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is a question which we shall not decide so emphatically as Mr Stockdale; what he was is undeniable--the greatest poet that ever appeared in immature years. The moral character of Chatterton has been basely insulted by bigots, and by ignorant men. The pretended antiquity of his poems has been denounced as a crime against truth, with all the solemnity with which Ananias's lie is quoted from scripture. The word forgery' does not apply to such an innocent deception. In this conclusion we perfectly agree with Mr Stockdale, though we cannot concur in all the rapture, and all the asperity with which his sentence is delivered.

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Our author's account of the poetry of Gray has no pretensions to originality. In a long and laborious defence, we think he forgets one very obvious excuse for the obscurity of the Bard, which is, that the language of prophecy, according to all usage, having been obscure in real prophecy; as an imitative artist, the poet is justified in couching the language of his poetical prophet in the same obscurity. He succeeds better in defending its originality, and the probability of its fiction, against the attacks of Dr John

son.

We take our leave now of these rhetorical criticisms; without much admiration of the author, and certainly without any disposition to pass a severe sentence on him. He tells us he is old; and leaves us to infer that he is not opalent. We hope, therefore, that his publication will succeed; and are positive that it has a great deal more merit than many that have succeeded. Intermingled with a good deal of irrelevant declamation, the lovers of poetry will find many striking remarks on the works of our best writers; and the younger students in belles-lettres, in particular, for whose use it seems chiefly intended, will be delighted with the enthusiasm with which this veteran extols the beauties, and recounts the triumphs of their favourites. For more sober readers, there is something too much of this; but there is an air of sincerity and candour throughout; nor can any thing be more commendable, than the zeal which it uniformly shows in behalf of truth and of merit.

ART. V. A Description of Ceylon, containing an Account of the Country, Inhabitants, and Natural Productions, &c. By the Rev. James Cordiner, A. M. late Chaplain to the Garrison of Columbo. 2 vol. 4to. pp. 800. Longman & Rees, London. 1807.

IN a former artic.e, we bestowed an encomium on the intelligent work of Mr Percival, which, we are afraid, we cannot extend to the author before us. Instead of adding materially to

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the stock of our information concerning the fortunate island which is the subject of his book, he contents himself, for the most part, with repeating, in a detached and desultory manner, facts which had already been given to the public in a more compact and orderly form; and he contrives to fill two large quartos with a minute account of his tours from one part of the country to another, in which, while we hear a great deal of dinners, balls and suppers,-of the governor's magnificence, and the affability of the ladies of commandants,-we meet with very few incidents which might not as well have happened within the circuit of Great Britain. We who live at home are, no doubt, very curious to learn the adventures of those who go to visit foreign parts; but, as the very greatest travellers must eat, drink and sleep, nearly as people do in their own houses, we really cannot take much interest in the narrative of such particulars, even although the scene of them should be laid in Ceylon, an island in the Indian Ocean, situate at the entrance of the Bay of Bengal, between five degrees forty-nine minutes and nine degrees fifty minutes of north latitude, and between seventy-nine degrees thirty minutes and eighty-one degrees fifty minutes of longitude east of Greenwich! So Mr Cordiner's book begins, according to regular form and rule. Old Robert Knox, indeed, does not seem to have thought this geographical minuteness at all necessary. How this island lies (says he) with respect unto the neighbouring countries, I shall not speak at all, that being to be seen in our ordinary sea-cards, which describe those parts. "The situation of the island being settled, our author proceeds to inform us, that it is about eight hundred miles in circumference. We have then a few pages of learning on the derivation of the name; and its history, from the time of the Portuguese conquests to the present day, is summed up in the few following sentences.

After Don Lorenzo Almeyda reached the fhores of Ceylon in 1505, the Portuguese maintained a fuperiority in the island for one hundred and fifty-three years; during which time they were engaged in conftant ftruggles with the natives, and latterly with the Dutch, who fucceeded in expelling them in the year 1658. The dominion of the States-General continued, with little interruption, until the years 1795 and 1796, when the coafts of Ceylon were finally taken poffeffion of by the British arms. '

It is known probably to most of our readers, that it is the coast of the island alone which has ever been possessed by the European powers. The interior forms the territory of the king of Candy, whose jealousy of his European neighbours is not much to be wondered at. It is very difficult to gain admission into his dominions; and we have no distinct account of them,

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except from Robert Knox above mentioned, who, in the ve 1659, was kidnapped by the king of Candy; and, after being detained nineteen years, at last made a wonderful escape. He has left a very interesting relation, both of his own adventures, and of the manners and customs of the country, written with a spirit of sagacity and observation, which does not often distinguish our modern bookmakers; with a warmth of piety which | would be sufficient to sanctify twelve chaplains of these degener te days; and with just such a mixture of superstition as is sufficient to give a hidicrous character to the genuine simplicity of the narrative. It is only the outskirts of the island, therefore, of which Mr Cordiner pretends to give any account; and these he has certainly surveye very minutely.

The territory which now belongs to Great Britain (fays he) forms a belt round the island, extending, in fome places, not more than fix, in others thirty, and on the northern fide even fixty, miles into the interior country.'- Almoft the whole circumference on the coaft is lined with a fandy beach, and a broad border of cocoa-nut trees, behind which are feen double and treble ranges of lofty mountains covered with wood. The fouth-eat coaft, viewed from the fea, is particularly pic turefque and romantic. The country, in the highest degree mountainous, prefents hills beyond hills, many beautiful and verdant, others huge and rocky, of extraordinary fhapes, refembling ruined battlements, antient caffles, and lofty pyramids. The northern parts of the island are flat, and frequently indented with fhallow inlets of the fea.

The first place, of which we have any description, is Columbo, the present seat of government, situated on the west side of the island. There is nothing very captivating in the description of this place; the houses are mostly of one story, and, it would appear, very awkwardly contrived, especially for those who keep horses; these animals, we are told, very commonly entering at the same door with their masters, and passing through the vestibule and dining-room on their way to the stable! The govern ment-house is the only handsome one in the place, but in a bad state of repair, as the roof admits rain; so that it is only made use of on public occasions. These, indeed, are of very various sorts. Here the governor transacts all his public business; here they have balls, hold the courts of judicature, and perform divine ser`vice. There is a church to be sure; but it has no roof-although we are assured it once had one; and the good people, after persevering for some time in meeting within its naked walls at halfpast six in the morning, were at last persuaded, by frequent showers of rain, to shelter themselves in the hall of the government-house. Although this account suggests to us no great notion of the comfort of this place, yet the rows of trees with which the streets are shaded, and the virandas or piazzas which

run along the fronts of the houses, must be beautiful, and well adapted to the climate. They are very attentive to keep their rooms cool. Each house has a long hall, which frequently can accommodate from fifty to eighty persons at dinner. From the roof of these halls over the dining-table, is suspended a large fan, called a Junka, which by pulleys is kept in motion, and commands the whole sweep of the table. Columbo, and the surrounding country, have an enchanting appearance from a ship a few miles out at sea. Thick woods of cocoa-nut trees, on gentle rising grounds, extend on each side of the fort along the shore. Chains of lofty mountains rise behind them, a few only of which are discernible from the land. On a nearer approach, the scenery becomes still more interesting. A wide semicircular bay, expanding into the mouth of the Calany ganga, has a grand and pleasing effect: and the prospect is enlivened by the villas of the English inhabitants, placed in high and conspicuous situations. Nothing about Columbo is apt to excite admiration more, than the flourishing state of the vegetable world. So much beauty and variety are in few countries equalled, and no where excelled. The thick shade of majestic trees, the open prospects, the lively verdure, the flourishing shrubs and parasitic creepers unite their charms to render the morning rides delightful. No climate in the world is more salubrious than that of Columbo: and a person who remains within doors while the sun is powerful, never wishes to experience one more temperate.' The air is at all times pure and healthy, and its temperature uncommonly uniform. Fahrenheit's thermometer usually fluctuates in the shade about the point of 80°. It seldom ranges more than five degrees in a day, and only thirteen through the whole year, 86° being the highest and 73° the lowest point at which it has been seen in any season.' Mr Cordiner passes great encomiums on the agreeable society at Columbo. The English circle consists of about one. hundred gentlemen, and twenty ladies. The other European families are more numerous; but with these the English have not formed much intimacy. The society, then, it would appear, is very confined; and the over proportion of the gentlemen must be rather distressing at the balls, which are said to be very frequent. Unless some of them consent to be counted as tailors, we really do not see how they are to be accommodated with partners.

In the Fourth and Fifth chapters, some interesting particulars are related of the manners and religion of the native inhabitants, which we shall pass over at present, and first accompany our author in his tour round the island along with Governor North. There were several gentlemen of the party, a company of Malay soldiers,

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soldiers, one hundred and sixty palanquin bearers, four hundred coolies, or persons for carrying baggage, two elephants, six horses, and fifty lascars, taking charge of four large tents.? They directed their course from Columbo southward towards Point de Galle, in a very leisurely manner, reposing themselves every nine or ten miles in splendid bungalces erected for the occasion. We shall give Mr Cordiner's description of one of these erected at Morotto, about ten miles from Columbo.

Here a large lung loe was conftructed, difplaying fome degree of afte, as well as labour, and a profufion of ornaments. The fides of the building were formed of wooden pillars, between every two of which was fixed a St Andrew's cross, all covered with red and white muslin, folded like the links of a feftoon, and the two colours placed in alternate fucceffion. A low belt of plaited leaves encompaffed the bottom of the edifice, producing the effect of a pedeftal. Fine white calico fupplied the place of ceiling, attached to which, croffing lines of beantiful mofs formed rhombs and squares, fupporting blushing fruits, and displaying richness combined with elegance. Sheets of cocoa-nut leaves formed the external roof, and skreened us from the fun. An ornamental porch, shaped like a hollow fquare, flood forty feet from the bungaloe, connected with it by a canopy of white cloth. This gateway was compofed of perpendicular and horizontal bamboos, large canes about one foot in circumference and twenty feet in length. These were decorated with the dark green and pale yellow leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, doubled together, and folded perpendicularly round the canes, tied at the lower ends, and bulging out towards the top in the form of an urn, the two colours fucceeding one another in the fame manner as the red and white muflin about the columns of the banqueting hall. Here we enjoyed a comfortable repaft during the heat of the day, and retted in a thady grove.' I. 168, 169.

When they went by water, their accommodation was not less superb.

A large open boat formed the van, containing his Excellency's guard of lafcoreens, with their fpears raised perpendicular, the union colours flying, and Ceylonefe drums, called tom toms, beating. Then followed the governor in a barge, over which a canopy was raised, having the infide of the roof fpread with white calico, decorated with ftrings of verdant mofs and gaudy coloured flowers. This barge was formed of two long canoes fupporting an enclosed stage, on which chairs were ranged, covered with fheets of white cloth, agreeably to the customs of the country. A train of boats, loaded with palanquins and bearers, compofed the rear; and the whole line exhibited a tranquil and gratifying appearance. The regular troops, and baggage coolies, continued their march by land. As we failed along, the native Cingalefe came down, in crowds, from the different villages to the variegated banks of the river; and men, women and children, faluted their governor with impreflive tokens of hoinage and refpect.' I. 170, 171.

However

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