laughter, and having the risible muscles preserved perfect sinecures." We will not assert that these witty exhibitors of miseries have shewn no sport, by making game of what is not generally considered as game, but they have not kept on the true scent. In this ludicrous hunt, we are continually thrown out, and stumble over miseries not to be laughed at. The humorous miseries are a distinct class; and their exhibition requires much art and management. They will not bear to be strung like onions on a rope, nor to be shaken together, like large and small potatoes in a sack. In the first of these publications, a ready and humorous application of classical reading often occurs in the quotations: though here the wit too often centres in a pun. Art. 47. Effusions of Love, from Chatelar to Mary Queen of Scot land. Translated from a Gallic Manuscript in the Scotch College at Paris. Interspersed with Songs, Sonnets, and Notes ex• planatory, by the Translator. 12mo. PP. 157. 58. Boards. Chapple If apostrophes and inversions, and points of admiration and in terrogation, and broken sentences, and a profusion of asterisks, eonstituted the essential ingredients in the language of passion, these fragments would possess no common merit:-but something more is necessary, at least to touch the hearts of grey haired critics, who sicken at the sight of every flimsy and high flown effusion. The poetical scraps are in a style more simple and subdued; and stanzas like the following are highly welcomed amid the contoraions and agonies of prose: The Picture of my Queen. Ah, wou'dst thou see the azure sky, The damask tinge her cheeks disclose. The same picture in prose, in a subsequent passage, we conceive to be not less reprehensible in a moral point of view than the publication of those prints which are, from time to time, proscribed hy the agents of a salutary police. As we glory in the liberty of the press, so we feel indignant at every attempt to prostitute such an invaluable blessing. If the editor should favour us with the still un. published transcripts relative to David Rizzio, to which he alludes, we would seriously exhort him to insert nothing that can excite the warm imaginations of the young, or alarm the delicacies of chastity and virtue. CORRE CORRESPONDENCE. In our last Number, p. 429. we took notice of a pamphlet on the use of Mercury, by Dr. Philip Wilson, of Worcester, and found ourselves obliged to speak of it in terms that were not very favorable. We have since received a Letter from Dr. W. n which he generally admits the propriety of our animadversions, but wishes to state to the public some circumstances in explanation. We therefore make the following extract from his letter: Excuse my addressing you in consequence of the severe, though I must confess in a great degree just censure passed by you on my observations on the use and abuse of Mercury. The truth is, they were not written either for the eye of the Physician or the Critic, but intended as an address to the unlettered part of the public of this neighbourhood, with a view to do away their prejudices with respect to this medicine, which often opposed an insuperable obstacle to its employment. With respect to what is said of its internal use, I was anxious, as far as truth would permit, to yield to their prejudices, that I might not by attempting too much, wholly fail of obtaining my object. It appeared to me that should a person acquainted with medicine read these observations, the following sentence would sufficiently qualify this part of them. "There are some cases where powerful means are required to rouse the bowels to action, or a strong stimulus applied to their enhaling vessels is beneficial." How many cases this sentence includes, you are aware. I feel much hurt, and indeed ashamed, that these observations should be considered as a serious treatise on the use and abuse of mercury. I thought the circumstances of their being addressed to the public, and the style in which they are written, would have secured me against this; although it now appears to me that I should have taken some farther precautions.' On this exculpation, we shall only say Valeat quantum valere potest. L. C. K. is received: but we have not yet had time to look into the tract in question; nor do we perceive that we can with propriety interfere in a question of a local nature, on which we have no means of forming a just and decisive opinion. We shall very soon be able to gratify the wishes of X. Y. Z. In the last No. p. 387, the price of Art. IX. should be 11. 118. 6d. P. 397, 1. 6, for it,' read d. P. 431, 1. 16, from bottom, formined,' read ruined. The APPENDIX to Vol. LI. N. S. of the MONTHLY REVIEW is published with this Number, and contains a variety of articles in FOREIGN LITERATURE, with the General Title, Table of Contents, and Index, for that Volume. THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For FEBRUARY, 1807. ART. I. The History of the Manners, Landed Property, Government, 10s. 6d. IT has been often objected to History, that it is chiefly occu pied with the schemes of the disturbers and the atchievements of the destroyers of mankind; and that it does not condescend particularly to notice the state and circumstances under which the great mass of the people have existed, at the different periods of which it professes to treat. This remark, however, will not apply to the work before us, which forms a most interesting supplement to Mr. Turner's History of the Anglo-Saxons, and will afford much pleasing information to those who are desirous of investigating the customs, manners, and attainments of our remote ancestors; while it also traces to their origin those principles of law and government which have operated, with the progress of knowlege and civilization, to the formation of the British Constitution and character. The reader must be aware that the farther the historian extends his glance to the early days of our progenitors, the less clear will be his view; and that we ought to expect from him rather sketches and rough outlines than a finished picture. It is praiseworthy in Mr. Turner, that he does not attempt to satisfy extravagant curiosity; that he does not present phantoms for realities; and that he no where exaggerates facts, nor deduces conclusions which they do not warrant. The result of his laborious inquiries is given with care, and with accuracy; and in detailing subjects which have furnished matter for warm controversy, he has discarded theory, and has suffered documents to speak for themselves : *For our account of the former volumes, see M. R. Vol. xxxiii. N. S. p. 293. and Val. xi. N. S. p. 272. VOL. LII. I The The great object of the work (he states) has always been to preserve those interesting particulars concerning our Anlgo-Saxon ancestors which had been left unnoticed in their ancient MSS., and to throw light where it was possible on those parts of their history which had been usually deemed confused and obscure. To full these purposes, I have examined every MS. and author within my reach which promised to be useful. I have been scrupulous to insert no circumstance without a sufficient authority, and it has been always important to me that my quotations should be faithful." As a kind of introduction to the History of the Manners, Government, Laws, Literature, Arts, Religion, and Language of the Anglo-Saxons, we are presented with a short account of the Saxons in their pagan state. As, however, (says Mr. Turper,) the converted Anglo-Saxon remembered the practices of his idolatrous ancestors with too much abhorrence to record them for the notice of future ages, and as we have no ranic spells to call the pagan warrior from his grave, we can only see him in those imperfect sketches which patient industry may collect from the passages that are scattered in the works which time has spared. These evidences prove him to have been active and fearless, ferocious and predatory. The continental Saxons, in the eighth and preceding centuries, lived under an aristocracy. of chieftains, without a king or supreme head, except in case of war, when they appointed a temporary chief; and at the time of their invasion of England, they were under war-kings, who were continued till a limited monarchy was established. Among them four orders existed, viz. the Etheling or noble; the free-man; the freed-man; and the servile. The objects of Saxon adoration are still preserved in our names for the days of the week; and some persons will be surprised to hear that the term Easter, which is yet retained to express the season of our great pascal solemnity, is derived from Eastre, one of the goddesses worshipped by our savage ancestors; who certainly offered human sacrifices to theis idols. Though it has been doubted whether the Saxons had the. use of letters when they possessed themselves of England, reasons may be offered to make it probable that they were not then unacquainted with alphabetic writing: yet none of their Compositions remain; and it is supposed by the present histoan that their alphabetic characters, if they possessed any, were chiefly used for divinations, charms, and funeral inscriptions. Having in the first book taken a view of those fierce, idoe latrous, and cruel pirates who possessed themselves of the south part of this island during the fifth and sisth centuries, nd having portrayed them as they existed in the North of Germany, Germany, Mr. Turner follows them into the country which they invaded, and notices the improvements which have been made in the intellectual and moral qualities of a people whose character was so unpromising : • From such ancestors a nation has, in the course of twelve centuries, been formed, which, inferior to none in every moral and intellectual merit, is superior to every other in the love and possession of useful liberty: a nation which cultivates with equal success the elegancies of art, the ingenious labours of industry, the energies of war, the researches of science, and the richest productions of genius.' It is concluded, with much probability, that the first step to the improvement of the invading Saxons was derived from their intercourse with a people who had been for a considerable period obedient to the Roman Government; and that, as the conquered Greeks had softened the Romans, so the conquered Britons ameliorated the Saxons. A farther change was produced in them by their conversion to Christianity. Under the head of Manners, distinct chapters are assigned to Infancy, Education,-Food,-Drinks and Cookery,-Dress, -Houses, Furniture, and Luxuries,-Conviviality and Amusements,-Marriages,-Classes and Condition of Society,-Gilds or Clubs, Trades, Mechanical Arts, and foreign Commerce,Money, Chivalry,-Superstitions, and Funerals. From this enumeration, it will be apparent that Mr. Turner's account of the social state of the Anglo-Saxons is not desultory; and as specimens of the mode in which he has executed his undertaking, we shall make a few short extracts from this part of the work. The chapter relative to their houses, furniture, and luxuries, proves that, soon after their reception of Christianity, they grew more refined and luxurious than we their descendants are apt to imagine: The Anglo-Saxons had many conveniences and luxuries which men so recently emerging from the barbarian state could not have derived from their own invention. They were indebted for these to their conversion to Christianity. When the Gothic nations exchanged their idolatry for the Christian faith, hierarchies arose in every converted state, which maintained a close and perpetual intercourse with Rome and with each other. From the letters of Pope Gregory, of our Boniface, and many others, we perceive that an intercourse of personal civilities, visits, messages, and presents, was perpetually taking place. Whatever that was rare, curious, or valuable, which one person possessed, he communicated, and not unfrequently gave to his acquaintance. This is very remarkable in the let ters of Boniface and his friends, of whom some were in England, some in France, some in Germany, and elsewhere. The most cordial phrases of urbanity and affection are usually followed by a present of apparel, the aromatic productions of the east, little articles of fur 1 2 niture |