POETRY. Poems. By James Montgomery. 12mo. 5s. Vernor and Hood, THESE Poems, we understand, are written by the Editor of the Sheffield paper (the Iris). Many of them have appeared in our different Journals, particularly in the Courier, and are certainly very superior to the ephemeral productions that are generally found in such situations. The "Wanderer of Switzerland" is the first and principal poem. The author takes more credit to himself for the metre in which this poem is writ ten than we are willing to cede to him. If he have succeeded, according to his preface, he has rendered himself immortal! "An heroic subject is celebrated in a lyric measure, on a dramatic plan." It is injured rather than aided, by being formed on a dramatic plan." The "Wanderer?' has to recount his story; and the interrogatories and comments of the Shepherd" are frivolous and interruptive. The poem has many good stanzas; and, altogether, reflects credit on the principles and patriotism of the writer. The poem of the "Grave" is highly impressive, but the following is a very awkward personification: "Hark! a strange sound affrights my ear; I am THE GRAVE!'"' The "OCEAN" is patriotic and poetical: the "Ode to the Volunteers," in the style of Southey, is an animating picture of English feelings and English fire. In "The Victory Won," we admire the following We transcribe the following, which is novel in its design, and is executed with considerable felicity of expression. THE COMMON LOT. "Once in the flight of ages past, "Unknown the region of his birth, The land in which he died unknown; !! That I HAVE often lamented that so many Bibles are printed without the Apocryphal Books. It is high time that the error was rectified, and the omission supplied. Upon a careful analysis of them all, I have found that the defects and the mistakes imputed most particularly to the Books of Esdras and the Maccabees, have been exaggerated. For two months in the year the Lessons are taken out of the rest, from which Chapters are selected for several festivals. How injurious, therefore, is it to deprive men of so many precepts for the conduct of human life, and so many forcible illustrations of the.canonical scriptures? It would be worthy the attention of the charitable, not only to guard against such a defect in future, but to circulate these valuable books among those who cannot purchase them, and are already possessed of the Old Testament ? I know of no erroneous opinion they inculcate, except concerning prayers for the dead; and the doubts of Dr. Johnson on the subject may at least încline us to candour, though we withhold our approbation, and maintain that the day of death fixes the doom of all. Mr. Reeves, in his plan, has wisely remembered their importance, and his authority on sacred subjects will always command due deference and regard from, Sir, your very obedient servant, Birmingham, May 15, 1806. G. CROFT, ANTI-JACOBIN TOASTS. SIR,' TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTI-JACOBIN REVIEW. AT a convivial meeting of social, congenial friends, the following Anti-jacobin sentiments were severally proposed, &c.. May all conspirators, persecutors, as al-o fomenters and promoters of conspiracy and persecution, be held in exemplary detestation and abomination, May wilful perjury, and subornation of perjury, be deemed capital crimes, as hostile to the community. May patronage be bestowed upon approved merit, and withheld from announced perfidy and profligacy. May protected intriguers and adventurers, whose objects are to emerge from indigence to affluence, by venality and oppression, be disappointed, by moral exertion, in their nefarious and unprincipled pursuits. May garrulous practitioners, in courts of justice, be restrained from gratifying their malignancy, by having recourse to inapplicable pans, and unprecedented exhibitions, for the purpose, notoriously, of creating and exciting prejudice and prepossession. May conscious virtue triumph over complicated villany in disguise. May liberal and generous friendship, originating from the laudable in fluence of sympathy, be honoured with the just reward of distinguished applause and approbation, May 14. SUMMARY OF POLITICS. NEVER was the wisdom of those vigorous and decisive measures, which we have constantly recommended to the adoption of his Majesty's Ministers, from the very commencement of the present arduous contest, more fully manifested, than by the effect produced by the resolution of our our Government, on the public mind of Prussia. In the speeches of Lord GRENVILLE and Mr. Fox, on the subject of the base seizure of Hanover by the Prussian Monarch, there was not a sentence which did not do ho nour to those statesmen; not a principle asserted, not a sentiment advanced, to which the heart of every honest Briton did not beat responsive. If the consequence of habitual pliancy, of systematic concession, and the effect of an opposite conduct, were ever the subject of a doubt to a reflecting mind; that doubt must be dispelled on considering the different degrees of estimation in which this country was holden by the Powers of the Continent, immediately after the Peace of Amiens, and subsequent to the late determination of our Government, to resist by arms the unjust pretensions and aggressive spirit of Prussia. In the first instance Great Britain was considered as having descended from the proud eminence on which her principles and her conduct had placed her whence she offered protection to the weak, and resistance to the oppressor; and as having laid her hard-earned laurels at the feet of insatiate ambition, and murderous usurpation, in order to purchase the inglorious tranquillity of a precarious and hollow armed truce. In the last case she has, by her promptitude and firmness, in resentment of unprovoked injury, and in the punishment of duplicity and fraud, raised her character in the estima tion of all the nations of Europe, and even in that of her implacable enemy himself. She has assumed that high and commanding attitude which leads her Allies to look up to her with confidence, and her foes with awe and respect. Even the Prussians themselves acknow. ledge the justice of her cause, and, departing for a moment from their habitual submisssion, exhibit to Europe the novel spectacle of a people calling, with the voice of genuine patriotism, on their degenerate Mo-. narch, to preserve the honour of his throne inviolate, and the interests of his country untouched. We have before observed, that such had been the conduct of this Prince, in transferring his subjects, like herds of cattle, not only without their consent, but against their declared will, from one master to another, as almost to dissolve the bonds of society, and to ren der rebellion a virtue. On this topic we were happy to find our sentia · ments in perfect unison with those of his Majesty's Ministers, one of whom (Mr. Fox) used the very same language which we had previously employed on the occasion. The Prussians, too, evidently feel as we feel; they have delivered their opinions in language too unequivocal to be liable to misconception; and the disapprobation of soldiers, in a government purely military, is like the tottering of the main timbers of a building, which portends its approaching destruction. The King begins to be pretty sensible of his error; fear may possibly act as a substitute for wisdom; and impending danger extort the reluctant acknowledgment, that honesty is the best policy. Both countries, however, stand committed in the eyes of Europe, and nothing short of an absolute renunciation of all claim, on the part of Prussia, to the possession of Hanover, with an ample guarantee for its restoration at a given time, can be received by England, without a sacrifice of honour to which, we are persuaded, she will never submit, as indemnity for the past, and security for the future.Meanwhile the Duchy of Lauenburgh should be restored to the guardian care of Sweden, to the unspotted character of whose honourable Monarch reparation reparation should be made for the insult which he has sustained, in the unprovoked attack of his faithful and gallant troops. We augur well from the dismission of Haugwitz from the cabinet, that venal tool of France, who was the base instrument of his master's dis honour, whose pestilential breath palsied his arm, damped his spirit, sus pended every movement, and rescued the blood-thirsty, and blood-stained Usurper of the throne of the Bourbons, from impending ruin. The curses, not only of the present age, but of remote posterity, will blast the name of this detested wretch, should it survive so long to pollute the annals of these disjointed times. We trust that this auspicious measure will be speedily followed by the recall of Hardenberg to the councils of a Sovereign, whose real interests will be best consulted by a steady adherence to the sage advice of that incorruptible minister. His Prussian Majesty must now adopt a decisive line of conduct, and bid a lasting adieu to those temporizing measures, which are at all times disgraceful, and mostly ruinous, and which have, at length, reduced him to a situation the most painful in which a Monarch can be placed-bereft of his people's affections-exposed to the disgrace of a public retractation-disappointed ambition, and a tarnished fame. He must now either submit to the loss of those territories which he has, in so dastardly a manner, resigned to France; or he must resolve to attempt their recovery by entering, firmly and honestly, into a coalition with Russia, Sweden, and Great Britain; by which, and which alone, can the Usurper be driven back beyond the Rhine, and within the ancient boundary of France. Here the path of honour, and the path of interest, are the same. Previous to the fatal battle of Austerlitz, and even after it, Prussia had it in her power, by the adoption of a bold and vigorous system of policy, to dictate terms to the Corsican, by surrounding his army, as he easily might have done, in conjunction with the Archduke Charles on the one side, and with the Russians and Imperialists on the other. The task will, at this period, be more dificult of accomplishment; but with resolution, and a hearty co-operation, it may still be effectually accomplished. We have made these observations, on the supposition that the private accounts from Germany, respecting the retreat of Haugwitz, and the pacific measures of the Prussian Cabinet, are true. Should this prove not to be the case, or, being the case, should the recent proceedings of that Cabinet prove to be nothing more than artifice and fraud, calculated to impose on the British Government, to lull their vigilance asleep, to produce a relaxation of their vigour, and to obtain possession of all the ships shat have been captured or detained; it will not only, we trust, completely fail of its intended effect, but be productive of consequences still more ruinous to Prussia. The Emperor of Russia proceeds in his magnanimous plans for the emancipation of Europe, with that perseverance and vigour which so honour. ably mark his character. His extensive system of recruiting is carried on without relaxation, and he is nobly resolved, in case of necessity, to bring the whole force of his mighty empire into action. The position which he has wisely secured at the mouths of the Cattaro, and which, we hope, no sentiment of compassion, no principle of mistaken honour will induce him to resign, will enable him to act either offensively, in the |