at Oxford, in Oriel College. About seventeen he went as a gentleman soldier to France, was at Paris during the famous Bartholomew massacre, but how he escaped is not known. From this period we him find engaged in a variety of enterprizes; now fitting out ships for di-coveries and settling of colonies; as, to America in 1579, and Virg.nia in 1584, on which colony he spent £40,000; but at length transferred his patent to certain merchants of London. Sometimes we find him discharging the duties of Vice- Admiral of her Majesty's fleet, and doing all possible injury to Spain and her colonies. Sometimes he appears in the not less arduous character of a member of the English Parliament, promoting the advantage of his native country. He was eminent as a writer, respectable as a poet, and it is thought, while confined in the Tower, not unsuccessful as a chemist. To these parts of Sir Walter's character the volumes before us bear ample testimony. It is to be acknowledged, with regret, that the justice due to Sir Walter necessarily involves justice of another kind due to his persecutors. The Court of Queen Elizabeth, was, like other courts, a region of party; even while his royal mistress lived, Raleigh was exposed to the spirit of rivalship, and the insinuations of jealousy : more than once was the Queen irritated against him, and his favour at court was shorn of its beams." But, when Elizabeth who was more than woman was dead, and James who was less than man had succeeded her, the knight's good fortune rapidly declined. He had been appointed captain of the guard, by Elizabeth, but this in a few weeks he was directed to relinquish, receiving in requital but a moderate compensation; and in less than three months he was arraigned at the bar for high treason. This trial is one of those disgraceful incidents in our history, which patriotism may wish had never occurred, yet, which having occurred, patriotism would not wish should be expunged. The unmannerly insolence of Coke, the Attorney General, is a lasting stigma on his character. What shall we think of the man whose violence led him to use such gross language as "thou viper; for I thou thee, thou traitor" a triplication which did not escape the notice and lash of Shakespeare, who makes Sir Toby Belch advise Sir Andrew Aguecheek to "taunt" his adversary "with the licence of ink: if thou thou'st him some thrice it shall not be amiss; and as many lies as will lie in thy sheet of paper, although the sheet were big enough for the bed of Ware in England, set 'em down. Go about it- -let there, be gall enough in thy ink; though thou write with a goose pen no matter,—about it." This allusion is too plain to be mistaken; and shews the feeling of the public mind on this occasion: for otherwise the incident would have been dangerous in a work intended to be popular, like a play. The law of the land was further violated, in the admission of incompetent evidence; for whereas the law requires two witnesses, and those to be examined, viva voce, in open court;. the adversaries of Raleigh, though one witness was in their power, did not pro-. duce him, but eked out the charges against the prisoner by a mass of papers, and hearsays, which we are happy to think would be scouted from before the seat of justice in these days. The judge, Popham, acted in a manner disgrace-. ful to his station. It should seem, that Coke in accusing our knight without proving his guilt, and the judges in condemning him, not according to law, did no more than comply with the humour of their master; accordingly, Raleigh was condemned; but execution of his sentence being stayed, he spent twelve years in imprisonment in the Tower. Here he found in letters that alleviation of his troubles, which only an enlightened mind can procure, and here he composed that most considerable proof of his genius and learning the "History of the World." He at length obtained his liberty, by a bribe of £1500. to two favourites of the King; but trusted to the, King's generosity for his pardon, and, being honoured with the royal commission to search for a gold mine in Guiana, he concluded too presumptively, that his former condemnation was cancelled by his present office. The error cost him his life; for after returning unsuccessful he was arrested on his former condemnation, though fifteen years had elapsed, and being taken for dead in law, was beheaded in Palace Yard, Oct. 29, 1616. But perhaps the most flagrant instance of imbecility, not to call it treason against his subjects, is the conduct of King James, who on occasion of this voyage obliged Raleigh to give him in detail every particular of his plan against a part of the South American coast where the Spaniards had a settlement, bound him not to deviate from this plan, in the smallest particular, and then communicated the whole scheme to Spain: insomuch, that this very paper of particulars was found in the house of the Spanish Governor of the place attacked! Our readers will no doubt participate in our indignation: but words are inadequate to express our feelings at such baseness. The mere outline of this history leads to the inference, that however Mr. Cayley may have declined to introduce those reflections, which would have added in terest and dignity to his volumes, yet that the story itself, naturally suggests sentiments which are capable of being directed to excellent purposes. It will be none of the least of these if young courtiers should learn from the example of Raleigh, the extreme lubricity of the polished surface on which they stand. Let them state their own pretensions in the most available terms, let them urge their merit, their services, their alacrity in obeying, their every quality which becomes either the station they occupy or that they desire, can they surpass, nay, can they equal Sir Walter Raleigh? Was he not one of the glories of the court in the glorious days of the immortal Elizabeth? was he not wise in council, intrepid in action, adventurous of his property, and persevering in his undertakings; as a soldier not inferior to any; as a seaman superior to most; learned as a literato, judicious as a statesman; qualified tam Marti quam Mercurio ? Where Sir Walter fell, let all be cautious. And if any whose vigorous minds know better, have been deluded by ambition into wishes for honour and distinction, let them ask themselves whether they are content to procure them at similar hazards? and whether real felicity is not more certainly within their reach, while private, than it would be were they in the most conspicuous of situations? Happily for mankind, not many can be great if one in a thousand be raised to honour, there are nine hundred and ninety-nine left to the possibilities of happiness. Such are the chances of life! Besides the regular narration of Sir Walter's life, Mr. Cayley has inserted at length, the histories of several of his voyages, his judgment on sundry points of political economy, in which we recognize those very principles which the present age considers as unquestionably. proper for adoption; also various letters, and other papers of more or less importance, but connected with the story and contributing to illustrate it. Sir Walter's instructions to his son close that part which is deno minated his life. An Appendix of 115 pages, containing scarce pieces, and proper documents to support the narration previously given, is added to the second volume. Such of these as display our knight's opinion on the preparations necessary to be made, in order to receive an enemy as becomes Englishmen, and how to distribute our forces for his welcome after he is landed, are not without interest in the present situation of our country. His letter to Prince Henry on ship building, shews his intimate knowledge of that branch of art; we cannot however, but smile at the then Spanish principle of Grande navio grande fatica. compared with the sizes of their modern Santa Anna, San Carlos, San Josef, and especially their famous Santissima Trinidada. This appendix closes with a refu tation of Mr. Hume's reasons for infer ring the guilt of Sir Walter, and that he practised a delusion on the King in the affair of the gold mine. The reasons are drawn from the King's declaration, which also is given at length. Some of them are weak enough. It is our wish to promote the publica→ tion of correct histories of the most striking events which have occurred in our nation we therefore view with indulgence and pleasure every attempt of the kind. We are glad to see that the favourable reception of the quarto edition, has induced Mr. Cayley to print in 8vo. and shall be glad for his sake that both copies may soon become scarce. The Poetical Works of William Julius A neat little volume, containing! the completest collection of this Poet's works, that has been presented to the public. To commend an author so well known as Mickle, is altogether superfluous. The Life, prefixed, appears to be the most particular and comprehensive we have ever read; and "is composed," says Mr. Sim, who dedicates to the Bishop of Norwich, from his private correspondence, and "from the information which I received "from himself, during an unreserved in"timacy of more than sixteen years." We shall not analyse this narrative; but content ourselves with generally commending it there is however so much good sense and valuable advice in Lord Lyttleton's Letters to Mickle, that we cannot but insert one of them by way of specimen. Sir, Hagley Park, Aug. 28, 1764. I should have sooner returned the verses you sent me, if I had not been hindered by a great deal of company from considering them enough to give you my thoughts on the beauties or faults of them with the necessary strictness of criticism. But having now read them over with a good deal of attention, I dare venture to assure you, that the first of the two Odes has all the inerit that just sentiment, fine poetical imagery, elegant diction, and harmonious numbers, can give to so trite a subject. There is also in some stanzas a sublimity of thought and expression which raises it above the ordinary pitch of mere descriptive poetry. As to the poem on the death of Mary, Queen of Scots, I will not criticise any part of it, because I wholly disapprove the subject. Poetry should not consecrate what history must condemn; and it is as certain as history can render any fact, that (besides her criminal amours with David Rizzio and Bothwell) she was an accomplice in the murder of the King, her husband. Read Thuanus or Hume, (who have written her history more truly than Robertson,) and you will be inclined to pity, but not to praise her; nor will Robertson himself, though he shades her crimes as much as possible, give you such an idea of her as to make you think her a proper subject for the encomiums of a writer who means to serve the cause of virtue, and not of party. With regard to the plan of your poem on Providence, I think what you propose is a far better solution of the difficulties that appear in the moral government of the world than Mr. Pope's. Whoever is miserable will feel that his philosophy is vana et ficta; but if he be virtuous, and reads the latter part of your first Ode, he will find there a real and effectual consolation. You cannot, therefore, do better than to have recourse to that hope in your justification of Providence; any other, I am sure, will prove insufficient. The analogy between the plant contained perfect in the seed, and the angel in the man*, I like extremely. St. Paul says, we shall go to the spirits of just men made perfect. All here is imperfect; but the tendency to perfection, and the capacity of attaining it, justify the Creator. Adieu. Dear Sir, do not be discouraged at difficulties, but cultivate your fine genius, and employ it as you have begun, in the service of virtue and religion. This will give you a crown far exceeding the poet's laurel, unfading in the heavens! I am with the most sincere esteem and regard, Sir, your's, &c. L. "As the acorn's germ Perfect in all its branchy pride contains The Birds of Scotland, with other Poems. THE author before us combines with a vigorous imagination and a lively vein of poetry, some of those gross negligences which occasionally disgrace genius. His eye as a man of observation seems to be better than his ear as a man of numbers, yet every poet must be a man of numbers, or his productions will suffer by his defect. We consider Mr. G. however, as a bard of merit, and promise, and hope on some future occasion to congratulate him on producing a finished performance. The "Biblical Pictures" are too slight, even to assume importance: the Sonnets on the Months have received more attention; but the most laboured production in the volume is the Birds of Scotland; in which we find very much to commend, and in some passages ideas exquisitely poetical, notwithstanding various lines of these very passages sin against both metre and cadence. We shall extract his description of the wren and the eagle, which in the poem are very properly placed in distinct books. The little woodland dwarf, the tiny WREN, That from the root-sprigs trills her ditty clear. Of stature most diminutive herself, Not so her wonderous house; for, strange to tell! Her's is the largest structure that is formed By tuneful bill and breast. 'Neath some old root, From which the sloping soil, by wintry rains, And prettily bespecked like fox-glove flower, Save when the morning sun is high, to drink But now behold the greatest of this train From scenes like these, O, Scotland, once again She stars and looks upon the white-wreathed summits Gilde shadowing down, and close upon their When low'rs the rack unmoving, high up-piled, Nor does the wintry blast, the drifting fall, PP. 81-84. Hints for the Security of the Established Church, humbly addressed to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. Svo. pp. 39, price 1s. Hatchard 1806. of A title so modest induced us to open this pamphlet with great expectations, as the subject is confessedly interesting; but we were rather startled at the idea, in the very first paragraph, of the Archbishop of Canterbury having a "fair prospect "the crown of martyrdom," or of "wit"nessing the annihilation of his high "dignity." It is possible that the tremor into which we were thrown might accompany our perusal of the whole tract; nevertheless, we hope to make a fair report of its contents. Happily, we are not guilty of the sin of Methodism, but if we were, we cannot so highly compliment the pamphlets which have lately appeared in opposition to this sin, as to think they would have effected our conversion. One reverend Gentleman, in addressing his parishioners, told them in the first page, that he did not properly understand the characters of the persons he was about to describe. Whether our perusal extended to the second page, is a secret which we keep to ourselves. Another, did not so much as know that there were distinct classes or communities of methodists; and he attributed to those of one distinction what was true exclusivelyof those of another; what could we infer from this ignorance? and indeed we cannot acquit from this mistake the writer before us, who appears to be by much the best informed of any we have lately noticed. He says p. 36. "In the ordinary "Methodist societies, the calamities of "the Calvinistic doctrines are generally "prevalent."-" In the Chapels, where "the liturgy of the Church is used, but "without episcopal sanction, Calvinism again is usually taught." But does he not know that the Arminian Methodists abhor these doctrines? that they insist on the Arminian interpretation of the Articles of the Church, as the only true and proper sense of them? and that against these very Arminians the principal portion of his reasonings is levelled? The increase of Methodists is the subject of this work, and the author speaks no more than truth when he says, The subject unto which I thus presume to solicit a candid attention, is one on which I had the honour of frequent conversation with your amiable, conscientious, and vigilant predecessor. I am competent to say that it engaged much of his anxious attention, although principally at a time when declining age, and increasing infirmities, rendered him less able to engage in the rising contest. But he saw the growing evil, and sorely dreaded the probable effect. I thus introduce his respected name to notice further, that I understood from him, that a resolution had in some measure, been adopted, even in concurrence with some of the most respectable of the dissenters, to propose certain regulations of the Toleration Act, which might check that spirit of indiscriminate schism which now threatens, not merely the establishment, but even religion itself: but that it was deemed adviscable to pave the way by an act, which should enable the Bishops to silence one prevailing argument in favour of separation, by enforcing the stricter residence of the parochial clergy: thereby not only securing to the people vigilant pastors of their own communion, but probably excluding also intruders on their flocks. pp. 4, 5. The writer might have added, that a conversation, perhaps several, to the effect he states, took place at Lambeth Palace, between the then Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Chester, (we believe) and the Rev. John' Martin, an Anabaptist teacher of note, facetiously termed Bishop Martin: in which the difficulty of conducting operations without trenching on the Toleration Act, was largely discussed. This is the very difficulty which embarrasses our author, who "conceives from the spirit of "the act (although it is certainly not "clearly expressed in the letter) that it "exacts a limitation of the services of the "teacher to his appropriate congrega. "tion." He might have known that the Dissenters not long since, very good-naturedly, published the opinion of a counsel among themselves, expressly taken on this point, which restricted the protection of the act to stationary ministers. Our readers are at liberty to infer, that we are not quite so much frightened as this worthy writer; nor is the danger of the Church, from this cause, so apparent to us, as it is to him. We hope that his Grace of Canterbury will long wear his head on his shoulders, undismayed by the fear of martyrdom, or of the annihilation " of his metropolitical dignity. But we agree with some things here stated, and heartily wish they could be corrected. I recolleet, not very long since, an instance of a conscientious member of the House of Commons, complaining of the hardship he had experienced, in the discharge of his duty as a magistrate, that when a youth of eighteen presented himself at the sessions, to qualify as a teacher of a congregation of Protestant dissenters, and complied with the stipulated conditions, he was obliged to sanction and authorise the presumption of so unqualified a pretender. What would the same respectable character have said, had one presented himself for this office, who could neither read nor write; who was obliged to substitute his mark for his subscription? Yet such things have been. pp. 25,26. We once heard a very worthy dissenting minister relate, that when he was licensed, a party who took advantage of the same privilege, could barely read; and that our informant assisted him in spelling his own name; to the great (but bitter) amusement of the Justices, and of the whole Court. The following is too correct a picture of a serious evil. I allude to the case, wherein a minister in episcopal orders (and who has consequently on his oath promised canonical obedience), officiates in a congregation, licensed under the Toleration act, according to the liturgy of the Church of England. Here is evidently a schism without a motive; dissent, from a mere love of dissent; dissent, if I may so speak, without dissent. It arises perhaps, in the first instance, only from a plausible speculation; from the spirit, which has too much prevailed of late, of making a traffic of religion. But it cannot be allowed innoxious in itself; it is, moreover, of an excessively |