ways; the whole accompanied with notes and easy explanations as above. This completes the first volume.'

Volume II. commences with what the author calls literal algebra, general theorems and formulæ, and investigations relating to the docrine of Ratios, Proportions, Permutations, Combinations, and the Properties of Numbers.

Part V. explains the nature and theory of Equations in general, their Composition, Depression, Transformation, and Resolution, according to the methods of Newton, Cardan, Euler, Simson, Des Cartes, and others. Various methods of Approxi mation as laid down by Simson, Raphson, Hutton, Bernouilli, &c. the Solution of Exponential Equations, and Problems for exercise. Part VI. explains the nature and method of resolving indeterminate Problems, both simple and Diophantine.'

Part VII. treats of the Binomial Theorem, the Doctrine of Series, the Analytical Theory of Logarithms, &c. Part VIII. treats of Geometry; IX. of Trigonometry; and X. of the Conic Sections.

Such is the plan of the work which Mr. Butler has presented to the British mathematical student. With regard to the execution of it, we have already stated that it seems to have been the result of considerable labour and research, and is throughout the first volume creditable to the author: but at this point our approbation of the performance must cease. The second volume is certainly very defective, at least in all the analytical parts of it; almost every subject being treated after the manner of Ward, Emerson, and other writers of about the same period, while scarcely a word is any where said of the more recent improvements. This defect is particularly obvious in those parts which relate to the reduction of Ratios, the Properties of Numbers, the Indeterminate and Diophantine Algebra, and in fact throughout the first two hundred pages of this volume.

The chapter on Numbers seems to have been principally drawn from an old edition of Bonnycastle's Arithmetic: but all the more important numerical theorems which we owe to Fermat, Euler, Waring, Lagrange, &c. are totally omitted; which certainly could never have happened if the author had been aware of the distinct treatises on this subject by Gauss and Legendre. The same defect, and obviously arising from the same cause, occurs in his manner of treating the doctrine of Indeterminate Equations and Diophantine Problems. The former is wholly divested of its natural foundation, viz. the theory of Continued Fractions; and the nature and generation of equations are in like manner treated according to the method

of

of Harriot: none of the objections that have been made to it by modern authors being pointed out to the reader, nor any sources of information but such as are obsolete and useless. These are undoubtedly serious deductions from the general merit of the publication: which, notwithstanding, will be found to contain a great portion of useful information, not only scientific but historical and biographical; though the reader must not expect it to reach much beyond the middle of the last century.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE,

FOR JULY, 1816.

POETRY, &c.

Art. 13. Athaliah: a sacred Drama, translated from the French of Racine. 12mo. 3s. Boards. Hamilton. 1815.

In compliance with the wish expressed by the translator in the preface, we have read this drama nearly line for line with the original; and we think not only that the meaning is faithfully rendered, but that the writer has skilfully avoided the common fault of amplifying and lengthening the author's passages. The spirit of Racine's composition has perhaps been more successfully imitated than its harmony: but, on the whole, this is a respectable translation, and the best which we have seen of Athalie.

Art. 14. Morni; an Irish Bardic Story, in Three Cantos: and the Pilgrim of Carmel; an Eastern Tale, in One Canto. By Richard Benson, Esq. 8vo. pp. 208. Printed at Newry for Gilbert and Hodges, &c. Dublin. 1815.

The dedication of this poem, and some concluding stanzas, are in a style superior to the "body of the work." Whether it be easier to write to a beloved and affectionate sister, (as Mr. Benson describes his Moina,) than to celebrate imaginary beings, or even the most amiable heroes and heroines of history, or whether the genius of this author be more adapted to short flights than to protracted excursions, we know not: but, in our opinion, the relative merits of the compositions in question are such as we have described.

· To thee O Moina! dearest sister, friend,

Beguiler sweet of many a toilsome day
Of mental pain, who oft time didst extend
Bright Fancy's wing, perchance to chase away
The lowering shades of loathed misery ;

Or madest my bosom's grief so much thine own,
For self I ceased to weep and mourned for thee;
And as thou echoedst back the heart's deep groan,
Deceived, almost could deem I wept for thee alone!'

This is all very natural, and pleasing in idea; and the final lines, to the Memory of a departed Friend,' are as good in their own style as the foregoing extract from the dedication:

Weep, when suff'ring Friendship calls!
Weep, for joys that time is stealing!
Oh! when youthful Beauty falls,

Tears have lost their power of healing!
Reflection to all other stings,

Yields a balm each care relieving :
Here alone fond mem'ry brings

Rapture vanished, past retrieving.'

Why are we not able to give more praise, and praise more widely diffused, to this volume? The author must answer the question;— and, while we really regret that we cannot cheer his visual darkness* with any prospective hopes of Miltonic illumination, we are determined not to inflict any farther pain than our critical duty renders necessary. We therefore here close our notice of 'Morni,' and The Pilgrim of Carmel.'

Art. 15. The Days of Harold, a Metrical Tale. By John Ben. jamin Rogers. 8vo. pp. 404. 128. Boards. Newman. 1816. It is sometimes requisite to dismiss all jesting, and seriously and plainly to expostulate with an author for the abuse of the press of which he has been guilty. We think that the present is an occasion of the kind in question. Here is a volume of four hundred pages, handsomely printed, and well sent out into the world altogether, without a shadow of merit in the poetry, original or borrowed, to instruct or to amuse its readers, or to recompense them for the twelve shillings which it extravagantly calls on them to disburse. What would those readers pronounce on glancing at the opening lines?

The keen autumnal breeze of night
Subsiding at the peep of night,
Had murmuring sigh'd itself to rest
Upon the German Ocean's breast,
As o'er the woods of Beverly
Emerging from the eastern sea,

The beams of morning seem'd to rise
And pass along the glowing skies.'

We have little doubt, indeed, that an individual may be found, and perhaps more than one, who may conceive the following language to be equally energetic, correct, and poetical:

*We have been sorry to learn that this poet suffers together with "blind Thamyris, and Blind Mæonides."

and some, perchance, may have candour (or rather indulgence) enough to discover a merit beyond the most common-place medio, crity in the subjoined passage:

Oh that the Muse could half reveal

The strong emotion that I feel,

While my sad heart, with anguish keen,
Revolves in thought that parting scene!
Yet should angelic minstrels bring
Celestial notes their grief to sing,
None but a lover's heart could know,
In all its force, such poignant woe.
Then fly the wretch who would conspire
To quench love's spark of heav'n-born fire,
Whose power coercive would constrain
Th' immortal flame in sordid chain!
Villain, avaunt! whose felon art

Would plunge in woe that tender heart,
Which fondly on the soul reclin'd,
That it to misery consign'd;

Far hence, ye ravishers, be driv'n,
Chac'd by the frowns of angry Heaven,
Who dare the precious jem destroy,

Ye have not feelings to enjoy!'

With this sufficient extract, we shall close our observations on the text of this work; in which, if we could record our detection of any other tolerable passages, we could also chronicle the author's obtrusive and numerous errata, to an extent that would be neither profitable nor pleasing. We turn to the notes, which in due proportion are affixed to each canto; and here the author is much more at home. He is evidently an antiquary, and an English historical reader, of considerable respectability; and we must be pained at inflicting censure on the unsuccessful attempts of such a person: but really the seductive facility, by which some modern writers have attained the modern height of poetical distinction, has beguiled so many well-meaning but ill-adapted followers into the same easy path, that it becomes a double duty to prevent our versification from being debased and our language from being farther corrupted by such injudicious imitations. The notes contain a modernization of a Saxon poem, if it can be so called, translated from an old French description of the amusements of King Arthur's court; and also some notices of the antient state of England and of London, which will be interesting to the antiquary. Art. 16. The Voluspa; or Speech of the Prophetess; with other Poems. By the Rev. J. Prowett. 12mo. pp. 111. Payne and Foss. 1816.

We are told that the former of these poems is extracted from the remains of the Runic mythology, as preserved by Olaus Wormius, Bartholinus, and others. The subject of the prophecy is the dissolution of the world, when Lok, the Evil Principle among the Scandinavians, with all his monster progeny," consisting of

the

the wolf Fenris, Hela the Goddess of Death, and the Great Serpent, who was supposed to wind himself round the earth, shall be hurled headlong from their present abode into the silent shades of everlasting misery. The general character of this composition, and of the minor poems which are included in the volume, consists in chaste simplicity and classical elegance. If, however, we are nowhere offended by any wide deviations from the principles of correct taste, in some instances the author's poetic fire appears to grow languid and feeble, and in others we observe a slight inattention to metrical cadence. The work appears to be the production of an enlightened mind and a classic imagination, but rather, if we may be allowed to guess, of a suitor to the Muses than a confirmed favourite.

Art. 17.

NOVELS.

Le Ministre de Wakefield, &c.; i. e. The Vicar of Wakefield, by Oliver Goldsmith. In French and English. Translated by Madame Despourin. 2 Vols. 12mo. Boards. Leigh, &c. 1816.

This is a faithful translation, and being, as we think, the only one in which the French and English are printed on opposite pages, it will be particularly useful to those who are studying the French language. An edition is also published in French alone.

Art. 18. Emma. By the Author of "Pride and Prejudice," &c. 12mo. 3 Vols. 11. 1s. Boards. Murray. 1816.

If this novel can scarcely be termed a composition, because it contains but one ingredient, that one is, however, of sterling worth; being a strain of genuine natural humour, such as is sel dom found conjointly with the complete purity of images and ideas which is here conspicuous. The character of Mr. Woodhouse, with his habits of gentle selfishness,' is admirably drawn, and the dialogue is easy and lively. The fair reader may also glean by the way some useful hints against forming romantic schemes, or indulging a spirit of patronage in defiance of sober reason; and the work will probably become a favourite with all those who seek for harmless amusement, rather than deep pathos or appalling horrors, in works of fiction."

Art. 19.

St. Clyde. 12mo. 3 Vols. 158. Boards. Gale and
Fenner. 1816.

For the last year or two, the novel-readers in this island have been indebted for much amusement to Scotish writers; and they have been so pleasantly initiated into the northern dialect by the perusal of "Waverley," "Guy Mannering," &c. that a moderate admixture of it in other tales proves attractive rather than alarming. The author of St. Clyde,' however, has composed too palpable an imitation of those works; and he has exceeded the present licence for writing Scotch, since he not only makes almost all his characters speak unintelligibly, but allows himself to narrate in such language as they employ. For instances, he speaks, in Vol. ii. p. 32. of a wondrous pavement that stretched far beneath

the