Mr. TAYLOR of Norwich has reprinted the first volume of
a col- lection of various papers on German Poetry, which had formerly appeared in some of the periodical works. Mr. TAYLOR is a stu- dent. Possessing extensive knowledge of his subject, and satisfied with the exercise of his taste in congenial pursuits, he scarcely takes pains enough to please others—except, indeed, in his translations ; and they also are too German for the English reader, not in lan- guage, but in spirit. This is, perhaps, only saying that he is too accurate a translator. The Historic Survey of German Poetry is misnamed : it should rather have been termed Historical and Bio- graphical Notices of various German Poets and their works. It is written on many different scales, and has no unity of design. It is; however, a valuable philosophical and poetical miscel- lany for all lovers of German literature. We respect Mr. TAYLOR as one of the genuine lovers of literature for its own sake : he is no book-maker : his own compositions are, as it were, thrown out in a course of study. He has never aimed at moulding and work- ing up his productions to some staring model which happened to attract the vulgar gaze of the day. All his qualities both literary and personal are sterling. This first volume is to be followed by two others.
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