The harmony of these lines is greatly assisted by the well introduced alliteration. The author pursues his theme in a happy manner, adding to the vivacity of his subject by an occasional increase of rhyme. We meet, however, as usual, with discordant lines, sufficient to counterbalance almost any degree of harmony: "Now doth a delicate shadow fall- From some lofty arch or wall, As she passes underneath." p. 8. By means of an old man's tales, and a vault where the Claphams and Mauliverers are interred, the author occasionally alludes to the Northern insurrection, varying his metre, as the pathos of the poem increases. The Rising in the North," and the consequent traditions, become the general subjects of the five succeeding Cantos, the materials of which are taken from an ancient ballad. The poem is supposed to have been composed in Queen Elizabeth's time. When the banner, on which Emily's hand had embroidered the Sacred Cross, is called for by her discontented father "It came and Francis Norton said, O Father, rise not in this fray— Bethink you of your own good name; 'Tis meet that I endure your scorn I am your son, your eldest born; But not for lordship or for land, My Father, do I clasp your knees The banner touch not, stay your hand- And live at home in blissful ease; For these my brethren's sake, for me; p. 27-8. The Father commits the banner to the care of his son Richard, (who bears his sire's name,) and followed by his ether sons, eight in number, he joins his "warlike tenantry."-Francis sees his sister sitting beneath a yew tree, and dallies that he may console her. The white doe occasionally makes her appearance: and the fourth Canto commences with a tranquil evening: "But where at this still hour is she, Even while I speak, behold the maid Nor more regard doth she bestow p. 68-9. The anxiety of Emily, when told that her father and brothers, save one, were doomed to die, renders the fifth Canto exceedingly interesting. In the sixth we read of the escape of Francis, and his sudden death: "His weaker hand the banner held; And the body was left on the ground where it lay." p. 104. We object to this needless Alexandrine; and would rather have said, While on the ground the mangled body lay. The last Canto treats of the desolation of Rylstone, and of the griefs of Emily resting beneath a mouldered oak: "When with a noise like distant thunder, A troop of deer came sweeping by; And suddenly behold a wonder! For of that band of rushing deer The doe follows the lady to her dwelling.. In the morning she is again seen by Emily, and afterwards by a sudden glimpse she sees her browzing on the mountain. "Accompanied by the soft-paced doe," Emily finds a comforter. The lady at length dies, and is buried by her mother's side in Rylstone church. The doe still haunts the spots which her mistress had frequented, and every Sunday visits the church-yard, and halts at Emily's vault. This poem will be read not without pleasure; and we trust that the author will never choose a loftier subject for the exercise of his muse. If he would but consent to abandon slovenly metre, and addict himself to good plain prose, his unceasing benevolence, and his turn of thought always so moral and religious, might render him a highly respectable Essayist. ART. V. A French Dictionary, on a Plan entirely new; wherein all the Words are so arranged and divided, as to render their Pronunciation both easy and accurate. By WILLIAM SMITH, A. M. London: Lackington and Co. 1814. pp. 214. 8vo. 8s. 6d. To write a book for the purpose of leading to the accurate pronunciation of a language, which is not the vernacular dialect of the author, appears an adventurous undertaking. Mr. Smith has, however, accomplished it in this instance, and in a manner both creditable to himself and worthy the confidence of his countrymen, who will be safe in taking him for a guide through that department of their studies. Frenchmen too, whom Envy may not blind, will offer him marks of their esteem-as the present writer (who is a Frenchman) will always be ready to do. Every thing Mr. S. advances, leaves us convinced that he has taken the necessary pains to qualify himself for his undertaking; and should good judge feel disposed to find fault with him, it will be rather for over-nicety, than for remissness, in the investigation of his subject. In such an attempt, great delicacy of ear is an essential requisite, which Mr. S. seems to possess, and to have employed conformably to the Italian expression, con Amore. Nor do we doubt but that, by adhering to his principles, most of the apparent difficulties of French pronunciation will be effectually overcome. Far from meeting with self-conceit, we have noticed a laudable candor in his avowal of doubts, where the bungling utterance of some Frenchmen seemed to have betrayed him into errors. When Mr. S. speaks of ill liquid or mouillé in baille, from bailler, to yawn, and other similar words, and declares it to have nothing of the sound of the consonant, he must surely have been misled by the provincial, or even the Parisian careless utterance of it, in cases where is substituted for ill. To satisfy him with the accuracy of this remark, we ask if in the sound of the English word batallion he can question the exist ence of the consonant ? If not, let him suppose on, at the end of that word, to have the nasal sound of the French, and Bataillon shall give the same result in his ear as the corresponding English Batallion. There can be no diphthong in words of that sort, but when uttered Baïe, Bataion, (ill) or the L mouillé being a true consonant, common to the French, Italian, Spanish, and even Portuguese, although differently represented by them, as may be seen in the present word bataillon, seraglio, caballo, and fillo, pronounced batallion, seralio, cavalio, and filio. We should have abstained from these observations, had it not been for the advantage of the future editions of Mr. S.'s book, which will prove a much safer guide to the French tongue, than the productions of many of our native grammaticasters. We dismiss the subject, with advising the author to place more confidence in his own taste and industry; and when in want of authorities, to prefer that of the French academy to all the Tardies and other Doctors in prononciation Bretonne ou Nor mande. ART. VI. The Geographical and Historical Dictionary of America and the West Indies; containing an entire Translation of the Spanish Work of Colonel Don Antonio de Alcedo, Captain of the Royal Spanish Guards, and Member of the Royal Academy of History; with large Additions and NO. IV. Aug. Rev. VOL. I. 2 B Compilations from Modern Voyages and Travels, and from original and authentic Information. By G. A. THOMPSON, Esq. In Five Volumes. 4to. London: Carpenter, 1812-5. THE subscribers to this work are numerous and respectable. The idea of publishing by subscription is not of very ancient date, and it is only of late years that it has been frequently adopted. Its advantages, where a work of great expense is projected, are of an essential kind. It qualifies an author to write better, by setting his mind at ease; it enables a publisher to sell cheaper, by freeing him from risk; and, may we add, it records, as patrons of literature, the names of men who might otherwise have bid adieu to the world, without leaving behind them any proof of their having ever thought or acted but with the vulgar. The Work before us is one of no common interest or importance. It contains an immense mass of information-skilfully selected and arranged-respecting a hemisphere, with a great part of which we are but little acquainted. It was originally published at Madrid, in five small quarto volumes, and patronised by the most elevated characters in Spain. But it was soon found to contain too much information relative to the Western colonies, of which Alcedo is a native, to be agreeable to the enlightened court of Madrid. Its popularity was so great that the supreme powers could not endure the publication of it: its descriptions were so true, that they began to be apprehensive for their possessions. They paid it, therefore, the compliment of suppressing it, which, however disagreeable to its author, was an unequivocal proof of its excellence. Not more than five or six copies were supposed to be in England; and it was very difficult to procure one from the Continent, when Mr. Thompson began the translation which he has now so successfully completed. As to the continent of North America, with which we are best acquainted, a very slight observation must convince us of the importance to us of its relations with this country. Its inhabitants, however degenerate many of them are known to be, are descended from our ancestors-speak our languageand imitate our dress and manners: that they ever sympathise with us in either our good, or our ill success, we do not assert. The United States, according to the calculations of their own economists, double their population in less than twenty-five years, in consequence of the abundance of the means of subsistence, and the immense regions which industry may make its |