THE Essay was revised by the late Professor RICHARDSON; and is inscribed to his me mory. His professional labours and his writings are known. His private correspondence had many traits of friendly regard, of literary animadversion, and of religious faith, which often occupied his thoughts, with growing interest. His last labour was on the book of Job. A part of his last criticism is here subjoined. Review of an Essay on Bashfulness. It would seem that the Author, when he began the work, did not think of extending it to considerable length, but of executing a character, somewhat in the manner of Theophrastus or Bruyere; and therefore did not apprehend that lengthened regularity of order or design was necessary. Having come on a certain way, a new thought occurred; this accordingly was added: but this associated another, and another; and so it became an essay. The order, therefore, is not to he considered as studied, and to be tried by corresponding rules. It would be more methodical, first to ascertain and state the original principle; then mark and follow its effects, particularly its good effects, when fitly directed; and then as copiously its perversions, dwelling, perhaps, on these with useful enlargement; and subjoining the regi men or rules for obviating or correcting abuses and perversions. It is like laying out a piece of pleasure-ground: you form your walks, your parterres, your advances, and deviations: you then discover near you a nice little eminence which ought to be included: you do so; and from it you see at the bottom, a pretty winding stream, and so the enclosure is widened to take in this also. Anon comes an improver, a capability man, and he tells you, Sir, you ought at the beginning to have stood on this height, and to have looked around you: you would then have discovered the relations and bearings of parts to one another; you would thus have united them by one principle; you would, so to say, have composed them, and made of them a complete whole. The reviewer would advise a reformation of the work: and whether the sense of shame be assumed as the principle; or that wonderful tendency in the human mind to form an ideal standard of excellence, in morals as well as in the works of art; or whatever else may be the origin of bashfulness, let that be determined, and let its progress either to the right hand or the left, be, directly or indirectly in its various mazes, traced and illustrated. But taking the design as it is presented to us, and as possessing the interesting merit of disclosing the essayist's mind, and association of thoughts, in the very act of invention aud detail, let us consider the execution, and this must chiefly regard the style and language. These also are apparently influenced by the model which at first he thought of following. The short sentences, the abruptness, the desultory connection or inconnection of thoughts, and examples or illustrations, remind us of the writers in the Greek and French languages, above mentioned. The stile in this respect is duly appropriate but for a lengthened, the American dialect would say lengthy performance, there is an abruptness which gives too great an appearance of incoherence. The Author |