Retrofpec? of Dome/ftic Literature.—Novels, Drama, €5'c. 
fcriptive ; illu@trated with Notes ;”” very 
feeble and very dull. 
“Poems, by JoHN PENN, Efq. in 
two Volumes; confifting of original 
Works, Tranflations, and Imitations.’” 
Several of thefe compofitions have been 
publifhed before in a volume, entitled, 
_“ Critical and Poetical Works.” Mr. 
Penn is not a favourite poet with us: 
we have read his claffical play, as he 
calls it, “© The Battle of Eddington,” 
formed upon ftricter rules than thofe of 
Ariftotle : we have read his Reduction 
of Milton’s Samfon Agoniftes ; of Ben 
Jonfon’s Silent Woman, and Voltaire’s 
Semiramis, according to the dramatic 
principles, exemplified in his Battle of 
Eddington ; we have read his imitation 
. of the Epiftola ad Pifones ; but, once 
more, Mr. Penn is not a favourite poet 
with us. His critical acumen, we 
greatly refpect ; and Mr. Penn evinces 
atafte for, and acquaintance with, the 
fine arts, which do him the highett 
credit, 
‘* The Lamentation; a Poem, in two 
Parts; to which are added, other 
Miicellaneous Pieces, in Blank Verfe 
and Rhyme.” This is an elegant vo- 
Jume, and altogether does credit ta the 
author. 
“Selim and Zaida, with other Po- 
ems.”” The writer difplays a confider- 
able knowledge of oriental manners 
and opinions ; but his ftights of fancy 
are not vigorous, and the ftory is not 
fo affectingly told, as its circumitances 
would have admitted. 
NOVELS AND ROMANCES. 
Our article is already extended to 
fuch a length, that we mutt be con- 
cife: ** The Algerine Captive; or, the 
Life and Adventures of Dr. Uppine 
UNDERHILL, fix Years a Prifoner 
among the Algerines.” Thefe volumes 
contain the Hiftory of an American 
Phyfician : they are very entertaining, 
and comprehend fome fhrewd remarks 
on the events of the prefent day. 
The name of Mifs Encworrg, had 
perhaps raifed our expectations too 
highly : we certainly experienced fome 
little difappointment in the perufal of 
her «* Belinda; a work, which fhe 
choofes to denominate, a ‘* moral tale,’’ 
the author, with a little fuperciliouf- 
nefs, “ not wifhing to acknowledge a 
novel.” \ 
« Old Nick; a Satyrical Story; by 
the Author of a “ Piece of Family Bio- 
graphy :” thefe are moft entertaining 
volumes; they abound in wit, hu- 
6359 
mour, and good-natured fatire, and 
evince the author to be a man of ex-_ 
tenfive reading and confiderable learn-~ 
ing. 
“* Something New; it is indeed 
fomething new to make an Ugly Wo- 
man the Heroine of a Novel. Mifs 
PLumptre has however fucceeded, in 
rendering her work at once intereiting 
and moral; which junction of her good 
qualities, in thefe days of licentioul 
nefs, a Cynic philofopher, would alfo 
fay 1s fomething new. 
“The Swedith Myftertes, &c.°’ is 
a gloomy tale, tranflated from a 
Swedifh MS, by Jonanson RipDERs- 
LAW. 
Mifs CuartTon’s * Pirate of Na- 
ples,” will amufe an idle hour. 
The following are a few, which may 
be read without difeuft, felected from 
a Jong lift of unworthies: ** Dorothea ; 
or, a Ray of New Light.”—** St. Mar- 
garet’s Cave;” by Etiz. HELME;7— 
«© The Little Mountaineers of Auver- 
gne, from the French ;’°—** The Hit- 
tory of Netteville, a Chance Pede{- 
trian ;"—“ Scenes in Wales; or, the 
Maid of Liangofl ;”—* Ariel; or, the 
Invifible Monitor: and ‘ Helen of. 
Glenrof{s.” 
THE DRAMA. 
¢¢ Mary Stuart, a Tragedy, by Fre- 
DERIC SCHILLER, tranflated into Eng- 
lifh,- by J. C..M Efq.” There ys lets 
of the extravagance of the German 
drama in this tragedy than in mot that 
have come before us. Schiller has de- 
lineated his characters with all that 
{kill and judgment of which he is fo 
eminently poffefied: and the outlines 
of the hiltory of Mary Queen of Scots 
are preferved with fufiicient fidelity, 
although the poet has introduced fome 
additional circumftances for which he 
certainly has no authority. He ‘has 
made the unfortunate Mary confefs 
that fhe connived at the murder of 
Darnley, and this confeflion efcapes 
her in a converfation with her fervant! 
The tranflation is executed with a 
great deal of {pirit; for its fidelity we 
cannot an{wer. 
‘© The Maid of Lochlin: a Lyrical 
Drama; with Legendary Odes, and 
other Poems, by W. RICHARDSON, 
A. M. &c.’? .From the ‘author of 
‘‘Effiys on Shakefpeare’s Dramatic 
Characters,’ fomething above medio- 
crity will be expected. Profeflor Ri- 
chardfon evinced fo much critical and 
poetic tafte in that popular work, that 
expec. 
