en an examination of the letters, and other writings, which were afcribed to Mary. In this we find little new; and the arguments against the authenticity of these letters and papers might be fuccefsfully employed to prove any genuine writing a forgery. It is, indeed, the maxim of the writers on that fide, that every writing that can militate against the character of Mary is a forgery; and that all which speak her innocence are genuine. In this short way with the Diffenters, we should not wonder if writers, equally infatuated, fhould arise on the other fide, who might aflume the oppofite ground. We cordially defpife that acutenefs and ingenuity, which delights in entangling truth, and perverting plain fact. The theme is too extenfive for prefent investigation; and we refer our readers to the prefent work, if they would wish to fee an arduous ftruggle fupply the place of open and candid defence, and minute quibbles fubftituted for decifive arguments. The whole of the prefent publication is the reverse of hiftorical, being confined in the narration of events, and diffuse in the argumentation concerning them. But its great defects we have already noticed; and fhall conclude with a brief enumeration of fome of the minute lapfes. The profpect gloomed,' p. 8.-There was no person who could not well but fee,' p. 19.- Disappointed in her aims fhe now lay by, in vexation, unfettled, and envenomed,' p. 37.· Fastening the murder upon her,' p. 68. In better point,' p. 81. The author of Crawford's Memoirs,' p. 83, for the author of the Memoirs published by Crawford.- In fuch a thick feene of misfortune, of violence, and of villainy, round and round her,' p. 85.- The very executioners-begged her forgiveness,' p. 177. Is it poflible that the author fhould not know that this is a common form?-A meeting of parliament unufually throng,' p. 198. a vulgar Scoticifm. He had come the length,' p. 224, for as far as.' In paffing to the Letters, and Sonnets, we cannot help obferving, that the reafoning of our author, and fome others, that they are not genuine, because carelessly written, is most inaccurate. Mary did not write her love letters and fonnets for publication, nor even when at her ease: their very careleffiiefs is a proof of authenticity. To collate love-letters with letters of ftate, is an idea which could hardly have arifen, except in the defpair of argument. In p. 41 of the Appendix, Dr. T. Robertfon, in printing the Sonnets, gives us this line, tranflation, and note. Moi, malgré tous les miens, vous porte affection.' I against all their will (mine) have born you affection.' * The The oppofition between the French line and the translation is very ftriking. It proves that the tranflation has been made from Some other original than that in the text, and, confequently, that there have been more originals than one.' Not to speak of the folecifm and pleonafm of this note, the doctor's proofs are far too easy; for who does not fee, on collating with the preceding line, She had your acquaintance by consent of her friends,' that the relative their refers to the word friends only; and really conveys, though in a colloquial manner, the precife fenfe of the original? Nor would, at the moit, an error in a tranflation prove any thing against the original. In p. 45, the author reproves the lame tranflator for rendering habits' clothing: it is the doctor who is lame, for babit, in French, has no other meaning, and has no connexion with our English habits. In p. 45, query if Premier qu'il fut,' be only old or colloquial French, for Avant qu'il fut ;' if fo, the point completely changes.-In p. 69, Dr. T. Robertfon tranflates, De Dame Fortunée,' From Dame Fortune,' for 'of a lady (formerly) fortunate.'-P. 71, ' De violettes teint,' whofe violets are quenched: fay, tinged of a violet (or pale) colour.' The Emigrants, a Poem, in Two Books. By Charlotte Smith. 4to. 35. Boards. Cadell. 1793. THE poetic talents of Mrs. Charlotte Smith were early and warmly acknowledged on the appearance of thofe elegant fonnets, which first introduced her to the notice of the public; and the descriptions with which fhe has occafionally embellished her profe writings, further atteft the richness of her fancy, We acknowledge, therefore, that when a fubject fo new and interefting as the misfortunes of the French emigrants came under her pen, we expected to be highly gratified. We will not fay that we are entirely difappointed: there is in this Poem good scenery and well-difcriminated groups of figures, but there is too much of mere reflection, verging towards humble profe; and the pathos is weakened by the author's adverting too often to perplexities in her own fituation. Whatever thefe may be, the public, by whom this lady's productions have always been peculiarly weil received, is not answerable for them, and the plaintive ftrain, though interefting when lightly touched, is too monotonous to be long dwelt upon, though by the most skilful finger. Herfelf, and not the French Emigrant, fills the foreground; begins and ends the piece; and the pity we should naturally feel for thofe overwhelming and tachment is, however, formed between the baronet and Conftance the ward, and after the embarafiments and perplexity occafioned by the falfe colours he has adopted, under which he meets with many mortifications which he does not know how to refent, matters are cleared up, and he enjoys the pleafure of having found a woman who has fhewn that the loves him independently of his fituation in life. Sir Paul is a valetudinarian, always engaged in the care of his health, and very much in awe of his lady, a pretender to wit, who writes novels and verfes, and increases the fashionable lift of private theatricals; purchafing, however, her good things of Grotesque. This piece is by no means deftitute of humour: the character of Grotefque is, indeed, confiderably overdrawn ; but in the main, the fatire is juft, and adapted to the times. The difciple of Lavater is fair game, and, we believe, new upon the ftage. The characters are very well opened in the first scene. Tony. Eh, mafter Subtle, is it you fo early? Where is my lord? Subtle. On the road, my boy; but he fent me forward with a letter for her ladyship. Is the up yet? Tony. Up? Lord help you-not a foul ftirring in the houfe! To tell you the truth, we had a grand rehearsal of one of our comedies laft right, and, fomehow, that always makes the family pure fleepy in the morning. Subtle. What? my lady dafhes as ufual - eh! Tony. Dafhes-why, we have a private theatre, you know. Ecod, I am a gentleman performer,-hi, hi,-and there's mifs Conftance acts as well as thef fhe was paid for it-then we have our dilatory concerts. Subtle. But what does fir Paul fay? Where are his fears and caution? Why he never dared fhew his nofe at night; and the bare idea of a hot room used to throw him into a cold fweat. Tony. Aye, aye, he is at his old pranks ftill-Noftrums to give appetite in a morning, and noftrums to help digeftion in the afternoon. Why, all the fervants are but juft out of their fpring phyfic-to cool the blood, as he fays. Then we are regularly dofed with drugs once a month to prevent fevers. Here, pull away my boy-(gives the tankard)-and tell us, is my lord as great a phyzzionomite as he used to be-ch! Subtle. As great? Why man, he has had the whole household fhaved bald as coots, to fhew the fhape of their foreheads, and wears his wig full two inches in arrear to difplay his own. You fee I am obliged to wear my ears al fresco. Such a fet as we have at home-not a vulgar face among us. The quarter feffions indeed mide fad havoc-carried off a brace of heroes last week that were perfect. Tory. Eh! how? perfect. • Subtle. Subtle. Aye, nofe and chin; but I told my lord at the time, their necks had a very fufpicious turn; and indeed they were a little confused in their ideas of property. • Tony, But you don't drink-may be, you like wine better. I can fmug you a play-house bottle from our property man. [Bell rings. Subtle. Eh! no-there is the bell-have a care when his lordship comes, or egad he may detect you, Tony. Eh! what! oh dear-you dont't fay fo-how? Subtle. By your face, to be fure. Why man, the features are his alphabet, and he reads characters at fight. Now and then indeed he meets with a crabbed fort of print. You now for inftance that nofe of your's is fo plaguily ill-fpelt-that he'll hardly be able to determine, whether of the two you are most given to women or wine-though on a nearer inspection the wine feems to have got into your nofe, and the women into your head-but come along.' The employment of Grotefque is thus delineated: Grot. Your lady fhip's moft devoted.-Sir-yours-fomething wanted in my way-may flatter myself, Grotefque is your man, from the broad high-road of caricature, to the delicate paths of modeft mezzotint.-Has your ladyship any particular friend whom one conftantly endeavours to render completely ridiculous.-Privilege of friendship that you know-or you, fir-the outline will do;-fet but our heads to work-a bare hint, and we have himpen or pencil-all one to me ;-write him down-or do him up never known to flinch. • Mont. You have, no doubt, fome arrangements to makegive me leave to retire. I fhall not apologise for my precipitation in this affair, fince it flatters me with the profpect of being allied to your lady ship. Lady Panick. You know, fir Harry, I am all yours.-(Exit Montague.)-And now, Grotefque, what have you brought me in my way?—I am all impatience. Grot. Are we fnug? Your ladyship, you know, in the true pride of genius, ftrikes at univerfality-from her lofty flights to her faint sketches-here they are-here they are the skeleton of an epic poem-fublimity and expanfion;-fix acroftrics-quaint and prettya fet of impromptus-written with fuch exquifite judg ment-and admirable pliancy-that they may be thrown in ad libitum-and laft, not leaft, the comedy. Lady Panick. But, are we fure of our man ?-He will not peach;-my dear Grotefque, what would become of me if he was to peach-indeed, the materials were mine-you know-though I would not fubmit to the drudgery of putting them together. Grot. Peach! Why. he is my head hack ;-to fay the truth, and uncommon diftreffes fhe defcribes, is leffened by their being brought into parallel with the inconveniences of a narrow income or a protracted law-fuit. The fcene of the Poem is on the Cliffs of Brighthelmstone, where the indulges for a time, reflections on the miseries of life, particularly thofe occafioned by proud oppreffion and legal crimes; and wishes for a retired hut, fheltered by the steep chalky hills that lie in profpect before her. This with is checked by the recollection, that no fituation, either in the cottage, the fubftantial farm, or the rich manor-house, can fhut out care. As a confirmation of this truth, the notices a group of emigrants, hanging difconfolate and fad upon the barrier of the rock; the firft fhe defcribes is the monk, who thought that meagre abflinence, to wake From his hard pallet with the midnight bell, To live on eleemofynary bread, And to renounce God's works, would pleafe that God. The pity, ftrangers give to his distress, Because thefe ftrangers are, by his dark creed, He is fucceeded by the proud prelate, who indignantly la ments the Gothic dome, That vied with fplendid palaces; the beds Veftments with gold enwrought for blazing altars; Of faints fuppos'd, in pearl and gold enchas'd.' The prelate is well contrafted by the lively abbé, whose vi- . vacity is unfubdued by his misfortunes, and both of them by the parish pricft, the pious fimple-minded confcientious exile. We are next prefented with an interefting picture of family diftrefs, which we fhall give, as perhaps the beft of the group: Where the cliff, hollow'd by the wintry form, Affords a feat with matted fea-weed ftrewn, A fofter form reclines; around her run, On the rough shingles, or the chalky bourn, Her gay unconscious children, foon amus'd; They |