The Literary and Scientific Repository, and Critical Review (4) (Volume 4, Nos. 7-8) - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1822. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Art. VII.--Sketches of Manners, Scenery, fyc. in the French Provinces, Sivitzerland, and Italy. With an Essay on French literature. By the late John Scott, Esq. Author of the Visit to Paris, &tc. 8vo. pp. 529. London. 1821. Eclectic Review--hug. 1821. The circumstances under which this volume is presented to the public, arc such as must disarm criticism of all its severity. Its author was a man of highly respectable talents, and is said to have sustained in private life an amiable character. His "Visit to Paris in 1814," and his "Paris Revisited in 18! 5," were deservedly popular: they were characterized by sound sense and mauly feeling, and so far as their influence extended, contributed to give a salutary direction to public opinion. His next publication was a Monody on the death of his son, which, though it failed to attract much attention from the public, displayed no small originality of genius. It contains some passages of the purest pathos and of great beauty; and its defects were chargeable on an unpractised, rather than an unskilful hand. Of his anonymous labours as a journalist, we cannot speak from personal knowledge, but have always understood them to be of competent merit. Thus far we accompany him in his career with feelings of respect; but it is due neither to the dead nor the living, to speak of his last act, by which he showed his preference of the imaginary obligations of worldly honour to the laws of God, in those terms of sentimental candour and unmixed commisseration with which it would be proper 16 advert to the mistaken opinions of a conscientious man, or to the misfortunes of an innocent one. "Died Abner, as a fool dieth"--this must be the epitaph of the duellists. A small portion only of the present work was left for the press. Thi...