Retrofpect of Domefiic Literature... Hiffory. 
Creefhna is continued : his exploits, after 
the deftruétion of Canfa till the death of 
Jarafandha, are recorded, together with 
his farther exploits, till his beatification, 
and the utter extinétion of the tribe of 
“Yadavas. Mr. Maurice has concluded his 
ancient hiftury of India, with a very in- 
terefting account of its invafion by Alex- 
ander: this invafion has lately excited 
the attention, and employed the talents, of 
fome of our beft fcholars, and, as would 
be expeétcd, the author of the prefent 
work has taken advantage of their vari- 
ous inveftigations to throw light upon his 
fubjeét. 
The public has fo liberally patronized 
tranflations from the German Dramas 
and the German Novels, that we, who 
occafionally delight in more fober and in- 
ftructive reading; have felt fomewhat 
alarmed at the influx. It is with great 
pleafure that we have at laft found one 
gentleman, whois folicitous to render our 
countrymen acquainted with other bran- 
ches of German literature. Captain 
BLAQuieRE, of the Royal Irifh Ar- 
ullery, has moft judicioufly tempted us 
to the perufal of a work of le/s excitation 
than moft of thofe are to which we have 
hitherto been introduced, by feleéting for 
tranflation a-produétion from the very 
popular pen of FREDERIC SCHILIER, 
*« The Hiftory of the Thirty Years’ War 
in Germany.’’ This admirable drama- 
rift has evinced the verfatility of his talents 
in a rich difplay of the powers and ac- 
quirements which are requifite to form 
the hiftorian: his matter is patiently 
drawn from various and authentic docu- 
ments ; his arrangement is clear and cor- 
rect; his ftyle vigorous and emphatic : 
his defcriptions glow with poetic ardor ; 
and his moral refle€tions are deep 
and philofophical, and fhow that- the 
author of them has fuccefsfully explored 
that moft intricate of labyrinths, the hu- 
man heart. ‘The tranflator, who ftvles 
himfelf a young and inexperienced writer, 
has executed his tafk with confiderable 
{pirit; and we hope, that the public en- 
couragement to this, his early effort, will 
prompt him to the profecution of more 
arduous labours. 
We know not where we can with 
more propriety arrange, than under the 
head of ‘Hiftory,’ ‘‘ The New Annual 
Regifter for the Year 1798.” . This 
work has, in its progrefs; been fo long 
before the public, that we are not called 
upon now to ftate its general character 
and principles; we may, however, be, 
allowed to fay,.that its character and 
1027. 
principles continue as they began : this 
will juftly be confidered by our readers as 
anencomium. A confiderable portion of 
the hiftorical department is devoted to 
Trith affairs ; the pre-difpofing caufes of 
the rebellion are inveftigated with can. 
dour and aeutenefs ; and what is more 
important, the author has thrown out 
fome judicious hints on the beft modes of 
appeafing it. Refpeciting an union of the | 
two kingdoms, our author; while he a+ 
vows a partialiry to that meafure, as the 
‘probable fource of remote advantages, 
acknowledges himfelf unable to difcover 
in what way it can prevent the revival of 
thofe defolating fcenes which, in the 
eourfe of his narrative, he has had oc- 
cafion toreview. It cannot; fays he, re- 
~move the prejudices of the. Catholics; it 
cannot enlighten the people, or relieve 
them from their burdens; on the con- 
trary, it may for the moment increafe 
one of the principal grievances of which 
the Irifh, at prefent, complain, namely, 
the expenditure of Irifh property at a 
diftance from the country where thar 
property is acquired. He wifely pro- 
pofes, as meafures far more conciliatory in 
their operation, the transfer of capital to 
the Irifh coaft; that we fhould excite in 
the people the fpirit of commerce and 
manufactures; that fome commercial con- ” 
ceffions fhould be granted by Great Bri- 
tain; that fchools fhould be eftablithed 
for the promotion at once of knowledge 
and of indufiry ; that the gentry of Ire- 
Jand fhould be ‘‘ perfuaded to embody 
themfelves in a patriotic union, for the 
protection and the aid of the poor ;’’ that 
they fhould follow the example of a fo- 
ciety in this kingdom, whofe generous 
efforts in the caufe of humanity, to ufe 
his cxpreffion, are above our praife ; and 
laftly, that tley fhould reduce to pra&ice 
fome of the judicious fpeculations which 
that fociety has promulgated. 
The laft work which we hav¢ to men- 
tion in this divifion of our Retrofpeét are, 
«¢ Hiftorical and Philofophical Memoirs 
(tranflated from the French) of Pius VI. 
and of his Pontificare; down to the Period 
of his Retirement mto:Tufcany.’’?. This 
very interefting pbblication is the pro- 
duétion of no vulgar pen: the author 
difplays great powers of reafoning and 
reflection ; hiis rernarks are acute aad fa- 
gacious, his ftyle is'eloquent and feduc- 
tive ; foeloquent and.feductive, that fome 
Jab dy 
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6 Qz 
