tions of the principles of fcience; and thofe which pertain to political investigation are no lefs demonftrative of his fagacity. ART. XI. The Sorrows of the Heart; a Novel. 12mo, 2 vols. 5s. fewed. Murray. London, 1787. AMONG the crowd of novels that daily folicit our at tention, and frequently revolt against our tafte and judgment, we hold it a literary as well as a moral duty to point out thofe to the public that can be fafely received into. the domeftic circle, and occupy their place on the table and the toilette. Such is the work now before us, "The Sorrows of the Heart," which contains attractions of no common kind. The author, or editor, tells us, in his preface, that it unfolds "a real hiftory;" and, from the fingularity of the fubject, and the pathos of the manner in which it is related, we are inclined to believe him, or at least to conjecture that he has given a form to incidents that really happened, and a colouring to paffions that he obferved or felt. The principal charm of this novel is fenfibility. The author every where difcovers an elegant mind, and a feeling heart. Critics may object that fome incidents in the piece might have been fuppreffed or altered; that the ftory might have been better conducted, and fome of the characters fooner developed; but the intereft which we take, and the paffions which we feel in the courfe of the narrative, makes us forget inaccuracies. "Love, and do what you pleafe," was the maxim of a celebrated faint in the Romith church; "Feel, and write what you please," is a canon of criticism. There is no appeal from the drop of the eye, and the throb of the heart. A novel, like a dramatic poem, cannot be judged of from particular paffages; the merit of these depends on their connection with the reft; we shall therefore make no extracts. But, as a fpecimen of the author's talents, we fhall refer the reader to the "letter of Julia after her marriage (Vol. II. p. 79), and the account of her death (Vol. II. p. 137)." Thefe difplay very uncommon powers of pathetic painting. The ftyle of this novel is remarkable for its elegance and fimplicity; and if any person can peruse it without tears, he may congratulate himself on being completely fortified against the power of the fympathetic emotions. ART. ART. XII. Lectures on the facred Poetry of the Hebrews. Tranflated from the Latin of the Right Reverend Robert Lowth, D.D. late Prælector of Poetry in the University of Oxford, and now Lord Bishop of London. By G. Gregory, F.A.S. Author of Ejays hiftorical and moral. To which are added, the principal Notes of Professor Michaelis, and Notes by the Tranflator and others. 8vo. 2 vols. 15s. boards. Johnfon. London, 1787. FEW books have been more favourably received by the learned world, or procured greater celebrity to an author, than Dr. Lowth's "Prelections on the facred Poetry of the Hebrews." From the knowledge of Jewish and claffical antiquities difplayed in thefe lectures, the excellent obfervations on the beauties of poetry which they contain, and the elegant ftyle in which they are written, (which would have been admired in the court of Auguftus) they have long been confidered as among the most valuable pieces of criticifm which have been produced in England. Hitherto, however, their beauties have been confined to the learned world, and concealed from the public in the garb of antiquity. Perhaps from the circumftance of their having been originally published in the Latin language, a prejudice has prevailed that they were chiefly intended for men, of erudition and learning. Such an opinion is without any foundation. The greatest and most useful works of criticifm are thofe which, with refpect at least to their general fcope and defign, lie moft level to the common fenfe and feelings of mankind. Though the learning and genius difplayed in thefe lectures muit ever excite our admiration; though they abound in curious researches and refined obfervations; though the fplendour of the fentiments, and the elegance of the ftyle, will captivate the imagination and the ear of the claffical reader; the truth is, they are calcu lated for perfons of tafte and general reading full as much as for what is commonly termed the learned world. There are few nice philological difquifitions, no abftrufe metaphy fical fpeculations conveyed in them; Dr. Lowth has built folely on the bafis of common fenfe, and the acknowledged principles of tafte; and there is hardly any part of his work which will not be intelligible and ufeful to almoft every understanding. Although thefe lectures were originally intended to illuf trate the Hebrew poetry, their utility is by no means confined to that fingle obejet. They embrace all the great 24 prin 1 principles of general criticifm as delivered by the ancients; and will be found to contain a compendium of the best rules of tafte and compofition, illuftrated by the boldest and most exalted specimens of genius which antiquity has tranfmitted to us; and which have hitherto feldom fallen under the infpection of rational criticism. 66 As a fpecimen of Mr. Gregory's tranflation, we shall select a paffage from the fixteenth lecture, which treats of Sublimity of Sentiment." This, according to Longinus, proceeds either from a certain elevation of mind, and a happy boldness of conception; or from a ftrong impulse of the foul, when agitated by the more violent affections. The one he calls grandeur of conception, the other vehemence or enthusiasm of paffion. That fpecies of fublimity which proceeds from a boldnefs of fpirit, and an elevation of the foul, whether inherent in the author or derived from a divine impulfe, may be difplayed in the greatness and fublimity of the object itself; in the choice of the adjuncts or circumftances which add force and elevation to the defcrip. tion; or in the splendour and magnificence of the imagery, by which the whole is illuftrated. In all these the Hebrew writers have obtained an unrivalled preeminence. With regard to the dignity and importance of the subject, they not only furpass the poets of Greece and Rome, but even exceed the confines of human genius and intellect. The greatnefs, the power, the juftice, the immenfity of God; the infinite wisdom displayed in his works and his difpenfations; are the fubjects in which the Hebrew poetry is always converfant, and always excels. Nor does this greatnefs and elevation confift altogether in the fubjects and fentiments, but arifes, in part, from the manner in which these lofty ideas are arranged, and the embellishments of defcription with which they abound. The following extract will justify thefe obfervations: In the first place, then, let me recal to your remembrance the folemnity and magnificence with which the power of God in the creation of the universe is depicted. And here I cannot poffibly overlook that paffage of the facred hiftorian, which has been so frequently commended, in which the importance of the circumftance, and the greatnefs of the idea, (the human mind cannot, indeed, well conceive a greater) is no less remarkable than the expreffive brevity and fimplicity of the language; "And God faid, Let there be light; and there was light *." The more words you would accumulate upon this thought, the more you would detract from the fublimity of it; for the under Gen, i. 3. ftanding ftanding quickly comprehends the Divine Power from the effect, and perhaps most completely when it is not attempted to be explained; the perception, in that cafe, is the more vivid, inafmuch as it feems to proceed from the proper action and energy of the mind itself. The prophets have alfo depicted the fame conception in poetical language, and with no lefs force and magnificence of expreflion. The whole creation is fummoned forth to celebrate the praise of the Almighty: "Let them praise the name of Jehovah ; "For he commanded, and they were created *." And, in another place: For he spoke, and it was; He commanded, and it stood fast †:” The fame fubject is frequently treated more diffufely, many circum. ftances being added, and a variety of imagery introduced, for the purpose of illuftration. Whether this be executed in a manner fuitable to the greatness and dignity of the subject, may be easily ́determined by a few examples: "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? "Say, who fixed the proportions of it, for furely thou knoweft; "Upon what were its foundations fixed? "When the fea was fhut up with doors, "When it burst forth as an infant that cometh out of the womb? "When I placed the cloud for its robe, "And thick darkness for its swaddling-band? "When I fixed my boundary against it, "When I placed a bar and gates, "When I faid, Thus far fhalt thou come, and not advance, " And here shall a ftop be put to the pride of thy waves‡.” "Who hath measured the waters in thé hollow of his hand; "And hath comprehended the duft of the earth in a tierce, "balance? "Lift up your eyes on high, "And fee who hath created thefe : "He draweth forth their armies by number; "He calleth them each by its name, Pfal. cxlviii. 5... + Pfal. xxiii. 9. Job xxxviii. 4—11. ENG. REV. Vol. IX. May 1787. A a "Through "Through the greatness of his ftrength, and the mightiness of his power: "Not one of them faileth to appear *.”” • In these examples, the power and wisdom of the Deity, as demonftrated in the conftitution and government of the natural world, you fee have fuggefted a variety of circumstances, a fplendid affemblage of imagery; of which it is a fufficient commendation to fay, the whole is not unworthy the greatness of the subject. The cafe is, however, materially different when the attributes of God are confidered in themselves fimply and abftractedly, with no illuftration or amplification from their operations and effects. Here the human mind is abforbed, overwhelmed as it were in a boundless vortex, and ftudies in vain for an expedient to extricate itself. But the greatness of the fubject may be justly estimated by its difficulty; and while the imagination labours to comprehend what is beyond its powers, this very labour itself, and thefe ineffectual endeavours, fufficiently demonftrate the immenfity and fublimity of the object. On this account the following paffage is truly fublime. Here the mind feems. to exert its utmoft faculties in vain to grafp an object whofe unpa ralleled magnitude mocks its feeble endeavours; and to this end it employs the grandeft imagery that univerfal nature can fuggeft; and yet this imagery, however great, proves totally inadequate to the purpose: "O Jehovah! thy mercy extendeth to the heavens; "Thy truth unto the clouds ; "Thy juftice is as the mountains of strength; "Thy judgment as the vast abyss ‡.” But nothing of this kind is nobler or more majestic than when a defcription is carried on by a kind of continued negation; when a number of great and fublime ideas are collected, which, on a comparison with the object, are found infinitely inferior and inadequate. Thus the boundaries are gradually extended on every fide, and at length totally removed; the mind is infenfibly led on towards infinity, and is ftruck with inexpreffible admiration, with a pleasing awe, when it firft finds itself expatiating in that immenfe expanse. There are many fuch examples in the facred poetry, one or two of which will probably enable you to recollect the reft: "Canft thou explore the deep counfels of God? "Whither fhall I go from thy spirit? And whither fhall I flee from thy presence? § Job xi. 7-9. |