To these lines we have nothing to object, but their frequent disagreement with the Icelandic text: the translation of a translation, however elegant, is at best but the shadow of a shade, the reflection of moonlight, -the silhouette of a bust, -the echo of a mockbird's song:-but it may glide over objects new and strange, it may glisten with the rainbow hues of fancy, it may wear the contour of beauty, it may warble in melodious cadence.

ART. IV. The Beauties of the late Right Honourable Edmund Burke, selected from the Writings, &c. of that extraordinary Man, alphabetically arranged. Including the following celebrated Political Characters, drawn by himself: Antoinette, late Queen of France, Comte d'Artois, M. Brissot, Richard Burke, Esq. late Earl of Chatham, M. Condorcet, Prince de Conti, Right Hon. Henry Dundas, Hon. C. J. Fox, George III. Lord Grenville, late Mr. Grenville, Warren Hastings, Esq. late Lord Keppel, Sir Hercules Langrishe, Louis XVI. Louis XVIII. Lord North, Right Honourable William Pitt, Marquis of Rockingham, Charles Townsend, Esq. John Wilkes, Esq. &c. &c. to which is prefixed a Sketch of the Life, with some original Anecdotes, of Mr. Burke. 8vo. 2 Vols. 105. Boards. West. 1798.

WE have repeatedly heard objections to the modern invention of garbling the works of eminent authors, under the idea of selecting their "BEAUTIES." It has been alleged, by those who disapprove this method of book-making, that abridgments of this kind are neither well calculated to promote the fame of those writers who are thus mutilated, nor the real improvement of readers; - that such selections commonly furnish only insulated and desultory reading, communicating merely superficial and partial knowlege; and that they sometimes tend to miş

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misrepresent the scope of an author's meaning, or serve to conceal the chief beauties of the original composition; viz. the symmetry and consistency of its parts, the advantages of connection, and the intended effect of the whole: for what idea, it may be asked, could be given of so grand an edifice as St. Paul's Cathedral, by exhibiting a number of detached fragments from its pediments, or from its columns ?

There may be some foundation for the foregoing objections: but, on the other hand, it has been observed that the collections in question may be useful to many readers, who might never have an opportunity of studying the whole works of voluminous authors, and with whose sentiments they may, by the help of such extracts, and by their means only, become acquainted. It is also alleged that there is another use which may be made of " collections of beauties," especially when arranged and digested, as are the contents of the volumes before us*; viz. that they serve, with good effect, as an Index to the entire works of our Shakspeares, our Addisons, our Johnsons, and our Burkes, to whose sentiments many readers would be glad occasionally to refer, did they know where to turn to the subject.By the help of such abstracts, there is, doubtless, a chance of finding what might otherwise be sought in vain, or be attained at the expence of much labour and time.

With regard to the specific merits of the compilement before us, as a selection, we may observe that the extracts from the multifarious writings of Mr. Burke appear, from such a cursory glance over them as our time can be supposed to afford, to be judiciously selected; and the general mass seems to be very properly reduced to order: --- yet we have remarked a few passages, with the beauty of which we have not been very forcibly struck; for instance:

NAMES." Great names have great prevalence.", vol. ii. p. 229. PARLIAMENT and PEOPLE.-" All the people have a deep interest in the dignity of parliament." ib. 241.

PARTY DEFINED. -" Party is a body of men united for promot ing, by their joint endeavours, the national interest, upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed." ib. 255.

PRECEDENTS." I shall never quit precedents where I find them applicable." ib. 289.

- PRUDENCE." Prudence is the queen of virtues." ib. 26. These passages, with several others, containing sentiments equally just but equally common and obvious, take rank in these volumes as beauties: we conjecture that their justly celebrated author would not, himself, have pointed them out as instances

* Alphabetically arranged; with the addition of a copious Index.

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of either "the Beautiful" or "the Sublime." - Let not, however, our readers conclude that such are a majority of the flowers which have been transplanted into this literary parterre. This is by no means the case. Every one knows that the compositions of Burke abound not in the tame, the insipid, and the common place. There is in them, and in the present collection, enough of the eloquent, the bold, the brilliant, and the "Poetic," as Johnson happily said; -in a word, enough to make a rich compensation for what lies more level to "the million."

The biographical account of Mr. Burke, prefixed to these gleanings from his works, occupies a full half of the first volume, and perhaps constitutes a principal portion of the merit of the publication. Agreeably to the promise in the title, it contains many 'Original Anecdotes,' which escaped the notice of Mr. M'Cormick and Dr. Bisset, whose works we lately reviewed; and which, relating to Mr. B.'s private life, are peculiarly interesting: but we must bear in mind that the particulars are given on anonymous authority. The account of the means by which Mr. B. first procured an introduction into the political world, in which he afterward so conspicuously shone, exhibits him in the humble light of a soliciting attendant at a great man's levee, hawking his independence in one hand, and presenting his letter of recommendation with the other. The passage is this:

His studies became more diversified, and the success of some pens induced him to turn his attention to some work that might raise his fame as a writer. His success in this line was equal, nay superior to his expectation, but he soon found that "fondness of fame was avarice of air," in consequence of which he procured a letter of introduction to the late Earl of Bath, the Mecenas of the day. His Lordship received him with the utmost politeness, lamented that it was not in his power to render him any service, as he was no longer in power. The impression which this unexpected intelligence made on Mr. Burke did not escape his Lordship's eye, he felt for the situation of the young man, and after a pause, " I will give you a letter, said he, to the Earl of Bute, though I don't know that I am entitled to take that liberty." The proposition revived Mr. Burke's drooping spirits, and he waited, without loss of time, on Lord Bute, who professed his sorrow that it was likewise out of his. power to render him any service, as he had resigned all his employments that very morning, adding, that his influence with his Majesty was greatly over-rated; anxious, however, that a man of genius and talent should not pine in the shade, he would take one step, he said, which he did not know he ought to take, but he would venture, and if crowned with success, it would yield him great pleaAs Lord Halifax had been appointed to assume the vice-regal government of Ireland, perhaps in that situation he would be able