Thus impudently does Peter introduce our Regent on the scene; and, without forgetting the Admiral of the Fleet, he is very liberal of his satire. He ludicrously describes the journey of the King and of the Regent to Dover; and, in order to put his Royal Highness in good humour, the wily pdet hits on a lively incident to amuse the Regent in his return, when his friend Mac is sent to ride on the box to make room in the royal carriage for a Kentish buxom dame, "fat, fair, and fifty." A stanza of stars makes it as clear as the moon in what the Regent's felicity was centered; and perhaps the Prince, on being invested with all the honours of gallantry, pass over those rough and uncourtly epithets in which Peter, as a wicked satirist, profanely indulges himself.

Art. 16. A Song of Triumph.

By William Sotheby, Esq. 4to. 2s. 6d. Murray. 1814.

In this period of universal exultation, poets have but one subject; Mr. Southey has his Carmen Triumphale, and Mr. Sotheby has his Song of Triumph; and our business, as reviewers, obliges us again and again to move round in the same track, like a mill-horse, and to kick up the same dust. One consolation is, that in this task we collect something more honourable to our country than Olympic dust; and that, if the song be repeated, it is still a Song of Triumph. Mr. Sotheby does not forget to record the well-fought fields which rescued Spain; and he thus notices the great events in the North, which gave a decisive turn to affairs:

''Twas Freedom stood, at Gallia's fated hour,
On the red crest of Kremlin's burning tower,
And lanc'd with vengeful hand the flames on high
When Moscow's blaze illum'd the northern sky,
Lit the long tracts of ice, and o'er the flight
Of Gaul's lone despot cast funereal light,
When day was slaughter, night without repose,
Save when bleak winds some famish'd legion froze,
When horse and horseman fell without a blow,

And armies vanish'd, sepulchred in snow.'

Gratulations of our great hero and of his gallant officers make an appropriate portion of this song; and, as the lines are nervous, our readers will thank us for giving them an opportunity of perusing a few more of them:

The Hero comes; the festive pomp prepare
With shout and gratulation rend the air!
Hush the deep plaint of woe; awhile restrain
The sigh that inly mourns the warrior slain ;
To Britain's high renown be glory giv'n,
And the mute pray'r in secret breath'd to heaven.

Thou! whose bold step, wherever glory led
From realm to realm Britannia's victories spread,
Whether thou wrap'd'st Barrossa's brow in flame,
Or fir'd'st Sebastian's fort, intrepid Gräme !
Firm Beresford! whose arm had strength to wield
A nation's fate on Lusitania's shield;

Hope! whose brave hand clos'd Moore's fame-fixed eye,
When Conquest' shout had sooth'd his latest sigh,
Then wav'd his banner o'er the Hero dead,
And to fresh helds his conquering legions led;
Cotton! whose squadrons, where thou leds't the way,
Rush'd like a storm, and swept war's firm array;
And Hill who mid the living and the dead,
When Gaul's fresh ranks the flames of battle fed,
Tow'r'dst, as thy single host their shock withstood,
And purpled Bayonne's border-stream with blood;
Fam'd Chiefs! to grace the Hero's state, advance
Mid cow'ring eagles borne from vanquish'd France,
And blazon'd flags that wide in air display'd,
O'er-canopy his brow in floating shade.
Thus with high harmonies, and solemn song,
Thro' arcs of triumph lead his pomp along;
There Britain's Senate, Britain's Champion greet,
Heap war's rich spoils, and plan his proud retreat;
With the bold compass of imperial Rome

Spread its vast scale, and swell its trophied dome;
There on the breathing stone and pictur’d wall
Bid British art the Hero's wars recall,

And, on another Blenheim, soaring Fame

With Marlb'rough's spread triumphant Wellesley's name.' Not only this extract but the whole of the poem is creditable to the talents of its author: but wrapd'st, fir'd'st, and tow'r'dst, are abominable elisions. To shew Mr. Sotheby's high opinion of the merit of the Duke of Wellington, he proposes that the shield of Achilles, wrought in massive gold after the design of Mr. Flaxman, should be presented as an appropriate trophy to Britain's unrivalled hero.

Art. 17. Intrigue, a Comic Interlude, in one Act, as now performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. By John Poole, Esq. 8vo. Is. 6d. Miller. 1814.

The plot of this drama is acknowleged to be of French origin, but is said to have been greatly varied, and the dialogue to have been entirely re-writtten. We think, however, that it still bears the features of its descent; and though its lively character may have contributed to the indulgent reception of it for which the author is grateful, it does not require much notice from the critic.

Art. 18. The Woodman's Hut: a Melo-dramatic Romance in three Acts, as now performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The Music by Mr. Horn. 8vo. 28. Miller. 1814

No avowal is here made, as it is in the instance just mentioned, of this play being derived from a foreign stock: but we rather suspect that something more than its localities and characters has been obtained from the Continent. It is calculated for effect on the stage, and we hear (for we have not seen it) that it succeeds so well in this respect that it may be contented without aspiring to any higher reputation. The conclusion of the last scene leaves an impression on the mind which is too shocking, —even for a German drama.

Art.

Art. 19. Debtor and Creditor, a Comedy in five Acts, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. By James Kenney, Esq. 8vo. 3s. Miller. 1814.

Characters and incidents familiar to the stage compose this comedy, with the exception of an honest and feeling Yorkshire prize-fighter, who is rather new to the theatre, and we fear may be said to be rather new in London, where he probably would not long retain his countrynotions. The whole is not unskilfully woven together, is conveyed in good dialogue, and furnishes a just moral, in exposing fashionable vices but the sudden love of Barbara and Rochefort is rather revolting, which is a too common fault in novels and dramas. Barbara is a sort of imitation of the character of the Country-Girl in Love for Love, well adapted for Mrs. Jordan who personates her, or rather for the Mrs. Jordan of twenty years ago; and Sampson and Gosling seem to be created for Emery and Liston. Art. 20. The Rejected Addresses; or, the Triumph of the Ale-king: a Farce. By William Stanley, Esq. 8vo. 28. Cawthorn. This Farce borrows its name, and a great part of its substance also, from the well known poetical work which appeared, two years ago, under the same title. The debt, however, thus contracted will never be repaid; for Mr. Stanley has contrived to make even what he has borrowed his own; we wish that we could say, "pulchriora et sua," but, alas! the first word must be exchanged for any one which the dictionary of dulness will supply. Yet the author could do better, as the following stanzas (which it will be easily seen are in tended as a parody on the best of modern lyric poets) may testify: I'dearly love those gentle souls,

Where sense with sweetness joins,

Whose heart's warm motions taste controls,
And love's delight refines.

I dearly love, the lovely face,
With eyes of melting blue;
A form possessing every grace
A perfect maid-like you.

• But sense or beauty has no power
To fix my roving heart;

I sip the honey, kiss the flower,
And like the Bee depart.
A fair one, fickle as the wind,

In me can cause no sorrow;
No-be she cruel, be she kind,

Her chains fall off to-morrow.'

At page 37. is another song, the burden of which is The Emeralds set in the Silver Sea,' intended as an imitation of the same writer's style, and which is also not without merit. These instances induce us to say little on the present occasion. If we are now obliged to cry "Off," we shall have more pleasure in meeting the author in some other shape, when we can cry, "On, Stanley, On!"

Art. 21. Elements of Music, in Verse, adapted to the Piano Forte, and calculated for Juvenile Study: to which are added, a Series of progressive Lessons, and a favourite Duet. By John Kelly. 4to. 58. Sherwood and Co.

We are always disposed to think favourably of works designed to facilitate the studies of young persons; and, among the various publications of this kind, no one is more intitled to praise than the pamphlet now before us: in which the author conveys correctly and shortly the information intended to be given. He has chosen, he says, to explain himself through the medium of poetry on account of its peculiar facility in making an impression on the mind;' and, as an instance of the power of verse in establishing facts on the memory, quotes the well known lines:

"Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November," &c.

he

This plan, we think, may be attended with advantage. When children are made to learn by heart, (as it is called,) almost every body employs verse; and, if the rudiments of science can be so introduced into the mind, it saves the pupil much subsequent labour. Mr. Kelly has versified his subject very tolerably; much better than it has been done in most other attempts of the same kind. He seems to have a good ear for poetical cadence, and his rhymes are not often faulty. As a specimen, we extract his account of the notation of music :

• OF NOTATION.

The next thing to learn, is the proper relation
Of Notes to each other, in point of duration;
And first comes the SEMIBREVE, longest of all,

The next, which are half its length, MINIMS we call,
Then CROTCHETS succeed; of these, four if we count,
To One Semibreve we shall find them amount.

See next in succession the QUAVERS advance,
Gay spirited Notes, and much us'd in a dance,
Their time-Half a Crotchet; we therefore perceive,
That Eight are requir'd for One Semibreve.
And then comes the Note SEMIQUAVER, we find,
With the Demi, or HALF SEMIQUAVER behind.
Of the first of these two, are requir'd sixteen,
Of the last, thirty-two, as will shortly be seen,
To make up the Gemibreve's proper duration,
Or its equal, in notes of a less valuation.
Three Notes in succession, when mark'd by a 3,
Perform'd in the time of two such Notes must be;

A 6, in like manner plac'd over six more

3

Shows they must be play'd in the same time as four.'

The

The explanation of musical graces and signs is more full than usual; and the subject of intervals and major and minor modes is succinctly explained. The versification, however, still admits of much improvement, to which the author's attention should be directed. In

page 16.

we meet with ، on the contrary if fourths should prevail : in page 14. other scales are all form'd by transposing of these:' in page 13. they are found situated betwixt,' &c. It should be remembered that, if the information conveyed by verse is to be impressed most lastingly on the memory, its errors may be perpetuated in a similar manner. - The author, in his preface, announces his intention to prepare a continuation as a treatise on the more intricate branches of the science, comprizing the principles of thorough bass and composition. We have no doubt that he is very competent to do this in a most useful manner, and we hope that he will accomplish it. Notwithstanding some modern publications, (of the merits of which we shall take an early opportunity to speak,) a work on musical composition, adapted for those amateurs who wish to pursue the science to a certain extent only, is much wanted: but, as we cannot think that the reasons for using verse would be applicable to such a treatise, (which in fact could not be addressed to children,) we trust that Mr. Kelly will lay aside that part of his design, if indeed it forms a part of it, and give us a short and familiar treatise on the science in prose.

POLITICS.

Art. 22. Cursory Remarks on the meditated Attack on Norway ; comprizing Strictures on Madame de Stäel Holstein's " Appeal to the Nations of Europe;" with some Historical and Statistical Fragments relating to Norway. 8vo. pp. 146. 4. Blacklock. Poor Norway may very justly complain of being scurvily treated; and, though her cause has been ably advocated by speakers in parliament and writers from the press, such is the decided preponderance of power against her, that little prospect appears of her being delivered from the consequences of those engagements into which England has entered respecting her. Without having committed a political crime which merited such visitation, she has been made a mere scape-goat; being appointed to suffer in subserviency to arrangements among potentates whose dominions lay at a remote distance from her, and in whose quarrels she took no part. The Norwegian nation, the hardy Swiss of the North, are to be transferred, like the serfs on a Russian estate, without their consent, to a new master; and, to induce the Crown Prince of Sweden to fight in concert with the Allies, the King of Denmark is to be robbed of a good half of his territories. Well may the Norwegians protest against such a measure, and the feelings of every virtuous man in every country of Europe must revolt at it. What evil genius could have induced the British Government thus to outrage that very principle, for the defence of which they took up arms against the subversive aggressions of France? In the case of Norway, an unoffending nation has been left to choose between the basest submission and all the horrors of war, accompanied by the still more terrible ravages of famine.' This political injury is

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