Art. 32. Real Characters, and genuine Anecdotes. Interspersed with fome fugitive miscellaneous Pieces of the best modern Authors and Poets. Izmo. 2 s. Bingley.

A jeft-book for both the great vulgar and the small.

Art. 33. Remarks on a Paffage from the River Balife, in the Bay of Honduras, to Merida, the Capital of the Province of Jucatan, in the Spanish Weft-Indies. By Lieut. Cook, ordered by Sir William Burnaby, Rear-admiral of the Red, in Jamaicà, with Difpatches to the Governor of the Province, relative to the Logwood Cutters in the Bay. 8vo. 1 s. C. Parker.

Mr. Cook was fent on this errand in the year 176;. In his paffage, and journey through the country, the attentive Lieutenant made fuch obfervations as may be useful to mariners and travellers; and fome of them, though not written with elegance, will be entertaining to readers in general.

Art. 34. The Works of the Marchionefs de Lambert. A new Edition, from the French. 12mo. 2 Vols. os. Owen. 179.

We fuppofe this to be the fame translation that was printed fome years ago, in one duodecimo.

Art. 35. Memoirs of Ofney-Abbey, near Oxford. Collected from the most authentic Authors; together with various Obfervations and Remarks. By John Swaine, Efq; 8vo. I S. Harris.

Ofney-Abbey was formerly one of the principal monafteries in the kingdom; but now there is not, it feems, fo much as a stone of it remaining. Mr. Swaine, however, unwilling that the memory of it fhould perifh with the building, has here collected, from Dugdale, Hutton, Willis, &c. fuch particulars of its foundation, endowments, and diffolution, as are to be found in the writings of thofe eminent antiquaries. Thefe particulars he has digefted, with a due regard to method; and has interfperfed among them fuch reflections of his own as naturally arofe from the subject.

Art. 36. The Philofophy of Words, in two Dialogues between the Author and Crito; containing an Explanation, with various Specimens, of the first Language, and thence of all Diale&s, and the rinciples of Knowledge; a Lexicon of difficult Names and Pafjages in the Bible, and ancient Authors; and a Plan for an Univerfali hilofophical Language. By Rowland Jones. gvo. 2 S. Dodfley, &c.

We never meet with the wonderful compofitions of this zealous Labourer in the mines of myfticifm and verbal antiquities, without recollecting the noted epigram,

Pox on't, quoth TIME to THOMAS HEARNE,

Whatever I forget you learn!

NOVEL S.

Art. 37. The Hiftory of Emily Montague. By the Author of Lady Julia Mandeville. 4 Vols. 12mo. 10 s. fewed. Dodiley. 1769. The very ingenious Mrs. Brooke has, in this work, exhibited an inftance of heroic love on the banks of the river St. Laurence, in Canada;

Q4

nada; but the remoteness of the scene of action does not affect the characters, which are thofe of English officers and English ladies: it however affords the Writer an opportunity of introducing feveral curious and juft defcriptions of the country, the Indian natives, and the French fettlers; and thus, agreeably to decorate a fhort story which has nothing extraordinary in it;-it being ufual, in novels, to find difinterefted affection moit unexpectedly, and mott amply rewarded. Art. 38. Female Comftancy; or the Hifiory of Mifs Arabella Waldegrave. Izmo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. Davies.

The fidelity of these lovers is almoft miraculous; especially that of the hero; whofe conflancy feems to have as good a right to be celebrated in the title-page, as that of the lady :-but, it was juft as the Author pleafed. For the reft, we need only add, that the ftory of Mifs W. may be confidered as an affecting reprefentation of the difficulties and dangers to which a young woman may be expofed, who, through misfortune, or imprudence, is deprived of the protection of her friends.

Art. 39. Two Novels, in Letters. By the Authors of Henry and Frances. In Four Volumes. The first and fecond, entitled, The Delicate Difirefs, by Frances; the third and fourth, entitled, The Gordian Knot, or Dignus Vindice Nodus, by Henry. 12mo. IO S.. fewed. Becket. .

This loving pair of Authors feem extremely fond of repeating the experiments made by Sternhold and Hopkins, and Beaumont and Fletcher, to prove that Pegafus, however mettlefome and prancing a tit he is thought to be, will fometimes ftoop to the fober drudgery of carrying double. So, whenever Henry has a mind for an airing on the double-top'd hill of Phocis, Frances, forfooth, muit get upon the pillion, and away they trot, as

Social, fond, and billing,

As William and Mary on a fhilling,

In this jaunt, however, for the frolic's fake, Madam Frances mounts before, and Matter Henry, we fee, is got behind: reminding us, by their appearance, of the two riders at a Skimmington.--But let 'em e'en fettle it as they like: turn and turn about, perhaps, is the fcheme and next time Henry may take the reins.

To drop thefe allufions-this joint publication, as the Reader has feen above, is divided into two diftinét Novels. In The Delicate Diftress, Mrs. Griffith, whofe productions we have occafionally recommended to the public, has told us an interesting tale, embellished with an agreeable variety of characters; the Reader's attention is kept awake by fome very affecting incidents; and the letters, in general, are written in natural, eafy language.

In The Gordian Knot, Mr. G. under the affumed name of Henry, gives us, as his title-page may feem to import, a more complicated and more elaborate, but lefs fprightly and lefs pleasing history

See, befides the Letters of Henry and Frances, The Platonic Wife, School for Rakes, Tranflation of the Letters of Ninion de L'Enclos,

&c. &c.

233

Novel-writing, in short, does not appear to be the gentleman's talent; but he is a good moralift, and a man of fenfe. We therefore hope he will, for the future, make a more proper use of his literary

abilities.

POLITICAL.

Art. 40. The Free-Briton's Memorial, to all the Freeholders, Citizens, and Burgefjes, whe elect the Members of the British Parliament, preJented in order to the effectual Defence of their injured Right of Election. 4to. I S.

Williams.

Administration is not only arraigned in this Memorial, on account of the Middlesex election, but for the late unfortunate proceedings with regard to the colonies. This is a warm writer; but he has fome obfervations which deferve the Reader's cool reflection.

Art. 41. The True Intention of Dr. Mufgrave's Addrefs to the Freebolders of Devonshire. 8vo. IS. Robinson and Roberts.

Represents the affair of Mufgrave's Addrefs, as all a vile plot-the wicked machination of a daring and defperate party,—and that there has been a fecret understanding between D'Eon and the Doctor, who have acted in concert, in order to amufe the credulous public, and ferve the purposes of a diabolical faction. This does not, at prefent, feem very probable.

Art. 42. Pafquin, a new allegorical Romance on the Times: with the Fortyfivead, a burlefque "oem. Published by the Editor, Thomas Rowe, Efq; 12mo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. Bladon.

A fatirical reprefentation of the conduct of Wilkes and the Wilkites; written in a strange fuftian style, and breathing a molt rancorous fpirit against the popular party. Wilkes a Devil! Churchill a Devil! Horne a Devil!-BUTE, WEYMOUTH, GRAFTON, &c. Angels of Light!For the Author, let his Readers pronounce.

Art. 43. A Letter from a Member of Parliament to one of his Conflituents, on the late Proceedings of the House of Commons in the Middlejex Elections. With a Pofticript, containing fome Obfervations on Cafe of the late Election for the County of Middlesex confidered." 1 he 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Hingefton.

We confider this as the most argumentative piece that hath yet appeared on the popular fide of this very important queftion. If the minifterial writers cannot invalidate the Author's reafoning, they must give up the point; and the conftitutional rights of the collective body of the people will for ever remain triumphant.

The animadverfions in the poftfcript, on the pamphlet entitled The Cafe*, &c. highly merit the attention of the ingenious writer of the laft-mentioned performance.

Art. 44. Vox Populi Vox Dei. Lord Weymouth's Appeal to a General Court of India Proprietors confidered.

and Urquhart.

4to. 6d. Richardfon

Contains fome very ftriking remarks on the probable ill confequences of admitting the king's officers to interfere in the proceedings of the East India company. In the greater national view, likewife, he ftrongly intimates the danger of opening the treasures of the eaftern world to the crown [i. e. the miniftry] of Great Britain.-It is the work of a fenfible and folid Writer, (to us utterly unknown) whofe experience in the conduct of the company's affairs in the Eaft, appears to have enabled him to form a right judgment of their true in

terests.

POETICA L.

Art. 45. Hymns, adapted to Divine Worship: In two Books. Book I. Derived from felect Paffages of Holy Scriptures. Book II. Written on facred Subjects and particular Occafions. Partly collected from various Authors, but principally compofed by Thomas Gibbons, D. D. 12mo. 3 s. Buckland, 1769.

Of the numerous compofitions of this kind, by writers of different perfuafions among us, thefe, by Dr. Gibbons, are not the meanest, though we cannot rank them with the hymns of Addison or Watts.

Art. 45. An Ode upon de 'icating a Building, and erecting a Statue, to Shakespeare, at Stratford upon Avon. By D. G. 4to. Is. 6d. Eecket.

This ode, though not intended as a mere vehicle for mufic, fhould not be brought to the teft of fevere criticifm, as a literary performance intended for the difpaffionate leifure of the clofet.

The Author wrote part of it for his own elocution, and part for mufic; for thofe parts which, in compofitions of the like kind, have been condemned to be neither fung nor faid, in what is called Recitative, he fpoke; which, as may easily be imagined, produced a very great

effect.

He is known to be peculiarly happy in catching and improving hints from local and temporary circuinitances, and, perhaps, the ode before us is the greateit example of this rare felicity that he ever gave; fo that, taking it for all in all, it may be the best that could poffibly have been produced upon the occafion.

One inftance of the Author s fkill appears in the beginning of this performance. Shakespeare is not named till the 30th verfe, yet every preceding line contributes to his being there named with advantage.

To what Genius,' fays he,' fhall Gratitude erect the temple and the statue? does not the heart confefs its lord! It is he who trod the flowery margin of the Avon, while Nature directed his path, and fportive Fancy, in wanton circles, flew round him: but before our joy breaks out in the fafcinating trains of mufic, let Silence, for a moment, hold us in awful fufpence; then let Rapture fweep the frings,

and

and Fame, with all her tongues, pronounce SHAKESPEARE! SHAKESPEARE! SHAKESPEARE!'

The repetition of the name, fo long deferred, and the immediate joining in of other voices and mufic, produced the effect he intended, and gratified his utmost hope.

In the prologue which Mr. Garrick spoke when he first became a patentee, and which was written by his celebrated friend Mr. Samuel Johnson, are these verses:

"Fach scene of many-colour'd life he drew,
Exhaufted worlds and then imagin'd new,
Exiftence faw him fcorn her bounded reign,

And panting Time toil'd after him in vain.

This thought is happily adopted in the ode, and is in fome meafure made new by contrafting Shakespeare with Alexander:

Tho' Philip's fam'd unconquer'd fon,
Had ev'ry blood-ftain'd laurel won;
He figh'd that his creative word,
(Like that which rules the fkies,)
Could not bid other nations rife,
To glut his yet unfated sword:

But when our Shakespeare's matchless pen,
Like Alexander's fword, had done with men ;

He heav'd no figh, he made no moan,

Not limited to human kind,

He fir'd his wonder- teeming mind,

Rais'd other worlds, and beings of his own!

The Author then wishes for one fpark of Shakespear's 'mufe of fire,'

that he might tell

How fitting on his magic throne,
Unaided and alone,

In dreadful ftate,

The fubject paffions round him wait;

Who tho' unchain'd, and raging there,

He checks, inflames, or turns their mad career;

With that fuperior skill,

Which winds the fiery fteed at will,

He gives the awful word

And they, all foaming, trembling, own him for their lord.

With thefe, his flaves, he can controul,

Or charm the foul;

So realiz'd are all his golden dreams,

Of terror, pity, love, and grief,

Tho' confcious that the vifion only feems,

The woe-ftruck mind finds no relief.

In thefe lines there is great ardour of imagination; and the Author was not at leifure to confider that he attributed to all the paffions what could be proper or true only with respect to fome; or that the paffions which fhould have been exhibited on this occafion, are thofe which the Poet excites, rather than thofe he reprefents. Raging, is a ft word to fignify the excefs of jealoufy, hatred, or indignation; but

not