man as Sir Joshua Reynolds to design a transparency for the western end, and appoint James Wyatt the destructive to overturn the ancient features and arrangements, setting up the subsellæ of the stalls as brackets for book-desks, and covering the walls with meagre decorations, and Bernasconi Gothic."

Would that the spirits of these "great and good" men, with the sainted founders of religion in Oxford, could throw a shield over the glorious piles of their monuments, and avert the designs of other destructives, worthy followers of Wyatt. Are not the ancient wood panels of one of the chapels to be sold at an old curiosity broker's! and all the ancient works of the university more and more in danger every hour from pretended improvers? Witness the altered front of Merton, and the unmeaning designs of modern character which every where rise up to disfigure and disgrace this proud seat of ecclesiastical grandeur.

Is there need of further proof than to refer to the modern designs for Magdalene and New Inn Halls? It is lamentable to witness the low state of ecclesiastical and collegiate architecture in the present day; almost affording evidence of the existence of a spirit which would banish for ever from our churches and colleges the sister arts of music, painting, sculpture, and archi

tecture.

The ancient domestic architecture of

England is illustrated by the design of a truly national edifice, the old English mansion. What a beautiful grouping of apartments of various sizes, for various purposes! not a turret, a porch, or a chimney, with. out its use; and as an appropriate companion, the village church built close to the mansion. How often do we meet with this admirable association in the country: but how disappointing is a near inspection, which too often shews us the mansion-house degenerated into a farmer's residence, dirty, and ruinous, and the church a barn, or a cow-shed; or, if the mansion still retains its wealthy occupant, the church is removed, by the caprice of some fanciful individual, whose sensitiveness is affected by the bells, or the assembling of the rustic congregation; its site is turned into a plantation, and a

barn is built at a distance, as a substitute.

We have endeavoured to convey to our readers a fair estimate of the contents of Mr. Pugin's volume: we admire the spirit with which it is written, and the taste displayed in the embellishments, which are elegant and costly.

Literary Leaves, in Prose and Verse. By D. L. Richardson. 2 vols. WHEN a work like this has passed through a second edition, it is a satis factory proof that it possesses sufficient merit to attract many readers; and when the work is, like the present one, employed in the investigation of those parts of literature which are rather remote from the common research, it shows that those readers are such as it

is no slight honour to have satisfied. Mr. Richardson appears to be extensively acquainted with the modern literature of England; to have studied its principal authors, especially those of his own time, with care, and to have examined their works with critical exactness. In many of his papers he reminds us of the style and manner of the author of the Curiosities of Literature; and like him, while he is curious in observing the opinions, of others on disputed points of literature, he exercises a proper independence in the formation of his own. The chapters "Care and Condensation in Writ

on

ing," on the "frequent complaint of want of Memory," on "Prose Memoranda for poetical Composition," will be found full of instructive comment; while the notices of Sir E. Brydges, and Mr. C. Smith, show both a matured and sound taste, and an impartial judgment. The most important chapter in the second volume is that on Shakspere's Sonnets; a subject on which Mr. Richardson has exhausted more than forty pages, and which we are afraid remains as much as ever in its former obscurity. Wordsworth says, speaking of Shakspere's Sonnets,

With this key, Shakspere unlocked his heart." We doubt it; and think, on the whole, that it is more probable that these sonnets were written for another person, than for himself. They were not published by Shakspere; they are not alluded to by

Shakspere; they are employed on topics and subjects, some apparently not congenial to Shakspere's mind, some derogatory to its honour, and some degrading to its purity: but it is impossible to form any definite or satisfactory opinion on the subject. Mr. Hallam thinks that "there was a time in Shakspere's life when his heart was ill at ease;" and the hours, worse than wasted, of his youth, may have been among the causes of his subsequent regret. The conjecture of Messrs. Bright and Boaden, that W. H. stands for William Herbert, is highly probable-nothing so probable has been conjectured; and perhaps the style and subject of the sonnets would somewhat support our belief. Shakspere was married when only nineteen years of age, and before he went to London: we presume also, that before he went to London he was a parent, as with him the visit of Cupid preceded that of Hymen a few months. Yet with his wife and child (quære children ?) remaining at Stratford, he writes a volume of sonnets, the first seventeen of which are on the subject of marriage, and yet not so as to appear to allude to his own wedded wife; the next nine contain general expressions of admiration and regard; yet not to his own Ann Hathaway!-and some of the remaining are of the same character. Now what does all this mean, if we are to suppose Shakspere unfolding his own sentiments and passions? And how could he, after a long interval, his wife being still alive, permit them to be printed and given to the world? And what is the meaning of W. H. being the begetter of these sonnets? But if we suppose that Shakspere, when young, and poor, and wanting friends, attached himself, as was the fashion of those days, to a young nobleman, who was the companion of his soft and social hours, and the depository of his amatory confidences; admired by him for his talent, and admitted to his friendship; we may suppose that his poetical genius might have been called upon by his youthful patron when he wanted to make sonnets to his mistress' eyebrow, to overcome her scruples by poetic flattery, or to exalt her charms by the aid of poetic fiction. Add to this, that the language used by men

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towards each other bore more of a feminine character in that day than could be tolerated now, and their manners were more affectionate (though pure) than we are accustomed to see at the present time, except in foreign countries. So remarkably was this the case, that we believe it was Mr. Coleridge who accounted for it on the ground that women's education being at that time neglected, their society offered fewer attractions, and they were considered rather as household drudges" than the rational and cherished companions of the more educated sex. What we have said, we acknowledge, has but a certain degree of probability: the question is, whether it has more than the supposition that Shakspere, in these singular productions, poured forth the feelings of his own heart, and certainly became subject to the imputation of giving loose to irregular and illicit passions, and occasionally using language not consistent with an ordinary self-respect, and apparently not in harmony with the sentiments displayed in his acknowledged works?

Mr. Richardson's volumes not only contain much judicious criticism and many pleasing and instructive observations, but also a considerable portion of poetry of much merit. However, to give adequate specimens of his poetical powers would be far beyond what our limited space would afford; we must, therefore, content ourselves with a single specimen of his style, hoping that these volumes will be as successful as the former were, and as they deserve to be.

SONNET.

Oh! how glad Nature bursts upon mine eye!
The night of care is o'er: deep rapture thrills
My waking heart; for life's deforming ills,
That come like shadows when the storm is high,
Forboding strife, at length have floated by,
And left my spirit free. The skylark trills
His matin song; the cloud-resembling hills
In dim cerulean beauty slumb’ring lie,
And form the throne of Peace; the silver stream
Is sparkling to the sun-its bright waves seem
Instinct with joy; the verdant breast of Earth
Teems with delight ;-the past is like a dream,
A dull trance broken by the voice of Mirth,
Or grey mist scatter'd by the morning beam.

SONNET.

Our paths are desolate, and far apart-
Our early dreams have vanish'd-never more
May we together mingle as before

Our fond impassion'd spirits. Quick tears start.

Sermons preached at Farnham. By Rev. R. Sankey, M.A. Curate of Farnham.

uno slodes and lo THESE Sermons are dedicated to the Bishop of Winchester, in the parish church of whose episcopal residence they were preached. We have often to lament that sermons, and especially those intended for general use, and devoted to the comprehension of the middle classes of society, are so little adapted to have their due merits fully explained and exhibited in a review. Pulpit eloquence does not consist in passages of striking character, magnificently expressed and elaborately worked up; it does not call to its assistance those arts which can command all the passions of the mind, and propel them into strong and sudden activity; it is shut out from much which are the legitimate supports and ornaments of the oratory of the senate and the bar. Its province is to act on the reason-the conscience-the feelings, in such a manner that its voice may be equally impressive and durable. It explains the doctrines of Scripture ; it enforces the duties of religion; it points out the danger of disobedience; and it shows that the true wisdom and happiness of mant consists in making his thoughts and life conformable to his Creator's will, and his Redeemer's commands. These, certainly, are noble themes-higher and nobler there cannot be-but then they must be in their illustration, and the manner in which they are inculcated, modified, and suited to the capacity of those to whom they are addressed. This is an art in itself-not unworthy of the most learned and cultivated minds; and it has been of late, we think, very assiduously studied and. successfully practised by many of the clergy of our Establishment, as the

numerous volumes of their parochial and rural sermons prove: still it is not one that enables a reviewer to select at once striking passages by which he can illustrate, in a short compass, the genius and talents of the writer. A few sentences from the speeches of Erskine at the bar, or Canning in the senate, would give specimens both of the general power and the particular character of their eloquence; but to feel the due effect of a discourse by Heber, or by Hare, by Newman, or by Faber, we must imbibe, as it were, the spirit and feeling of the whole composition; and when we revert to it, the impression left on us is derived from the whole, rather than from any particular passages; at any rate, not from detached or insulated passages of excellence, rising and towering above all the other parts. Having said thus much in excuse for not making any extracts from Mr. Sankey's volume, we are bound also to confess the satisfaction with which we have perused it, and to express our feeling of the soundness of the author's doctrine, the judiciousness of his subjects, and the clearness of his exposition.*

Pathology founded on the Natural System of Anatomy and Physiology, &c. By A. Walker.

THE object of this very philosophical treatise is to show the natural classification of diseases, and the distinction between morbid and curative symptoms afforded by pain or its absence; as well as the errors of homoopathy, and other hypotheses, or, in other words, (v. Ded. p. vi.) "it is intended to show the truth, and the precise as well as distinct application of the two great and fundamental laws of medicine: asking of the practitioner

* In allusion to Sermon II. we have long doubted whether the proofs of Christ's resurrection, with answers to the particular objections, form a good subject for a discourse addressed to persons of moderate acquirements, and minds not habitually exercised in the search of truth. The argument is formed of many small, distinct pieces, which are seldom firmly secured at first, and soon become loosened in a common memory.

GENT, MAG. VOL. XVII.

only to distinguish between morbid and curative symptoms, while, in the presence or absence of pain, it presents him the simplest criterion for doing so."

We wish that we had medical science enough to give our readers a competent knowledge of the acute and accurate reasoning, the sound principles and just deductions, which we have been delighted to meet with in this work. There are few, perhaps, but those educated in the same science as the author who could fully comprehend the argument, or estimate its value; but there is one part which enters into the discussion, being connected closely with the general subject, which may be perused and understood without the aid of scientific argument, and which will amply repay the perusal by the satisfactory nature of its statements, and the conclusive power of its reasoning-we mean the author's observations on homeopathy. The subject is discussed with fairness, as well as acuteness, and error separated from truth, as far as we can judge, with great advantage to any future discussion of it. We must make a short extract from the preface, believing that the observations there found will excite such interest in the minds of many of our readers as to induce them to continue the inquiry. The author mentions that among his new observations are these :

"Diseases present to us deranged oreffort of ganism and function, and an

nature to cure these.

"Symptoms are distinguished into morbid and curative, directly opposed to each other.

"The distinction between morbid and curative symptoms is essential to all scientific practice; and, after collecting the symptoms, the first object is to distinguish the morbid from the curative.

"The art of medicine consists in the management of both kinds of symptomsopposing the former (morbid) and assisting the latter (curative).

"The law 'Contraria Contrariis curantur' is the guide for the treatment of morbid symptoms. Minute doses (such as Homœopathists rely on) are inapplicable in acting according to this law,morbid symptoms requiring proportionately larger doses.

"The law Similia Similibus curantur' is the guide for the treatment of curative symptoms, or assisting the efforts of na

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