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pared with observation, and the public y rest assured, that not a single subshall be described without being presly inspected." These are the words, ises, and public declarations, which the ditors" commence with; but, when compare the words with the deeds, discover a lamentable dereliction of ciple. We have quoted the above, our readers, and the editors, may ly perceive the unequivocal import words. The latter, we should pree, did not fully comprehend their ning when they were written; or if did, we are authorized to conclude, meant to impose upon public curiand liberality.

e prepared an analysis of the literary of this volume; but as, on retroon, we cannot discover much to ap, we will cease to reprove. If the rs feel any contrition, we hope to witness to their amendment in our volume; for another part of "Sejews" is announced by the follow. dvertisement:

ter grateful acknowledgments for rdinary patronage, &c the editors proprietors assure their subscribers,

that no exertions shall be omitted to ren der the work the most valuable and interesting of its kind; but as, on the plan adopted in the first volume, they are fearful it would, from its general nature, unavoidably extend to a length, tedious to themselves and the subscribers, they intend to take advantage of the intimations of many who have expressed a wish, that a greater number of subjects should be given, by treating of them more concisely in the letter press. By adopting this hint they will be enabled to comprise in two volumes, (which will complete the work), a considerable number of views, which, on the former plan, must have been omitted; and, as many subjects remarkable for antiquity may be executed in a style, to correspond with the dilapidation they have sustained, an opportunity will be given to bestow a higher finish on those that particularly require it." This very perspicuous extract will afford the reader (if he chooses to exercise his sagacity) à subject to ruminate on. We have endeavoured to comprehend the writer's meaning; but, finding it " above the stretch of thought," shall patiently wait for "the evidence of facts."

his is a species of logic quite novel to us: for we cannot comprehend how a work that ** most valuable and interesting of its kind," should be tedious to the proprietors, or to

Mic.

CHAPTER VI.

EDUCATION AND SCHOOL-BOOKS.

THE last year has only produced one small volume, which can be referred t the theory or practice of education; but some useful additions have been made t the stock of books intended for the instruction and amusement of youth. Miss Edge worth's Popular Tales deserve the foremost rank, on account of their extraordinary merit, both with regard to style, invention, and tendency. Mrs. Smith's Convers tions may also be put into the hands of young people to their profit and entertain ment. Mr. Holland's Essays on Ancient History deserve praise; and will be found well calculated for impressing the leading facts with accuracy and energy. T Book of Trades has the merit of novelty; and is, besides, very respectably execut For other publications of inferior consequence or merit, we refer the reader to the succeeding articles, in which they are particularly described.

ART. I. Thoughts on the Education of those who imitate the great, as affecting the fem Character. 12mo. pp. 110.

THE manuscript of this little volume was found among the papers of a wellwisher to the cause of religion and of moral order, who, after the perusal of Mrs. More's Reflections on the Manners of the Great, was strengthened in the

opinion, that the next evil to forming b morals and manners, is imitating the that have already such. It is a very sible little book, but published at a f unreasonable price.

ART. II. Esays on History; particularly the Jewish, Assyrian, Persian, Grecian Roman; with Examinations, for the Use of young Persons. By JOHN HOLLAND. " pp. 405.

IT has been asserted by Dr. John Blair, author of the Chronological Tables, that the generality of readers acquire their historical knowledge by such unconnected parcels, as they are seldom able clearly to put together; and that the conspiracy of Cataline in particular, is by great numbers conceived to be prior in time to the Jugurthine war, because it is placed before it in our editions of Sallust. Though we can scarcely be lieve that so gross a mistake is frequently made, we have no reason to doubt the general truth of Dr. Blair's complaint. We know, indeed, that the historical epitomes of Eutropius, Florus, and Justin, are read in most of our grammar-schools; and that the more finished and diffuse works of Livy and Tacitus, Herodotus and Thucydides, are pretty generally introduced to the knowledge of the higher

classes; but, as the attention of the p
is chiefly directed to the acquisiti
the language in its grammatical pu
and as, for the sake of obtaining a
pronunciation, the poets are most
quently preferred to the prose w
a

considerable proficiency in hist
knowledge is not to be expected
our common course of early educa
and it is, we apprehend, generally fo
that no regular view of the pri
facts in their real order of succes
at all formed: and yet who does not
ceive that the orations of Demost
and Cicero must be very impert
understood, without some previce
quaintance with the transactions t
times which called forth the extra
nary powers of those illustrious st
men, and that the poems of Horace.
Virgil must be read with much less it.

t

rest by those who are strangers to the politics and leading characters of the Augustan age? It seems, therefore, unaccountable, that a manual of history ritten in the English language, is not ways put into the hands of youth as ne of their first elementary books, and s no less essential to their future proress than their accidence and grammar. The difficulty of executing such a work, o as to unite clearness of arrangement ith a comprehensive view of every imcrtant event, and so as to render the arrative sufficiently entertaining, with at sacrificing the necessary conciseness, as probably been one of the chief causes f the neglect. In some measure to pply the want, the late learned Dr. regory Sharp translated into English on Holberg's Introduction to Gene1 History; but, notwithstanding the ditions and improvements made by in his second edition, it is a meagre, not very instructive, performance. e have the pleasure to observe, that the rk now before us is much better adaptto the purpose. The author presents to the public under the modest title of says on History; and, in one respect, designation is judiciously chosen; for often appears more in the form of distation than of regular narrative. But s, in our estimation, is a prime excelce, as it is thus made the vehicle of ich important moral instruction. Writprofessedly for the young, it contains t only a succinct relation of the pronent facts in the history of each coun, but offers also to the notice of its ders much incidental information, particularly assists them in making h reflections on characters and events, will give a just direction to their as, and render history, what it ought ays to be, an incentive and a guide right conduct.

Mr. Hoiland is a Christian on the full viction of his understanding, and h the warm consent of his heart. As h he has drawn all his sentiments from pure fountain-head of revealed religitruth, and has formed all his views of perpetual revolutions in human affairs, in that display of the divine governnt which is given to the world in the ks of the Old and New Testament. has not, like some modern writers of cory who ought to have known and better, conducted his narrative as if thought that the strict morality of gospel may, in some degree, be laid

aside when men are acting on the large scale of national interests: but has, on the contrary, disdained to varnish over the intrigues of statesmen with the specious colouring of political wisdom, or to dress out the destroyers of mankind with the gaudy plumes of the hero. In his relation of events he has not neglected to mark their connection with the history of religion; and has frequently noticed their subservience to establish the divine origin of the Jewish and Christian systems. There are, indeed, a few passages in his account of the earliest ages of the world which are equally liable to be misunderstood by the ignorant and misrepresented by the prejudiced. We refer to those in which he intimates an uncertainty with respect to the accuracy of some particulars in the Book of Genesis. As they are not necessarily connected with the design of the work, and may be better explained to the student in a more advanced period of his education, it is, perhaps, to be wished that they had been entirely omitted. Or if his high-toned soul would not allow him either to conceal, or to disguise, what he sincerely deems to be truth, it would have been well if he had subjoined a few sentences to point out the difference between the essence of a divine revelation, and the history of the manner in which that revelation was published, of the circumstances with which it was attended, and of the evidence by which it was established. These may certainly be related by an honest eye-witness, or transcribed from authentic records, without the aid of supernatural inspiration. And though the narrative should occasionally betray a want of acquaintance with natural science, and should have in it the ap pearance of a few mistakes in minute points, which have no immediate relation to religious faith and moral practice, its general credibility will by no means be impeached, nor will the autho rity of the revelations which it professes to communicate be at all lessened. When this matter is properly explained, we can assert without fear of contradiction, that the most scrupulous parent will have no reason to apprehend, from the use of these Essays, the infusion of any sentiment into the youthful mind, unfa vourable to the purity of christian mo rals, or the decisions of a sound judgment. We know not, indeed, whether we should not have condemned in more

pointed terms the assassination of Julius Cæsar, on the principle of general consequences, even though we were not, as we confess we are, rather inclined to adopt a more rigid and determinate system of ethics. But Mr. Holland shall speak for himself.

"Whether the maxim of Brutus, that "they who act contrary to law, and cannot be brought to trial for their tyranny, ought to be assassinated," was a sufficient justification of him for effecting the death of Casar, it may not be easy to decide. Certainly, however, it was the best palliation of a deed, which reason may condemn, humanity censure, but which was approved by every one of the conspirators to his dying hour.

"It has been doubted, whether Cicero was made acquainted with the conspiracy against Cæsar before the execution. He was, however, then in the senate, and immediately on the death of the dictator, Brutus called Tully the father and saviour of his country, and claimed his countenance and aid. Without doubt, Cicero did not condemn the conspiracy. For he attended the conspirators into the capitol, he assisted them with his counsels, and only professed to lament that the life of Antony had been spared. Him the orator regarded as the child of more subtle, more profligate ambition, and pursued him with such unrelenting hatred, as produced at first the defeat of the general, but finally occasioned the destruction of Tully. Though Cicero certainly condemned the usurpation of Cæsar, yet either the clemency or the attention of the conqueror had subdued his enmity, restrained his open opposition, or he entertained the vain and feeble hope, that the dictator would restore liberty to his country.

"The history of Brutus and Cassius after Cæsar's death was a striking, yet melancholy proof, that when wrong means are adopted, even for the best ends, the mind often becomes less scrupulous in its mode of conduct, and may be led into measures similar to what it originally condemned. If it be true, that whilst Brutus abhorred tyranny, Cassius hated only the tyrant, the rapacious cruelty of the latter to the inhabitants of Rhodes need not be a subject of surprise. But that the brave citizens of Xanthus, in Lycia, should, by the more humane and philosophical Brutus, be driven to such despair in defence of their liberty as to prefer death to slavery, cannot so easily be accounted for, unless by the supposition, that even the most liberal and enlightened Romans thought themselves only worthy of freedom, and regarded all other nations as barbarians, doom

ed to be their tributaries, or their slaves.During the siege, the Xanthians attempted to retreat to the mountains, but they were driven back by their merciless and revengeful enemies. Like the Numantines, therefore, they set fire to their city and devoted them

selves to destruction. When Brutus beheld the conflagration, he relented,—but it was too late! Only one hundred and fifty Xanthians were snatched from the flames. To ciful, and so gained their hearts by restoring the inhabitants of Patara he was more merto them their wives, whom he had captured, without requiring any ransom, that they surrendered unconditionally to his power. Brutus and Cassius, however, it has been argued, were so ill supplied from Rome with the means of maintaining their soldiers, that in defence of themselves and of their cause, they were obliged to adopt methods which they might not otherwise have approved. The Epicurean principles of Cassius might not render him less scrupulous than Brutus in the means which he used for the promotion of his interest; but, when his pleasure only was concerned, it has been observed to his honour, that he was a Stoic in practice, and that he was always ready to surrender his personal advantage or enjoyment to the public good.

But whatever were the merits or demerits of the conspirators against Julius Cæsar, (though probably they were influenced by better motives than their enemies imputed to them, but not by such pure and incontestible principles as were ascribed to them by their friends), yet since few of them died a natural death, their melancholy fate is, pa haps, another proof, that even the best of causes are often unattended with success, unless righteous measures are used.”

The teacher of history will derive no little advantage from the questions annexed to each essay. They are almost without exception so contrived as not to suggest the required answer by the terms in which they are expressed: an excel lence which those who have leisure to make the experiment will soon find no easy acquisition. As a specimen we shall select the last section.

What, according to Sir Isaac Newton, t the average length of a monarch's reig What was that of the Byzantine emper By whose, and what calculation is it proved What conelusion may hence be draw; · What is the moral observation of the hu rian? How, and on whom had the empe been frequently bestowed before the time e Constantine? What other methods did the ambitious often adopt? What else had a influence in changing the imperial succes sion?"

The work is written in a neat perspi though we have remarked a few cuous style, well adapted to its desiga, The second sentence of the introducties. stances of inaccuracy and oversigh for example, is either left imperfect, we do not understand the grammatical construction. The word demeaning is, 19

one place, used instead of degrading, with which it certainly is not synonymous. The conjunction borever is sometimes either aukwardly placed, or inserted where the sense does not require, and the phraseology would be better without it. But these and other similar little imperfections, the author's good sense and taste will readily enable him to correct in a future edition. We have been the more particular in directing his attention to them, because we are coninced that if youth be carefully conned to the use of good models, they ill early acquire, by the natural influence of uniformly repeated associations, hat correct, clear and elegant style, which an acquaintance with the theory f language will afterwards confirm, at which, if not early acquired, no Lture knowledge of grammatical rules ll perfectly produce.

Mr. Holland has inadvertently stated fount Ararat to be in Asia Minor, part f the present Turkey in Europe; whereas is in the ancient Armenia, and in moern times has belonged to Persia. There re also some omissions, which, we oubt not, will hereafter be supplied. The kingdom of Syria is slightly menoned in the essay on the Jewish history, at is entirely passed over in its proper ace, the account of the intricate peod which succeeded the death of Alexder the Great. The first settlement the Vandals in Africa is left in the me manner without explanation. The igin and extensive prevalence of slave, the change of the ancient Grecian

kingdoms into republics, and the state of parties, which was the real, though not ostensible cause of the Peloponnesian war, should, we think, have been briefly developed. We will still further venture to intimate to the able and excellent author, that the usefulness of his work will be greatly increased by the introduction of a formal technical chronology. He has with great judgment recommended the use of Dr. Grey's artificial me mory, which has not obtained a regard equal to its merits. We once knew an old clergyman who was celebrated among his brethren for his ready recol lection of dates: but, as he himself candidly acknowledged, there was nothing extraordinary in the case; for having learnt, when a boy, the numeral terminations of the Memoria Technica, they had become so closely associated in his mind with the names themselves, that he was in no more danger of forgetting the signification of one than the spelling of the other. Dr. Grey's words are not always judiciously selected: but the principles of the art are of such easy application, that new ones may be formed at pleasure. If the history of the ancient nations were broken into proper periods, and numeral syllables adapted to them, little more would be wanting to initiate young persons into the elements of this pleasing and useful, but as it is generally managed, perplexing branch of knowledge. We shall be happy to see the plan completed by a similar volume on modern history.

RT. III. The Travels of Rolando; containing, in a supposed Tour round the World, autentic Descriptions of the Geography, Natural History, Manners, and Antiquities of various Countries. Translated from the French of L. F. JAUFRET. In 4 vols. 12mo.

GEOGRAPHY and Chronology have en aptly called the eyes of history. thout them the student proceeds Endfold on his way: all before and about him is dark and intricate, zzled in mazes and perplexed with rors. Their first rudiments can, there. re, scarcely have too early a place in e system of juvenile education. In

e preceding article we have expressed wish that the sensible and acute author the Essays on Ancient History may, a future edition, bestow a more parular attention to the latter. Mr. Jauwho has written other valuable orks for the use of young persons, has, that now before us, furnished an

amusing introduction to the former. It does not come before the public in the form of a regular treatise; but it is on that account more likely to effect its professed design. "Geography," as is justly observed by the translator," is, to a very young scholar, commonly one of the most irksome of his studies. It requires frem him the most fatiguing exercise of memory; and of its future utility he can scarcely form an idea.” It is, therefore, desirable to postpone, for the employment of a more advanced understanding, the natural divisions of the globe, as they are produced by the position of oceans, mountains, and rivers; and the fluctuating ones, which arise

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