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the History itself, by the necessary explanatory documents contained in a Preface confifting of ninety five pages, which we should have denominated an introduction to the main fubje&t. But of the few defects, almoft unavoidable in a work of this magnitude, requiring indefatigable refearches, the want of order and precifion, which may be remedied by giving with the promised fupplement a copious index, are the most striking. The principal contents of the remainder of this long Preface fhall be now briefly noticed. They are, First, the heads of an intended publication of a general Marine Hif. tory, from the origin of the Nautical Art, from a Manufcript in Sir Walter Raleigh's hand-writing, preferved in the British Museum, amongst the MSS. of the Cottonian Library."

Secondly, "A Difcourfe touching the past and prefent itate of the Navy, compofed by that ingenious Gentleman, Sir Robert Slingsby Knight and Bar. ronet Comptroller therefore-bearing date in the year 1669, and fubmitted to the confideration of King Charles the Second, and his Parliament."

Thirdly, A molt remarkable paper, in the form of a memorial, written with great fpirit and unreferved freedom by a Gentleman of the name of Gibfon, whofe opinion appears to have been fpecially afked by Government on the foregoing fubjects, and about the fame period of time, though it is without any affixed date, or reference, to afcertain its authenticity. It contains, however, feveral fhrewd obfervations, and points out the caufes of the failure of feveral naval enterprifes before and at the time of writing it; and which impeded that fuperiority at fea, which the Navy of England acquired and bas maintained fince the glorious Revolution of 1688.

His chief complaint refpecting the management of the Navy in the reign of Charles the Second, was the appointment of Gentlemen Captains to the command of fhips of war-perfons of rank, who had not been brought up to the fervice, but were promoted by courtly or minifterial influence: the Humerous accidents at sea, and the lofs of many hips and feamen, are afcribed to thote appointments, in ftrong terms, and exhibits a striking contraft between fuch Commanders and a Seaman, or what he calls a tarrpawling Captain, and gives a list of renowned Admirals,

with Sir Francis Drake at the fread, who all came to deferved honour from having been cabin-boys. He likewife reprobates the foolish way of fighting in a line; and we have lately feen the advantage of departing from that general rule, in the glorious victories obtained by Lord St. Vincent and Lord Nelfon. Upon the whole, this is a valuable document, as it contains a curious account of the costume of the Navy at that period.

We are now arrived at Chapter I. of the regular hiftory pursued through the three volumes; and its fubject is, The Origin of Marine Architecture, introduced by the following judicious obfervations. "Avarice, luxury, and ambition, have been the grand promoters of all purfuits and difcoveries not strictly innocent in themselves, or which do not mott unequivocally reft on the basis of philofophy only. Thofe which tend in the moft diftant degree, by their operations and effects, to pamper the pride, the fenfual appetites, or the lult of power in man, certainly deteriorate his character; and however fpeciously it may be pretended, that in their first intention they applied only to the enlargement of the understand. ing, or the eafe of fuch fuppofed wants as cuftom has infinuatingly added to thofe of nature, it cannot furely be denied by perfons who advance this excule, that their introduction, their progreflion, and their general ufe, have, in a regular proportion to their own advancement, augmented the general inquietude of man, leffened that innocence and purity of mind he is fuppofed to have originally poffeffed, and, finally, been the grand promoters of thofe horrid fcenes of flaughter and defolation, which, during fo many ages, have difgraced the univerfe. The reflection which arifes on feeing nation furiously arming against nation, as if in dreadful emulation which should prove themselves molt barbarous and most cruel, muft naturally lead the philanthropic mind to lament any discovery that may tend to feed the fury of content, although the advantages derived from it, while confined within a peaceful and innocent channel, might have very strongly contributed to our general eafe, our comfort, and our enjoyments. Among the foremost of thefe ftands the fcience of fhip-building, the origin of which is certainly almoft coeval with the existence of the world,

whilst

whilft confined to veffels of convenience for the purposes of palling from one country to another, or of innocent traffic; but when these were improved into thips of war capable of hoftile attacks, and armed with thofe dreadful engines of deftruction, cannon, bombs, &c. the invention or difcovery of fuch baneful arts must have been regretted by the true friends of the human

race.

"The Egyptians and Phoenicians are the nations which ftand foremost as joint candidates for the honour of inventing Marine Architecture; and it appears, that the first construction of the Egyptians ufed on the Nile was formed of fmall plauks cut out of the acantha, or Egyptian thorn, in pieces nearly fquare, measuring about three feet each way, lapt over each other like tiles, and faltened together by a proper number of wooden pins, nearly of the fame thape with the trenails of modern times. The hull of the vessel being completed, a competent number of feats, or benches for rowers, were added; and when the joints or feams were carefully caulked with the Papy. rus, fo as completely to exclude the water, the floating fabric then became fit for immediate ufe. We mult not, however, forget to mention, that experience very early fuggeted the neceflity of fome directing as well as impelling power in aid of human Labour. A matt, formed out of a straight stick of the acantha, and a fail made of papyrus, fupplied the latter; at the fame time a rudder, which is faid to have paffed through the keel, or bottom of the vessel, remedied the defect occafioned by the want of the former.

"Thefe veffels being, as well from their construction as equipment, almost incapable of stemming the current of the Nile, were generally towed up against it by perfons on hore, unless the wind fortunately proved fufficiently ftrong and favourable for the propofed

courfe to enable the fail to be used as a fubftitute. On returning with the current, it was customary for the Egyptians to faften, with ropes across the prow of the veffel, an hurdle of tamaFisk, which being let down into the water, and steadied by ropes, or bands made of twisted reeds, caufed it to move forward with increafed velocity, in confequence of the ftream acting with greater force on the farface of the hurdle, which extended beyond

the fides, than it would have done on the mere vellel itfelf, without this ingenious aid. In order to preferve a due balance between the head and stern, which might otherwife have been affected by the action of the water on the hurdle, and, in fome degree alfo, by the weight of it, as well as to caufe the boat to fwim nearly with an even keel, a stone of confiderable magnitude, pierced through the middle, was fufpended by a rope from the ftern; a contrivance which was found to anfwer the purpofe fo well, that the unskilled navigators were enabled to pals to and fro, without either danger or difficulty."

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The above account of the Egyptian bark, together with a defcription of the veffels which Cæfar constructed to pafs the Segra, in Spain, on a plan he had obferved in ufe in Britain, and which were of the fame kind, and applied to the fame purposes, as our modern punts or pontoons, induce the Author to make the following pertinent remark. "Viewing, therefore, and comparing with them, the marine architecture of the various newly-difcovered countries, where it may at this moment be confidered in its original and almost totally unimproved itate, it is drawing a very fair inference to fay, that the human mind, directed to the fame point, has generally effected its purpose nearly in the fame way, whether the artist was an Egyptian, an aboriginal Briton, an Esquimaux, or an inhabitant of New Zealand. Partial variations must indeed be admitted, but thefe are occafioned merely by the difference of fituation and climate, as well as the peculiar productions of the countries themfelves. The inhabitant of the Labrador Coalt covers his cance with the fkin of the feal, on which he feeds, because the frozen region, in which he is deftined to live, affords him no other material fo fit for his purpose:.. others, whom we might with cafe felect, and who are placed by Providence in a more genial latitude, have been wife enough to make ufe of the bark of trees, curioufly joined, a contrivance. to which they have been driven through the want of implements, or tools fufficiently hard to enable them to make ufe of the trees themselves; while the inhabitants of countries fortunately cr ingenioudly supplied with thefe, as a more durable and useful fubftance, bet-. ter, adapted to their purpose, have care

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fully feized the opportunity of work ing fuch light and buoyant woods as nature had furnished them with, into their rude and uncultivated first attempts in the science of Marine Architecture.

The second Chapter investigates the knowledge of the fcience of Shipbuilding and Navigation poffeffed by the Chinese at a very early period; affigns reafons for the little progrefs made by them; gives an account of their skill in navigation, and method of boat-building; afferts that the art of navigation was understood by fome individuals of other countries before the time of the Egyptians and Phoenicians; and fhews its influence and effect on colonization during the early ages of the world.

The third Chapter treats of the different vessels intended for commercial and other purpofes not warlike, in ufe among the ancients, and describes their form, their names, and the materials of which they were built.

Chapter IV. contains à differtation on Commerce, and its tendency to promote Marine Architecture.-The fifth Chapter proceeds to the advancement of the art, and its application to the purposes of war; and this fubject expands itself, and branches out into a number of interesting circumftances, and defcriptions of veffels of different nations, in the three enfuing Chapters. In the ninth, we find curfory remarks on the rapid improve ment of Marine Architecture among many of the ancient nations; the ftate of it with respect to the Romans during the reigns of the Twelve Cæfars; the naval hiftory of that people continued; the caufes and period of the decline of its marine. &c. &c. &c. Chapter X. gives an historical narrative of the expeditions of the Goths and Vandals; the destruction of the Roman Navy; and concludes with a defcription of the armament equipped for the recovery of Africa, and fent thither under the command of the celebrated Roman General Belifarius. This fubject is continued in the next Chapter, and an account is introduced of the origin of the Venetian State, of the Venetian Galley, and its magnificence compared with that of the more early ages.

The origin of the Saxons, and of their becoming a maritime power; the invitation of Hengift and Horfa, their Chiefs, into Britain; the Naval History

of Britain in the early ages, and at the period of the deftruction of the Heptarchy by Egbert the First, Sovereign of all England, are the principal fubjects of the twelfth Chapter.

Chapter XIII. is miscellaneous-The Ruffian naval expeditions, with a defcription of their veffels for commerce, and armaments for war, and an account of their enterprizes against the Grecian empire, are the prominent subjects of this Chapter.

A fummary account of the Naval Hiftory of England from the death of Egbert to the Nornian Conqueft, occupies the principal part of Chapter XIV. The fifteenth refumes the Naval History of the other Maritime Powers of Europe, more particularly of the Normans and the Venetians. The fame subject is continued through part of the fixteenth Chapter, which likewife comprifes the Maritime Hiftory of the Portuguese, Spaniards, Neapolitans, Saracens, Danes, Ruffians, and Swedes ; and concludes with the naval events in the Maritime Hiftory of England from the Conqueft to the death of Edward III. and the ftate and practice of Marine Architecture at that time.

The feventeenth and laft Chapter of this volume relates the rapid decline of the Eaftern empire; the rapid progrefs of the Turkith confequence; the refufal by the Turks of a paffage up the Hellefpont, now called the Dardenelles, to all nations; the fiege and conquest of Conftantinople by Mahomet the Second, effected by tranfporting the lighter veffels of his fleet and his military ftores over-land. Next follows the wars of the Venetians and Genoese; the battle of Lepanto; an account of the Venetian naval arsenal, docks, and bucentaur, and the decline and fall of the Venetian naval power; of the fallen ftate of the French marine at the conclufion of the fourteenth century; Maritime History of Europe continued.

Conclufion-Attempts made by the Scots towards the attainment of maritime confequence; causes of the quiefcent ftate of England in respect to naval affairs, from the acceffion of Richard the Second to the time of the defeat and death of Richard the Third.

We fhall now difmifs this important article with a lift of the principal plates in Vol. I. and affering our readers, that as this is a work which is likely to become an ornament to all the public,

and

and many private, libraries of the united kingdom of Great Britain, we fhall pursue the fame mode of analyfing the two remaining volumes.

No. 1. is an elegant miniature Frontifpiece, reprefenting Britannia feated on fhore, with a fhip at fea under fail, defigned by Weft and Serres, and engraved by Shipfter. 2. Draught of an English Ship of War (1578), taken from the tapestry hangings in the Britifh House of Lords; engraved by Newton. 4. A Balza, or South Sea Raft, by Hall. 7. Form of a Galley, having forty banks of Oars, belonging to Ptolemy Philopater, King of Egypt,

by Tomkins. 8. An Heptereme, faid to have belonged to Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, by Newton. 9. A Bireme, with two tiers of Oars, by Newton." 10. Draught of an ancient Galley, from the model preferved in Greenwich Hofpital, by Tomkins. 13. A Veffel, or large Boat, ufed by the Ancients for the purposes of Commerce, by Newton. 14. One of the ancient Liburni, or Gallies, having a fingle tier of Oars, Newton. 15. An ancient Trireme, or Galley with three tiers of Oars, Ditto. 18. The Bucentaur, the grand State Galley of the Venetians, Ditto. M. (To be continued in our next.)

Youth, a Poem. By J. Bidlake, A. B. Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, and Mafter of the Grammar-school, Plymouth. 8vo. pp. 29.

MR. BIDLAKE, in the commencement

of his Poem, briefly sketches, in pleafing lines, fome of the amufements of infancy; and then addreffes thus those whom he calls "full-grown babes :"

"Ye fons of pedant pride! feverely wife,

Who ev'ry trifle, fave your own, defpife, Awhile to childhood's fimpler tales attend, [fures end. And fay, how foon our sweetest pleaAfk pow'r, or niggard wealth, or learned Arife,

And all adult'rate hopes of bufy life, Are they fo pure as dreams of fervid youth?

So warm as blissful ignorance of truth? Hard is the heart that knows not how to melt

[felt; When bufy mem'ry paints what once it And how the mufing mind delights to dwell

On hours of innocence, ye feeling, tell! How grateful 'tis to live o'er youthful days; [rays. Guilt only huns reflection's wakeful Yes! manhood's pride, his ev'ry anxious

care,

Is only hollow folly dreft more fair. Poor vanity decks out her pompous joys, And cheats the full-grown babe with gilded toys. [tals plan, What are the schemes that reless morBut fpecious baubles, cheating childish [plain, Lefs innocent, lefs pure, we hence comThat all below is empty, all is vain."

man ?

VOL. XLII. JULY 1802,

Proceeding, he draws fome happy fketches, among which the Schoolmistress (" learning's harbinger") ftrikes us as particularly worthy of notice :

"In elbow-chair fhe fat, in rigid ftate, With pow'r and jealous confequence elate. [bled round, Ah! how we urchins fhrunk, how tremIf from caprice, or household cares, she frown'd! [ev'ry look ! How watch'd her eye; how dwelt on Of ev'ry fcowl, of ev'ry smile partook ! How panting funk each heart, when forth [drew ↓ The terror-waking birch the dreadful Her own importance well the knew to raife ;

to view

With awe to chill, or elevate with praise. How was the penny priz'd when, new and bright,

It met, a proud reward, the exulting fight Of him who, after toil, and time long spent,

Could con his letters all to her content! Sacred whate'er fhe own'd: her antique chair,

Her fhining platters, and her linen fair; The cruel ferule, nay her very nod; We own'd her juftice, and rever'd the rod : [cat, Her tell-tale pigeons honour'd, e'en the That, often firok'd, befide her elbow fat. At church she shone with undiminish'd grace, [facred place. And look'd felf-confcious round the How proud her boat, that 'twas her happy meed [to read ! To hear him preach whom he had taught Methinks

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The Author then in ftrong language defcribes the fufferings of the leffer and weaker boys at fchools, under the tyranny and oppreffion of those who are older or stronger.

"Me thought fedate more pleas'd: the fhelly fhore [folemn roar, To range, and hear the wild wind's To view the foaming terrors of the. We fhall conclude our extracts from this poem with the following lines allufive to the more advanced stage of adolefcence :

form,

[rious form; Or cull the weeds, and note each cuOr when the halcyon fummer on the deep [fleep, Hufh'd ev'ry wave in clear, cerulean To watch the fish within the wafte

ferene, [tream; Or count the pebbles thro' the cryftal Mid rural meads to wander many a mile, Or time befide a murm'ring brook beguile; [mead, Or mid the grove, or pacing flow the Oft ling ring at the wood-lide file to read : [pow'rs Then, tho' unskill'd, the pencil's mimic Trac'd nature's forms, and charm'd the vacant hours; [fair, Then fil'd fweet Poefy, harmonious Of ardent eye, and wild enraptur'd air; Sweet Poefy, that folitude can cheer, And imooth the wrinkled brow of woe fevere :

She that in foft delicious dreams the foul Can wrap, and lead beyond the dark controul

Of a bad world to fancy's Eden, where
Ideal blifs forbids approach of care.
Ah! fors of telly, Lever may ye tafte
Her vifionary joys, who badly wafte
Health, eafe, and honour, in the guilty

maze

Of fordid int'reft, and delufive blaze
Of golden light, that lead your feet aftray
To dark deftru&tion's uniufpecied way!
The fons of genuine verle low art dif-
dain,

And fear above the atmosphere of pain. Soul-conscious freedom theirs; hope ever bright,

Infpiring radiance of celeftial light.

-"danger's feafon foon, too foon fucceeds, [weeds. With riper funs vice fpreads her ranker Ah then farewell the unreproachful hour! [power; New paffions rife with all imperious New hopes then beam and ampler prof pects spread, ffed. And million claims bud forth, by paffion Farewell the careless breaft, the thoughtlefs day,

The changeful vifions that in fancy play Farewell the genuine joy, the heart-born fmile,

And all that childish vacancy beguile : Approaching manhood comes with look auftere,

Ambition proud pursues and care fevere ; Ah! now beware, ye heedlefs gay, be.

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