of general liberty had their origin in this state of things, which are well worthy of the consideration of all classes in our land, though the immediate solution of them was of more confined interest. The reverend author writes with the inclinations belonging to his persuasion and profession, though exhibiting none in a degree to interfere with a dispassionate and just view of the great interests involved. The ultimate advantage to the cause of religion, seems to have been one main object which prompted his efforts; and in this, certainly, he will have the good wishes and countenance of every friend to her advancement. The style of the book is exceedingly agreeable, throughout; and, occasionally, passages will be found of no ordinary degree of eloquence. Animal and Vegetable Physiology, considered with 1. The report of and testimony taken before the joint committee of the senate and house of delegates, of Maryland, to which was referred the memorial of John B. Morris, Reverdy Johnson, and others, pray- ing indemnity for losses sustained by reason of the riots in Baltimore, in the month of August, 1835. Published by order of the general assembly, Annapo- lis, 1836. 2. Testimony taken before the joint com- mittee, &c. in behalf of the civil authorities of Bal- timore, &c. Annapolis, 1836. 3. An act to indemnify Reverdy Johnson and others, &c. 4. An act relating to Riots. Pamphlet laws of Maryland, 1836. V. THE MONARCHY OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES. The Monarchy of the Middle Classes.-France, Social, Literary, Political. Second Series. By Henry Lytton Bulwer, Esq. M. P. VI. POLITICAL SYMPTOMS AND POPULAR RIGHTS. Constitution of the Trades' Union of the City and ART. VII..BULWER'S NOVELS. Rienzi, The Last of the Tribunes. By the author of "Eugene Aram," "Last Days of Pompeii," &c. VIII. REVISED CODE OF PENNSYLVANIA. Reports of William Rawle, Thomas I. Wharton, and Joel Jones, Esquires, commissioners appointed to revise the civil code of Pennsylvania. IX. ENGLISH SONNETS. 1. Miscellaneous Sonnets. 2. Sonnets dedicated to Liberty. 3. Ecclesiastical Sketches. 4. The River Duddon; a series of Sonnets. 5. Sonnets in the vol. entitled "Yarrow Revisited, and other Poems." By William Wordsworth. 6. The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth. X. THACHER'S HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH. History of the Town of Plymouth, from its first settlement in 1620 to the present time; with a concise account of the Aborigines of New England, &c. By James Thacher, M. D. XI. OUR NAVY. Special Message of the President of the United PAGE 381 399 420 443 467 AMERICAN QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. XXXVIII. JUNE, 1836. ART. I The Shelley Papers. London. 1833. The three greatest poets of this century are, we think, Shelley, Wordsworth and Byron. We place them in what seems to us the order of their merit, though this of course will be a matter of dispute-and it will be a very difficult thing to reconcile opinions where the question concerns minds of such various and different powers. Between the first and last, there can hardly be a doubt as to which deserves pre-eminence-the difficulty lies only between the first two. We are conscious that in thus putting Byron beneath any one, whether of the present time or the past, it will appear to many as a depreciation, arising from ignorance of his works, or an incapacity to estimate them. To this we must submit. We only give private opinion, and oppose prevailing notions; neither from eccentricity neither from eccentricity or an absurd wish to claim originality, but from conviction. It is but a short time since we so far escaped from the fascination of Byron's muse as to be able to judge of his poetry, or to yield any thing but an unhesitating and impetuous admiration. The feelings were too deeply interested to admit an appeal to the judgment. He stood in relief, beyond all contemporary genius, the personification of human perfections, and only the poet of his age. The voices of all the rest sounded from a distance. They could gain no audience, find no response, in the pre-occupied bosom of his admirer. But time has checked all this: our intensity has died away. we are now able to compare and class, where before we saw nothing but unqualified perfection. Like removing the quickVOL. XIX.-No. 38. 33 |