felects and applies familiar words to great occafions, as in the inftances: "The great, the important day, "Big with the fate of Cato and of Rome.". "The fun grows dim with age, &c. &c." This is a very great beauty, for it fares with ideas, as with individuals; we are the more interested in their fate, the better we are acquainted with them. But how inferior is Addison in this refpect to our author? Gimlets they are, &c. There is not fuch a word in all Cato! How well-known and domeftic the image! How specific and forcible the application ! -Our author proceeds: Having defcribed Ivéry accurately the ftile of the Doctor's hair-dreffing, and devoted ten beautiful lines to an eulogy upon the brilliant on the little finger of his right hand, of which he emphatically fays: No veal putrefcent, no dead whiting's eye, In the true water with this ring could vie; he he breaks out into the following moft infpirited and vigorous apoftrophe Oh had you feen his lily, lily hand, Stroke his fpare cheek, and coax his snow-white band: That adding force to all his pow'rs of speech, This the protector of his facred breech; That point the way to Heav'n's cœleftial grace, Who does not perceive, in this defcription, as if before their eyes, the thin figure of emaciated divinity, divided between religion and decorum; anxious to produce fome truths, and conceal others; at once concerned for fundamental points of various kinds ; ever at the bottom of things-Who does not fee this, and feeing, who does not admire? The notes that accompany this excellent episode, contain admirable inftances of our author's profound knowledge in all the literature of our established religion; and we are forry that that our plan will not fuffer us to produce them, as a full and decifive proof that his learning is perfectly on a level with his genius, and his divinity quite equal to his poetry. NUMBER NUMBER V. N Monday laft, the twentieth edi ON tion of this incomparable poem made its appearance: and we may fafely venture to predict, that should it be followed by an hundred more, while the fertile and inexhaustible genius of the author continues. to enrich every new edition with new beauties, they will not fail to run through, with the fame rapidity that the former have done; fo univerfal is the enthusiasm prevailing among the genuine lovers of poetry, and all perfons of acknowledged tafte, with respect to this wonderful and unparalleled production. What chiefly distinguishes this edition, and renders it peculiarly interesting at the prefent moment, is the admirable defcription contained in it of the newly-appointed India Board; in which the characters of the members compofing it are most happily, though perhaps fomewhat severely, contrafted with thofe to whom the fame high office had been allotted by a former administration. That the feelings of the public are in unifon with thofe of our author upon this occafion, is fufficiently apparent from the frequent Panegyrics with which the public papers have of late been filled, upon the characters of these distinguished perfonages. In truth, the fuperiority of our present excellent adminiftration over their opponents, can in no inftance be more clearly demonftrated, than by a candid examination of the comparative merits of the perfons appointed by each of them to prefide in this arduous and important depart ment. Our author opens this comparison by the following elegant compliment to the accomplished Nobleman, whose situation, as Secretary of State, entitles him to a priority of notice, as the eminence of his abilities will ever ensure him a due fuperiority of weight in the deliberations of the board. SYDNEY, |