***The Correspondents of the EDINBURGH MAGAZINE and LITERARY MISCELLANY are respectfully requested to transmit their Communications for the Editor to ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & Company, Edinburgh, or to LONGMAN and COMPANY, London; to whom also orders for the Work should be particularly addressed. Printed by J. Ruthven & Sons. Specimens of Mr Y's MS. Tragedy of "Wallace," and also a notice of his "Antonia," will appear in our next. This Tragedy only requires to be known, in order to place its author in a more conspicuous literary station than he has hitherto occupied. He is unquestionably a man of real genius. The Author of the paper on " Italian Sonnets” will soon have reason to be satisfied with us. We thank "L." very cordially for his obliging communication; and still more so for his offers of future contributions. With due care and attention, on his part, we have no doubt that he will be able to contribute many choice flowers to the adornment of our poetical parterre. At the same time let him never forget the maxim of Horace-"Tantum series, juncturaque pollet." We quote the following stanza as a favourable specimen of his powers: "Then blame not, though I do not weep And feelings that can shade the cheek Will seldom touch the soul; But hearts that know too well to break And tears that never roll." Some apology is due to the public for a little incidental coarseness in the "Devil and the Pigs." Our more fastidious readers will have the kindness to recollect, how. ever, that the poem is entirely descriptive of the superstitious fears of seamen, whose notions and habits are not of the most delicate or refined order, and who seldom use periphrastic phraseology in the expression of their feelings. Besides, we were very unwilling to try our hands at refinement, lest we should impair the broad and original humour of the piece. The fair Author of "Fair Adelaide" has a great deal both of taste and poetical expression. We shall take an early opportunity to notice her sweet little poem. We hope the Author of the "Chance Dinner" will find it convenient to send us, as early as may be, the continuation of his paper. In this age of scribbling, when so many commence teaching others before they have instructed themselves, and when every third boy in the gown classes, instead of attending to his Euclid and his Homer, is busied in writing wretched prose, and worse poetry, for some magazine or newspaper, it does one's heart good to encounter a writer like the Author of the " Chance Dinner," who thinks closely and profoundly, and who clothes his ideas in a drapery at once chaste, elegant, and pure. The Reviewer of “Italy,” in our July number, has again come forth from his den, or his garret, if you will, to take up the glove of defiance, thrown down by the offended literary Amazon of Colburn's. The fellow, who, at the best, is only a sort of respectable savage, is so restive and ungovernable under restraint, or even advice, that the "fortius utere loris," which might do very well for an Editor in ordinary cases, is here altogether inapplicable. He has, however, spoken for himself, and the public must therefore take him on his own showing. The elaborate "Critique on Dr Brown's Lectures" has been received. A notice of this valuable work, by an able hand, having already appeared in the Edinburgh Magazine, we are precluded from resuming the subject. Our correspondent alludes, with some degree of pungency, to the attempt some time ago made to fasten a charge of Plagiarism against the late lamented and highly ingenious Author of these Lectures. In some men the imagination possesses a wonderful power of delusive representation. The Reverend Philip Rosenhagen, a weak, hair-brained, and self-conceited country parson, never before heard of beyond the precincts of his village, or known as the author of a single sentence of passable English, declared, on his deathbed, that he was the Author of the Letters of Junius! We are still without the mighty promised aid of "John the Ponderer." Quid dignum tanto feret hic promissor hiatu ? Master Crito should have sent his lucubrations on a Defunct Newspaper to David Webster. David, however, is a wight of some penetration, and would probably have found out that the lucubrations of Master Crito are as shallow as the Newspaper in question was worthless and profligate. 300 The learned paper of "Onkelos" is under consideration. The paper on "Sensibility" will appear in due time. We are compelled to postpone ad Græcas Kalendas, the paper entitled "Contents of an Editor's Pocket." "Viator" seems to think there is no wit in wisdom, and sometimes as little wisdom in wit. He is right. Why is he so personal ? “Cassius" is a surly dog, and very probably has a "lean and hungry look," that bespeaks his acquaintance with Spartan broth. Were his subjects as judiciously chosen as they are ably and spiritedly handled, we should not be so often compelled to refuse him a place in our pages. Let him by all means become a little more moderate, and we shall be proud of his aid. The "Queer Story" is as stupid as it is personal. Did the Author ever hear of a Bear dancing a minuet? Such is a blockhead's attempt at wit. The "Punch Drinker" is quite admirable, but, for reasons which the Author may easily divine, we cannot insert his jeu d'esprit. We hope, however, to be kindly remembered by "Quaff," and his hilarious compotators, at their next jollification. It is confidently alledged in the higher circles, that the decided improvement in this quarter's revenue is owing to the encreased consumption of rum, occasioned by the institution of this club. Can Mr Vansittart doubt that they are public benefactors? The ghost of Dr Mandeville would swear to it! Many good friends (whom we highly esteem, both for their moral and intellectual qualities) have taxed us with political inconsistency. There is some truth in the charge. It ought, however, to be recollected, that the injustice done to Mr Roscoe, by the Quarterly Review, in the account of the Sketch-Book, has been acknowledged by many of the warmest admirers of that ably-conducted Journal; and we can declare, that, although politics made a part of the article in which our correspondent (with laudable warmth and zeal) endeavoured to vindicate the historian of the Medici, we inserted his communication solely for the purpose of doing an act of literary justice. We presume it is to this paper that our worthy friends allude. "Clerical Anecdotes" are unavoidably postponed. They will probably appear in our next. "The Complaint of the English Language" is very well founded; but as " Solon” has only stated a part of the case, we cannot indulge the complainant with the franchise of our pages at present. A humorous article might certainly be got up to the above tune. We beg the Author of "The Pythoness" to favour us with more contributions. We owe an apology to the Author of the "Adventures of a Pebble." We shall be anon into the very bowels of the stone. "Winter, a Song," is received, and will come forth in due season, that is, in our next number. We thank "The Poetaster," not for the trouble of composing, but of transcribing verses for the Edinburgh Magazine. We have too many knowing-ones among us to be taken in by such a ninny as this. A whole legion of poetical marauders are incessantly poaching on Lord Byron's ample domain. The pity is, that it is no easy matter to set "man-traps and spring-guns" on such a territory as his Lordship's. The paper "On the Character and Writings of Tacitus, No. II." will occupy a conspicuous place in our November Number. The poetical mercury has been high during the whole of this month. Many of our correspondents, in this department, seem to have inhaled a new dose of inspiration. We have really received few pieces not above mediocrity. This is gratifying. Our Magazine, however, is not like Prince Esterhazy's wonderful jacket—we cannot hang out all our jewels at once; but must be content with a gradual display. None of our valued friends will be overlooked. The Poem entitled "The Curse of Glencoe" is under consideration. ERRATUM in our last. In the Review of Mr Dibdin's Tour, page 202, for BUNA, read BURIN. THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, AND LITERARY MISCELLANY. OCTOBER 1821. DISSERTATION, EXHIBITING A GENERAL VIEW OF THE PROGRESS vey, to assign to each of the multitudinous claimants his just and ap OF METAPHYSICAL, ETHICAL, AND propriate situation, and to present BY DUGALD the reader with a systematised and panoramic view of the state of Metaphysical, Ethical, and Political STEWART, ESQ. F.R. SS. LOND. AND Philosophy, from the revival of EDIN. &c. &c. &c*. "THE Sciences," says Mr Stewart, in the Preface to Part First of this Dissertation, "the Sciences to which I mean to confine my observations, are Metaphysics, Ethics, and Political Philosophy; understanding by Metaphysics, not the Ontology and Pneumatology of the Schools, but the Inductive l'hilosophy of the Human Mind; and limiting the phrase Political Philosophy almost exclusively to the modern science of Political Economy; or (to express myself in terms at once more comprehensive and more precise) to that branch of the theory of legislation which, according to Bacon's definition, aims to ascertain those Leges legum, ex quibus informatio peti potest quid in singulis legibus bene aut perperam positum, aut constitutum sit.'" Such is the broad outline, and such are the most conspicuous land-marks of that wide and interesting region, which the profound and elegant author of this Dissertation proposed to examine and explore; and, by a correct and impartial sur * Prefixed to the Fifth Volume of the SUPPLEMENT TO THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA. VOL. IX. learning till our own times. The first compartment of this splendid outline has already been filled up with a powerful and masterly hand; and, in proportion to the genius, ability, and taste, with which the first part of this very difficult threefold task has been performed, is now our regret to discover, that the accomplished author almost despairs, “at his advanced years," of being able to carry his original comprehensive design into completion. "The time unavoidably spent," says he, " in consulting, with critical care, the numerous authors referred to in this and in the former part of my discourse, has incroached so deeply, and to myself so painfully, on the leisure which I had destined for a different purpose, that, at my advanced years, I can entertain but a very faint expectation (though I do not altogether abandon the hope) of finishing my intended Sketch of the Progress of Ethical and Political Philosophy during the eighteenth century.' all events," he adds, "whatever may be wanting to complete my plan, it cannot be difficult for another hand to supply. An outline is all that should be attempted on such a subject; and the field which it has to embrace will be found incomparably more interesting to most readers than At |