latter, in one of his most recent productions. The poetical spirit being strong within him, Mr. Bowles very early appeared before the public as an author, in his native language. His first publication, consisting of Seventeen Sonnets, appeared in 1789; his Verses to Howard, on his account of Lazarettos, in the same year; inscribed to his worthy master Dr. Warton. In 1790 his muse wept over the Tomb of Howard, whose merits he had so lately celebrated. His Verses to the Philanthropic Society followed; and a Monody written at Matlock. All of which were well received by the public. The sonnets in particular were so much distinguished, that they had gone through five editions before the end of 1797.

Of these Sonnets, the fame has been so widely spread, and so firmly established, that they have operated somewhat to the injury of Mr. B.'s general character as a poet; causing him, by careless persons, to be considered merely as a writer of sonnets; whereas these poems, excellent as they are in their kind, form but a very small and comparatively inconsiderable part of Mr. B.'s compositions; and his larger poems are, in many instances, full as much distinguished, in their respective classes, as any of his sonnets. Justice has, in one case, been done to his merits, but certainly not always in the other. The sonnets, however, have had the peculiar good fortune to correct the taste and animate the exertions of another poet, who has thus gratefully acknowledged his obligations. Having said that they were first presented to him by a particular friend, he adds: “It was a double pleasure to me, and still remains a tender recollection, that I should have received, from a friend so reveredt, the first knowledge of a poet, by whose works, year after year, I was so enthusiastically delighted and inspired." Confessing, then, some mental errors into which he had been in danger of falling, he proceeds: "But from this danger I was chiefly withdrawn, by the genial influence of a style of poetry, so tender, and yet so manly; so natural and real, and yet so dignified and harmonious, as the sonnets, &c. of Mr. Bowles." Such

* Vindicia Wykehamicæ, 1818.

+ Dr. Middleton, now the revered Bishop of Calcutta.

+ Coleridge's Biographia Literaria, vol. i. p. 25.

a testimony, from such a man, is truly valuable, and we have peculiar pleasure in recording it.

Mr. Bowles took his degree of master of arts in 1792; and, on the death of his father, who was rector of Uphill and Brean in Somersetshire, he quitted Oxford, entered into orders, and soon after went to serve a curacy in Wiltshire. In the second part of his sonnets, there are traces of disappointed hope, from the death of a beloved female, most eloquently and pathetically lamented. Time, however, appears to have produced its natural effect; and in 1797 he formed a union, most fortunate in its influence upon his happiness, with a sister of the former object of his affection, a daughter of Dr. Wake, then prebendary of Westminster; and a lineal descendant of the archbishop of that name. In the same year, by favour of the late Lord Somers, he was presented to the living of Dumbleton, in Gloucestershire. In 1803, he was installed a prebendary in the church of Salisbury; and soon after received from Archbishop Moore the valuable rectory of Bremhill, Wilts, his present, and from that time his constant residence. A debt of gratitude to Dr. Grey,* the maternal grandfather of Mr. B. was thus repaid by the archbishop; and the gift has proved auspicious, both to the object of it and to the place.

It is not necessary, in such a sketch as the present, to follow up the exact series of the author's productions, in regular order. Suffice it to say, that they have gradually increased to five volumes of poetry, of which the last consists entirely of The Missionary, a poem in heroic couplets, comprised in eight books, or cantos. The subject of this is the successful resistance of the natives of Chili, to the Spanish general, Valdivia; and it is treated with a spirit and felicity which place it very high among poems of that class. The sonnets occupy less than half of the first volume, the rest are chiefly poems of moderate extent, and in various styles; but in general upon well-chosen subjects, treated with the skill and feelings of a genuine poet. Dr. Warton, whose kindness encouraged his early disposition to poetry, was gratefully celebrated by Mr. B. in a Monody, which at once

The eldest daughter of Dr. Grey, was married to Dr. Lloyd, Dean of Norwich, and was justly celebrated for her skill in painting, needle-work, &c.

does honour to the master and the poet. This appears in the second volume; but is preceded by what we consider as the most beautiful descriptive poem in the language, entitled St. Michael's Mount. The truth and precision of the description, the brilliant clearness with which it is presented to the mind of the reader, the natural beauty of the sentiments, together with the harmony and classic purity of the language, place it, in our opinion, beyond all chance of competition. We might expatiate also, with great justice, on his smaller, as well as his larger poem, on The Spirit of Discovery by Sea; but as the object of this slight account is rather to relate facts, than to record opinions, we forbear; having said thus much, chiefly to confirm our former assertion, that the general fame of this author has rather been obstructed than assisted, by the prevalent celebrity of his juvenile productions, the Sonnets.

Mr. Bowles, with the genuine relish of a poet for rural scenes, has made it, as already hinted, his amusement in the retirement of his parish, to embellish the garden and other grounds belonging to the rectory. Its situation, on the southern slope of a gentle hill, commanding a prospect eminently diversified and beautiful, highly favoured and encouraged this blameless gratification. Like Shenstone he has scattered verses in his paths, and the shades of Bremhill will fong testify that they were once the retreat and solace of a poet.*

But poetry has by no means monopolized the attention of Mr. Bowles. Finding the religious steadiness of his parish endangered, by the unceasing efforts of dissenting preachers and teachers, he has deeply studied the genuine tenets of our church, and particularly in their purest source, the Scriptures; with a penetrating and original view, he has also plunged into many forgotten volumes of controversial divinity, and traced to their origin some of the prevailing modern errors of enthusiasm. These enquiries have led him to publish sermons, and other works, of plain but sound divinity; and have enabled him to teach it with unusual success, by oral instruction.

He has entered also into other controversies, and has most happily defended Public Schools, in a reply to the buffoonery and calumnies of the Edin

* See a slight description of them in the Gent. Mag. Sept. 1814.

burgh Review. He has also defended his own alma mater, Winchester, against the attacks of Mr. Brougham; as we have already had occasion to mention. An edition of Pope's works, published in 1806, which he was induced to superintend, has involved him in some controversies, in which he has shewn, at least, that he is well able to defend his opinions; and has supported them by reasons which are not likely to be refuted. In consequence of this publication, he has also been accused of endeavouring to lower the poetical and moral character of Pope. It is our firm conviction, that both were very remote from his intention. To the poetical rank of that author he has certainly assigned a much higher station than was allowed him by a former editor, the acute and learned Dr. Warton; and if he has not placed him in the highest, it is in conformity with principles which he has clearly stated, and ably defended. We ought thence in candour to conclude that such was his real, not assumed, opinion; and he is not a writer to be suspected of lowering another poet to exalt himself. With respect to the moral character of Pope, certain facts appearing to be by more research established, the natural conclusions from them could not well be sup pressed, without evincing a partiality which must have defeated itself. It is certainly more useful to the world to shew men as they really were, than to throw a false gloss over their lives, because they were distinguished by their genius. Doubtful accusations, of men who can no longer defend themselves, should certainly be avoided; but truth, when it comes to light, should not be suppressed; unless we would have it concluded, that great talents confer an exemption from all common rules of action;

an opinion which too many have taken up, even before their title to the privilege has been proved, to any one but themselves. This, at least, we can assert, that the feelings thus attributed to Mr. Bowles are inconsistent with the whole tenor of his original writings, and, to our certain knowledge, with his nature and disposition.

The character of Pope, with respect to some few points of morality, is still an agitated question. In this, if Mr.

* Classical Journal, vol. viii. pp. 187, 441, and vol. ix. p. 1. Republished with Dr. Vincent's and others, by Valpy, in 1817.

12mo.

theless survived the conflict. Shall I relate with what barbarity they were treated? We should not find a parallel to it even among cannibals. Condemned to the torture of seeing the heads of their comrades struck off before their faces, flayed and pickled, they were compelled to take these horrible trophies upon their shoulders, and carry them to Constantinople, where they were all made slaves. Among these unfortunates were a general and another officer of high rank, who shared the fate of the rest. He who ordered these atrocious executions was the same tyrant from whom the Parganiots fled.

The possessions of Ali Pacha on the main land have not been increased merely by what formerly belonged to the Venetians. Nearly in the centre of his government there was a tribe which still maintained its independence. These people were called Sulliots, from the mountain of Sulli, where they lived fortified, as it were, by nature against all attacks. The Sulliots prized their liberty above every other possession. Ali Pacha has contrived to subdue them, but not till after many fruitless attempts, and by his usual means, faithlessness and treachery. Nothing can furnish a better criterion for the character of this robber than the account of one of those attempts.

Argirocastro, a Mahomedan town, about twelve leagues from Janina, had hoisted the banner of insurrection, and refused to recognize an agent whom he had sent thither. Under the pretext of reducing it to obedience, he wrote to the captains Bogia and Giavella, the two most powerful chiefs of the Greek inhabitants of Mount Sulli. He requested them to join him with all their men, and to support him in his expedition. His letter to Bogia was in modern Greek; the following is a literal translation of it :

"My dear friends, Captain Bogia and Captain Giavella," [the Greeks are accustomed to call all their chiefs captains] "I, Ali Pacha, salute you and kiss your eyes, because I am thoroughly acquainted with your courage and your heroic sentiments. I consider myself as standing greatly in need of your assistance, and therefore intreat you, as soon as you shall receive my letter, to assemble all your heroes, and to join me, that I may conquer my enemies. This is the hour and time when I want you. I expect the proofs of your friendship and love for me. Your pay shall be

twice as great as that which I give to the Arnauts, because I know that your valour surpasses their's. I will not, therefore, go out to battle till your arrival, and trust I shall see you soon. This is enough. I salute you."

On the receipt of this flattering letter, the chiefs held a consultation. Captain Bogia, and the majority of the soldiers, regarded the proposal of the Pacha as a stratagem to make himself master of them and their mountains. Bogia accordingly returned for answer, that he had received the Pacha's letter with great respect and submission, and for his own part was ready to obey his commands: but that he had not been able to prevail upon the soldiers to accompany him, and therefore it would be useless for him alone to comply with the invitation. Giavella, less circumspect, or, perhaps, hoping to share with the Pacha the booty he might take, acceded to his proposal. He repaired to him with his troops, and was received with the strongest demonstrations of friendship.

For six days nothing occurred to give. the lie to these assurances. Some feigned attacks on Argirocastro confirm. ed Giavella in his delusion. On the seventh, however, at a moment when it was least expected, and when all his companions were dispersed in the Turkish camp, they were secured and thrown into chains. Three only, who had time to seize their arms, died manfully defending themselves; the others were sent to Janina, and imprisoned in the small island in Lake Acherus, on the bank of which Janina is situated; and Giavella was placed under a guard in the camp. The Pacha then hastened his march to Sulli, and reached the mountain the following day. The Sulliots, accustomed to be upon their guard, and rendered more distrustful than ever by the suspicion which had prevented Bogia from accepting the Pacha's invitation, were apprised of Ali's approach, and of the fate of their countrymen, six hours before his arrival. They immediately assembled to consult what was to be done, and to appoint a commander, to which office they elected Bogia, with whose skill and prudence they were sufficiently acquainted.

The mountain of Sulli may be considered as impregnable. A beautiful plain of about six leagues, which extends to the eastward, and has an uncommonly fertile soil, constitutes the principal wealth of the inhabitants. Here they have built four villages, to