calumniating Sir F. Burdett, the author of the Reply inflicts a THEOLOGICAL. It Art. 28. St. Luke's Preface to his Gospel examined: with reference to Mr. Marsh's Hypothesis respecting the Origin of the three first Gospels. 8vo. 18. Printed at Bath. In the controversy excited by Mr. Marsh's hypothesis relative to the origin of the first three Gospels, the preface affixed to St. Luke's Gospel is very material evidence, and it is important to have it correctly stated, and clearly understood. It expressly declares that "notwithstanding many before St. Luke had attempted to compose a narrative of the transactions of Christ's life and ministry, collected from the discourses or testimony of those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word; it seemed expedient for him, who had enjoyed opportunities of tracing things from their rise, to digest a history of them, that his friend Theophilus might be assured of the truth of those facts in which he had been instructed." Moy It is true that St. Luke's account casts no direct reflection on these many, either as dishonest or inaccurate: but, by the intimation of the propriety of subjoining his account to theirs, it seems to be implied that he did not consider Theophilus as perfectly safe if left altogether to their reports. If St. Luke's proem does not condemn the numerous gospels of his predecessors, it is no sanction of their authority; unless indeed it be contended that by the word xapos he meant to put himself on a par with them which can hardly be supposed, when he expressly assigns the reason of his writing to be that Theophilus might know actadas, the truth or certainty of things. Whether we take the Greek word to signify truth in opposition to falshood or mistake, or to denote certainty opposed to doubt, the evangelist claims a superiority over the many; though he does not say that he was called to the office of gospel historian, but merely that it seemed good to himself to undertake it. By many, he could not intend Matthew and Mark; nor mean by this preface that he was proceeding to subjoin his evidence to theirs. Now the question is, how does this account comport with Mr. Marsh's hypothesis of a common document as the basis of the first three gospels? Were the many, here designated, transcribers from an 4 Hebrew Hebrew document furnished by or stamped with the authority of the apostles of our Lord; or were their several narratives the result of what they collected from the preaching of the apostles and the reports of the faithful? It is surely natural to suppose, as the author of the pamphlet before us remarks, that St. Luke's words refer not to one memoir, the joint work of divers authors, but to several distinct accounts; yet it does appear that the basis of these several and distinct accounts is the evidence (how collected and transmitted, we are not told) of those who were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word. This evidence might have been in a written record, or it might be the actual preaching of those of the apostles who were alive, or oral tradition preserved in the church. In order to make St. Luke's preface serve his purpose, Mr. Marsh would translate the Greek phrase, rendered in the common version, "set forth in order," by the words re-arrange: but, if the original document was drawn up from communications made by the apostles, could many persons venture to re-arrange it without meriting the charge of the greatest presumption? The examiner sagely asks, "what does "write" mean in St. Luke's preface? I should think it meant " a new narrative." The "many" re-arranged an old narrative. What did St. Luke do as distinguishing his labours from theirs? He "wrote" and 30 simple a word cannot be brought to signify all that Mr. M. describes.' It is supposed by Mr. M. that the words from "A Declaration to ministers of the word" are nothing more than a Greek translation of the title of the Hebrew document; and he thinks that the expression "delivered them to us," instead of delivered them to them,' proves that these cannot be St. Luke's own words: but the examiner is of opinion that the "to us" is not so conclusive as Mr. M. imagines; and moreover that so long a title to a MS. does not com port with the oriental costume. Mr. Marsh may possibly have overstrained St. Luke's meaning: but we do not allow that he has thus exposed Christianity to many serious objections. Whatever interpretation may be placed on certain words of his preface, thus much is evident, that St. Luke pledges himself to write things which he knew to be true; and therefore his testimony is worthy of credit. POETRY. ART. 29. wins. 1803. The critical dissertation, prefixed to these sonnets, is neatly penned, and conveys the sentiments of Roscoe, Drake, Warton, &c. on the nature and composition of the sonnet; without any particular claims to originality, or uncommon felicity of thought or expression. The sonnets are sufficiently numerous, and, with a few exceptions, well selected. Besides several which are anonymous, we are here presented with some of the best by the Earl of Surrey, Shakspeare, Milton, Drummond, Mary Robinson, Charlotte Smith, Bowles, Miss Seward, Roscoe, Warton, Hayley, Cowper, Viscount Ff 2 Strangford Mo⋅y. Strangford, &c. That which was addressed to Petrarch, and The • High meed of honourable toil, fair fame! page. Soothing the fond, weak heart, that lov'd too well, The volume is handsomely printed, and embellished by three ap propriate engravings, neatly executed from drawings by the author's brother. Art. 30. The Raising of Jairus' Daughter; a Poem. By Francis Wrangham, M. A. To which is anuexed a short Memoir, interspersed with a few Poetical Productions, of the late Caroline Symmons. Crown 8vo. pp. 50. 2s. 6d. sewed. Mawman. The Muses, like the spectres in Macbeth, "will not be com. manded;" and when the ladies refuse to smile, it is all "double, double, toil and trouble." In the present poem, Mr. W. seems rather to drag his genius after him than to be impelled and animated by it. He labours at a task which he has imposed on himself, and spins out line after line, apparently " from hard bound brains." To the right hand and to the left he turns aside for accessory ideas and illustrations; and though he prohibits foot profane from vexing the chaste ground,' he liberally avails himself of the very aid which he disclaims, and blends classic fiction with gospel narrative. -We cannot, in truth, repeat our former compliments to Mr. W. on this occasion; not because we think less favourably of his abilities than we did formerly, but because we discover in this poem more of painful effort, than of felicity of thought. From the beginning to the end of it, he seems to be saying to himself, "I will write a poem, coute qui coute." The little that applies immediately to the subject, we shall transcribe; leaving the passage without a comment to speak for itself: And now the deafening din Of minstrel mourners marks the drear abode, "Damsel, arise." Her mortal sleep dispell'd, Chased Mui Chased by the morn's soft whisper; and beholds, Guards his loved Prince, while round his country's coasts prey: Not more his bliss when, sheath'd the hallow'd steel 'Mid the dear pledges of domestic love, He tills the fields his unbought valour saved.' This poem was intended as a competition for a Seatonian prize: but, not being sent in time, it was excluded from the lists. If Mr. W. has disappointed us in this composition, he has made us ample recompence by presenting us with the poetical productions of Miss Caroline Symmons, the amiable and astonishing subject of the annexed Memoir; who displayed, when she was only eleven years old, a brilliancy of invention, and a harmony of numbers, "little less than miraculous," and who may fairly be classed among the prodigies of early genius. This young lady, the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Charles Symmons, was born on the 12th of April 1789, and died of a decline on the 1st of June 1803. A life so prematurely terminated can afford but few incidents: but it is surprising that it should have marked its transient meteor-like existence here by so mahy corruscations of elegant thought and reflection. Had not a solemn assurance been given us by Dr. Symmons, that these 66 poems were in the strictest sense her own, having received no improvements or heightenings from the suggestions of any person whatever," we should have suspected that they had been touched and re-touched by the parent's classical pen but, after such a declaration, from so respectable a man, we cannot feel the least hesitation in admitting them to be the genuine compositions of the young lady to whom they are ascribed. The first two poems are dated October 21st, and November 24th, 1800. We present the latter to our readers : 6 ZELIDA ; AND THE FADED ROSE-BUSH WHICH GREW NEAR HER TOMB. Oh! let me, I cried, by my ZELIDA lie; For all that I value sleeps here. Her sweetness, simplicity, virtue, and charms Could with nought but a seraph's compare: Ah! now, since my ZELIDA's torn from my arms, This rose tree once flourish'd, and sweeten'd the air; The scent of her breath, as it's fragrance, was rare ; Ff3 • She gay head d; • Che planted, she loved it, she dew'd it's And now for my bosom this life has no charms; I feel all it's troubles, and care: For, since my dear ZELIDA's rent from my arms, A few days afterward, or on the 27th, 28th and 29th of the same November, she produced the following Sonnets: ON A BLIGHTED ROSE BUD. Scarce had thy velvet lips imbibed the dew, When the north-wind enamour'd of thee grew, Death clasps the virgin to his iron breast. WRITTEN IN WINTER. Aerial FLORA, sister of the spring, Arise, and let thy blooming form be seen : Invite the sylvan choir to wake and sing, While the sun sleeps in gold upon the scene: And strew gay cowslips o'er the golden plain. ( ON SPRING. < Throned on soft clouds, his locks with hawthorn bound Twined with young rose-buds, jocund Spring appears: The little violet by his smile he cheers, And teaches primroses to bloom around. These beautiful lines are to be inscribedupon her omb.' |