ing the blessing, were, as might have been expected, uncommonly beautiful; but, in the countenance of the divine Redeemer, Angelica transcended her usual excellence, blending in it a combination of majesty and meekness, which must have been extremely difficult to represent. Majesty or dignity alone was comparatively easy to a mird like her's, accustomed to sublime ideas; meekness and humility still more so: but to unite these two characters with propriety required all the efforts of her genius.

At the request of an English gentleman of great respectability, in 1797 and 1798, Angelica painted several historical pictures, of which the most remarkable are accounted, the Discovery of Achilles at the Court of Lycomedes, and the portrait, as large as life, of the artist herself, between painting and music. But the public were still more indebted to the same gentleman for affording her the occasion of executing the picture of Religion, one of the largest and most complicated of her productions; and the history of this performance is too curious not to require some details.

In an age of false philosophy and extreme licentiousness it was the avowed design of Angelica to employ her pencil in promoting religion and virtue. The above-mentioned gentleman, whilst in Rome, being informed of the circumstance, had represented to her the sublime description of Religion and her lovely train, as given in a serion of the late Dr. Horne, bishop of Norwich, and had afterwards engaged her to compose for him a picture on that exalted theme. The

very

words of the amiable prelate, whilst describing the subject, will, in our conception, indirectly evince the merit of the picture. 66 Behold this delightful family, graced by one, in whose air reigns native dignity, and in whose countenance majesty and meekness sit, enthroned together. We acknowledge at once, the queen of heaven, fair Religion, with her lovely train; Faith, ever musing on the holy books ; Hope, resting on her sure anchor, and looking forwards to celestial joys; Charity, blessed with her several infants, thinking no ill of any one, and doing good to every one ; Repentance, with gleams of comfort, brightening a face of sorrow, like the sun shining through a watery cloud ; Devotion, with her eyes fixed on heaven; Patience, smiling at affliction ; Peace, encircled by an olive wreath, and nursing her gentle dove; and Joy, with an anthem book, singing an hallelujah.” It is almost unnecessary to add, that as in this sublime passage, so in the painting of Angelica, every christian virtue was completely characterized ; and it is sufficient to repeat what the artist herself said of it, in a letter to the proprietor in 1798: " I have the satisfaction to hear it approved by all those who see it; and even the French generals have bowed to your Religion."

These historical paintings were sent to England during the short interval of peace in 1802. They were shewn to the late Mr. Barry, who expressed his adıniration of them with the enthusiasm of genius blended with the judgment of a connoisseur.

F. D.

ORIGINAL POETRY.

HYMN TO HEALTH.*

A"ρατε μέ δέμας δρθάτε κάρα.
Λελύμαι μελέων σύνδεσμα. . EURIPID.
ο δ' ολβιος όν κε συ θέμα
Προφρων τιμησεις" τω δ' αφθονα πάντα πάρεςι. .

HOMER.

HITHER turn thee, rosy Maid !
Turn—to give the wretched aid !
Power I reck not: wealth

spurn:
Hither, heavenly Vision, turn!

With thy vivid, vermil hue,
Tinge my faded cheek anew :
Stay the withering griefs that soil;
Where they trickled, plant a smile;
And kindle thro' my sparkling eye
The beams of radiant ecstacy.,

Ah! let not Spring disclose in vain
The treasures of her orient reign!
Nor Flora blushing, summon all
But me, to Nature's festival !
Behold the whispering zephyrs rove,
And piercing sweetness thrills the grove;
The fields their freshest verdure wear,
And laughs around the childish year.
Then haste thee, lovely Dryad, turn!
Nor leave me singly thus to mourn.

Hand in hand let's skirt the mead,
Fast by the twinkling aspen shade:
Let us thrid the dewy vale,
Where the rill glitters to the gale;
Or the tangling grass among,
Steals it's latent tricklings on.
The bordering upland climb we now,
And from it's scene-cominanding brow,
Beneath a shadowy group of trees,
On pillowing verdure stretch'd at ease,
Let's view the mingled prospect round;
Flowery lawn, and fallow ground;

Oxen,

• Written at Christ Church, in 1784; Ætat. 18. The author is supposed to have been the present Baron Smith, a distinguished literary and judicial character in Ireland,

Oxen, o'er the furrow'd soil,
Urging firm their annual toil:
Trim cottages that here and there,
Speckling the social tilth, appear ;
And spires, that as from groves they rise,
Tell where the lurking hamlet lies:
Hills white with many a bleating throng,
And lakes, whose willowy banks along,
Herds or ruminate, or lave,
Immersing in the silent wave.
The sombre wood—the cheerful plain,
Green with the hope of future grain:
A tender blade, ere Autumn smile
Benignant on the farmer's toil,
Gild the ripe fields with mellowing hand,
And scatter plenty through the land.

On earth should dazzling summer brood,
Lead to some bosky solitude:
Pent in the leafy, wild retreat,
There let me press a moss-grown seat;
Where violets droop their purple heads ;
Its fragrance the pale primrose sheds ;
And where the fresh, dew-sprinkled thorn,
Showers of roses wild adorn:
There listening to the Mantuan swain,
Warbling his simplest rural strain,
Let no rude cry mine ear invade:
No clamour start the tranquil shade:
But softly shuddering, let the breeze,
In meshes snared of rustling trees,
Shake coolness from his wings, and sound,
Cullid from the peaceful haunts around;
(Strains that for musing Poets made,
Steal from the world, and seek the shade;)
Or distant city's wafted cry,
Lull'd to a murmur,

ere it die.
These from without while Zephyrs glean,
Be sound as soothing caught within.
Let, from a neighbouring thicket's gloom,
Beneath the sweetbriar's tender bloom,
A gushing rill be heard to chide;
Let it run sparkling by my side:
Let thrushes pour their melody;
The bees " their murmuring labours ply;"
Along the tumid verdure roam,
Imbibe the honey-suckle's bloom,

And

And cling to every bending flower,
Whose beauties veil the golden shower.
Such strains the softened soul

compose;
Lull every mental gust that blows:
Such fairy joys fell woe beguile;
Teach the care-clouded front to smile;
The throes assuage of thorny pain;
And gently,faltering life sustain.

But thou, fair Health, thy aid impart;
Breathe warmth and vigour o'er my

heart!
My languors charm,-my pangs allay,
And feed and fan the vital ray:
Then quick to daisied meadows bring,
And yield me to the fostering spring!
Haste lovely Dryad! quickly turn!
And bid me--bid me-cease to mourn.

STANZAS,

BY CHARLOTTE RICHARDSON. Written in May, 1808, when under the pressure of severe distress.

MONTH after month its course has

run,
Yet still no dawn of hope I see ;
No more will health's reviving sun

E're shine on me.
Cheerless to me the dawn of day,
While sinking 'neath stern sickness' power,
Meridian sun, or evening grey,

Or midnight hour.
For fierce disease his bow has bent,
And pierced me with his keenest dart,
While pain my vital strength has spent,

And chill'd my heart.
Beneath his power I strive in vain
In balmy rest my eyes to close,
From opium's aid alone I gain

A short repose.

0! when will all these sorrows cease,
Whose weight o'erpowers my fainting breast;
When shall this fluttering heart find peace,

And be at rest?

Be

Be still, my soul, with patience wait,
And meekly bear the chastening rod;
Remember, all thy suffering state

Is known to God..
Doubt not his care and tender love,
Although his dealings seem severe;
Strive by affliction to improve;

And Him revere.
What! though disease thy days consume!
Soon death will bring a sweet release,
And thou within the silent tomb

Shalt rest in peace.
Dust unto dust shall thou return,
While the immortal soul shall fly,
By heavenly messengers upborne,

To God on high.

LITERARY AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

Mrs. Cappe is preparing for the press a complete history of the Life of Christ, as related by the four Evangelists; interweaving into one continued narrative their several accounts of the miracles performed in proof of his missiou, of his prophetic warnings, awful admonitions, moral precepts, and varions controversies with the Jewish rulers, terminating in his crucifixion, resurrection, and final remuneration. She has endeavoured to ascertain as nearly as possible the order of time in which these several discourses, and the extraordinary events which gave rise to them, took place, in the hope of exciting an increasing interest in the perusal of the sacred records, by exhibiting a more compre. hensive view of the whole ministry of Christ, and thereby throwing additional light on many exceedingly important and beautiful passages. The

whole is illustrated by a series of notes explanatory of eastern phraseology, of ancient customs, manners, opinions, and prejudices; formerly transcribed by the editor from the short-hand papers of her late husband, the Rev. Newcome Cappe. The work is divided into sections, and at the close of each section such prac. tical reflections deduced as naturally arise out of the subject.

Mr. C. A. Elton will shortly publish a translation, in English verse, of the Remains of Hesiod, the Ascræan; accompanied with a Dissertation on the Poetry and Mythology, the Life and Éra of Hesiod.

The author of " Letters from the Mountains," has a new work in the press.

Dr. E. Clarke, of Cambridge, is printing an account of his Travels in Russia, the Crimea, &c.

The second volume of Wool's Life of Dr. J. Warton is nearly ready for pub. lication.

Mr. Boothroyd is reprinting Bishop Newcome's Version of the Minor Prophets, with additional notes from Blaney and Horseley on Hosea.

The second volume of Mr. Chalmers's Caledonia is in the press.

Dr. Forbes, of Edinburgh, is engaged on a translation of Pliny's Natural His.. tory, with notes and illustrations, a life of the author, and a preliminary dissertation on the origin of natural history, and on its progress and gradual improvement from its infancy to its present state of comparative maturity. One great object of the translator will be to accommodate Pliny's description of animals, plants, and minerals, to the nomenclature of the Systema Naturæ Linnæi.

The