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with a finer discrimination, and a more sensitive delicacy.

The wise and good (and all others being lovers of licence rather than of liberty are in fact slaves) respect, as one of the noblest characteristics of Englishmen, that jealousy of familiar approach, which, while it contributes to the maintenance of private dignity, is one of the most efficacious guardians of rational public freedom."

Had Dr. Currie been sensible of the truth of what is above stated, many painful letters would have been left in that obscurity for which the writer intended them; and it is singular, as the very concluding words of the biographer are that "Burns did not foresee that his own letters were to appear in print," that the reflection did not occur whe ther it were fit thus to thwart the admitted intentions of the poet, who in one of his letters seems to prophecy the manner in which his memory would be tortured, to extract the minutest offences of his life. "Often," he exclaims, "in blasting anticipation, have I listened to some future hackney scribbler, with the heavy malice of savage stupidity, &c. ;" and other passages might be quoted, in which he for a mo ment regrets that ingenuousness by which he laid himself open to undeserved imputations.

It is not to be wondered that Mr. Wordsworth on this occasion should stand forward in vindication of a man of so many estimable and admirable qualities as Burns, not merely from a natural love of justice, but from a peculiar resemblance between the minds and the stiles of the two poets we speak of the mind and state of Burns before they became infected by the society and habits into which he fell in the later years of his life. As all true poetry has the same foundation, so all true poets must have some principles in common; and the chief difference between Burns and Wordsworth is, that the former was energetic, simple, and unaffected, in all his earlier and better pieces using the common language of men in a state of excite. ment because he knew no other; and the latter because he holds it to be the very essence of his art. It is this quality that constitutes the principal charm of the productions of the Scottish bard; and as at the period to which we allude he knew of no other school, he never deviated from the rules which it prescribes. Our readers may not at first be sensible of this similarity, but if they will carefully examine the productions of Mr. Wordsworth, they will find that our opinion is borne out, not only in principle but in practice. We need only quote from the letter before us the subsequent eloquent passages to shew how well its author

understands and how deeply he enjoys the better part of the works of Burns.

"But you will perhaps accuse me of refining too much; and it is, I own, comparatively of little importance, while we are engaged in reading the Iliad, the Eneid, the tragedies of Othello and King Lear, whether the authors of these poems were good or bad men; whether they lived happily or miserably. Should a thought of the kind cross our minds, there would be no doubt, if irresistible external evidence did not decide the question unfavourably, that men of such transcendant genius were both good and happy: and if, unfortunately, it had been on record that they were otherwise, sympathy with the fate of their fictitious personages would banish the unwelcome truth whenever it obtruded itself, so that it would but slightly disturb our pleasure. Far otherwise is it with that class of poets, the principal charm of whose writings depends upon the familiar knowledge which they convey of the personal feelings of their authors. This is eminently the case with the effusions of Burns:-in the small quantity of narrative that he has given, he himself bears no inconsiderable part; and he has produced no drama. Neither the subjects of his poems, nor his manner of handling them, allow us long to forget their author. On the basis of his human character he has reared a poetic one, which with more or less distinctness presents itself to view in almost every part of his earlier, and, in my estimation, his most valuable verses. This poetic fabric, dug out of the quarry of genuine humanity, is airy and spiritual:-and though the materials, in some parts, are coarse, and the disposition is often fantastic and irregular, yet the whole is agreeable and strikingly attractive. Plague, then, upon your remorseless hunters after matter of fact (who, after all, rank among the blindest of human beings) when they would convince you that the foundations of this admirable edifice are hollow; and that its frame is unsound! Granting that all which has been raked up to the prejudice of Burns were literally true; and that it added, which it does not, to our better understanding of human nature and human life (for that genius is not incompatible with vice, and that vice leads to misery-the more acute from the sensibilities which are the elements of genius-we needed not those communications to inform us) how poor would have been the compensation for the deduction made, by this extrinsic knowledge, from the intrinsic efficacy of his poetry-to please, and to instruct!

"In illustration of this sentiment, permit me to remind you that it is the privilege of poetic genius to catch, under certain restrictions of which perhaps at the time of its being exerted it is but dimly conscious, a spirit of pleasure wherever it can be found,-in the walks of nature and in the business of men.-The poet, trusting to primary instincts, luxuriates among the felicities of love and wine, and is enraptured while he describes the fairer aspects of war: nor does he shrink from the company of the passion of love

though immoderate-from convivial pleasure though intemperate nor from the presence of war though savage, and recognized as the hand-maid of desolation. Frequently and admirably has Burns given way to these impulses of nature; both with reference to himself and in describing the condition of others. Who, but some impenetrable dunce or narrow-minded puritan in the works of art, ever read without delight the picture which he has drawn of the convivial exaltation of the rustic adventurer, Tam o'Shanter? The poet fears not to tell the reader in the outset that his hero was a desperate and sottish drunkard, whose excesses were frequent as his opportunities. This reprobate sits down to his cups, while the storm is roaring, and heaven and earth are in confusion;—the night is driven on by song and tumultuous noise-laughter and jest thicken as the beverage improves upon the palate-conjugal fidelity archly bends to the service of general benevolence-selfishness is not absent, but wearing the mask of social cordiality-and, while these various elements of humanity are blended into one proud and happy composition of elated spirits, the anger of the tempest without doors only heightens and sets off the enjoyment within.-I pity him who cannot perceive that, in all this, though there was no moral purpose, there is a moral effect."

To revert to the principal object of the letter before us, viz. to point out to Mr. Gilbert Burns the best mode of repelling the unjust charges against, or of palliating the exaggerated errors of his brother, we cannot help observing that it is much to be regretted that the biographical memoir was not in the first instance compiled and edited by that individual who was best acquainted with the facts of the life, and the dispositions of the mind of Burns: at all events the work of Dr. Currie having been put forth in so imperfect and objectionable a shape, it was a matter of duty on the part of those who possessed the means of doing so, to rescue the memory of Burns from obloquy. Sixteen years have however now elapsed without any such attempt, though it has long been promised, and in the mean time a reprint of Dr. Currie's edition, with all its defects, has been given to the public in a cheap form; so that this dilatoriness in vindication, has not only tended to confirm, but to spread the disadvantageous opinions that have been formed. Whether the publication of this Letter by Mr. Wordsworth be meant to supersede a new edition, with alterations and omissions, we do not know, but it appears to us to render it the more necessary, since it shews that there is something in the back ground that ought not in justice to be longer withheld. Mr. Wordsworth's advice is thus expressed :

"If it he deemed adviseable to reprint Dr. Currie's narrative, without striking out such passages as the author, if he were now

alive, would probably be happy to efface, let there be notes attached to the most obnoxious of them, in which the misrepresentations may be corrected, and the exaggerations exposed. I recommend this course, if Dr. Currie's Life is to be republished, as it now stands, in connexion with the poems and letters, and especially if prefixed to them; but, in my judgment, it would be best to copy the example which Mason has given in his second edition of Gray's works. There, inverting the order which had been properly adopted, when the Life and Letters were new matter, the poems are placed first; and the rest takes its place as subsidiary to them. If this were done in the intended edition of Burns's works, I should strenuously recommend, that a concise life of the poet be prefixed, from the pen of Gilbert Burns, who has already given public proof how well qualified he is for the undertaking. I know no better model as to proportion, and the degree of detail required, nor, indeed, as to the general execution, than the life of Milton by Fenton, prefixed to many editions of the Paradise Lost. But a more

copious narrative would be expected from a brother; and some allowance ought to be made, in this and other respects, for an expectation so natural.

"In this prefatory memoir, when the author has prepared himself by reflecting, that fraternal partiality may have rendered him, in some points, not so trust-worthy as others less favoured by opportunity, it will be incumbent upon him to proceed candidly and openly, as far as such a procedure will tend to restore to his brother that portion of public estimation, of which he appears to have been unjustly deprived. Nay, when we recal to mind the black things which have been written of this great man, and the frightful ones that have been insinuated against him; and, as far as the public knew, till lately, without complaint, remonstrance, or disavowal, from his nearest relatives; I am not sure that it would not be best, at this day, explicitly to declare to what degree Robert Burns had given way to pernicious habits, and, as nearly as may be, to fix the point to which his moral character had been degraded. It is a disgraceful feature of the times that this measure should be necessary; most painful to think that a brother should have such an office to perform. But, if Gilbert Burns be conscious that the subject will bear to be so treated, he has no choice; the duty has been imposed upon him by the errors into which the former biographer has fallen, in respect to the very principles upon which his work ought to have been conducted."

Besides the defects noticed in the course of this article, there are others in the Life of Burns, as detailed by Dr. Currie, which have not escaped remark on former occasions; and we do not think that, properly executed, a more useful CRIT. REV. VOL. IV. July, 1816.

I

or interesting work could be given to the public than the Life of Burns: we would prefix as a motto his well known lines:

"Then at the balance let's be mute,

We never can adjust it;

What's done we partly may compute,
But know not what's resisted."

ART. VII.-A Chronological History of the Voyages and Discoveries in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean, Vol. IV. to the Year 1723, including a History of the Buccaneers of America. By JAMES BURNEY, F. R. S. Captain in the Royal Navy. London. G. and W. Nicol. 1816. THE author of this extensive work, from early education and habits, is eminently qualified for the undertaking; he sailed with that great discoverer and excellent navigator the late Captain Cook," under whom he served as lieutenant in his two last voyages: he had subsequently the command of his Majesty's ship the Bristol of 50 guns in the East Indies; and since he withdrew from active employment, the evening of life has been engaged in inquiries immediately connected with his professional duties. Besides the present laborious production, in 1796 he published a Plan of Defence against Invasion; in 1809, Experiments on the River Thames to ascertain the Direction of the Currents; and in 1811, a Chart of the Coast of China, with a memoir relating to the subject.

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The first part of this voyage to the South Seas was reviewed in our 110th volume, or the first of a new series, published for February 1804; and we then said "We have paid great attention to this volume, because we think it of considerable importance, not only from its own intrinsic merits, and the varied information it conveys, but as the parent and prototype of many succeeding ones." We at the same time took the opportunity of giving the author a few words of advice, which he has properly regarded in the se quel of his work; and it was, that he should pay "less attention to the minuter events of the voyages; the mutinies of sailors; the contests with the natives, who can imperfectly understand the language and comprehend the subjects of the navigators; the assunted dignity and mistaken splen dor of petty uncivilized chiefs; in short, all those circumstances not connected with science." Our wish was, and is,

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