cellent public charity, to appoint "proper perfons to instruct women in the practice of Midwifery, and pay them for their trouble, and alfo to maintain the Pupils while they are learning that bufinefs; as then their fellow creatures would be delivered from the unhappy confequences of their ignorance, A certificate, under the hand and feal of the Inftructor, that the is well qualified for her office, fhould be required of every one before the be allowed to practise ;-and the should not be obliged to get a licence from the Bifhop, as the custom now is, and which is her only qualification; because the Officers of his court are no Judges of her merit, nor do they pay any regard to it; for it is well known, that every one who applies, is fure to obtain a licence, not only in Midwifery, but in Phyfic and Surgery, on getting any certificate of recommendation ;and that not long ago, a very ignorant, illiterate Farrier and pretended Witchkiller, in Suffolk, obtained a licence from the Bishop's court in Norwich, to practise as a Surgeon and Apothecary.' POETICAL, Art. 14. A poetical Tranflation of the Fables of Phædrus, with the Appendix of Gudius, and an accurate Edition of the Original on the oppofite Page. To which is added, a Parfing Index for the Ufe of Learners. By Chriftopher Smart, A. M. fometime Fellow of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and Scholar of the Univerfity. 12mo. 3s. Dodfley. If the Fables of Phædrus were a proper book to put into the hands of children, for the purpose of inftructing them in the Latin language, this edition and tranflation by Mr. Smart, would deferve the preference; but, notwithstanding the inviting nature of the fubject, the book itself is very improper for the purpose above-mentioned: for the Latin, tho' extremely elegant, is by no means eafy. Great variety of phrafeology, and numerous tranfpofitions, occafioned by the metrical difpofition of the words, are the cause of this difficulty. But as too many of our Schoolmasters are equally ftupid and ignorant, fo we have known the Fables of Phædrus given to the youngeft Learners; confequently this tranflation may ftill be of use.-Of the manner in which it is executed, the following fable may ferve as a fpecimen. Then thus the lion, as he dy'd, • Giv'ft death at least a double fting. Art. 15. Miscellaneous Reflections: or an Evening's Meditation, a Poem. Addreffed to the Youth. By T. L. 4to. 1s. 6d. Richardson and Urquhart. This Evening's Meditation is a poor imitation of Dr. Young's Night-Thoughts; but our Author's twilight reflections are even more dark and obfcure than those of the Doctor at midnight. Art. 16. The Temple of Tragedy, a poctical Effay, 4to. IS. Burnet. This appears to be the effort of a young imagination, fmitten with the fine Phrenzy of Poetry, and ravished with the high enchantments of ancient Heroism and Druidism; but the Mufe has not yet acquired fufficient ftrength of wing, to dart from the Cambrian cliffs, or to pierce the groves of Mona. Art. 17. N°I. Of a Collection of felett, original, miscellaneous Poems. By Jofas Cunningham. Folio. Is. 6d. Jones. At the end of this pamphlet is the following advertisement. Thefe Mifcellanies will be published in ten Numbers, Price fifteen fhillings in Sets, or one fhilling and fix pence each Number.' If the Man be as poor as the Poet, he is a real object of charity, and as fuch we recommend him to the benevolence of the public. Art. 18. Verfes on the Approach of Peace. Written in December 1762. By L. Whitaker. Hull, printed; and fold by Horffield in London. There is fomething in these verses that inclines us to think better of the Author than we can of his performance. It would really be criminal in us to encourage an honeft, and especially a poor, man, to perfift in a mifapplication of his time and talents, only to increase the herd of Poetafters, with which the Pamphlet-fhops, the Magazines, the Chronicles, the Evening Pofts, the Advertisers, the Gazetteers, the Weekly Journals, and even the very Almanacks, are peftered. It is faid, a remedy has been found for the epidemical distemper among the cattle;we are forry that no one, in this noftrum-inventing age, has yet difcovered a cure for the poetical murrain, by which fo many of his Majefty's fubjects are totally loft-to fociety. Art. 19. An Elegy to the Memory of the Right Hon. William Earl of Bath. 4to. is. Nicoll. A fevere fatire on the memory of a very great man. But, whatever may be the merit of this mock-Elegy, as a poem,-whatever might be the failings of the noble perfon whofe character is here fo illiberally treated, it was certainly mean, and to the laft degree unmanly, thus to infult the ashes, and trample on the fame, of one whom death has rendered incapable of self-defence—It is from this circumstance only, that we are induced to pass without farther notice, a performance, the malignity of which must alone, render it highly obnoxious to every generous mind. Art. 20. Churchill Defended, a Poem. Addressed to the Minority. 4to. 2s. Flexney. Written by an Angel, who was hanged, and buried in a Fishing-town : • Gods! how I grow an Angel as I read!' * See, fee, the hangman comes to flop my breath." I've long been buried in a mean fish-town.' P. 10. ibid. P. 23. Art. 21. An Elegy on the Death of the late Rev. Mr. Charles Churchill. 4to. Is., Field. We apprehend, the poetical friends of the late Mr. Churchill would moft properly fhew their regard to his memory by their filence; and, at the fame time, his Antagonists would most effectually tetify their generofity by the fame means-Our patriotic Bard, however, who calls himself an inhabitant of a fuffering county, feems to have been actuated by the noble principles of Freedom, and the love of his country, as well as by a veneration for the deceased Bard, in the execution of his poem. But Melpomene fmiled not on his birth. Art. 22. The Wig, a burlesque-fatirical Poem. burlefque-fatirical Poem. By the Author of More Fun. 4to. 1s. 6d. Flexney. A droll account of the origin, power, and fignificance of the Wig, to which, as Dr. Young fays, fome are indebted for "A Name, "While either fhoulder has its fhare of fame." Thefe fportive fallies of the Mufe, are perfectly harmless at leaft; and as we live in an age whofe proper motto is vive la bagatelle, we shall e'en join the laughing chorus, and toast The Wig NOVELS. Art. 23. The Life and Adventures of Benjamin Brafs, an Irish Fortune-Hunter. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. Nicoll, Ben Brafs, an Helper in a Gentleman's ftables in Ireland, robs his mafter, flies to England, and depending on his perfonal qualifications, fets up for a Fortune-hunter. In this fcheme he is affifted by Fitzpatrick an Irish chairman, his coufin; and they both go through a number of low adventures, in the intriguing way till after being difappointed in all their schemes, Brafs finds himself in a jail, and the chairman is in almost as bad a fituation. The work is fo far of a moral caft, that villainy villainy is not crowned with fuccefs, but, on the contrary, meets with the deserved punishment. We can fay nothing farther in its recommendation, except that there is, in fome few parts of it, a little dafh of humour, particularly in the character and adventures of Fitzpatrick; whofe abfurdities, and droll mishaps, will fometimes raife a laugh, if the Reader is not too nice in his talle for rifibility, and does not happen to recollect, that the chairman is only a faint copy of Smollet's Tom Pipes. MISCELLANEOÙ S. Art. 24. Colonel Draper's Anfwer to the Spanish Arguments, claiming the Galleon, and refusing Payment of the Ranfom-bills for preferving Manila from Pillage, &c. c. 8vo. Is. Dodley. A masterly refutation of Spanish fubterfuge. What is now become of the boafted Punto of that nation? Poffibly, indeed, as Colonel Draper candidly fuggefts, the Court of Madrid hath been imposed on, by a partial reprefentation of the cafe, from the inhabitants of Manila. If fo, it is not to be doubted, but that either from the juftice of his moft Catholic Majefty, or the fpirited conduct of the British Adminiftration, or from a happy combination of both caufes, this important affair will be speedily fettled, to the entire fatisfaction of those brave injured men, who have fo long had their hard-earned reward with-held from them. The fubject of this difpute hath been fo much detailed in the news-papers, that it is needlefs for us to mention particulars. Art. 25. The Beauties of Nature and Art difplayed, in a Tour through the World. Arranged under the following Heads: A general Account of every Country, containing their Situation, Boundaries, Rivers, Air, Soils, Cities, Curiofities natural and artificial, Animals, Vegetables, Feffils, &c. &c. Remarkable Laws, Cuftoms and Traditions of the Inhabitants of each Country: Their Antiquities, Revolutions, Inventions, Difcoveries, Improvements, St. Extraordinary Inftances of Longevity, Fertility, Earthquakes, Inundations, Fires, and other public Calamities, &c. Illuftrated with many Copper-plates and Maps. Small 12m0. Vols. 11. 8s. bound. J. Payne. There can fcarce be a more agreeable or useful book than this pretty Collection, introduced into the libraries of juvenile Readers. How much more profitably would our young Ladies efpecially, employ their hours of amusement, in the perufal of fuch a compilation, than in turning over the worthlefs pages of the far greater part of our modern Memoirs, Adventures, &c. which ferve both to waste their time, and contaminate their minds! Art. 26. A Letter to the Fellows of Sion College, and to all the Clergy within the Bills of Mortality, and in the County of Middlefex, humbly propofing their forming themfelves into a Society for the Maintenance of the Widows and Orphans of fuch Clergymen. To which is added, a Sketch of fome Rules and Orders fuitable to that that Purpose. By Ferdinando Warner, L. L. D. Rector of Queenhithe, and Prefident of Sion College. 8vo. 6d. Davis and Reymers. The benevolent purpose which is the object of this Letter, can never be too warmly efpoufed, or too affiduously recommended; and it is more than strange, that while the Clergy in many other parts of the kingdom have formed themfelves into focieties, and established funds for the maintenance and fupport of their widows and orphans, thofe of London and Middlefex fhould have hitherto neglected an inftitution recommended by every argument of right œconomy and humanity. We are very fenfible, that many of thefe, by the profits of large preferments, or by the concurrence of temporal fortunes, are placed above the apprehenfion of want, even for their furviving families; but fhall they be remifs in the affair, becaufe it comes not home to their own bofoms? Are there not many of their lefs opulent brethren, who have need of their affiftance and activity in fo important a point-who have need of their weight to eftablish, and their liberality to encourage, fuch a scheme? Without doubt there are; and we earnestly recommend their caufe, not only to the wealthy of their own order, but of all ranks and denominations whatever. Since writing the above, we learn with pleasure, that several meetings of the Clergy have been held at Sion College, for the purpofes here recommended; that it hath been agreed to form a fociety on Dr. Warner's plan; and that a committee hath been appointed to carry the fame into execution. Art. 26. The Cracker; or Flashes of Merriment. humourous Fireworks, never played off before. Squib, Engineer. 12mo. Is. Williams. A Collection of The principal thing to be taken notice of in regard to this Cracker, is the bouncing fib which Mr. Squib has told in his title-page. Never played off before! Indeed, Mr. Squib they have, fifty times, for ought we know. The plain truth is this, we have here a collection of fuch jokes and puns (and fame of them fufficiently ftupid) as have been printed and re-printed, over and over again, in every Jeft-book we have feen, for many years paft, till they are become as ftale as a Bawd's pretenfions to piety, or an hackney political Author's zeal for the good of bis country. Art. 27. Annotations critical and grammatical on Chap. I. Ver. 114, of the Gospel according to St. John. Being part of a Work particularly defigned for the Ufe of young Perfons, as an Introduction to the Study of the Greek Teftament. To which is prefixed, a preliminary Difcourfe, exhibiting an eafy Method of Studying the Greek Language. By James Merrick, M. A. late Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford. 8vo. 6d. Newbery. When the labours of Annotators are contemplated, only in the minute, though toilfome, office, of diftinguishing the various fignifications of words, in analyzing the complex modes of construction, and making |