to oblige us to admit," that, crediting Lauder's pretended discovery, the encouragement he afforded that unfortunate man arose from his detestation of fraud, which he believed at the time to have been justly attributable to Milton as an unacknowledging plagiarist? With equal indignation we read the assertion that when Johnson stated "that it happens to be known that his (Milton's) daughters were never taught to write," he must have known what Aubrey had told, viz. that Milton's youngest daughter was his amanuensis. "Though truth," continues Dr. S. illiberally, and we sincerely believe unwarrantably, "though truth was dear to him, the depreciation of Milton was still dearer." What is this but saying that Dr. Johnson would have told a deiiberate falsehood, if thereby he could have injured the character of Milton ? "Truth, religious, moral, and political, is what alone I profess to pursue." So says Dr. Symmons in his preface; we hope that after this truly excellent scholar, able critic, and liberal advocate of civil and religious liberty, shall have quitted the scene of life, his veneration for that paramount quality, will never be called in question with so little reason as he has endeavoured to fix a departure from it on the illustrious English moralist. With an allusion, however, to Dr. Johnson's Life of Milton he began, and with Johnson he must end. He dispatches him with the following coup de grace. "The delinquency of the libellous biographer, is ill compensated by the merit of the monotonous and heavy-gaited morality of the sombre and dogmatic essayist." May we have many such delinquent biographers, and many such sombre and dogmatic essayists! Geographical Delineations: or, a Compendious View of the Natural and Political State of all Parts of the Globe. By J. Aiken, M. D. 12mo. 2 vol. Johnson. 1806. The utility of a publication like this, need scarcely to be insisted upon, and to say that Dr. Aiken is the author, implies that the manner in which the undertaking is executed, is proportionate to its importance. These Delineations are designed as an intermediate work, between the common elementary books on geography, and the more complete systems of that branch of knowledge; and the object intended by the performance is, to afford in a moderate compass, and under an agree able form, such a view of every thing most important, relative to the natural, and political state of the world which we inhabit, as may dwell upon the mind in vivid colours, and durably impress it with just and instructive notions. In his view of each country, the author has considered what nature has made it, and what man has made it. This arrangement is very judicious, and Dr. Aiken has introduced under both divisions, and in a reduced form, every thing that is interesting and valuable. The boundaries of the different countries are minutely traced, and Dr. A. has made it his particular business to shew how far the great portions or masses, into which nature seems to have divided the land upon this globe, coincide with the territorial distributions made by human policy; and those grand features of country, mountains and rivers, have likewise been laid down, with a degree of precision correspondent to their geographical importance. It is presumed by the writer, that a good map will be in possession of his readers, for, as he very justly observes, the size and price of his work would not have admitted of such an accompaniment, except on so small a scale as to be of little service. A publication of this kind must necessarily be compiled. But there are some compilations which cost more labour, and are infinitely more useful, than a work entirely original. This is one of them. The authorities consulted are very numerous, and Dr. A. has shewn equal judgment and impartiality in his selections. Such, in brief, is the character of these volumes, which we cordially recommend, in the words of the author, to young persons of both sexes, at the period of finishing their education, as a summary of what is important to be remembered, relative to the topics treated of, and as affording compendious information, and matter for reflection to those of maturer years, who are destitute of time and opportunity for copious research.' The Birds of Scotland; with other Poems; by James Grahame, 12mo. pp. 248, Edinburgh, Blackwood. London, Longman, 1806. Mr. Grahame has already recommended himself to the public, by a pleasing poem on the Sabbath, which soon ran through several editions, and led us to form a very favourable opinion of him as a man of worth and piety, and a poet of more than ordinary capacity, We, therefore, took up the present volume with an expectation of deriving much gratification from a perusal of its contents, and we are happy to say that our expectation has not been disappointed. In the first and most important of these poems, tha author has endeavoured to delineate the manners and characters of Birds, and the scenes which they frequent in his own country. "The woodland song, the various vocal quires, That harmonize fair Scotia's streamy vales; Their habitations, and their little joys; The winged dwellers on the leas, and moors, And mountain cliffs; the woods, the streams, themselves, the sweetly rural, and the savage scene,― Haunts of the plumy tribes,-be these my theme!" The "plumy tribes" have been celebrated incidentally by several of our descriptive bards, but we believe they now, for the first time, form the subject of a poem exclusively, In the natural history of birds, there is every thing to amuse the mind, to gratify curiosity, and excite our wonder and admiration; and we are glad that they have found at last a poet so competent to undertake the grateful task of recording their praises and ingenuity, from the domestic robin who ventures to pick the crumbs from the hand, to the lordly eagle, "Who far above the fire-impregnate wreaths Soaring surveys the ethereal volcanos." The minute characteristic descriptions, however, which such a subject almost incessantly requires, are often clogs upon the poet, which, with all his skill in versification, and efforts at variety, he cannot sufficiently throw off; and they sometimes induce a tædium from which the reader is frequently anxious to obtain relief. This difficulty, however, is, upon the whole, tolerably well surmounted, and we meet with many passages in which originality of thought, and accuracy of description, are combined with very beautiful imagery, and the true grandeur of poetical expression, In part the third, which includes the birds of prey, the falcon, cormorant, eagle, &c. Mr. Grahame rises with his subject, and almost attains sublimity. His description of these birds, and of the bold northern scenery which they haunt, is animated in the highest degree. The apostrophe to "the full-streamed Clyde," is extremely beautiful; as also is the ascent and descent of the eagle; the falcon's eyry, and the cormorant's vora cious range "Along the blood-stained Coast of Senegal," f. The description of The Eagle of the Sea not being too long, we shall transcribe it. "Of bulk more huge, and borne on broader vans, The poem is almost free from Scotticisms. Many Scotch words, indeed, are introduced, and many old English words which appear like Scotch, but of these there is a glossary, and Mr. Grahame has used them only where a modern English synonime equally emphatic, did not present itself. We observed, however, one or two modes of expression, which to us" on the South side of the Tweed," appear rather harsh, "O, I would never tire," (p. 11.) To limn, of new, thy half-forgotten name." (p. 25.) In some of the lines the measure is imperfect. "And spread around: Lost in the midst." (p. 15.) We think also that the versification in general appears stiff and affected, from too studied an imitation of Milton's pauses, by constantly running the lines into one another, and often concluding the sense with the second syllable. "Meantime her young, among the brush-roots, lurk Secure," (p. 17.) The instances of this are very numerous. The licences in which Milton indulged, and for which he was satisfied with his own authority, are far from being beauties in a poem of moderate compass, We noticed another singularity, of which we cannot approve--as in these lines, "There no martin builds Her airy nest; not even the owl alights On these unhallow'd walls: the murderer's head Founded these walls,-Mackenzie's purpled hands. (p. 25.) In the following lines the repetition is still more offensive. The poet is alluding to the cotton-mills in which young children are constantly employed. "They see the light, 'tis true-they see and know Of toil. In summer with the sun they rise To toil; nor does the shorten'd winter day Their toil abridge; for 'ere the cock's first crow, And force their childish limbs to rise and toil. (p. 45.) If this reiteration of the word toil be meant to convey an idea of ceaseless and unwearing labour, it will not be considered as a very happy accommodation of sound to sense; and it would be much easier to find a poet who could toil through hundreds of such lines, than a reader who would follow him. The above lines are moreover prosaic, and of such lines there are not a few. The following, wherein Mr. G. justly observes upon the bad effects of this system of toil, are verse only to the eye. "Here vice collected festers, and corrupts. What must not follow when the power is lodged With senseless, sordid, heartless avarice?" (p. 46.) Place the seven last lines in the order of prose, and nobody would suppose that they ever could belong to a Poem. These, however, are but slight exceptions from the general excellence of the poem; we point them out, because we fear Mr. Grahame looks upon them as recommendations rather than defects, and in order that young writers may not be misled to imitate an example which we think a bad one. The innocent and ingenious employments of the feathered race; their wonderful instincts; the amusement and delight they afford to man: are all illustrated in the most pleasing manner. The descriptions are recommended by simplicity and pathos, and while the poet expatiates on the works of nature, he does not forget the most important part of a poet's duty, to "point from nature up to nature's God." The digressions are few and easy, and at the same time that they embellish the poem, they relieve our attention from the principal objects, and strongly interest the |