received, from that respectable Body, will ever be remembered by the editor, with the liveliest sentiments of gratitude.' Dr. Johnson has somewhere observed, that it is scarcely possible to prevent the imagination from magnifying the importance of those objects with which it has been long conversant; and when the reader is told, with great solemnity, that Framlingham is distant from the equator 52 degrees, 15 minutes North latitude, and from the first general meridian which passeth through Gratiosa, one of the isles of the Azores, 29 degrees of longitude, he may probably think that Mr. Robert Hawes, the learned Steward, was not exempted from this common foible of our nature. He will be confirmed in this opinion as he proceeds; for, in the account which is given of the lords and ladies of Framlingham, the author has contrived to interweave a large portion of the history of England; in the early parts of which he is somewhat prolix and tedious, as well as too fond of inserting monkish legends, equally incredible and uninteresting. As he advances, however, he is more entertaining and instructive; and those who delight in the records of antient families may find their curiosity gratified, by the history of the Bigods, Moubrays, and Howards. The work certainly abounds with much curious anecdote: but, though not destitute of strength, the style is stiff and formal: it can boast few allurements to captivate the imagination, and is not always sufficiently animated to fix the attention; yet many of the incidents here related cannot be read without emotion. Respecting Framlingham Church, the author is sufficiently copious. It appears by his account to be spacious and magni ficent; and it contains some monuments of the Norfolk family, of extraordinary beauty, and in a style of architecture rather uncommon, The work consists of 27 chapters, and the last fourteen relate chiefly to the manour, the peculiar customs of which will be little interesting to the generality of readers. As we have already observed, the volume contains a variety of matter, which is collected with great care, and indeed with minute attention. We see no reason for doubting its fidelity and accuracy; and, though the taste of Mr. Hawes was not equal to his learning, his book may be considered as a valuable acquisition by the Antiquary, and must be allowed by all to be the vehicle of much useful information.-The editor should also receive his share of commendation, for his laudable attempt to unite the cultivation of literature with its commercial pursuits. ART. ART. XIV. Carmen Seculare for the Year 1800. By Henry James Pye, P. L. 4to. pp. 43. 3s. 6d. Wright. CH Meliusque semper HECKERED with lights and shades, with sunshine and with storms, with success and with misfortune, must be the history of every country within the long period of a hundred years but it is flattering to think that, varied as the picture has been, the eighteenth century has afforded so much real matter for eulogy; and that the Carmen Seculare of the year 1800 by the Poet Laureat surpasses that of 1700 by Prior, as much in the grandeur of events recorded, as in the beauty and majesty of its versification. Horace, when singing the praises of the Augustan Age, benevolently hopes that an æra still happier for Rome would succeed not so Mat. Prior with respect to his country, in the period which he celebrated. Indeed, he seemed to think that it would be in vain to expect or hope that Great Britain could be more great and flourishing than she was in the year 1700. His poem stated, "That nothing went before so great, And nothing greater can succeed." In the first assertion he might be right; in the latter, we are happy in adding, he was not a little mistaken. This country has since manifested herself greater than she then was; and we will hope that the sun of her glory has not yet reached its meridian altitude. It is curious to reflect on the changes of the world, and to observe how, in a series of ages, empire moves its seat! Horace, in what is in fact a part of his beautiful Carmen Seculare, mentions Britain as one of the extremities to which the Roman empire extended its arms; and our Laureat, in his Ode, can speak of Britain extending her arms to the very throne of the Caesars, to the Capitol itself, and may sing of victories obtained by British heroes on parts of the globe unknown to Cæsar and to Alexander. For naval glory, Britain at this moment stands unrivalled in history. Ocean never before sustained any thing so magnificent and so formidable. The performance before us is truly poetical: while it displays both judgment and taste, it abounds with grand and suitable imagery; and the verse flows with graceful dignity. The picture of the century is pourtrayed with the, skill of a master. The figures are well grouped, and, to produce effect, they are aided by a richness of colouring. Some of the likenesses, indeed, are flattering: but the most cynical critic * Vid. Ode xxi. lib. 1. 1. 15. must must acknowlege that they are well managed. Much ingenuity is shewn in delineating certain features of the present reign, in the colouring of which some dexterity was requisite. Those parts of the history of the century which include the rebellion in 1745, and the dispute with America, which terminated in her separation from the parent state, are of this number. The canvas, however, is enriched with other subjects than those of war-the painter records the progress of science and of the arts; and the discoveries of Cook on the Earth, and Herschell in the Heavens, are deservedly introduced. The Muses now their golden lyres Vibrate responsive to the warbled song, Tracing the wonders of the sky, New systems crowd the argent skies; Seas, where yet the venturous kecl Never plough'd the foaming wave, Isles, the halcyon gales that feel, Temper'd by tides the southern shore that lave, The bleak inhospitable plains, Where in dread state antarctic Winter reigns, Has warm'd even noontide's sullen hour, A wealthy people's stores, a patriot Monarch's care.' REV. MARCH, 1800. X Having Having adverted to the very different aspects which Italy and Britain now assume, compared with those which they presented about the commencement of the Christian æra, we shall give to our readers the Laureat's happy use of this circumstance; with his elegant conclusion, in which he expresses his wish for the return of peace, and for the union with Ireland: Spirits of warriors! who of yore, By yellow Tiber's trophied shore, Saw heap'd on rich Campania's soil, And thou, O JULIUS, whose embattled host In distant times, your shore remote should trace, • Sire of the winter drear, Who lead'st the months in circling dance along, Though unappall'd her laurel'd front defies Ready she stands for war, nor shuns the ensanguin'd fray; So She casts Affection's fondest eye. O! as the era past saw Anna join Each warrior nation of Britannia's line, may the auspicious hours that now ascend, The sister isles in ceaseless Union blend While Ocean's guardian arms around them thrown, There, proudly rising o'er the circling main, The illustrious age of GEORGE, the Monarch Briton born!' Where beauties abound, it may seem fastidious to point out little defects; we shall therefore excuse ourselves this task; yet we must be allowed to wonder that such a line should have escaped, as, Boasted yet a prouder boast." We We had nearly forgotten the introduction to this poem, in which the author notices the controversy respecting the commencement of the nineteenth century. He says that, at first, he was inclined to adopt the generally received opinion, that the nineteenth century did not commence till the 1st of January 1801 but that, on inquiry, he found all authority against him. He has therefore adopted the contrary opinion, and deprecates the resentment of those who differ from him. The following is the evidence which he produces: I found that the Secular Masque of Dryden was performed at Drury-lane Theatre early in the year 1700; and that Prior's Carmen Seculare was written for the same year, and obviously for the 1st of January. These examples were sufficient authority for me, independently of their shewing the received opinion of that time. I found also in the schedule to the act of parliament for altering the style, and which is printed in all the Common Prayer Books, these words: "For the next century, that is, from the year 1800 to the year 1899 inclusive." In the French Encyclopedie, Article Lettre Dominicale, we find," Il changera en 1800, en 1900, en 2100, &c. en un mot au commencement de chacun des siccles dont la première année n'est pas bissextile." And again under Cycle Solaire, explaining the tables, it says "La première de ces tables sera pour le siecle qui a commencé par l'année 1600; la second pour les siecles qui commencent par les années 1700, 2100, 2500, 2900, 3400, &c." There is yet a stronger authority, arising from the history of the institution of the Christian era, as it is usually called, though now known not to be reckoned from the real birth of our Saviour, but which makes no difference with respect to the present question. A native of Scythia, Dionysius Exiguus, so named from his stature, who exercised the function of Abbot at Rome in the sixth century, thinking it disgraceful that the Christians should reckon their years from the foundation of a city which was the seat of their persecutors, resolved to introduce a new era from the birth of Christ, which he fixed on the 25th of December, in the year of Rome 753; but to accommodate it to the Roman Calendar, he reckoned from the first of January ensuing, in the manner that he exemplified by the following table of the first century, and on which the calculation of the beginning and close of the century just commenced in the table in our Common Prayer Books is founded. O I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 5 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 54 55 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 TTTTT 95 96 97 98 99.' 92 93 94 |