The Sixty-Third Volume of Dr. LARDNEit'S Cabinet Cyclopedia commences at
new subject—the Lives of the most Eminent Literary and The Sixty-Third Volume of Dr. LARDNEit'S Cabinet Cyclopedia commences at new subject—the Lives of the most Eminent Literary and Scientific Men, cf Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The volume before us is confined:to Italy ; and contains the biographies of DANTE, PETRARCH, BOUACCIO, A itiosTo, and MACH IAvELLI, besides several persons of lesser note. The materials of the writer seem to have been drawn from original sources ; he appears to be impartial ; and he has the good sense to perceive and appreciate the effects which the circumstances of the time produce upon the characters of those exposed to them. But his abilities are scarcely equal to the tusk he has undertaken, or they have rot yet been sufficiently disciplined. His arrangement is defective, his method inartiticial, and he is too much given to substitute disquisition for narrative. Some of the episodical essays, however, are pleasant ; the extracts from the original authorities are curious ; and the author's Criticisms upon his heroes for the most part just.
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