CRITICAL NOTICES.

[From "Tait's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 10.”]

ART. I.- Memoirs and Correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith. 2 vols. 8vo. Price 17. 11s. 6d. London. Longman & Co.

IN moral tendency this work is to be classed with the Memoirs and Letters of Cowper and Heber, of Collingwood, Sir Thomas Munro, and Dr. Edward Clarke, or of such old English worthies as More and Penn. It is consequently, in our estimation, among the books which, from their moral beauty alone, are to be regarded as the most precious treasures of literature. Such works are too few in number, and they are almost peculiar to England. They are quiet, truthful, domestic pictures of her best and greatest men, and of the sound and virtuous heart of her worthiest society; often making the power and charm of the hidden and enduring worth of the English character, be suddenly felt when it was feared all was hastening to vanity and demoralization. They are images of a kind of life on which no one can look with feeling, and in earnest, without a softening and moulding of the whole man into some faint resemblance of their pure and serene beauty. - The appearance of works of this character in these troublous times, gives them double value. They are as the bow in the blackened and stormy heavens, giving promise of serener weather, and telling of all the peace and loveliness that is hid behind the gathered clouds. Though we rank this memoir with those manuals of humanity which, through the affections, teach youth how to grow unto virtue, and to live with honor and usefulness, we do not mean to say that their excellent and amiable subject, a man of accomplishment and information, a man of science also, and, in one branch of natural science, enthusiastic and eminent, was either a Cowper or a Heber, although we may assert that the record of his early life will be perused with nearly equal pleasure, and with at least equal advantage, as their memoirs. Sir James Edward Smith is here but one of an English family group. He is the most prominent figure, but some of those by whom he is surrounded are, to our taste, quite as captivating.

The life of Sir James Edward Smith is chiefly unfolded by his own correspondence; though the book is edited by his widow with the intuitive delicacy and fineness of perception, inspired by a warm and refined affection, and an unreserved, though dignified devotion to the memory of her husband, which beget a cordial sympathy in her readers. If there is fault to be found, it is with the almost overweening modesty which makes Lady Smith draw herself so completely into the shade, that we only obtain a transient glimpse of her through the lights reflected from the object of

her proud affection. They must be stern critics who will think it a blemish in her book, that details, which indifferent readers may regard as trivial and tiresome, assume, in her sight, an immense importance from their connexion with her husband; for this is not only a feeling which does honor to her, but is the true temper in which biography should be written, if it is to be felt. It is but heartless work to compile the memoirs of a man whom one does not both love and honor. To this may be imputed the failure of several recent ambitious memoirs.

To us the early days of Sir James Smith are by far the most delightful portion of his history; and we are not sure but that we like the father quite as well as the son. Lady Smith labors with sufficient zeal to trace the high maternal ancestry of her husband; so we may conclude that his sensible and excellent father had little to boast of in this way, on his side of the house. We are not told, but are led to infer, that the elder Smith, whose letters, besides proving the warmth and goodness of his heart, and the vigor of his understanding. display very considerable literary cultivation, was some sort of Norwich merchant, or tradesman. Sir James, his eldest, and for some years his only child, was born in Norwich in 1759; he was a delicate and sensitive child, peculiarly susceptible, both in mental and physical constitution; diffident, timid, and, as an augury of the future botanist, fond of flowers. In after life, we are told, he seldom saw the blue flowers of the wild-succory, without remembering how he had loved them in infancy. This is not quite the passionate memory of his admired Rousseau, the "Voilà le pervenche!" but is among the connecting links which we like to gather between the childhood and manhood of a botanist. The delicate boy was left much with his mother; his parents seem to have been Dissenters, though we do not learn of what particular denomination. They were, in all things, an estimable and wellassorted pair, in the middle ranks of the humble and yet lofty class and days of England's

"Plain living and high thinking."

To their son, their first lessons were the encouragement of free, independent inquiry, and the habit of exercising his judgment in the examination of every opinion, and of thinking for himself. In after life, he often expressed himself deeply indebted to his parents for cautioning him against the implicit or blind reception of unsifted opinions.

Sir James was not sent to school. At home, he acquired a correct knowledge of French and Italian, and made some progress in mathematics, though he was very backward in his Latin studies. He was, in fact, intended by his father for business, and the old gentleman had himself no particular respect for Latin prosody, or hammering at hexameters. Nor did he admire public schools; and Lady Smith remarks, and we pray British mothers to lay it to heart,

"In the society of well-informed, sensible parents, those hours which in a public school are frequently grievous, or unavoidably wasted, those domestic evenings which expand the heart with the understanding, and 'leave us leisure to be good,' were devoted to reading, or lessons rendered pleasing by the associations connected with them."`

His father's love of reading history stole upon the boy, and, at the age of eleven or twelve, he showed a precocious power of invention, in composing a fabulous history of two races of Scottish kings. On this juvenile performance, Lady Smith dwells with amiable fondness.

"The writer is not ashamed to acknowledge, that reading the history of this ideal court, its ladies, servants, and dependents, and the satirical verses and pasquinades upon some members belonging to it, has oecasionally beguiled a winter's evening very agreeably, when the company of some young friend has been the occasion of introducing the Paper People,' as they were called, upon the tea-table; and at the same time his own playful recurrence to the scenes of his youthful happiness produced an enjoyment which will never return."

About the age of eighteen, the love of flowers, which young Smith had always indulged, grew into a passion for botany. The following coincidence is remarkable: -On the 9th January, 1778, he obtained the first treatise he had yet seen upon botany, Berkenhout's Hudson's Flora; and on the 11th, with infinite delight, began to examine plants scientifically. The commerce furze was the only plant then in flower. In examining it, "I first comprehended," he says, "the nature of systematic arrangement, and the Linnæan principles, little aware, that at that instant the world was losing the great genius who was to be my future guide; for Linnæus died on the same night." "In an age of astrologic faith," Lady Smith remarks, "such a coincidence would have excited superstitious reflections, and the polar star of the great northern philosopher might have been supposed to shed its dying influence on his young disciple." Mr. Smith now wished his son to settle to business, as an importer of raw silk; but his love of science, and the interposition of friends, prevailed to change his destiny; and, in October, 1781, his affectionate father escorted him part of the way to Edinburgh, where he commenced the study of medicine. The interest and value of these memoirs commence, and are nearly spent in the Correspondence regularly maintained between this exemplary son and his amiable family, during his residence in Edinburgh, and in his subsequent course of study and travel. The young student wrote frequently home, describing the progress of his studies, his pursuits, his friends, and amusements; beginning his epistles with the stately "Honored Sir," sanctioned, or rather prescribed, by old-fashioned manners. The picture of a student at our university fifty years since, becomes curious now. Dr. Hope, the Professor of Botany, was Smith's chief friend and counsellor; but he had letters of introduction to several respectable and fashionable families. He began to study Latin with Dr.

Adam, paying at the rate of eight guineas a-year for private lessons, though the customary fee was a guinea a-month.

"I hope," says the young man, you will not grudge this expense, as it is quite necessary, and you may depend on my frugality in every case where I can save money without missing any thing of real importance. Dr. Hope thinks that, with the utmost economy, I cannot spend less than £120 a-year; but I don't see how it can amount to near that." At Dr. Hope's he met Lord Monboddo, whom he describes as "a plain-dressing, elderly man, with an ordinary gray coat, leather breeches, and coarse worsted stockings. He conversed with me," he adds, "with great affability, about various matters; spoke of the great decline of classical learning in Edinburgh, and mentioned the Norfolk husbandry." Upon this the affectionate father, connecting himself, through his paternal sympathies, with whatever concerned his son, reads Lord Monboddo's works, and makes this sensible observation: "It is amusing to see to what great heights the imaginations of some contemplative persons will carry them in fanciful hypotheses, which the Abbé Buffier aptly calls philosophical romances. In this respect, metaphysicians are a sort of knights-errant in literature, who sally out in quest of adventures in fancy's regions." What follows is still better said:"My dear, I cannot disapprove of any expense that is useful to your pursuits, therefore I have no objection to a Latin master. Latin and Greek are necessary to your profession, in more respects than being keys to the doors of science, into any of which you may enter if you have those keys; and I should wish you to have as good ones as any body else. They should have no advantage of me in that respect; though I believe, between ourselves, there is a great deal in the parade of it besides the use. The men of learning have agreed to stamp a high value upon classical learning it sets them out of reach of the vulgar, and of those who are their superiors in every other worldly advantage; yet I do not think it all sterling worth, but a great deal of it imposition." Such were the opinions of a plain, strong-minded English trader, fifty years since. How very long it sometimes is before men will act upon their convictions. After saying many kind and obliging things, and, on the study of medicine, much that is acute and profound, the good father continues thus, ." And how much were it to be wished that every father could safely so address his son. You say I may depend upon your frugality in every case. I know I may, my dear; but I would not have you cramp yourself, nor deny yourself either any enjoyment or advantage on that account. I am perfectly easy; satisfied that you would not wish for what I ought to refuse."

Old Mr. Smith seems to have been a good Whig in his generation, and sometimes he gives his son a little political news and in one place quaintly observes, "I esteem the Scotch much for their zeal for the Protestant religion; yet I think two sermons at a time rather too much. I hope their Kirks are warmer than our Churches."

From the letters of young Smith, we see something of the fashionable society of Edinburgh, as well as of scientific institutions. There is an account of a mourning concert for the Earl of Kelly, at which all the company appeared in mourning; and St. Cecilia's Hall, in which it was held, is described as a most elegant room of an oval form! This compliment is paid to Scottish manners, in reply, probably to some inquiry that does not appear; "I do not perceive that the better sort of people are less neat here than elsewhere. I am sure, in many places where I visit, the most exquisite neatness is apparent."

Young Smith had now acquired a good knowledge of Latin, and made some progress in Greek; but better and more valuable than these languages he considered the physiological lectures of Dr. Monro. I know," he says, no entertainment equal to them; his remarks are so ingenious, satisfactory, and curious, that we [the students] could never be tired with hearing them." This correspondence goes on in the same strain; and after young persons have been set for their improvement to peruse the letters of Cicero to Tyro, Chesterfield's and Chatham's letters, they may still, to our thinking, find much that is more instructive in the correspondence of this plain English trader with his beloved son. We cannot refrain from giving one specimen of it.

"My Dear Son,

"Norwich, Feb. 25, 1782.

"We are all much pleased that you spend your time so agreeably, and hope nothing I have said will convey the idea that I think you too profuse in your amusements: on the contrary, as you rightly say, it is a part of your education de vous apprivoiser à la grande foule; besides, I look upon diversions as useful, nay, necessary, to relieve your mind and renew its vigor, to exhilarate the spirits and give a zest to life, for which end the beneficent Author of our nature has given us the capacity of an almost innumerable variety of enjoyments, which are all lawful when they are expedient, when they promote our happiness and that of our friends and connexions. I look upon the promotion or production of genuine true happiness to be the surest mark of virtue, if it is not virtue itself. Some philosophers call a mediocrity in all things, virtue: however that be, Medio tutissimus ibis is an excellent maxim, and I am in no fear you should transgress; on the contrary, I would rather urge you forward to take pleasure than restrain you, for I am not in the least afraid you should go beyond what will do you real good. So, my dear, go to as many diversions as you like, see every thing you can, and push forward your acquaintance with genteel, valuable people; and be not under any concern whether you spend a few pounds more or less in the year. I would not have you neglect any advantages, nor deny yourself any proper gratification for fear of swelling your expenses. Solomon says,There is a time to scatter, and a time to gather;' do you scatter wisely, and I will endeavour to gather carefully, and hope I shall so far succeed as to leave a comfortable subsistence to every one that depends upon me for support. I think you had better not fix a time to leave off your tutor; 't is impossible to tell where you may be situated, or how; and scholarship will recommend in all parts of the world. And as you have the elegancies of French and Italian,