Star.
London, England, 1825-01-29 00:00:00

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Sonnets, and other Poems. By D. L. RICHARDSON,
12mo. pp. 151. London, 1825.
The piping times of peace have induced more than one
son of Mars to exchange the sword for the pen, and
cultivate the Muses successfully. Such has been thse
case with Mr. Richardson, who has just given to the
world a miscellaneous volume of Poems, many of which
possess much beautythis number we hesitate
not to class the following Sonnet:

TO A CHILD.
Thou darling Child! When I behold the smile
Over thy rosy features brigh; ly play,
(ltd light unrivalled by the morning ray,)
Thy fair and open brow upraised the while
With an appealing glance so void of guile,
(Untaught the trusting bosom to betray,) _
Thy sinless graces win my soul away
From dreams and thoughts that darken and &Me !
Scion of Beauty! If a Stranger's eye
Thus dwell upon thee,—if his bosom's pain,
Charmed by thine holy smile, forget to smart,—
. Oh! how unutterably sweet Her joy—
Oh ! how indissolubly firm the chain
Whose links of love entwine a Mother's heart !
The Scotsman's Library; being a Collection of Anecdotes'
and Facts, illustrative of Scotland and Scotsmen. By
James Mitchell, LL.D. of the University of Aberdeen;
Correspondent Member of the Society of Scottish Anti-
• .ssaries,.4-e. pp. 740. Edinburgh and London, 18E5.
Dr. Mitchell, though long resident in London; pos-
sesses all that love of his native country which particu-
larly distinguishes the sons of Caledonia; he is proud
of Scotland and Scotsmen; and he has here collected
what may be considered a record of the great and good
deeds of his fellow-countrymen.
The Scotsman's Library contains an immense body of
anecdote and historical facts relating to Scotland, which
Dr. Mitchell has, with great assiduity and research,
culled from printed works, and from the MSS.in the Bri-
tish Museum. The work is extremely interesting, even to
the general reader ; while to Scotsmen, it is a library of
anecdote, illustrative of the history,costoms,and usages
of their country. Weought to add also, that while in
preparing the work, elegance has not been neglected
the national virtue of economy has been studied, and the
volume, though containing an immense mass of mat-
ter, is published at a price which places it within the
reach of all.
The. Writer's Clerk ; or, the Humours of the Scottish
Metropolis. 3 vols. 12mo. pp. 1120. Loudon, 1825..
Few of our Readers will expect us to unravel the
story of a Novel, nor would they thank us if we did,
since, to a true novel reader, nothing can be more pro-
voking than to anticipate the denouement. instead of
letting the story naturally unfold itself.
The scene of the Writer's Clerk is laid in the Scottish
Metropolis, of which, though a tale of fiction, it gives
a good picture. The story, which possesses considerable
interest, is well told, and there are many comic and
spirited scenes in ti.e work. .To the English reader,
it will be some recommendation, that the Scottish dia-
lect is seldom resorted to; and that, when this is the
case, it is sufficiently intelligible.
ARCHITECTURE.
The Church now erecting in Sidmouth-street, Gray's
Inn,lane, is rapidly advancing towards its completion,
and exhibits an elegant hexastyle portico, of the Grecian-
. lonic order. The tower displays considerable taste, and
assimilates with the rest of the structure: there is like-
wise something novel and elegant in the design of the
windows: It is, however, to be regretted that the sides
of the building were not faced with stone, brick being
a material ton homely to accord with the.delicacy and
elegance of the ornamental pasts ; and, as the edifice is
by no means on an extensive scale, we should not con-
ceive that the difference, with regard to expense, would
have deserved consideration.—Literary Chronicle.

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