The Monthly Review, from January to Apil Inclusive

The Monthly Review, From January To Apil Inclusive. This issue surveys recent history, drama, biography, education, and public discourse with a strong moral-political emphasis on national identity and reform. It opens with Ward on the Revolution of 1688, a critical examination of revolutionary principles and public opinion that defends free discussion and ongoing governance reform while weighing fears of upheaval. The Drama section reviews Kennedy and Bulwer's plays: The Siege of Antwerp, set in 1584, and The Lady of Lyons, praised for moral clarity though noted for its lack of spectacular theatre. The Life and Correspondence of John Earl St. Vincent (Brenton) offers a substantial biographical sketch of Admiral Jervis, highlighting discipline and humane leadership. Elizabeth I and Her Times (Wright) collects Elizabeth’s private correspondence to illuminate prudent, strategic statecraft. Notable notices cover poetry, education, law, history, and criticism. The Local Summaries present bibliographic scholarship on libraries, the Scottish Reformation, physiology, railways, copyright, and standardization, all framed as part of a broader rhetoric of reform and civilization.