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Leaving Newcastle and its neighbourhood, our Author revisits Liverpool, and retires to a village in its vicinity, where he resides some time in the cottage of an honest farmer,' entirely secluded from the busy world. From this retirement he communicates to his friend his sentiments respecting the comparative merits of some of our most popular English works.

I have found (he says) a collection of English books, which are my friends when I am at home. Thomson has the precedence of all; he speaks the language of nature, and speaks to the heart. The dirty Swift is the last; I cannot forgive him his Lady's Bed-chamber. Pope is not my man;-Odi imitatorum ;-and then his rancour against the better half of mankind. Gray hurries me along; his elegy in a church yard is annihilating. Ossian takes my soul. Milton, in his Penseroso, touches, and in his Comus amuses me; but his devils shock my feelings, whilst many a time I am inclined to side with Beelzebub. What shall I say of Shakespeare?-Geniuses of transcendent powers cannot be judged by the rules of common phenomena. And the enemy of the Scots, the grand reformer of the English language, Johnson, what do you think of him? With his world of latin he was actually a starched pedant. There is a drawing, made by a lady, representing him as swimming from the Isle of Man to the main land by laying hold of a cow's-tail;—that was a criticism in nuce,' p. 150.Vol. II.

From this retreat our lively German takes a circuitous route through Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, and Oxford, to London; and shortly afterwards we again find him in the North, at the lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland. We can, however, no longer accompany him, and must refer our readers for farther information to the work itself. We had marked for insertion a few places as specimens of his very facetious humour, but a little more reflection convinced us that his organ' of wit' had not expanded to the full extent of the approved English standard. We shall, therefore, now leave the writer and his work to the judgement of our readers.

Art. VII. A New Covering to the Velvet Cushion. Second Edition. 8vo. pp. x. 180. Price 5s. 6d. Gale, Curtis and Fenner. 1815.

THERE is a fashion in literature. The inventor of some

thing pre-eminent in folly or in sense, for both qualities are attracting, has soon the mortification or the vanity of finding his right of patent invaded by a tribe of mere imitators. In the present age, there is a special dislike to monopoly and if an original design be projected, that happens to take with

connoisseurs, it most benevolently furnishes materials for inferior artists, whose own stores have been long exhausted, and who are supremely thankful for the happy discovery that gives them one chance more of aiming at notoriety. The history ' of imitations' would eke out an amusing chapter for a literary lounger; and we should not be surprised, if some briefless wit, who is at present starving on his genius, improve the hint we have thrown out, for the good of the public-and of himself.

We were not dis appointed on finding the "Velvet Cushion" share the fate of its precursors in the world of fiction. We are rather curious to know which of the various celebrated histories that amused the days of our childhood, first suggested to the imaginative mind of the Vicar of Harrow, the idea of his magniloquent Cushion. It was impossible that a device so ingenious should not set other mechanics at work; and it was quite natural to expect that a "New Covering-tassels -and fringe" would make an early appearance in the advertisements of literary upholsterers. Our predictions. (for Reviewers are given to soothsaying,) have already been amply verified; and we expect by Christmas, to furnish the lovers of the curious, with a catalogue raisonné of cushions-red, black and ' gray-with all their trumpery.'

The "New Covering" resembles its prototype in regard to all its external qualities, and strongly reminds us of the old Vicar's favourite. We hope, however, it is not an infallible proof that the change is for the worse, that the Cushion is not so powerful an advocate on behalf of dissent as it was in the cause of episcopacy. We fear it will be too readily inferred that the recent conversion of the venerable antique is a melancholy proof of dotage. Most unquestionably, if we may be allowed to personify this loquacious affair, we should say his eye is dim and his natural force is abated, since our last interview with him. He exhibits very mournful symptoms of mental decline, and we can hardly congratulate the friends of Nonconformity, on his accession to the cause. We regret it should ever be said, that he serves the Dissenters, when he is no longer fit for the Church! But our readers will be curious to know how the venerable old Cushion came to change his Communion, and we shall hasten to relieve their anxiety on this interesting subject.

A loving couple, whose honey-moon' had lasted at least 'seven years,' determined, after having read the Velvet Cushion, to set out in a one-horse chaise for Westmoreland. They leave the metropolis at the sweet hour of prime, and it seems reach Highgate-Hill, 'time enough to witness the unparalleled glories of the rising Sun.' Here the husband, in true conjugal affection,

quotes a line from Homer, and for the edification of his spouse, expatiates on the beauties of pododaxTuños; till the good lady is compelled in vindication of her favourite poet,' to recite a part of Milton's morning hymn, after elegantly remarking that his poetic pearls were set in the gold of devotional piety!" We ought to inform our readers, in order to account for this happy illustration, that the lady was, we believe, the daughter of a jeweller. Naturam expelles furca; tamen usque recurret. They had not advanced more than seventy miles from town, before they determined, in the true spirit of adventure, to see whatever could be seen;' and for this purpose they 'abandon the dusty turnpike, and seek the picturesque and the rural, in bye roads, lanes, and commons.' The Author does not inform us, but it is quite natural to conjecture, that they took Dr. Syntax's Travels with them. Nothing, however, occurred in this search for the picturesque in lanes and com'mons,' worth the trouble of relation, except their accidental con. versation with a pious weaver, till their chaise became at • length stuck quite fast' (truly a most picturesque description) in the tenacious grasp of a deep rut in a clay soil.' At length they find that one horse is scarcely adequate to the business of conveying his master and mistress about two hundred miles, in any reasonable time; and it was a merciful accident for the poor beast that the chaise became stuck quite fast.' They resolve to leave their vehicle and the horse behind them, and to prosecute the remainder of their journey by the stage-coach.

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A stage-coach, if inhabited for any length of time, is a moving microcosm. It is sometimes amusing to encounter the variety of adventures which a long journey in a stage-coach frequently presents. It is here we meet with the picturesque' of character; and we wonder the Author of the New Covering" did not avail himself of the opportunity of increasing the bulk and value of his work, by a few sketches of moral scenery. We have indeed one anecdote; but as it is not remarkable, except for the unhappy ignorance it der velops, we shall not detain our impatient readers any longer on the road. One of their fellow travellers, 'a gentleman of 'respectable appearance and engaging manners,' was to stop at the same village to which they were destined; and on learning the object of their journey, he determined to accompany them to the Church where the wonderful Cushion, as they conjectured, might be found.' On the morning of the day after their arrival they hasten to the consecrated spot, whenmirabile dictu-they learn that it is in a dissenting Chapel! -All the rest may be very easily guessed. The Cushion is found distended a second time with the marvels of its his

tory; another dissection takes place; another chapter of autobiography is read-commented on-explained-and justified; and after several episodes, which have no connexion with the. development of the fiction, and seem introduced for no other purpose than to fill up the volume, and to empty the commonplace book, the "New Covering" is again re-stitched, and we trust, consigned to that oblivion which it is henceforth destined to enjoy without further molestation.

It will be recollected, that the female interlocutor in the first conversations on this celebrated Cushion, is a very humble, modest, reserved old lady, who is far better pleased that her venerable partner should speak than herself; who seems afraid of disturbing for a moment the train of his reasonings and observations; and who is all complacency and submission as in duty bound towards her gentle lord! Well might the converted Cushion exclaim at the beginning of his narrative, Tempora mutantur! The young wife is the most animated actor, and sustains the principal character in the scenes of this solemn farce. The gentleman of respectable appearance' now and then ventures to put in a word on behalf of old times, established usages, and the religion of his forefathers; but he is a mere man of straw, contrived for no other purpose than to render the victory more decisive and complete.

Our readers will easily ascertain our opinion of this tit for 'tat' affair. The fiction is so entirely borrowed from its predecessor, and in many parts so clumsily imitated, that what is excellent in point of argument or description, loses its value from the direct comparison which is immediately instituted to the great disadvantage of the "New Covering." We frankly admit the justness and force of many observations on the disingenuous and unwarrantable insinuations of the "Velvet Cushion." We have entered so much at large, however, on its merits and demerits in a former number, that we think any further remarks from us unnecessary. At the same time, we advise the Author, when he publishes again in defence of the Dissenters, to be more accurate in his citations from the Prayer-Book. There are two instances of glaring misquotation from the burialservice, which have appeared in both editions: we believe they were not intentional; but it is a kind of inadvertence that should be most vigilantly guarded against in such a controversy. After making these deductions from the worth of the volume before us, we cannot close our remarks without highly commending the spirit and temper which it displays. There are also occasionally interspersed some delineations most happily executed, which are worthy of being placed in the same collection with the admirable Sketches of the Velvet Cushion." The following

extract is well told :—it is an affecting description of the Vicar's death and interment.

The venerable and pious Vicar departed this life rather suddenly; suddenly I mean as it respected his weeping parish, and his anguish-smitten partner: for himself, he was habitually prepared for a better existence. Like Enoch, he walked with God; heaven in his eye, and the world beneath his feet. From the remarks I have occasionally heard by those who, from admiration of the departed Saint, valued all that belonged to him, and would sometimes come to bestow a look, and drop a tear upon his cushion, I learnt that his dying chamber was a most interesting scene. Composure was upon his brow; the sparkle of hope blended with rapture, was in his eye; the words of Christian affection, deep resignation, and devotional piety, so long as he could speak, flowed from his lips. In his last hours, ministering angels seemed to shed the fragrance of heaven from their wings! All was silence! Not a mortal thing was moving to disturb the solemn scene-save a single tear, that escaped from the eyes of her who had too much sorrow of heart, to manifest much of the ordinary and external signs of grief. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.

The day of his interment exhibited a remarkable scene. I shall never forget it, and the impression will not soon be obliterated from the memory of this vicinity. The Church where he had so long, and so usefully officiated, was crowded to excess with spectators; silent-and sad spectators! In addition to the solemnity which the funeral scene is calculated to impress, even in witnessing the burial of any one, though unknown or indifferent to us, all seemed to feel in the present instance, a personal bereavement. There was not an individual in the vast congregation, who did not look as if he had lost his father, or his dearest earthly friend, and when the black ensigns of mortality moved towards the spot where, on the right of the altar, his predecessor lay, and where by his own request he was deposited, tears flowed and sighs re-echoed from every quarter. So great was the religious impression produced by the circumstances of his death and interment, that though he had been very useful before, during a succession of years, in reforming the morals of his parish, in widely disseminating knowledge, and impressing by his holy instructions the lessons of piety, yet the moral and spiritual force of many years of the most exemplary character seemed to be as it were compressed here into a single hour. Many who were insensible even under the touching pathos of his pulpit addresses, were subdued and led captive by the eloquence of the grave. Even to the present hour, he is in a sense visible-his works follow himhis image is stamped on a thousand hearts-his glory survives-his Sun indeed is set, but the twilight of a holy example remains, and sheds a serene lustre over the scene of his labours.' pp. 55-59.

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