Gentleman's Magazine:

AND

Historical Chronicle.

From JANUARY to JUNE, 1811.

VOLUME LXXXI.

(BEING THE FOURTH OF A NEW SERIES.)

PART THE FIRST.

PRODESSE ET DELECTARE.

E PLURIBUS UNUM.

By SYLVANUS URBAN, Gent.

LONDON: Printed by JOHN NICHOLS and SON,

at Cicero's Head, Red Lion Passage, Fleet Street ; where LETTERS are particularly requested to be sent, Post-PAID.

And sold by J. HARRIS (Successor to Mrs. NEWBERY), at the Corner of St. Paul's Church Yard, Ludgate Street. 1811,

ON COMPLETING THE FIRST PART OF VOL. LXXXI.

URBAN, six months again thy toils complete,

Again my lines those toils concluded greet.
While War's rude din affrights the troubled deep,
Thy peaceful toils their equal tenour keep;
While roars Bellona's voice, like some great Sage,
You turn the mirror of the changeful age,
Whate'er the scene, or dreadful, grave, or gay,
You shew reflected, and around display.
Still favour'd by each Muse, thy far-read page
Instructs, improves, and charms the passing age.
Long may Minerva's sons her honours see,
At once extended and enjoy'd by thee!
May Mars' loud tumults long at distance roar,
Nor check th' enjoynents of our peaceful Shore!
May Jove propitious ever deign to bless
This sacred spot, where tumult dares not press!
May URBAN's Works extend to distant time,
Please and instruct the Sons of every
May they continue still to merit Fame
From ev'ry titled, great, and honour'd Name !

S. C.

10

Clime;

THE BI B L E.
WHAT taught me that a great First When passions with temptations join,
Cause

To conquer every power of nine,
Existed ere creation was,

What leads me then to Help Divine ?
And gave the Universe its laws ?

The Bible!
The Bible!

When pining care and wasting pain
What guide can lead me to this Power, My spirits and my life-blood drain,
Whom Conscience calls me to adore, What soothes and turns een these 10 gain?
And bids me seek Him more and more?

The Bible !
The Bible !

When crosses and vexations tease,
Whence came I first of all to know

And various ills iny bosom seize, The origin of human woe,

What is it that in life can please?
When all was ruin here below!

The Bible !
The Bible!

When horror chills my soul with fear,
And in this awful drear dismay,

And nought but gloom and dread appear, When hope itself refus'd a ray,

What is it then my mind can cheer?
What tells me God was still our stay?

The Bible!
The Bible!

When impious doubts my thoughts perplex,
Since th' arms of Mercy then extend, And mysteries my reason vex,
To draw me to my God and Friend, Where is the guide which then directs ?
What can my gratitude expand ?

The Bible !
The Bible!

Then may my mind be made to see
And while life flies in gay carorr,

What now I am and yet may be
And pleasures hail each coming year, By reading often seriously,
What can enhance my sprightly cheer?

The Bible!
The Bible !

And when Amiction's fainting breath
When all my actions prosper well,

Warns me I've done with all bene ath,
And higher bopes my wishes swell, What can compose my soul in death?
What points where truer blessings dwell?

The Bible!
The Bible!

PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST PART OF THE EIGHTY-FIRST VOLUME.

+

July 1811. ONCE

more, and with cheerfulness, we enter upon the discharge of our periodical duty; and, with true sine cerity, tender our humble tribute of respect and gratitude to our Friends and Correspondents. We may assert with honest pride, that the first are undiminished in number, and that the latter are far from being decreased either in value or importance.

Μήτοι τόγ' εμόν πρόθυμος

Φίλοισιν απέλω. We, on our part, shall continue our utmost exertions to prove how highly we estimate the place we have so long and so uniformly held in the public favour. If indeed any new stimulus were wanting, it seems to present itself in the form of certain anomalous Competitors, who, under the novel allurement of appearing only once a quarter, assert their claims to curiosity and attention. The World of Literature is large enough for us all; and we neither mean to dispute their equal right with ourselves to become Candidates for distinction and reward, nor by any means to depreciate the value of their labours. We wish modestly and perspicuously to state, for the information of such of our Readers as may be so situated as not precisely to understand the nature of the ground we differently occupy, the following, which we apprehend to be no unimportant Facts :

Our Monthly Publication exhibits a systematic History of Literature, in all its various branches : whereas our Brethren who make their appearance but four times in the year, selecting a few, for they cannot comprehend many, of such Works as they may think proper, make them the vehicle of ingenious comment and critical observation, of

political