close their pursuit with becoming dignity, seemed all that remained to be effected. • With this view, the intended Circular Letter was sent to the Clerk of the Committee to be printed, and communicated to the Members. But fearful of taking any step which might be miscon strued, the Chairman wished previously to consult Mr. H. Duncombe, Mr. Mason, and Mr. Burgh. Hence the Correspondence, of which a part has been laid before the reader; and hence the ultimate abandonment of the measure. From Mr. H. Duncombe an answer was received, too indecisive to afford the least encouragement to proceed from Mr. Mason and Mr. Burgh a joint letter was received, expressing strongly their doubts of the propriety of the measure; and, in subsequent letters, those doubts were improved by discussion into a direct and strenuous opposition. In consequence of the indecision of one friend, and the warmth with which the measure was opposed by the other friends consulted, the Circular Letter was withdrawn from the Clerk, and never was transmitted to the. Com mittee. As the hope of Reform became more and more distant and indistinct, the Members became less and less inclined to meet, till at last the prospect of success wholly vanished, and the intention of mecting again was tacitly, but generally, given up. Thus the Yorkshire Committee was suffered to die away, without a proper close being put either to its existence by a Dissolution at a County Meeting, or to its capacity to act by the Committee itself, adjourning sine die.' In the issue of this attempt to reform our representation, we see nothing that ought to discourage the friends of British liberty from future attempts, when the season shall favour them. The failure may be ascribed more to the want of a satisfactory and well digested plan of reformation, than to any other cause; and it is to this circumstance that the advocates of reform should turn their attention. Let them produce a scheme of amendment, that shall be effectual, safe, moderate, and practicable; and having accomplished this, the day of its adoption will not be very distant. With regard to all that have hitherto been proposed, we are very much of the opinion expressed in a letter from Earl Fitzwilliam to the Yorkshire Committee, where he says, A better Representation is not only desirable, but in a manner necessary; but of all things the most difficult to be brought about. No Plan, decently practicable, has yet been devised; and till such is ready, every public resolution upon the subject tends more to mischief than to good, because it alarms, and does not satisfy. May our late commendable labourers in the cause of reformation be sensible, however, that, though they did not gain their immediate object, their efforts were not thrown away; for they have set an example of noble disinterested patriotism which will not be lost to their country. We We regret that we must now take leave of this publication. If our boundaries were less confined, there are many, very many, interesting anecdotes and observations in the volume respecting the most eminent persons, both in letters of their own composition, and in the editor's notes, which it would give us muchpleasure to extract. Let this circumstance, however, confer additional weight on the wish which we have already expressed, that the work itself should be widely disseminated and carefully perused. Jo. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, AMERICAN AFFAIRS. Art. 14. A short View of the Administrations in the Government of America, under the former Presidents, the late General Washington and John Adams and of the present Administration, under Thomas Jefferson: with cursory Observations on the present State of the Revenue, &c. &c. of the United States. By George Henderson, Esq. 8vo. pp. 71. 2s. 6d. Hatchard. 1802. THE author of this tract, who resided long in America, is of opinion that the late administrations better consulted the interest of the United States than the present government of Mr. Jefferson. He also judges it not to be the part of wisdom to extol, as a model of excellence, a constitution which has had few difficulties to surmount, few attacks to resist, and in favour of which the test of experience cannot be cited. It is not for us to give a decided opinion. on the justice of the author's remarks. Those who are more connected with the United States, and better informed respecting their internal progress or declension, will peruse the present pamphlet for themselves, and form their own judgment of its merit. NOVELS. Art. 15. Julietta, or the Triumph of Mental Acquirements over Personal Defects. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Boards. Johnson. 1802. We have received considerable pleasure from the perusal of this little novel. The tale is generally interesting and instructive, the language is impressive and correct, and the sentiments and reflections, though some of them will probably meet with opponents, bespeak the talents of no ordinary writer. Julietta, excelling in every mental grace, is unhappily deformed in person, and is therefore treated with contemptuous neglect by her parents; while Clara the younger sister, though greatly inferior în character, is beloved because she is beautiful. Under these circumstances, Julietta becomes the friend, and at last the adopted daughter and heiress, of Lord Marsham, an old miser and recluse of the neighbour. Jo. 9.2. ་ neighbourhood, whom she accidentally rescues from a watery grave. The description of his death, at a subsequent period, is given in a very pleasing and affecting manner, and it is ably designed to dispel the terrors which are usually associated with the closing scene of life. As they went up stairs, Julietta thought that she heard a noise in lord Marsham's room. She listened: it continued.-Terrified, she started forward: with incredible swiftness she reached the gallery, and in a moment was in his room. He was supported in his bed by the servants; his eyes were closed, and a cold dew hung on his forehead. "My father!" exlaimed Julietta in a piercing tone of suppressed anguish. Is it you, my love?" he said, opening his eyes. "Come to me; do not be alarmed: it was a short struggle, and is now over. Mrs. Fortescue, how good this is in you! I was just preparing to send for you. Julietta, my love, I must make you blush, if, weak as I am grown, I show a braver spirit than you. Suppress your tears, my love, and do not sadden the very few hours which precede our parting.' 66 Parting!" cried Julietta, and her sobs and tears burst forth with violence as she flung herself in agony upon the bed. Lord Marsham endeavoured to raise her; but his strength was gone. He looked on her with an affection which moistened his cheeks with tears but feeling all exertion too painful to him, he said lowly, "Julietta, you distress me." Her cries immediately ceased. She turned away her face, and with an effort which stretched every vein and muscle of her countenance, and almost burst her breast, she stopped its convulsions." She wiped away her tears, and with a tranquil, but glazed eye, she seated herself by the bed side. "Why," continued lord Marsham, "when I have so few hours to pass with you, should they be made disagreeable to me, and disgusting to you? A dying man's room need not be like an hospital. Take away those phials. Clear the room, and throw open the windows." Julietta, with a jealousy of any one else assisting, did every thing herself. She sent for flowers and fruit, of which lord Marsham was fond. She arranged his bed; and then seating herself, she passed her arm under his neck, and supported his head. "I thank you, my child," he said with a smile. "Dismiss your apprehensions, and I shall be easy. Death, contrary to vulgar opinion, is seldom painful. I have as yet suffered little; and I feel as happy as a weak man can do. I will not affect to be gay, because I am not strong enough. But I think of dying with no feeling but a little curiosity to know what will then be." When the fruit came, he ate a small bit of nectarine, on the condition that Julietta and Mrs. Fortescue should each eat a whole one. A few minutes after, he said, "I wish I had strength to hold a pen, that I might write how easy it is to die." • These These were the last words that he spoke distinctly. Utterance afterwards evidently became painful to him, and life ebbed apace. He took Mrs. Fortescue's hand and Julietta's and joined them. Mrs. Fortescue understood him, and solemnly declared that she would consider Julietta as a sister. He then looked at Julietta, and pointing upwards with his finger, whispered, "Edward." Julietta comprehended his meaning, and went for the portrait of Edward Mortimer. When she brought it, a lambent flame kindled in lord Marsham's eyes. He seemed to recover strength: he supported himself without Mrs. Fortescue's assistance, and drew aside the curtains. He then passed his hands across his eyes, and gazed with earnestness on the picture. He sighed, a tear fell upon his cheek he closed the curtain, and, falling back, expired.' We must confess, however, that this work is open to the charge of being somewhat romantic: such is the main circumstance of Julietta having succeeded in gaining the affections of Henry, who had been ardently attached to her sister Clara; while the reserve of the heroine, and her singular treatment of Henry after their marriage, seem to form an excess of philosophy which even Julietta could not have committed; and we should much doubt whether, in real life, such an experiment would have a happy termination. It is a very benevolent attempt in an author to furnish a lesson of virtuous exertion, and motives of consolation, to those who labour under personal disadvantages; and this is the object of the present volume: but we think that it would have been more likely to produce the desired effect, if the mental acquirements' of Julietta had been represented as more within the reach of the generality of persons in a similar situation. Man Art. 16. Martyn of Fenrose; or the Wizard and the Sword. A Romance. By Henry Summersett. 12mo. 3 Vols. 9s. sewed. Dutton. Mr. Summersett's fertile and lively imagination hurries him beyond the boundaries of nature into the regions of enchantment, and we become acquainted with the fleet courser which outstrips the wind, with the magic sword which mows down armies, and with the wonderful wizard of Fenrose, who may be intitled "the prince of the power of the air."-Those who can read of such marvellous faculties, without being shocked at so flagrant a violation of the known laws of nature, will find in these volumes several interesting and amusing scenes, characters well supported, and events related in a manner which displays ability and genius. We might mention in particular the description of the field of battle, the descent of the stranger and his dog Fidelity into the abyss, and the scene of William's imprisonment in the vault. Art. 17. The History of Netterville, a chance Pedestrian. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. sewed. Crosby and Co. We cannot speak much in praise of this performance; although the fair writer appears, from her moral reflections and quotations from Scripture, to be a friend to religion, and we may add," a true lover of the holy church." All sectarists, not excepting the quakers, are Mans are aliens from her affection.-We observe that this lady introduces Art. 18. The Strolling Player; or Life and Adventures of William Adventures which bear the semblance of real life, whether it be in the circles of polished society or in the more humble company of itinerant comedians, cannot fail to engage the attention of the reader; since we naturally feel ourselves a party concerned in whatever may befall our fellow man :-"Nihil humanum à nobis alienum." Qn this account, we have been amused and sometimes affected with the events related in these volumes; but we must also state those defects which counterbalance our approbation. In the first place, the language is incorrect; 2dly, there are some great improbabilities in the story, especially in Caroline's venturing out to sea with strangers; and, lastly, the hero is a man of loose morals, and introduces us to others of his acquaintance who are more unprincipled than himself. We must beg leave to decline such society; and, till he becomes more exemplary in his conduct and associates, we must withhold our patronage from the Strolling Player.' Art. 19. The Heir Apparent. By Mrs. Gunning. Revised and augmented by her Daughter, Miss Gunning. 12mo. 3 Vols. 128. sewed Ridgway. 4 The manuscript of this novel, we are told, was left unfinished by Mrs. Gunning, and was discovered by her daughter among other compositions which have not yet been presented to the world. At the request of several friends, Miss G. undertook to finish the Heir Apparent, and, in the character of the amiable Mrs. Doringfield, has drawn an affectionate portrait of her deceased mother.-The produc tion, if not very interesting, is on the whole pleasing, and contains many just sentiments and reflections. The hypocritical character of Lady Ormington is well exhibited; and the catastrophe of the marriage of Desmond and Rosanna excites in the reader's mind that regret at their misfortunes, which is described to have been the portion of their surrounding friends. Man. D: D.o Art. 20. The Author and the Two Comedians; or the Adopted Child. 12mo. 3s. 6d. sewed. Allen. In a modest preface, the writer of this novel expresses his doubts whether many readers will peruse it to the conclusion. We can assure him that we have not been tired with this duty; for though, as he observes, the work has not epic unity, the adventures introduced are humorous and amusing, and the graver parts contain sensible and judicious reflections. EDU Do |