tle as have ventured to trespass on forbidden ground. In imitation of our betters, by inftituting a formal court of criticifin, we have, indeed, inclofed what was once a common field ; but then, in return, we have allotted an equivalent to the tenants of Parnaffus, in the articles of falutary advice and indulgent feverity. If, like vigilant magiftrates, we are unwilling to clothe and feed such as do not belong to us, yet we never refuse to grant protection to all who have a right to claim it, as well as paffes to aliens, which generally are effectual in conducting them till they reach their proper fettlements at the Chandler's or Paftry-cook's fhops. The two volumes before us, we have perufed at the expence of no small degree of patience, that we might, if poffible, difcover fomething worth a recommendation to our readers, tho' our time has been miferably thrown away; as they are, indeed, filled with the most tame and infipid 'series of lines we ever remember to have perused. Many are the remarks that we have already made to the difadvantage of mediocrity in verfe. The ingenious mechanic, who has a difcovery to lay before the world, may render it ufeful, though he should not difclofe his meaning with felected elegance of expreffion; but in defcriptive poetry especially, the cafe is different. If the writer is neither poffeffed of graceful language, or warmth of imagination, what degree of merit can his performances challenge? The foul which fhould animate his numbers being wanting, a cold mafs of words is all that remains, and the only difcrimination between fuch performances and profe, is found in an artificial arrangement of the lines, and a scanty diftribution of matter. Mr. G. S. Carey might have fpared himself the trouble of in forming us, that the acting manager of Drury-Lane Theatre gave him many reasons why his Nut-Brown Maid, (a dramatic piece, which begins the firft volume of this collection,) would not do for the ftage. At the fame time, however, we are pleased to find him fpeaking of that gentleman, (contrary to the practice of rejected authors) in terms of the highest refpect and gratitude. In fhort, as Mr. Carey has avoided every subject that in the leaft favours of indelicacy or immorality, we cannot better characterize his Analects, than by borrowing Apemantus's answer to Timon, who asking him how he likes a picture he replies the better for the innocence.' 19. The Recruiting Serjeant, a Mufical Entertainment; as it is performed at the Theatre-Royal, in Drury-Lane. s. Griffin. The author of this piece concludes an advertisement prefixed to it, with the following fentence. As to the words Hh 2 being being calculated merely for the ufe of the compofer, the aur thor hopes, in that light only they will be confidered." Such are the frequent compliments paid to the mufical ears of our modern audiences, for whofe fake, it fhould feem, that all ftage-productions are made a ftudy for the eye, but a holiday for the understanding. We muft, however, do our author the juftice to fay, that the words of this entertainment are good enough to be broken on the wheel of music. 20. The Portrait, a Burletta. As it is acted at the Theatre; Royal, in Covent-Garden. 15. Becket. This performance, as the preface to it informs us, is built on a French piece, entitled, Le Tableau Parlant, which has frequently been exhihited on the Theatre Italien, at Paris, with confiderable applaufe. The tranflator, or new modeller, has no reason to complain that it has been lefs favourably received on our stage. We cannot, however, help wifhing, that Mr. Shuter's face could have accompanied the piece, for the enter tainment of thofe who have no opportunities of feeing it performed with the decorations of fcenery and music. 21. King Arthur; or the British Wortby: a Mafque. By Mr. Dryden; with Alterations. 8vo. 15.. Davies. Though the Mafque of king Arthur is not to be numbered among the first-rate pieces of this celebrated poet, yet it is enriched in every part by a vein of poetry, running, indeed, fometimes thin, but never totally loft, amidst the hurry with which he was compelled to work the mine. Many touches of a mafter's hand are vifible in the characters of Philidel and Grimbald, his aerial and earthy fpirits, as well as in the defcriptions with which the whole performance is not sparingly adorned. The machinery of the enchanted wood is almost wholly borrowed from Taflo; and, indeed, the piece it. felf is rather to be confidered as a vehicle for fcenery and mufic, than as a regular dramatic reprefentation. We have seen it, as it is now altered and performed, with pleafure. Though we are not very fond of having our old bards new modelled, in compliance with the prefent tafte, which promifes fairly to exile poetry from the theatres, that room may be made for what is called in ftage-language, Bufinefs; yet we canhot withhold our thanks from the managers, on account of the entertainment which both our eyes and ears have received on this occafion and we, heartily, with them fuccefs proportionable to the expence which they have incurred, and the taste they have fhewn in this very fplendid exhibition. : 22. The Reapers; or the Englishman out of Paris; an Opera. 8vo, Is. 6d. Carnan. What follows is the author's advertisement to the reader. 6 The The following fcenes (with the exception of one or two of them) are a translation, or rather an imitation, of a piece, entitled, Les Moiffonneurs, published at Paris, 1768, with this approbation annexed to it. [By order of the vice chancellor, I have read Les Moiffonneurs. Had no other entertainments, been ever represented on our theatres but fuch as this, the opinion of the dangerous tendency of frequenting them, had never been afferted; but moralifts, even the most fevere, would have employed the fame zeal in exhorting us to repair thither, which they now show to prevent our appearing there.] 'Such was the testimony borne to the original in France; and, it is hoped, that (whatever elfe the damage) the purity of it has not fuffered; nor the aim of its author been counteracted in the tranflation.' We must obferve, that this commendation is of the fame kind as the following would prove, should any foreign President of a College of Phyficians give his fanction to fome wholfome flop invented by an old woman. [By order of the College of Physicians, I have taken a fup of your water-gruel. Had no other remedies been ever fold on the ftages of mountebanks but fuch as this, the opinion of the dangerous tendency of taking them had never been afferted; but even the most severe of the faculty would have employed the fame zeal in exhorting us to fwallow them, which they now fhew to prevent us from making any use of them at all.'] Such was the teftimony borne to this innocent medicine abroad; and, it is hoped, that '(whatever elfe the damage)' the advertisement in its praife has not suffered, nor the aim of the author who drew it up, been counteracted in this parody of fered by the Critical Reviewers. In this tranflated or imitated piece, feveral fcenes are rendered almost unintelligible, by an attempt to exhibit provincial dialects and ruftic pronunciation, as the following fpecimen from the Prologue may ferve to show. Sarvant, Surs,- -an' yau foine leadies, (That's reight,whats next tho' I, I, I,-&c. I think thay're caald-no Alexzondurs? What ear, accuftomed to harmony, muft not be fhocked with fuch ftudied barbarity of expreffion? The fifth of thefe lines contains a truth to which every reader of this piece will readily fubfcribe. Hh 3 23. Goa farming reader it is the work of Mr. William White : having examined the hypothefes of former writers on the subject, all of whom attribute the afcent of vapours to heat, as the chief and primary agent, he rejects that idea; and fuppofes it to be owing to the power of the air as a menftruum capable of diffolving, fufpending, and intimately mixing the particles of water with itfelf. The idea is ingenious, and the arguments used to confirm it are powerful. He deduces from his theory fome obfervations that are applicacle to agriculture. Some lands naturally moift, though they may appear dry to a fuperficial obferver, are found to encourage the growth of particular plants without the trouble of watering. The cultivator immediately gives it as an infallible rule, that fuch plants need not that affiftance, in which he is foon followed by others, glad to fave the trouble and expence. In confequence of which another farmer plants in land naturally dry. The crop for want of its proper moisture, difappoints his expectation; he wonders at the effect, but never reflects upon the caufe. We fhall instance this in the culture of cabbages. Mr. Young, in his Northen Tour, informs us that Mr. Scroope planted this vegetable in the great drought of 1765, without watering, and is pofitive that it is a needlefs trouble. He is followed by Mr. Crowe and Mr. Turner; the mar quis of Rockingham, Mr. Elle: ker, and Mr. Tucker, on the contrary, found the advantage of watering in dry feafons. I fhall not hesitate to fay that both thefe opinions, though capable of misleading the ignorant farmer, are justly founded, the difference proceeding from the natural drynefs and moisture of the refpective lands. Two clofes tho' contiguous, the one shall be found; compofed of a very moift and wet foil; the other to as great an extreme, dry and parched. Nay, different parts of the fame field are often found in this refpect to vary greatly in their natures; nor is this always indicated by external appearances.' The following is an admirable obfervation, and ought to be well attended to by every practical farmer. Befides the methods in common ufe, I would vifit my ground in a hot fummer's day a little before fun fet, carefully obferve in what parts a mift or fog first appears; this will always be, ceteris paribus, over the part or parts where there is the greatest moisture, and will be the more distinctly feen in proportion to the greater heat of the preceding dry. The fame obfervation may be made in a fummer's morning about fun rife; for the damper the ground, the longer the mifs will be feen fufpended over it.' The third Effay contains a letter from Mr. Halliday of Lancafhire, defcribing a new kind of barley from Siberia; the account is extremely curious, and gives great reafon to fuppofe, it will be of general ufe. The fourth Effay is on potatoes; which is defigned to re-. commend the culture of them in hillocks, for the admiffion of the fun's rays. All we have to remark on it is, that it is a fub ject tertain no doubt but that juftice will be administered by our lawyers, and the happiness of our people confulted by thofe who make new ftatutes, or continue the old ones in force. A man who writes under the preffure of heavy debts, is but a partial referee in his own caufe. Though he may be allowed to feel the calamity of long imprisonment more than another, who investigates the fame fubjects at eafe and liberty, yet it must be remembered that the latter is lefs likely to take the advantage of fallacious arguments than the former. The more desperate the fituation of a prifoner becomes, the more daring he grows in his expedients to break the fetters which he can no longer fupport with equal temper and decent fubmiffion to that punishment, which chance or imprudence has brought upon him. This pamphlet begins with an ironical dedication to our prefent lord chief justice, which, though it can reflect no difhonour on him, is but an unchriftian-like prologue to a performance which bears the title of a fermon. The dedication is followed by a preface, avowedly written by Mr. Stephen, the author of Confiderations on Imprisonment for Debt, which we flightly reviewed in September laft. We fay flightly, becaufe it did not deferve a more laborious confideration. We are nevertheless willing to fubmit a propofal, contained in the prefent work, to the opinion of our readers; though we fhall leave it to fpeak for itfelf, and meet with fuccefs, or mifs it, as more adequate judges than ourfelves fhall determine. I will therefore conclude with wishing that the vile brutal cuftom of confining our fellow-creatures may be immediately abolished, and that we may adopt the meafures of the greatest and wifeft nation on earth, the Dutch, in their, regulation concerning those who may be not able, either directly or ultimately, to pay their debts; which I will relate in the concisest way I am able, hoping fome who are better acquainted with the policy of that country, will favour the public with a fuller illustration of this important fubje&. The very firft bill or demand a trader in that country is unable to pay, he carries his books, which he must have at all times clear and regular, to a committe of merchants, (not of ignorant commiffioners like ours) appointed by the States for that very purpofe, for examination. If thefe mercantile judges, who thoroughly understand bufinefs. find that the ftop is owing to overtrading, and that there is likely to be no deficiency in the end, the man has time given him to fettle his affairs, and bring home his effects, during which period, though he can fue others, none dare attack him. If there is a deficiency, yet when it can be pointed out to have happened by accidents, and unavoidable misfortunes, his affairs remain in his own hands, and under his own direction, till he can pay fuch a dividend as the judges order him, from infpection into his affairs, to make, and he is in the mean time to remain unmolested by any procefs at law, as in the former cafe; nor do they strip him of all his effects, but leave him some small matter to begin the world with anew. • When Hh 4 |