ART. I. The works of Ben Jonson, folio, 1816. [From the ART. II. An apology for the life of Mr. Colley Cibber, Come- dian, &c. with a view of the Stage in bis own time -written by himself, 2d edit. 1740. [From the ART. III. On Taxation. 1. Moggridge's Remarks on the re- port of a Select Committee, on Poor Laws. 2. Barton's Observations on the condition of the labouring classes. 3. Observations on the Ma- nufacturing System. [From the Edinburgh Re- ART. IV. On the Civil List of England.-Guide to the Elec- tors of Great Britain upon the accession of a new king, and the immediate prospect of a new par- liament. [From the Edinburgh Review.] ART. V. Restrictions on Foreign Commerce.-Observations thereon, by a Member of the late Parliament. ART. VI. An Appeal from the judgments of Great Britain respecting the United States of America. Part First, &c. By Robert Walsh, Jun. [From the ART. VII. Lord Byron and the Reviewers. 1. Hours of Idle- ness, a series of poems, &c. by George Gordon, 3. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage; a Romaunt; by Lord Byron. [Edinburgh Review-Feb. 1812.] 410 4. The same work. [Quarterly Review-March, 1812.] ART. VIII. 1. The works of Mr. John Dennis,-plays, poems, &c. 1720.-2. Original Letters, familiar and ART. I. (continued from No. I.) Memoirs of my own times; by General James Wilkinson, [Review.] ART. II. An Appeal from the Judgments of Great Britain re- specting the United States of America. Part First. Containing an historical outline of their merits and wrongs as Colonies; and strictures upon the calumnies of the British writers. By Robert 420 ART. I. Memoirs of my own times. By General JAMES WILKINSON. In three volumes, 8vo. Philadelphia, 1816. EX pede Herculem, is an adage of great antiquity and approved truth-the giant is known by his tread. Hence the inutility of putting into the title page the name of our author; for in every sentence we discover the Atlas of two wars, the Captor of Burgoyne, the Hero of La Cole and the Saviour of NewOrleans. Yet is the author, according to his own modest statement, though much talked of, little known, and it is to supply this great desideratum in public knowledge, that he benevolently determines to give his story to the public; to rescue from oblivion, many incidents and occurrences, known only by himself;' and to put upon record, the follies, the ignorance, the vices and the crimes of all, who have, at any time or on any occasion, ventured to question the integrity of his principles, or the wisdom of his conduct.c With these laudable motives, the General unlocks his trunks and treasures,d and pours them out in two thousand three hundred pages,' which now lay open before us! Nor imagine, Reader, that this precious fund is yet exhausted; for, 'setting aside,' he says, a Stating the benefits he conferred on the south, he appeals to 'Forts 'Bowyer and St. Philip, which spoke in thunder, and to the Petite Coquille, '[a half-finished redoubt,] whose name alone,' he says, 'saved the city.' Jackson and his army, according to our author, were surprised by the British, fought with halters about their necks, and beat the enemy, but (with better management) might have destroyed them. See vol. I. P. 546. b Introduction, p. 6. c Idem, pp. 6 and 9. d Letter to Mr. Monroe, on the subject of his papers left at New-Or leans, p. 529. VOL. I. 1 'the illustration of my persecutions, I have not been able to touch 'the last twenty-five years of my public services, which embrace the 'most interesting and important scenes of my life; and comprehend 'a four years' Indian war; conferences and treaties with Indian 'nations; the transfer of Louisiana under the purchase of 1803; 'Colonel Burr's conspiracy; and a variety of subordinate oc'currences; with many voyages by sea, and travels by land, [to the amount of 16,000 miles] in two years: all of which,' he will endeavour to comprise in three additional volumes, of the 'size of those now published.'a Without the smallest reproach to the facility of the General's pen, we cannot but express our fears, that we shall not live to see the end of this great work. Posterity may be more fortunate; and then will the future hero read, with delight, the story of a murderous warfare, in which cunning, cowardice and cruelty are often predominant; the infant jurist gather instruction from the luminous details of Indian talks and Indian treaties-from the sublime effusions of Red Jacket and the more sage considerations of Blue Breeches; and succeeding wits, sentimentalists, politicians and christians, dwell enraptured on the gay remarks, pointed sentences, amusing anecdotes, profound reflections, tender sentiments and pious ejaculations, which cannot fail to enliven and relieve the ennui of this long march of 16,000 mile. But from these anticipations of future glory and usefulness, let us return to our proper task. The ponderous work before us, appeared in the spring of 1816, but without attracting the notice of any reviewer. As an article of trade, it had advantages and disadvantages; its bulk frightened the indolent, and its price deterred the calculating ;-but to these causes of obstructed circulation, was opposed the love of scandal; which, in our age and country, may be safely denominated the universal passion. What has been the issue of this conflict, between curiosity and laziness-gossiping and parsimony, we do not know, and will not inquire; since it is our duty to consider, not the fortunes of a book in the market, but its value to society, its tendency to illustrate science, to promote truth and satisfy justice. Literary works, in general, come under some particular denomination. They are either comedies or tragedies; tales or novels; sermons or songs, &c. and it rarely happens that we meet with a a Introduction, p. 7. "It was customary with the northern warriors (Danes, &c.) to sing their own exploits, when they became old." Bertholin, lib. I. chap. 10. Why should not our heroes follow the example? Though no lovers of song, they can be very poetical in prose, as various biographical sketches (which may come under our future cognizance) will show. In this branch of literature there is still an-hiatus valde deflendus ! b Names of great Indian chiefs. ART. I. Memoirs of my own times. By General JAMES WILKINSON. In three volumes, 8vo. Philadelphia, 1816. b EX pede Herculem, is an adage of great antiquity and approved truth-the giant is known by his tread. Hence the inutility of putting into the title page the name of our author; for in every sentence we discover the Atlas of two wars, the Captor of Burgoyne, the Hero of La Cole and the Saviour of NewOrleans. Yet is the author, according to his own modest statement, though much talked of, little known, and it is to supply this great desideratum in public knowledge, that he benevolently determines to give his story to the public; to rescue from oblivion, many incidents and occurrences, known only by himself;' and to put upon record, the follies, the ignorance, the vices and the crimes of all, who have, at any time or on any occasion, ventured to question the integrity of his principles, or the wisdom of his conduct.c With these laudable motives, the General unlocks his trunks and treasures,d and pours them out in two thousand three hundred pages,' which now lay open before us! Nor imagine, Reader, that this precious fund is yet exhausted; for, 'setting aside,' he says, a Stating the benefits he conferred on the south, he appeals to 'Forts 'Bowyer and St. Philip, which spoke in thunder, and to the Petite Coquille, '[a half-finished redoubt,] whose name alone,' he says, 'saved the city.' Jackson and his army, according to our author, were surprised by the British, fought with halters about their necks, and beat the enemy, but (with better management) might have destroyed them. See vol. I. p. 546. b Introduction, p. 6. c Idem, pp. 6 and 9. d Letter to Mr. Monroe, on the subject of his papers left at New-Orleans, p. 529. |