There is more to the purpofe which is certainly ingenious, but we cannot extract the whole; we fhall only observe, that in the interpretation of the word nare he is fupported by other very able commentators; and Dr. Whitby, on Exodus xxiii. 32, refers us to Joshua xxiii. 13, and Judges ii. 3; in which certainly the word fnare is mentioned as a confequence of their idolatry; not, however, perhaps without a view to their further iniquity, and the increafe and aggravation of their apoftacy. If we were not in danger of extending this Article too far, we fhould be tempted to make extracts from Se&t. XII. Part iii, on the types, phænomena, and Jewish laws, illuftrative and corroborative of the miraculous conception; in which we think Dr. J. has faid much in a fmall compafs. The work is not free from Scotticifms, though in general the ftyle is perfpicuous and correct. Our objections all apply to the doc trines inculcated under the head of God's Sovereignty, and to the extravagance of fome of the typical illuftrations; thefe form fo large a portion of the work, that it would be inconfiftent in us to recommend the whole to the perusal of our readers; who, not being, we truft, tainted with what we think the errors of rigid Calvinifm, would certainly be shocked at fome of the confequences drawn from the hiftorical accounts of God's dealings with mankind, and which are of courfe applied to our own fpiritual concerns, and our hopes in Chrift! BRITISH CATALOGUE. POETRY. ART. 14. Original Poems. By Thomas Green Fenden, A. M. Author of Terrible Tractoration; or, Cauftic's Petition to the Royal College of Phyficians. 12mo. 197 pp. 5s. Hurst. 1804. We were amused with the burlefque Poem, called " Terrible Tractoration", and finding it to be strongly in favour of the tractors, coneluded that it must be a puff from the proprietor; conceiving it impoffible that any difinterefted man of fenfe could write in their favour. The humour of the writer, however, we fairly allowed; and since Mr. Fesfenden avows himfelf the author, we are almost ready to fuppofe that he has fome fellow feeling with the aforefaid proprietor. Tractors apart, that Mr. F. poffefles a fingular genius for burlesque poetry, Brit. Crit. Vol. xxi. p. 552. 3 is undeniable; and it is rendered still more evident by the prefent volume. But there is another circumstance which strongly recommends thefe Poems to notice. They prefent a new literary phænomenon, a poetical mifcellany written by an American author; and, what is ftill more pleafing to us, an American, friendly to England and to genuine li berty. The following fentence gives more recommendation to the fpirit of the volume, than the longest article we could write. "Great Britain now prefents the most important, perhaps the only barrier against an inundation of modern Goths, which threatens deftruction to all civilized fociety. America remains neuter in the tremendous conteft; and, from her relative fituation, poffeffes tenfold confequence in the scale of nations. He, therefore, who contributes his mite towards preferving harmony between the two countries, ought to be confidered not only as a well-wisher to Great Britain and America, but the friend of man. If the following pages fhould have a tendency to that purpofe, my higheft ambition will be gratified." P. vi. Such fentiments and defigns we cannot too loudly applaud, and the manner in which the author attacks the republican pleudo-patriots, reflects equal honour on his head and heart. We have praised his talents for burlefque poetry, but the following fong, as we should call it, is of a higher ftamp, and has much original merit. "AN ODE". Ye fons of Columbia unite in the cause Of Liberty, Juftice, Religion, and Laws; For the GOD OF OUR FATHERS will be our Ally! And all Europe join France, Defigning our conqueft and plunder; For ever we'll be, And our cannon shall tell them in thunder, That foes to our Freedom we'll ever defy, Should Bonapart' come with his Sans Culotte band, As France has bestow'd on the Swifs and the Dutch, "This Ode was written, fet to mufic, and fung on a public occafion in Rutland, Vermont, July, 1798. At that time the armament, which afterwards failed to Egypt, under Buonaparte, lay at Toulon : its destination was not known in America, but many supposed that it was intended to waft the bleffings of French Liberty to the United States." P BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXV. FEB. 1805. His His fraud and his force Will be futile of course; We wish for no Frenchifi'd Freedom, Are to bid us be free, We'll fend for them when we shall need 'em. That child of the fkies, Our means are immense, And we'll fight till our all is exhausted: The EAGLE of FREEDOM with rapture behold, With a meffage of love, "At Liberty's call, Unite one and all, For you conquer, unless you're divided. "Americans feek no occafion for war, The rude deeds of rapine ftill ever abhor; Will ever increase, If Freedom and Fame you fhould barter, While Nature endures, For OMNIPOTENCE gave you the Charter!" Then foes to our Freedom we'll ever defy, Till the Continent finks, and the Ocean is dry!" P. 1. «* Warren and Mercer were both diftinguished perfonages, who fell in the war which feparated America from Great Britain." Of the author's humour, we might produce as fpecimens his burlefque Sapphics, in the ftyle of the famous "Needy Knife Grinder", at pp. 12, 56, &c. The Vermont Paftoral (p. 41) is in a new file, and very illustrative of local manners; the allufions to which give an air of novelty to almott every part of the volume. Mr. Feffenden is teldom more fuccelstul than when he is fatirizing the profligate democrats of America. Among his ferious Poems, which have rather lefs merit in general than the burlefque, is one addreffed to the Perkinean Society, p. 115. He is confiftent, at least, in this attachment; but how to account for it we know not. His Poems, however, have afforded us, on the whole, much gratification. ART. 15. Fables on Subjects connected with Literature. Imitated from the Spanish of Don Tomas de Yriarte. By John Belfour, Efq. 12mo. 164 pp. Plates. 75. 6d. Richardfons. 1804. The public is indebted to every writer who facilitates the knowledg of foreign poets, by producing tranflations from them; particularly when, as in the cafe of the Spanish language, the original is little read among us. Don Yriarte and his fables have hitherto been almoft unknown in England, except to thofe who have ftudied the Spanish grammar of M. Joffe*; or, the Teforo Espanol, compiled by the fame authort. In the former of these are feventeen, and in the latter twent fix Fables, by Yriarte. Mr. Belfour has tranflated thirty-four, and has performed his task, in general, with eafe and fpirit, as will ap pear from the following fpecimen; which will alfo give a good impreffion of the original author. "FABLE VII. “No demebos detenernos en qüeftiones friboles, olvidando el asunto principal. "THE RABBITS. "Ye who importan: points neglect And hours in fierce contention fpend On fubjects that to nothing tend : Though to your judgment, and your wit, See Brit. Crit. vol. xvi. p. 217. Brit. Crit. vol. xx. p. 573. It is to be wifhed, that M. Joffe had given fhort biographical notices of his authors, as was done by Moyfant and Levifac in the Bibliotheque Françoife. Don T. Triarte is mentioned, in Br. C. xxiii. p. 537, as author of an abridgement of Spanish History. P 2 The The wife, who no inftruction gain, Hard by the inargin of a wood, Beagles, or greyhounds, this I know, Mark how they bound, with lucklefs ftrength, “You mistake, At length, fo warm the matter rose, This fable is of political as well as literary ufe, and may afford a good leffon to thofe factions in a flate, which contend with each other, while an enemy is at the door. Mr. J. Belfour, who appears to be a young writer, now and then be trays a fmall degree of inaccuracy in his ftyle, which time and study will correct; (as in putting me for I at the bottom of p. 39, &c.) but on the whole, his production is very pleafing and fatisfactory. Should this effort be well received, he mentions a defign of tranflating a confiderable poem of the fame author, on Mufic; and we have little doubt that he will be encouraged to do fo. An Introduction of fome merit, on the origin of fable, and the characters of fabulifts, is given as the production of the author's brother. The volume is elegantly printed, and contains fome very neat engravings. NOVELS. |