every refpect is worthy to 
be the acknowledged produétion of Dr. 
Moore ; we fay in alsof every relpect, 
becaufe grammatical negligences and the 
tntroduétion of vulgarifms are wholly un- 
worthy of fuch an author. The prefent 
volumes exhibit fketches of life, charac- 
ters, and manners, in various countries, in 
a moft lively way, and demonftrate that 
the author has ftudied the human character 
with no common fuccefs. 
«The Abbefs” is a high-flown romance 
by the avowed author of the Shakefpeare 
Papers. 
«¢ Douglas, or the Highlander,” is the 
production of Dr. Bisset, the biographer 
of Burke : itis a very poor and a very 
fervile imitation of Tom Jones. As it has 
of late years become the fafhion to expofe 
the fancied tendency of any political opi- 
nions, by extravagantly caricaturing them 
in the delineation of fome prominent cha- 
ra&icrs, Dr. B. has taken this cpportunity 
Retrofpelt of Domeftic Literature~The Drama. 
of helding up to ridicule the jacobins and 
modern philofophers; ir will be acknow- 
ledged, however, that he is not a very 
fuccefsful caricaturift. 
‘The Natural Daughter, wich portraits 
of the Leadenhead Family,” by Mrs. Ro- 
BINSON, we cannot fpeak of in terms of 
high commendation ; it is interfperled 
however, with fome pieces of truly ele- 
gant poetry. 
Mr. Smrtu’s “ Family Story,” though 
not very ftriking as a compofition, has a 
moral tendency which does credit to the 
author, and will enfure a reception for his 
volumes into many families from which 
works of higher genius are often very 
juftly excluded. } 
The author of * A Piece of Family 
Biography,” has produced a novel which 
has a large fhare of excellence, and no 
{mall one of defeéts: he feems to have 
been an acute and fagactous obferver of 
manners and charaéters, and fome of thofe 
which he has introduced are remarkably 
well drawn. The perpetual attempts at 
wit and humour, however, are tirefome, 
and the difplay which the author has laho- 
rioufly made of his claffical acquirements 
and extenfive reading, expofes him to the 
charge of vanity: the defcriptive portion 
of thefe volumes is mafterly. We under- 
ftand the author to be Mr. Du Bors, 
whofe Wreath formed with the unfading 
flowers of Greece, we have noticed in the 
prefent compendium. 
Mr. LATHOomM has written a novel in 
two volumes, entitled ** The Myftery.” 
This gentleman in his “* Men and Man- 
ners” gave us reafon to hope that he would 
become a reputable author, we cannot fay 
that our expectations are ftrengthened by 
the prefent produétion. 
Mr. WiLiiam’s © Fitzmaurice,’ Mr. 
GuNNING’S “‘ Fafhionable Involvements,” 
‘© The Witch,’’ and the ** Maid of Ho- 
nour,’ Mrs. Ker’s ‘* Adeline St. Julian,” 
‘¢ Harcourt,” ‘* The Man of the Moun- 
tain,” ** The Legacy,” Mr. Hencot’s 
«¢ Contradictions,” ** Count di Novini,” 
*€ Cordelia.” &c. &c. &c. almoft ad inf- 
nitum, might be added to the lift of no- 
vels; but we will have mercy on our rea- 
ders and proceed to 
THE DRAMA. 
Tranflation is yet the order of the day, 
and the fertile pen of KorzeBueE feems 
to furnifh us with abundant employment : 
“The Writing Defk” has been literally 
tranflated from the German, and Mrs. 
INCHBALD has again taken the liberty of 
altering the piece in accommodation to the 
Englhih ftage. Decided encmics as we 
9 . are 
