Methodique, was brought over to the same party, during a visit to Pa

ris.

Lavoisier took every method he could think of to draw over converts to his new opinions. The chemical nomenclature was confessedly defective, and various attempts had been made to contrive a better, first, by Bergman, and afterwards by Morveau. It occurred to Mr Lavoisier that the formation of a new nomenclature, founded on his peculiar opinions, and superior in precision to the old one, would be of considerable service to his cause. He associated Berthollet, Fourcroy, and Morveau with himself for the purpose; and a new chemical nomenclature was drawn up and published by this self-constitutedjunto of philosophers, in 1787. It was criticised with severity from all quarters, and for two years every one hesitated to adopt it. Something more appeared necessary to give it currency, and the method fallen upon was ingenious, and as likely as any to be attended with success. A new Chemical Monthly Journal was established, under the name of the Annales de Chimie. In this journal only the new nomenclature was employed, and it was made the vehicle of all the important discoveries made, not only by Lavoisier and his associates, but by all the chemists in Europe. Every person who wished to read this work was obliged to make himself acquainted with the new nomenclature; and the work was so valuable, that every chemist found himself under the necessity of looking into it. Thus the terms and opinions of the new school became familiar to all the world, and its superiority was such, that all the young chemists in every nation became con

verts very speedily to the Lavoiserian doctrine.

A violent controversy was kindled, which continued for more than two years, with great animosity, but terminated at last in a complete victory to the Lavoiserian doctrine. Mr Lavoisier availed himself with much address of a book written by Mr Kirwan in defence of the doctrine of phlogiston. Mr Kirwan's hypothesis had been embraced by the most eminent chemists in every country in Europe. The refutation of it, therefore, would give such an eclat to Mr Lavoisier's doctrines, that henceforth they would be irresistible. The event showed how well founded Mr Lavoisier's calculations had been. The book was translated into French, and published, with a refutation at the end of each section, written by Mr Lavoisier, or one of his associates. So complete was the refutation, that Mr Kirwan, with a candour very uncommon, and which does him the highest honour, gave up his former opinions, and became a convert to Lavoisier's doctrine. This was fol'lowed by the conversion of all the chemists in Britain, except Dr Priestley, who still adhered to the phlogistic theory. But his reputation sustained such a blow, in consequence of his retaining his old opinions, that henceforth his sentiments came to be of little estimation in chemical matters.

The German chemists did not yield so readily. Stahl being their countryman, they considered the credit of Germany as in some measure at stake, and stickled hard in de fence of phlogiston. But they were obliged to shift their ground so often, and so completely, that their doctrine at last was not that of Stahl, but one of a very different nature.

Several of the oldest German chemists continued resolutely to cling to the doctrine of phlogiston; but death gradually removed them, one after another; a younger and more liberal race succeeded; and at present the Stahlian theory is as completely given up in Germany as in all other countries of Europe. The controversy is now at an end, and the Lavoiserian doctrine quietly established, as a fundamental principle in chemistry.

The science has advanced for the last forty years with a degree of rapidity beyond all calculation, and now constitutes a vast and delightful fi ld. Lavoisier was soon removed by the horrors of the French revolution; but Berthollet and Fourcroy continued to enrich the science by their discoveries, and other younger chemists contributed their powerful assistance. The most eminent of these are, Proust, Vauquelin, Thenard, Gay Lussac, Berthollet junior, Saussure junior, &c. In the north of Germany, chemistry has been cultivated for many years with very great success. Klaproth of Berlin is at present the most celebrated and expert analyst in Europe. Bucholz, Richter, Rose, Trommsdorf, &c., have also gained high and deserved reputation. Sweden has produced, and still continues 2

to produce, chemists of eminence. Besides Bergman and Scheele, who have been already mentioned, Gadolin, Eckeberg, Hisinger, Berzelius, &c., have acquired celebrity.

Britain also can boast of not a few chemists of eminence, and has made more discoveries in the science than all the rest of Europe united. Professor Davy, now that Mr Cavendish is dead, has the highest reputation. His discovery of the composition of the fixed alkalies and earths is a most important step in the improvement of the science, and the new agents and new methods of investigation which he has invented cannot but lead to the most important and unexpected results. Dr Wollaston has enriched the science with a great number of important discoveries. His experiments are not more distinguished for their simplicity and ingenuity than for a degree of precision, which gives them, if possible, still greater value. But it would occupy too much room to enter into a particular detail of the merits of Smithson Tennant, Hatchett, Chenevix, Gregor, How. ard, Brande, &c., men who have ac quired great and well-merited celebrity, and from whose labours the science has still to expect much curious and useful information.

THE HE importance and extent of our Historical Department has necessarily encroached upon the other branches of our Register: nor would it be either easy or desirable to comprise our literary observations into such a size as might accommodate them to the space to which we are in this volume unavoidably limited. It appears to us a better arrangement, to divide the extensive subject before us into departments, and lay our report upon one of these yearly before the public. This partial execution of our plan not only gives us leisure and room to treat at becoming length the subjects under our consideration, but promises the advantage of supplying, by its regular rotation, important matter for the same articles, as they revolve in the course of a few years. Proposing to ourselves, for example, in the following essay, to characterize generally the Poets who at present engage the attention of the public, we could hardly hope to repeat such a disquisition in our next volume, with any prospect of exciting similar in

VOL. I. PART II.

terest.

But poetical laurels are not perennial, although they may not wither annually; nor dare we venture to conjecture the change which a few years may make in our own respect for those whom we consider at present as the most distinguished followers of the Muses. Ere we return again to view the state of British poetry, some of the masters of the lyre may have paid the debt of nature; some, alive to the world, may yet have suffered poetical death, or literary bankruptcy; some may have fallen innocent martyrs to the envy or malignancy of criticism; and others, by a fate yet more deplorable, may have committed suicide on their own reputation. These reflections, while they reconcile us to our plan of subdividing our Review of Literature, have no small influence on the feelings with which we advance to discharge the first part of our task. We may take credit, with the same courage as other unknown authors, for the justice of our own praise and censure; we may be willing to risk the disho 2

nour of false prophecy, and may be totally indifferent whether our judgment shall be confirmed by the public, or whether, when resuming our speculations, after the interval proposed, we may find ourselves obliged to make the amende honorable, and confess the imprudence and injustice of a sentence reversed by the universal voice of the public. But, if we shall have gained on our own account this happy degree of apathy concerning the ultimate issue of our predictions, is it in human nature to consider with indifference the changes which must shortly take place among those who furnish the subject of our inquiries? Literary fame, so eagerly, so anxiously pursued, becomes the portion of so few, and is so unequally and unfairly distributed among those who possess it, is so short-lived when obtained, and so lamented when lost, that it is scarcely possible to view the crowds who faint in the ineffectual pursuit, the few whom transient success renders objects rather of envy and detraction than of admiration, the "grey discrowned heads" upon whom its laurels have faded, without keen recollection of the va nita vanitatum of the Preacher; and some wonder that the people should, from generation to generation, continue to pursue a shadow, and to imagine a vain thing. Of all the restless impulses, indeed, with which the human heart is goaded, few surprise us more than this same longing after literary immortality. In no other race would the impotent propose themselves for the prize held forth for feats of vigour; in no other contest would the victor be rewarded, not only by the ill suppressed execrations of his less fortunate competitors, but by an inward feeling of malevolence, even among those

who never thought of rivalling him ; and surely in no other profession was it ever dreamed that the repetition of honourable and successful efforts did, of itself, disqualify him who made them from again claiming his share of public favour. Yet so it is in Poetry. Those with whose music, however delightful, the public ear has once been satiated, can only again hope to attract attention by changing the nature of their subject, their style of composition, at every risk of incurring the ridicule due to versatility.

A moral poet, like Pope, may indeed continue to engross the public with undiminished interest, provided he will be contented to owe the permanence of his popularity to the least moral part of his writings,-the personality of their satire. But the follower of the Tragic, of the Epic, of the Pastoral, or of the Didactic muse, must be contented frequently to change livery, if he would remain a favourite servant of the public. We have heard of an excellent comedian, who, finding his usual attractions become a little hackneyed, drew a large benefit by performing the part of Richard the Third, for one night only. But, alas! these aré èxperiments not to be tried, even once, without danger, and never to be repeated. If the successful poet re mains silent, he loses his pre-eminence by the tacit operation of forgetfulness; if he renews his efforts from time to time, it runs every risk of being forfeited, by the actual condemnation of the public, instead of imperceptibly diminishing under their prescriptive neglect. If the situation of these poets who are still tottering on the top of the wheel of Fortune's favour, or who have toppled down headlong from that envied situation, be sufficiently melan

choly, what shall we say of those who labour to gain the uncertain eminence, with the same la our, and the same success, as the turn-spit cur, who plies in the interior depart ment of a similar machine! But in this, as in all his works, Providence has mercifully provided the means of reconciling his creatures to their whimsical and most infructuous labour. The best Christian does not believe more faithfully in the resurrection of the body, than these neglected minstrels confide in the arrival of a future period, when that justice shall be done to their writings by posterity, of which they have, in their own day, been deprived, by the ignorance of the public, the prejudices of fashion, the malicious arts of their contemporary rivals, the blunders of their printers, and the unparalleled sloth and partiality of their booksellers, who load with trash their counters and advertisements, while the works destined to delight future ages slumber neglected in their cel lars and warehouses. This self delusion may make these gentlemen happy, but can scarcely cloud the optics of their critics :

-We've lived too long, And seen the end of much immortal song.

Such expectants of immortality are in the same situation with the dethro

red monarch of Rabelais, who plied as a porter at Lyons, while waiting for the arrival of the cocquecigrues, upon whose approach he was to be reinstated in his kingdom.

With the feelings therefore of tenderness, which the nature of poetical reputation peculiarly demands, we proceed to examine the pretensions of those to whom the public discern

ment or caprice has most largely assigned it.

We do not hesitate to distinguish, as the three most successful candidates for poetical fame, Scott, Southey, and Campbell. We are aware that there are many, and those too of good taste, who prefer Wordsworth, Crabbe, Rogers, Sotheby, and other names less generally known, to any of the trium. virate we have mentioned: but these are, in point of taste, sectaries and dissenters from the general faith and belief of the public at large, which, however divided upon the comparative merits of these three poets, give them, generally speaking, the precedence over their competitors. Were we set to classify their respective ad mirers, we should be apt to say, that those who feel poetry most enthusiastically prefer Southey; those who try it by the most severe rules admire Campbell; while the general mass of readers prefer to either the Border Poet. In this arrangement we should do Mr Scott no injustice, because we assign to him in the number of suffrages what we deny him in their value. There is another principle which, ridiculous as it may appear, has certainly had some share in ranking the partizans of at least two of these candidates for fame. It is the fashion, and a pretty obstinate one, for the followers of political party to admire the poetry of Scott or Campbell, exactly as they happen to be attached to the parties headed by our late distinguished statesmen, Pitt and Fox. We must necessarily suppose that the political principles of the two bards are, in private life, agreeable to those of the persons who seem to follow them from that cause. Yet, as we can trace very little allusion to politics in the wris