gular genius for burlesque poetry is undeniable, and is rendered still more evident by the present volume.

"But there is another circumstance which strongly recommends these poems to notice. They present a new literary phenomenon ; a poetical miscellany written by an American author; and what is still more pleasing to us, an American friendly to England and to genuine liberty." "Of the author's humour, we might produce as specimens, his burlesque sapphicks, in the style of the famous Needy Knife Grinder. The Vermont Pastoral is in a new style, and very illustrative of local manners; the allusions to which give an air of novelty to every part of the volume. Mr. Fessenden is seldom more successful than when he is satirizing the profligate democrats of America. His poems have afforded us much gratification." British Critick.

"We presume this writer to be an American; and, considering the state of literature in that country, his productions are quite as good as could be expected from one of its natives. His serious productions are, upon the whole, the best; still he is, by no means, destitute of humour." Critical Review.

"In a well written preface to this volume of poems, Mr. Fessenden makes some judicious remarks on the growing importance of America, in the scale of nations.

"The major part of these poems are humorous, and are principally worthy of attention for their accurate delineation of rustick manners in New England. The patriotick ode at the beginning of the volume has much merit; and the serious pieces that are inserted, afford a favourable specimen of the author's poetical talents, as well as of his political and moral principles." Anti-Facobin Review.

EXTRACTS FROM ENGLISH REVIEWS OF FORMER PUBLICATIONS BY THE AUTHOR OF THE FOREGOING ORIGINAL POEMS.

"Terrible Tractoration, a poetical petition against Galvanizing Trumpery, and the Perkinistick Institution," &c. -1st edition.

"These Hudibrastick lines have afforded us amusement. It is not too much to say, that the author is a legitimate branch of the Hudibras family, and possesses a vein of humour which will not be easily exhausted.

Literary Journal, for September, 1803.

After stating how far inferiour to Hudibras are the generality of modern imitators, the reviewers proceed, "To a charge of this nature the author of the present poem pleads not guilty. With the mantle of Butler he has likewise something of his inspiration, and has imitated him no less in his versification than in the spirit which supports it."

Monthly Register Review, for May, 1803.

"The author deals his blows around with such causticity, sparing neither friend nor foe, from the "indelible ink" of Dr. Lettsom, and the kindred "jangle of Matilda's lyre" to Dr. Darwin, tracing organized molecules from slaughtered armies to tribes of insects, and thence again to nobler animals, through the profoundest parts of the bathos, and the sublimest of the hupsos, that his real object cannot be always ascertained. We think him, however, the friend of the Tractors, and peculiarly severe on Dr. Haygarth and Dr. Lettsom. Our author's knowledge seems to be extensive; and he is by no means sparing of

his communications. His descriptions are animated and poetical."

Critical Review, for November, 1803.

"We must acknowledge that this poem has a considerable share of Hudibrastick drollery. The author is particularly happy in his ludicrous compounded rhymes, and has many other qualities to ensure no trifling success in doggrel verse." After a quotation from the work, the reviewers again mention its "ingenious burlesque," and "humorous notes."

British Critick, for May, 1803.

"These four Cantos of Hudibrastick verse, and the copious notes, contain much pointed satire and sarcastick animadversion, in the form and guise of ironical compliments, on the medical opposers of the Metallick Tractors " After a quotation from the work, they continue"The attack on some of the cruel and indecent experiments of certain modern naturalists, which seem limited to the gratification of a licentious curiosity, having for their object the production of no one possible practical good, is just and commendable: and indeed the author has not merely rhyme but frequently reason on his side."

Anti-Jacobin Review, for April, 1803.

"In the first Canto, the author, in an inimitable strain of irony, ridicules those pretended discoveries and inventions of certain pseudo-philosophers, both of the natural and moral class, which have no tendency to meliorate the condition of man." After many extracts from the work, and similar encomiums on each of the four Cantos, the reviewers conclude-" Whatever may be the merits of the Metallick Tractors, or the demerits of their oppo

nents, we have no hesitation to pronounce this performance to be far superiour to the ephemeral productions of ordinary dealers in rhyme. The notes, which constitute more than half the book, are not behind the verse in spirit. Who the author can be, we have not the least conception; but from the intimate acquaintance he discovers with the different branches of medical science, we should imagine him to be some jolly son of Galen, who not choosing to bestow all his arts upon his PATIENTS, has humanely applied a few ESCHAROTICKS for the benefit of his brethren."

Gentleman's Magazine for January, 1804.

The following are extracted from such reviews of the second London edition of Terrible Tractoration as have fallen within our notice.

"For a general character of this ingenious and truly humorous poem, we must refer our reader to Vol. XIV. of our review. The present edition is not merely a reprint of the former, but contains more than double the quantity of matter; and to its increased bulk its value bears a due proportion."

"The ludicrous animadversion on the gossamery theo. ries of the philosophistick Darwin, now forming a part of the third Canto, is entitled to praise; and though the extract is somewhat longer than we could wish, we are confident that our readers will derive much gratification from perusing it." The reviewers conclude this article by a quotation of several pages from the third canto of the poem.

Anti-Facobin Review, for August, 1804.

"In the second edition of this work the object of the author is more conspicuous: indeed it blazes with a lustre which leaves not the smallest foundation for doubt; and not confining himself to the Tractors, he aims his blows at many absurdities in the philosophy of medicine. Such, in fact, there are, and ridicule is, perhaps, the only weapon with which they can be attacked. Our author applies his Aagellation with no sparing hand.”

Critical Review, for January, 1804.

EXTRACTS FROM AMERICAN REVIEWS OF TERRIBLE

TRACTORATION.

"The satire and irony of the burlesque part (of Terrible Tractoration) are not employed solely against the enemies of the Perkinistick Institution, which it is his principal object to defend. In his excursive flight of poetry, and in the well written and amusing notes to his merry cantos, he has very successfully ridiculed many of the disciples of the new school, who, either by jacobin politicks, or atheistical philosophy, or perverted literature, have attempted to disturb the peace, and deface the felicity of mankind. The author, whom we know to be a disciple of the old school, and who has always proved himself an anti-gallican, anti-jacobinical and anti-fanatical partisan, has acquitted himself with great ability in that part of his work which is occupied in satirizing the upstart innovators of the time.” "We hope that the well principled wit, who has so severely lashed the foolish and the flagitious in the old world, will brandish his scourge against the culprits of the new."

The Port Folio, for August 18, 1804.