The Sun.
London, England, 1830-03-15 00:00:00

MOUNT SINAI.—LormoN, 1830.

There has been a singular revolution within
the last few years in the public taste for poetry.
Instead of love—romance—or chivalry—nothing
now goes down but religion. We have poems
(by the same author) firstly, on the " Deity ;"
secondly, on the " Devil ;" on " Creation"—
on " The Opening of the Sixth Seal,"—on the
" Wickedness of Man," (a fruitful theme,) on
" Mount Horeb," and now on " Mount Sinai."
Whether there be not a great deal of affectation
in this sort of taste we will not here pause to in-
quire ; enough to state that it exists, and that the
author of the volume before us has turned it to
good account, and written as impressively on a
scriptural subject as any poet that has preceded
him. His blank verse (though sometimes grand-
iloquent and affected,) is flowing ; his senti-
ments exalted and fervent :
" In robes of living light,
Before Jehovah, so effulgent he
That mortal sense had fancied him resolved
As'twere to featured empyrean fire.
His glowing hands the Tables of the Law
Tenacious held, and from his upward eye
Flashed pious ecstacy. Replete arose
The fragrant sweets of calamos, and stacte,
Perfume balsamic, and redolent spice,
Effused in ether. Twice ten thousand forms
Of angel orders their aspixts serene
In glorious dignity of place around
Reveal'd resplendent. To each beaming head,
In beauty sculptured, was a diamond Liar,
Adorning and adorn'd. Their quivering harps,
And sweet recorders, waken'd into sound,
Brewhe paeans joyous, and the silvery strains
Concordant float through aromatic air.
The changeful iris of their glancing wings
Enamell'd space, and gave the features rude
Of Sinai's solitude for once to smile
Imputed radiance. The Increate Himself,
'Mid these imparediscd, apart from all,
Is present proximate, and gracing earth,
In blest perfection Immaterial shows.
Such awful nature, so trans ending thought,
Access of sense refuseth ; but the soul,
With stronger vision gifted, could perceive
His shrouded glory. The portentous sight
O'er Moses' spirit sublimate and rapt,
Emits beatitude. Thus, all in red,
The Almighty stood Impalpable on high,
Benevolence breathing upon heaven, and earth,
And all created.'

ANECDOTES OF FOLLY.—LoNnoN, 1830.

Anecdotes of Folly ! What a small book
for so prolific a subject ! We had expected at
least an Encyclopedia on this theme, and be-
hold we arc put off with a skinny duodecimo.—

Had these anecdotes related to wisdom, the size
of the volume would then have been commen-
surate with its materials ; but folly—can her
anecdotes he condensed within the small com-
pass of an Elzevir duodecimo ? Impossible.

FOREIGN REVIEW.—Losnox, 1830.

This is the best number that has yet ap-
peared of this periodical. The articles are various
and well selected ; elaborated with much care
both as to information and style, and happily
adapted to the literary tastes of the day. The
opening essay on Ignatius Loyola, the founder
of the Jesuit Society, is in every respect a master-
piece. The interest it excites is extraordinary, being
in fact, a complete ecclesiastical romance. Ignatius
Loyola was a species of " Spiritual Quixottc,"
and the account of his first setting forth to
subdue the nations of the world by the force
of prayer, fasting, and excommunication, re-
minds us so strongly of the Knight of La
Mancha's first departure from the Cas-tilian Inn,
on a somewhat similar expedition—at least in
point of wildness and infatuation—that we can-
not forbear presenting it to our readers. Igna-

tius Loyola is I)on Quixote without his Fistc-
board vizor (for ATambrino's helmet had not
then been secured), his quivering lance, and his
matchless steed Rosinante :
" Before he (Ignatius) arrived at Monrietrat, he por-
chatfed a piece of coarse sackcloth, and had a pilgrimi's
dress made of it, coming down to the ancles ; he provided

himself also with a rope instead of a military belt, a Pilir
grim's staff, a gourd for n orinking cop,, and shoes °
esparto, or brass-weed. He did not, however, a' Yet',
pia himself in this co4tune, and proceeded to the geese'
mountain in his military dress ; and on his way.tbitherfl
to stren:zthen himself against his own weakness, he mad°
a vow of chastity to our Saviour and to the blessed Vire:.
Having readied the monast,ry, he there went through tr
whole course of his former life in confession to one of the
brethren, a Frenchman by birth, whose name is-varioe
written by the biographers of Loyola, but his great virtue
sad discretion are nn minion-1y landed. To this confeiir
he imparted also the intentions which he had formed, as,,
being roulirmed in them by his approbation, lie diveste'
hiois,lf now of his last w,rldly possessions, giving th:11
mule, .m whichhe hal ridden. to the convent, and
m ,n.y to the poor. Th? sword and dagger which be ha
ti
us:al in war, when he gained his woritils honours, het
. . . .

sio‘p,tided bef,re thr Virgin's a't..r as the offerinza of one
who ream now- with far other weapons to prosecute a toots,
ardtmum war fire. A further ceremony remained to btl
perf,rrned. Having put. on the dress whirl, he had o'6'l
pared, he went out in the dumk, and gave his former gftr!
in nts to a !lei:gar ; then returned to the church, spirituill
;Is:m.4 the customs of chivalry, there to watch before ti'd
atar, like a new made knight, sometimes kneeling, B"r'
thous standing, hut eontinradly etrivrged in sortie stet pf
vot'on, oral or mental, to his Virginn patroness, tni fr"
day look.. As soon as it was light he ref off for Manresi)
here-headed, and the one foot bare ; the other was shod'
because the leg which had been so Fe rerely treated raptor"
some rare ; it was we .k, and still bandaged, and was alw3i9
swoln at oight.l!--- -•-• -

We have no time to analyzc the remaining.
articles in thi'i number; we Must, therefore,
content ourselves with the remark that diet
fully sustain the high character of the Foreign
Review.

The CHILDREN'S INTRODUCTORY BOOK to the
FRENCH LANGUAGE.—By J. V. DOUVILLE.
LONDON, 1830.

The extraordinary and well-merited streccss!
of " The Speaking French Grammar," by 0)
Douville—a work which we were among thel
first to recommend to public attention, is edit'
self a sufficient guarantee, that the "Childrenc°,
Introductory Book to the French Language
is every thing that a pupil would like, and
parent desire, fur aciuiring an easy but sure 'mole
ledge of the first principles of a language spokef'l
over all Europe. It reflects no small credit '9o'
Mr. Douville that the success of his .excelle"l,
Grammar should only stimulate his exer-
tions yet more to smooth the .difficultieg'
and to simplify the principles, of a language
rendered already so familiar ; for in his present
work the interest of his pupils must have 'bee°
the first incentive, and fame or profit but a se'
condary consideration. In his preface he says*"

igMy principal object in composing and arranging the'se
introductory lessons has been to irive children trouble, and
parents expence. I have, therefore, collected together, is
the small compass of nineteen lessons, the principal rues
of the French language. Ts each lesson is annexe,'
colloquial essay in English, which is to be construed le°
French by the pupil ; and every essay is stioceeded. by
reading lesson in French, of which the most diffictO
words arc given in English at the bottom of the rige'
In the composition of tl'e essays and lessons, I have take'
care to introduce only such expressions as are cornavitif
used by children of between six and ten years of age."
We hare carefully examined the manner 111
which the above is executed, and we can.ssfe'l
Y
recommend this little book for children----it
would even be found useful by their parents.

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