My reason, adds the author, for being fo prolix in each de fcription was not to please the multitude, but each individual, whofe chief pleasure is, that any circumftance, be it ever so trifing, concerning their family, is welcome; I mean, to fuch generous fouls as tread in the virtuous principle of their forefathers.' The armorial bearings of the commanders, &c. follow in their order, with a lift of the governors or major generals, appointed to command in the different diftricts of England. The charge of the military establishment of the commonwealth, as recorded in the journals of the houfe, on the ad of December, 1652, was estimated at 1,496,215l. but by fome new regulations of the council of state, the charge was reduced to 1,443,680l. Of infantry, there were in England, 4700 foldiers, befides officers: of cavalry 2520: in garrifon were 6159 foldiers, befides officers. In Scotland were 15000 infantry, 2580 cavalry, exclufive of 560 dragoons. In Ireland, there were about 2000 men. The navy was not inconfiderable: at home were 56 fhips of war, from 52 to 4 guns; abroad 26 ships of war, from 52 to 22 guns. The expence of the navy, for thè year 1652, for building fhips, furnishing men, &c. amounted to 829,4901. The lift of thofe, who fell in the civil war, or afterwards on the fcaffold, is next inferted. The following remark we think worth tranfcribing. The editor cannot help obferving, that at the beginning of thefe unhappy and uncivil wars, generally most of the old families were divided among themfelves, whereby many a defigning flatterer made his fortune by the ruin of both Whig and Tory; as it is a fact well known, that thofe of each fide who acted on pure principles were generally the fufferers. Thus many ancient heads of families were clapped on the block by fome great spendthrift, or defigning villain, that had a fortune to raife, or had loft one. Little had the under-pullers generally to do in the quarrel, as they conftantly avoided any military employment, that thereby they fhould have leifure to enrich themselves by the deftruction and ruin of their own and the oppofite party; witness the Catholic family of Temple, with others of the fame stamp, who enriched themfelves by the fall of others; nay, even that of their own party, whom they feemed to efpoufe with zeal, though fecretly they fecked their overthrow to enrich themselves. This is evident, as very few of the protector's family, or that of Fairfaxes, but what were as great fufferers as. any of the royal party. Indeed, except in a few, the leaders feem to have been engaged by disgust or ambition, or some fi nifter inducement. From thefe caufes the country was undone by the ravage one fide or both made and all this not fo much for respect to merit or title, as for pique and revenge, and a fondnels to fhew their parts, and thereby raise themselves on the ruin of others.' • The • The names and armorial bearings of fundry noble and worthy perfonages in the common-wealth, with some account of their families,' furnish nothing that we can extract with advantage: the author's ancestor, Edmund Preftwich, of London, is noticed among the reft. Oliver, our author remarks, divided the old families against each other, to govern the whole more eafily, and many were deftroyed in the contest. He thinks that it is a mistaken opinion, that the fupporters of the common-wealth were of the lowest class, and the meaneft families. The death and funeral of Oliver are next defcribed from a MS. of Mr. J Preftwich, of All Soul's College. This gentleman was fully of opinion, that the protector was poisoned. The body was buried privately, and a gilded coffin honoured with the funeral decorations.* The funeral enfigns of honour, belonging to Oliver, are described, and farther particulars relating to the ceremony, and the expences of the funeral, are fubjoined. The birth, marriage, and iffue of Oliver, are pointed out at fome length, and a lift of the members of parliament, who fat in the year 1658, is afterwards added. The conftitution of England is, in our author's opinion, the true republican form, and he thinks that no law can give a better title to the fupreme fovereignty than the general confent of thofe who are governed. His examination, however, of the conftitution of England, degenerates into an antiquarian difcuffion, and concludes with an heraldic difplay of the style, title, and atchievements of their prefent majesties. An alphabetical roll of the names and armorial bearings of most of the prefent nobility, and ancient families of these kingdoms, together with thofe of Germany, France, and Spain, is begun in this volume, and to be finished in the fecond. Our author feems only to have concluded the letter A. The obfervations, however, which occur on this fubject, must be deferred till the appearance of the fecond volume. 1 The Vifion of Columbus: a Poem, in nine Books, by Joel Barlow, Efq. 12mo. 25, in Boards. Dilly. TH 'HE fubject of this poem, in regard to the author's local fituation, is well-chofen; the defign grand and extenfive, adapted for the display both of his defcriptive and reflecting powers. The attempt is arduous, and, in general, he fhews himself not unequal to it. The scenery and appearance of the hero, with which the first book opens, is folemn and interefting, *His remains were privately interred in a fmall paddock, near Hoiboin, in that very spot over which the obelisk is placed in Red Lion Square. The Secret! John Piestwich.' • Long · Long had the fage, the first who dared to brave With cares o'erwhelm'd, in life's diftreffing gloom, That raised new cares and tempered keener woes, After a characteristic and affecting speech of Columbus, - a thundering found Roll'd round the fhuddering walls, and fhook the ground Thefe lines are equally mufical with the preceding, but have no great pretenfions to originality. The angelic apparel, like an Afiatic's drefs, or military uniform, seldom or never varies in poetic writ. The 'glad perfume, robes of fplendor, golden plumage, grace of youth, glittering locks, and wings folding o'er the breaft,' have decorated their appearance, or conflituted their wardrobe, time immemorial. The laft circumftance is not fo common, though it may be found in the picturefque reprefentation of Raphael in the 5th book of Paradife Loft, and which probably the author had in his eye when he compofed the preceding paffage. The idea is taken. from the prophetic writings, and the defcription there given of an angelic being, we apprehend inferior to none in any language. guage. We do not blame the author for treading in his predeceffor's fteps. It is a circumftance much easier to remark than alter. Particular images annexed to fupernatural beings have gained poffeffion of our minds, and to vary from them. might appear unnatural or abfurd. The idea in the first lines is well expreffed; but though thunder and lightning are, according to Fielding, the proper paraphernalia of a ghost, yet neither of them feems a proper attendant on a celeftial vifitant, who appears for fo benevolent a purpofe as the prefent. The laft line is obfcure but might be eafily altered.-The grand design of the poem now commences. The angel difplays, in vifion to Columbus, a view of the American continent; its principal mountains, rivers, lakes, &c. are defcribed. The natives, their characteristic qualities, and fuppofed origin are investigated. The two great empires, Mexico and Pera, are particularly dwelt upon. An hiftorical detail of the tranfactions in the latter, intermixed with fome romantic fictions, supposed to have happened before the Spaniards fubdued that country, is next given. The progrefs of the European fettlements in the northern parts, and the nature of thofe colonial establishments, is delineated. This leads to the military tranfactions, particularly thofe in the late conteft that have ravaged that quarter of the globe. Here, as it may naturally be fuppofed, the leaders of the continental army receive a large tribute of applause. The author too often blends ancient manners with thofe that are modern. Steuben's veteran armour,' the Britons advancing with lifted lance,' and Montgomery by his fingle prowess overthrowing hoftile legions,' is not defcriptive of modern warfare. The attributes of a romance here fuit but badly with a general of the prefent time; and we think Washington muft fmile at seeing himself represented as mowing down whole armies like an Amadis or Orlando. Behind, great Washington his falchion drives, Thins the pale ranks, and copious vengeance gives*. Holts captive bow, and move behind his arm, And hofts before him wing the driven ftorm.' The American's great ally in this poem, as in all others that have from the fame quarter fallen under our inspection, is inveited with the fplendor of an Afiatic defpot, and compli mented with the fpirit of an Hampden. Bright o'er the fcenes of itate a golden throne, * To render this rhyme correct, the word fhould bear a very different meaning. Vol. LXV. Jan. 1788. D He 6 He expreffes great zeal for the liberal univerfal caufe,' is melted into tears for the oppreffed Americans, and affumes his arms reluctant for the fake of peace.' This liberality of fentiment is doubtless highly laudable in an abfolute monarch; and as his own people feem defirous of partaking the bleffing of thofe inherent natural rights for which he has fo generously contended abroad, how can he confiftently refuse their reasonable requests? Should the reader fufpect that Mr. Barlow may be a little mistaken in the principles he attributes to his Gallic majefty, and that his zeal for liberty may by this time be fomewhat abated, he will, we truft, accord with us in praifing the juftice and fpirit of the following encomium on one of our illuftrious countrymen. 6 High on the tallest deck majestic shone Great Raleigh, pointing tow'rd the western fun; Several fubfequent lines are equally animated, but fome of them rather verge on the bombaft. Mr. Barlow's general merit renders it excufeable. So daring a mufe as his must fometimes be expected in her fublime flight to veil her head in the clouds. In juftice to this gentleman we muft obferve, that, unlike a late American poet, he abftains from all illiberal abuse of the British army, and the generals who commanded it. As an American, indeed, he is partial to his countrymen, and we commend him for it. A certain degree of enthusiasm is laudable both in a patriot and a poet. We find likewife, in this performance, many philofophical difquifitions on the caufe of the diffimilarity among nations; on the peopling of America; on the progress of arts and fciences; and the extenfive influence which the discoveries of Columbus may have upon the intereft and happiness of mankind. That fubjects fo extenfive and arduous fhould not always be accurately inveftigated, that feveral faulty paffages might be felected from a poem of fuch magnitude as the prefent, cannot be wondered at, and ought not to detract from its general merit. Mr. Barlow thinks with freedom, and expreffes himself with fpirit. The introduction, which contains the life of Columbus, is written in an agreeable easy manner: the differtation on the genius and inftitutions of Manco Capac, in which the Peruvian legiflator is compared |