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Gentleman's Magazine 1851 part 1 p.16
Sussex, England. (L'Enfr.) #x0395;ιμι
φιλανθρωπος,
δημωκρατικος,
αθεος. - #x039F;
αφρων
ειπεν εν
τη
καρδια
αυτου,
ουκ εστι
θεος."
We have given in our extract merely a copy of the name of
Mr. Shelley, without adding those of his travelling
companions. The word in brackets is of course by some other
hand, and is placed in that column appropriated to the name
of the place to which the traveller is going.
Vol.vi. p.54. The account given of that eccentric man of
genius, James Barry, the painter, by Mr. Southey, is
interesting, and, being the result of personal acqaintance,
authentic and valuable. There is in Prior's Life of
Goldsmith an account of him by a lady in Pembrokeshire, see
vol.ii. p.468. Mr. Payne Knight reviewed his works published
in two vols. quarto, in the Edinb. Rev. vol.xvi. p.243,
&c. In a manuscript letter of Horace Walpole, in our
possession, he says (writing to Mason), "Barry has expounded
all in a book, which does not want sense, though full of
passion, and self, and vulgarism, and vanity. It is an essay
to recommend himself to an establishment. - He calls
Mortimer superior to Salvator Rosa, though his best
merit is being Salvator's imitator. But there is one thought
that pleased me extremely. He says, that in his Elysium
(which I did not observe, for it is impossible to see a
tenth part of it in one view), he has represented Titian
offering his palette to Raphael." May 11, 1783.
p.91. "Bishop Hacket - his are comical sermons, half Roman
Catholic in their conceits, full of learning, which would be
utterly unprofitable, if it did not sometimes call forth a
shrewd remark, &c."
This singular writer will richly repay the reader's time and
attention, but more amply in his Life of Archbishop Williams
than in his Sermons, though they also have sense and
learning enough to make a library of modern divinity. Lord
Campbell says of the Life of Williams, "One of the most
curious pieces of biography in our language, and should be
studied by all who would understand the history of James I.
and Charles I.; full of rare quotations and quaint
illustrations," vol.ii. p.508. See also Mr. Coleridge's
Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit, p.49, and his Literary
Remains. Doctor Johnson is the only writer, whom we
remember, who has spoken contemptuously of this
writer and his work. He says in his Life of Ambrose Philips
(who abridged the volume of Hacket), "The book is written
with such depravity of genius, and such mixture of the fop
and pedant, as has not often appeared." Hacket was also
author of two Latin plays, Loyola, Stoicus Vapulans, &c.
P.100. "He (Sadler) has trampled upon the Malthusian
theory, proving its absurdity and falsehood, &c."
Mr. Southey usually uses the language of indignation when
alluding to this writer, who in place he designates as a
"wretched Philistine." We, on the other hand, hold his
argument to be impregnable, but that, like other subjects of
political economy, it is difficult to bring it out clear of
the multiplicity of details and exceptions which spread over
the large surface on which it must be contemplated. We have
no room to enter into such discussions now; but we may refer
to Sismondi Etudes de l'OEconomie Politique, p.131, on the
population of Geneva, and we will quote the following
passage from Humboldt. "We know that, by the multiplication
of one family, a continent previously desert may
reckon in the space of eight centuries more than eight
millions of inhabitants; and yet these statistics found on
the hypothesis of a constant doubling in twenty-five
or thirty years, are contradicted by the history of every
country already advanced in civilization." See Personal
Narrative, vol.vi. P.i. p.125. The weight of this argument
lies in the last words, advanced in civilization,
for, from the first settlement of America to the year 1800,
the periods of doubling have been but very little above 20
years, i.e. before civilization was advanced, or when
it was scarcely begun.
P.20. "I am greatluy obliged to you for your edition of
Burnet's Lives, made still more valuable by your
Introduction, &c."
Addressed to Bishop Jebb. This little book is worthy of all
praise, both in design and execution, and was the pleasing
employment of the amiable Bishop's declining life. The
affectionate
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