human paffion, or the phenomena of the natural world. To the obfervant mind, this improvement needs not illuftration. Authentic narratives that explain, in a fimple and perfpicuous language, the difpofitions and purfuits of man; that apply to every circumftance and nation, univerfal as nature herself, are objects deferving of our attention.

THE DRAMA, in every fenfe important, shall continue to receive from us that ferious inveftigation which it demands. Our judgment may err; but it shall err through mental fallibility.

Six months have but evinced to us the propriety of the manner in which our LITERARY REVIEW has been conducted. Unincumbered with a fuperfluous leaf, we never defigned to notice each notelefs production of the hour, nor, on the other hand, to infult our readers, by giving them a catalogue of books inftead of a review.

Poetry, as generally given in periodical works, had long been the fubject of derifion, when we promifed that THE PARNASSIAN GARLAND should claim even a critical refpect. Our readers will know whether we are presumptuous when we say, that we do not blufh for our promife.

England is unrivalled in the typographic-and not lefs fo in the graphic arts. It might be expected that we should avail ourselves of thefe advantages; and we have, to the utmost of our power.

Among the numbers who have addreffed us as CORRESPONDENTS, we have a few to thank; and we thank them moft fincerely. "A Student of Lincoln's-Inn" was an early contributor, and a real ornament to our mifcellany. Why have we not heard from him of late?

Mr. Huband, of the Middle-Temple, will accept this acknowledgment of his favour; and we are furprized that a rejection of one piece, fhould have induced him to difcontinue his friendship.

Mr.

Mr. Walker is well-entitled to our thanks; for there are few who can diftinguifh between reproof and ill-nature.

To the Reverend Mr. Evans we hold ourfelves highly indebted for the Memoirs of Edward Gibbon.

We do not forget Mr. Jackson, and we hope that he will not forget us.

If cuftom had been our guide, we fhould firft have thanked our fair and elegant correfpondents. But nature is paramount to custom with beings uncouth as authors; and this might excufe us to those who think, that man was made before woman. Ladies, however, difpute the fact: at leaft, they practically difpute it. Such being the cafe, we fhall give them a better reafon for our conduct; and, what is more, a true one withal. So highly do we eftimate their favours, that, had we acknowledged the fulness of our fentiments to them, anterior to what we felt from the goodnefs of our male friends, nothing but words, molt nervelefs words, might have fallen to the share of the latter. To be ferious

We have heard much of the "St. Leger" family; and we efteem ourfelves honoured in the communication of a "Moral Sketch," which appeared under the name of St. Leger. We grant that the style was manly, but we know that the hand-writing was fe

minine.

Already have we endeavoured to exprefs the politenefs of Mifs Anna Maria Porter. We may not fay what we think, without incurring the imputation of flattery. Will he take then the infertion of her poems, as a proof of our esteem for her talents? Delicate indeed is our fituation: and while we are thus awarding to thofe who have deferved them, the honeft effufions of gratitude, there are many who will deem themfelves either flighted or abufed.

The duties which our ftation impofes on those who wish to fupport it, should mitigate this enmity

.

to us. If it fail of that happy effect, it must leave us this folitary, but lafting confolation-that we have acted up, in fome inftances, to thofe principles from which we ought never to deviate.

In a day when proteftations are used, till oaths become a mark of infincerity; and at a time when no one will be heard, who does not speak without reafon or meaning, it is difficult to fpeak of any thing. How nations can away with such a taste, is to us aftonishing. The analogies of common experience fhould teach them to discountenance this turpitude. Who does not know, that the warmest proteftations of a lover are no fecurity for the conftancy of a husband? The complexion of the age is against us; for we cannot confent to promife what we never intend to perform. Alas!-this frivolity, this infincerity; this lightnefs of head, and this giddinefs of heart, have violated our purest scenes. We refufe to believe each other, becaufe no one believes himself!

Prefaces are, fometimes, thought tiresome; and we have no ambition to be tedious. The properties of THE MONTHLY VISITOR are not now to be explained. Here, it will fuffice to fay, that the men who have combined thofe properties, are refolved to continue their exertions with unyielding affiduity. They know the inequality of the times, they are not infenfible to the difficulties of the way; but they rely on a difcriminating public.

THE

THE

MONTHLY VISITOR.

JULY, 1797.

MEMOIRS

OF THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE EDMUND BURKE.

HERE is a time when the diffenfions of party Hunt give place to an impartial pofterity; and when the merits or the defects of eminent men, will be judged by another criterion than the fhort-fighted views of their cotemporaries. Death, who refpects no character or ftation, however ufeful or important, and who has been defcribed as the grand enemy of man, is yet the best friend of genius. When the veil of mortality is removed from the perfections of illuftrious minds, we often learn to refpect that virtue which we once neglected. This is an amiable defect, for a defect it frequently is; and we are in fome danger from the judgment which fuch a temper might induce us to form. But time, which either removes or reconciles us to evil, has provided a remedy for this. If the common part of fociety, even when they have lived viciously, are fometimes remembered with a kind of oblivious tenderness, it is not thus with characters more distinguished. hiftorian who treads on their ashes, is, indeed, liable to ftumble; but he who fhall range the fame path, when locality is no longer felt, will furvey them with an even eye. It is the bufinefs of him who has witnessed the

The

departure

departure of a great man, to hand, to diftant days, fome traces of the greatness he has feen; and although like one who has enjoyed the best hours of the fummer, and contemplated their clofing fun, he may fpeak with intereft and rapture; it is for those who live in other times, and who read his defcriptions, to know whether their fun is not equally brilliant, and their fummer as pregnant with delight.

Characters are beft illuftrated by their actions; and . the character of Burke is big with importance to mankind. He rofe with uncommon brilliance-his career was the theme of Englishmen-and he has fet to the aftonishment of Europe.

The town of Limerick, in Ireland, was the birthplace of Burke. His father was a proteftant, a man of confiderable ability, good character, and in extenfive practice as an attorney. His fon received the first part of his education under Mr. Sheckleton, a quaker, who kept an academy at Ballytore, near Carlow.

This

quaker was a very fkilful and fuccefsful teacher, at whofe fchool many eminent men have been educated. Under the tuition of this mafter, young Burke laid the foundation of a claffical erudition which would, alone, have entitled ordinary men to the character of great fcholars. Mr. Burke ever regarded his reafter with a refpect and gratitude honourable to both and for near forty years that he annually went to Ireland, he travelled many miles to pay his preceptor a vifit.

From fchool, Mr. Burke was fent to Dublin Cullege.

Thofe who have not forgotten the offence which he gave to moft parties, by his liberal efpoufal of the oppreffed Catholics, in their applications for parliamentary relief, will remember the ftory, then fo anxiously propagated, of his having been educated at St. Omer's. A ftory, now known to be as unfounded in fact, as it was abfurd, when alledged as a fubject of detrac

tion.

Soon