CONTENTS ART. I.-El Teatro Español; ó Coleccion de Dramas escogidos de Lope de Vega, Calderon de la Barca, Moreto, Roxas, Solis, Moratin, y otros célebres Escritores; precedida de una breve Noticia de la Escena Española y de los II. 1. A Narrative of Travels in Northern Africa, in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by Geographical Notices of Soudan, and of the Course of the Niger. With a Chart of the Route, and a variety of Coloured Plates illustrative of the Costumes of the several Na- tives of Northern Africa. By Captain G. F. Lyon, R. N. Companion of the late Mr. Ritchie. 2. A Dissertation showing the Identity of the Rivers Niger and Nile; chiefly from the Authority of the Ancients. By John Dudley, M. A. Vicar of Humberston and III. The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. IV. Voyages dans La Grande Bretagne, entrepris relative- ment aux Services Publics de la Guerre, de la Marine, et des Ponts et Chaussées, en 1816-1819. Par Charles Dupin, Membre de l'Institut de France, &c. - VI. 1. Account of a Tour in Normandy, undertaken chiefly for the purpose of investigating the Architectural An- tiquities of the Duchy; with Observations on its His- 2. The Architectural Antiquities of Normandy, in a Series of one Hundred Etchings, with Historical and Descriptive Notices. By J. S. Cotman. 3. Letters written during a Tour in Normandy, Brittany, and other Parts of France, in 1818. By Mrs. Charles Stothard. 4. Essai 4. Essai Historique sur la Ville de Caen, et ses Arron- dissemens. Par M. l'Abbé de la Rue, Chanoine Ho- noraire de l'Eglise Cathédrale de Bayeux. 5. An Inquiry into the Origin and Influence of Gothic Architecture. By William Gunn, B.D. Rector of 6. An Attempt to discriminate the Styles of English Architecture, from the Conquest to the Reformation, preceded by a Sketch of the Grecian and Roman Orders; with Notices of nearly Five Hundred English 7. Chronological and Historical Illustrations of the An- cient Architecture of Great Britain. By John Brit- 8. Specimens of Gothic Architecture, selected from va- rious ancient Edifices in England; consisting of Parts, VII. Annals of the Parish, or the Chronicle of Dalmailing, during the Ministry of the Rev. Micah Balwhidder, VIII. The History of Greece. Vol. V. By Wm. Mitford, Esq. 154 IX. Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, performed in the Years 1819-20, in his Majesty's Ships Hecla and Griper, under the Orders of William Edward Parry, R.N. F.R.S. Commander of the Expedition. With - an Appendix, containing the Scientific and other Ob- X. A Chemical and Medical Report of the Properties of the Mineral Waters of Buxton, Matlock, Tunbridge Wells, Harrogate, Bath, Cheltenham, Leamington, Malvern, and the Isle of Wight. By Charles Scudamore, M.D. &c. &c. &c. XI. Reports of some recent Decisions by the Consistorial Court of Scotland, in Actions of Divorce, concluding for Dissolution of Marriages celebrated under the THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. APRIL, 1821. ART. I.-El Teatro Español; ó Coleccion de Dramas escogidos de Lope de Vega, Calderon de la Barca, Moreto, Roxas, Solis, Moratin, y otros célebres Escritores; precedida de una breve Noticia de la Escena Española y de los Autores que la han ilustrado. Num. I.-XX. Londra. 1819, 1820, 1821. THE drama of Spain, although its influence has been felt both in France and in England, is by no means generally known beyond the precincts of the Peninsula: the fame, in fact, of its writers has been, as it were, buried beneath their abundance. Whatever real merit Lope de Vega may possess, his celebrity is entirely ascribed to the marvellous facility with which he poured forth his prolific writings; and the long array of Calderon's works, consisting of sixteen volumes of plays and autos, is sufficient to appal a foreign reader. Occasionally the success of a particular imitation, the Cid of Corneille for instance, has excited the public curiosity to trace the source of so noble a poem; but in general the imitators themselves have awakened so little interest, that, instead of being able to reflect back their own fame on the originals to which they were indebted, they have themselves quietly sunk into neglect and disregard. Of the French writers who have thus taken refuge from the charge of plagiarism in utter oblivion, we might instance Quinault and Thomas Corneille; nor has the name of Dryden tempted any of his critics to trace back his Almanzor and the heroes of his Indian Emperor to their prototypes on the Spanish stage.* If, however, there were no intrinsic merit in the works of the Spanish dramatists, it would still be a worthy object for the philosophy of literary history, to examine into the remarkable coincidence, in the manner of composition adopted by our own early writers, with that of Lope de Vega and Calderon. Nor has this forcible argument in their favour escaped the notice of those German critics, who have waged war so powerfully and successfully against the rigid and arbitrary rules of the French Aristarchs. Now, without recurring to the principles of romantic poetry' established by our theorizing neighbours, which we confess, after great toil and attention, we are unable clearly to * Fletcher also appears to have had considerable intercourse with Spain. Three of his plays are from the Novelas di Cervantes. We think too that we trace his Elder Brother in the Di una Causa dos Effectos of Calderon. The supernatural part of Massinger's Virgin Martyr reminds us strongly of the same author's religious pieces. VOL. XXV. NO. XLIX. A com |