Retrofped? of Dome/tic Literature —Poctry, 
tive duties on which this work treats, 
fhould be clearly explained, is of the ut- 
moft importance to the community at 
large and we are happy in being able to 
ftate that Mr. Woodtall has laboured with 
great fuecefs, in imparting every fort of 
information om the fubje& with perfpicuity 
and precifion. . In arranging his materials 
‘¢he has endeavoured to render his work 
ufeful, not merely to that branch of the 
profefiion of which he has the honour to 
Be a member, but allo to that very valu- 
able body of gentlemen, who are more im- 
mediately conneétedwith the refpective par- 
ties, whofe rights and duties are the fubject 
of inquiry: he has, indeed, been defirous 
toconvey, without obfcurity, fuch infor- 
mation as he has been able to collect, to 
every one who ftands in the relation of 
landlord and tenant, a condition from 
which a very {mall part of the community 
is exempt.” 
POETRY. 
A. {mall o&tavo volume, entitled the 
<¢ Metrical Mifcellany,’’ contains one af 
the moft elegant collection of poems— 
moft of them never before publifhed— 
that we ever had the plea(ure of reading: 
it is fuppofed to be edited by Mrs. Rip- 
DLE, by the confent of the refpective au- 
thers, among whom we fee the names of 
Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, the Hon. H. 
Erfkine, Dr. Darwin, Mr. Rofcoe, Mr. 
Matthias, Mr. T. Smyth, the Duchefs 
of Devonfhire, Mrs. Riddle, &c. &c. 
If a colleétion, formed by the contribu- 
tion of fuch diltinguifhed perfons as thele, 
does not abound with poetical beauties, 
we know not whither to direct our fearch 
for them. ; 
¢¢ The Sorrows of Love,a Poem in three 
Books ;”’ eafy, fluent poetry, but devoid 
of fentiment. 
<¢ Youth, a Poem, by J. BipLake, 
A. B. &c.” This gentleman has given 
many proofs of a cultivated and correct 
tafte ; his verfification is harmonious, and 
his defcriptions are tolerably exact. But 
we require a little more imagination and 
fpirit. . 
<¢ Union,”’ a fort of epithalamium on 
the marriage of Great Britain and Ireland, 
We with well to the numerous offspring of 
this happy couple. 
_« The Hiftrionade ; or, Theatrical 
Tribunal:’? a poem, defcriptive of the 
principal performers at both houfes, in 
in two parts, by MARMADUKE MyrTLe, 
Efq. This poem evinces fome talent, much 
vanity, and more bad tafte. 
*¢ Mifcellaneous Tranflations and Imi- 
tations of the Minor Greek Poets; by 
5QY 
J. B.S. Morrit, Efg.” . Thefe few 
pages will afford a delicious treat to the 
claffic and poetical readers: Mr. Morrit 
has fele&ted fome of the molt exquifite 
little poems of antiquity, aud he has 
thrown into his .tranflation all the tender- 
nefs and delicacy of his original. » Mof- 
chus’s fweet ode to the Evening Star, 
affords a fhort f{pecimen, which every 
reader of tafte will thank us for infert- 
emai 
“Hail, Hefperus! bright torch of Béauty’s 
Queen, 
Dear facred gem of dewy Evening, hail ? 
So fhine thy rays above her fpangled 
fheen, 
As glows tke Moon above thy radiance ” 
pale. 
When to th" accuftom’d fair my footfteps 
ftray, 
Now timely thine ; for lo, the changeful 
Moon 
Drives her dim chariot in the blaze of day, 
And envious fets ’ere half tke night be 
done. 
No plunder tempts me thro’ the treach’rous 
fhade, 
For me no nightly traveller fhall mourn 5 
*Tis Love that calls thee, be his voice 
obeyed 5 
Sweet is her love, and claims a {weet re- 
tutn,’: 
‘Poems by Georce DvYER, in two 
volumes.’”” We have frequently had the 
opportunity of exprefling our opinion of 
Mr. Dyer’s talents :. thefe volumes af- 
ford an additional evidence that he has 
not wooed the Mufe in vain. Several differ- 
tations are introduced,one on lyric poetry, 
a fecond on elegiac, anda third, on what 
Mr. Dyer calls reprefentative.pottry, viz. 
narrative, dramatic, and mixed poetry, - 
which fews that he is verfed in the 
writings of our older poets, and has 
ftudied the nature and genius of poetic 
compofition with confiderable attention. 
«© The Pleader’s Guide, a Didaétic 
Poem, in two Bock 3; containing the 
Condué of a Suit at Law, with the Argu- 
ments of Counfeller Bother’um, and 
Counfeller Bore’um, in'an Action between 
Jobn-a-Gull and John-a-Gudgeon, for Af 
{fault and Battery, ata late contefted Elec- 
tion.” They who have perufed the firft 
part of this admirable burlefque, will be 
pleafed to fee the fecond announced: it 
contains an equal fund of humour, and ‘is 
worthy of itsreputed author, the fon of 
Mr. Anftey, 
‘s The Ifland of Innocence; a Poetical 
Epiftle toa Friend, by PergeR Pinpar, : 
4G2 ~ - Elg 
<a’ 
