· XXXIX. That night, that awful night, was wearing fast, ; With songs obscene and blasphemous, that rent Crept from his neighbour's bed, ere night's dark pall Withdrew, nor deem'd that One above beheld it all. XL. 'Some linger'd still around the midnight bowl, The watch-dog's hollow bark, or stifled growl, Where worn, and mortal pale, and woe-begone, Wasting the heavy hours in sighs for that dread day. XLI. 'Amidst distracting visions of the night, Dreaming of years,-long years of bliss in store: Alas! that vision done,-the dream of life is o'er. C XLII. 'Noiseless and unperceived, as moments fly, The guardian angels, who had faithful kept C XLIII. And now, by two celestial strangers led, Forsook the place where ruin lurk'd around, Of all within, he only righteous found. 6 XLIV. With benisons the angel guides took leave Swift to unloose the howling blasts they went ; And hurl upon their heads the thunderbolts of God. XLV. "Look not behind," resounding in their ears, 6 XLVI. 'Oh poor apostate! threaten'd oft and long, Rocks melt before the Lord;-Why wilt thou perish? Why?' Passing over the intermediate stanzas, which, with considerable pathos, describe the catastrophe, we must make room for the following. 'XXIX. Noiseless and undisturb'd that night had pass'd Or seem'd a murmur lulling to repose; No shrill portentous shrieks the still air rent, " XXX. With anxious step, in melancholy haste, Abraham ascended to a neighbouring height; The plain was now a blank and silent waste; All signs of life destroy'd from left to right; Fair Sodom wither'd by unnatural blight; Gomorrah rased by that resistless flood; Admah and dark Zeboim sunk in night; Whose awful sentence justice wrote in blood, Aud curst, for ever curst, the spot where once they stood. XXXI. The dwellings of the multitude were gone; Of perish'd thousands, now become their tombs! One reeking sepulchre, all life of late, 6 XXXII. 'O'er what a host the eternal veil is drawn! 6 XXXIII. "What proud imaginations overthrown! What hell-conceived deeds of villany Cut short in action, ere completely blown! What acts of cruelty no eye might see, Arraign'd and punish'd there by Heaven's decree! What exquisite despair and misery! What impious blasphemies, that once defied The Thunderer in his power,-those gloomy ashes hide! 'XXXIV. 'The vainly warn'd perish at length unwarn'd! Thus fell the guilty cities of the plain; The morn with beams of orient light adorn'd Were smoking ruins ere it dawn'd again : And now, with dismal moan, the Dead Sea waves With great propriety a transition is made from this scene of awful desolation, the monument of the Divine judgements, to the predicted end of the world; and with this the poem concludes. From these extracts it will be seen, that the title of the poem is inappropriate; and there is too much the appearance that the Poet did not know what he was going about, when he commenced his task. As he proceeded, he seems both to have warmed and to have gathered strength; but he has not had the courage to blot. His first three cantos might have been advantageously compressed into one. These are, however, defects of judgement only, such as might be expected in a young writer. The poem itself discovers real genius and much genuine feeling as well as piety. Composed, as it has been, at intervals, during the bustle and anxiety of business, or amid the languor and depression of 6 a sick chamber', it does the greatest credit to the Author's talents and energy of mind; and we cordially recommend it to our readers, as a volume of genuine merit, which fully sustains its modest pretensions, and is entitled to the patronage of the public. Art. IV.—1. Illustrations of Political Economy. By Harriet Martineau. Nos. VI. VII. and VIII. (Weal and Woe in Garveloch. A Manchester Strike. Cousin Marshall.) 18mo. 1832. 2. Observations on the Law of Population; being an Attempt to trace its Effects from the conflicting Theories of Malthus and Sadler. By the Author of "Reflections on the present State of British India." 8vo. pp. 79. London, 1832. 3. Sufferings of Factory Children. Substance of the Speech of Michael Thomas Sadler, Esq. in the House of Commons, March 16, 1832, on moving the second Reading of the Bill to regulate the Labour of Children and young Persons in the Mills and Factories of the United Kingdom. Published by the Society for the Improvement of the Condition of Factory Children. 8vo. pp. 26. London, 1832. M ISS Martineau's Tales are far more lively and entertaining than any thing can be, that a reviewer may find occasion to say about them; and most of her readers will be ready to think her Illustrations better than a thousand arguments. But the gifted Author herself would disdain to be complimented upon " her fertility of imagination, and her dexterity in managing to put her principles into dramatic action, at the expense of her more solid qualifications for the office she has assumed, of professor of Political Economy. We offer no apology, therefore, for proceeding at once to examine and discuss the doctrines propounded in the Parts before us. In Part VI., we are introduced to the supposed origin of all political evil,-Increase of Population; and our female Malthus thus sums up the 'principles' illustrated in the Weal and Woe of Garveloch. The increase of population is necessarily limited by the increase of the means of subsistence. Since successive portions of capital yield a less and less return, and the human species produce at a constantly accelerated rate, there is a perpetual tendency in population to press upon the means of sub sistence. 'The ultimate checks by which population is kept down to the level of the means of subsistence are vice and misery. Since the ends of life are virtue and happiness, these checks ought to be superseded by the milder methods which exist within man's reach. These evils may be delayed by promoting the increase of capital, and superseded by restraining the increase of population. Towards the one object, a part of society may do a little; towards the other, all may do much. By rendering property secure, expenditure frugal, and production easy, society may promote the growth of capital. By bringing no more children into the world than there is a subsistence provided for, society may preserve itself from the miseries of want. In other words, the timely use of the mild preventive check may avert the sorrows of any positive check. The preventive check becomes more, and the positive checks less powerful, as society advances. The positive checks, having performed their office in stimulating the human faculties and originating social institutions, must be wholly superseded by the preventive check, before society can attain its ultimate aim-the greatest happiness of the greatest number.' The advocates of the Malthusian doctrine constantly complain, that either it is not understood, or it is misrepresented. Here, however, it stands forward in plain language that can hardly be mistaken, displayed in all its native ugliness. Let us take the propositions seriatim. 6 6 I. The increase of population is necessarily limited by the ' means of subsistence.' What are the means of subsistence? In one country, they consist of the ability to hunt, to fish, or to rear herds; in another, of the food which the soil can be made to yield; in a third, of trade and the employment of labour by the capitalist. In the rude state of nomadic nations, population is VOL. VIII.-N.S. PP |