Companion to the Planifpherical Planetarium: to which is prefixed an Elementary Introduction to the Sciences of Aftronomy and Geography: in a concife and comprehenfive Treatife on the Solar Syftem. Forming a Preparatory Assistant to the Study of the Globes, adapted to the Abilities, and designed for the Instruction of Youth. Elmfley, Clarke, &c. 1797. 101 pages 8vo. HIS Book is intended (as the Title Texpreffes) to illuftrate a large En graving, which the Inventor calls a Planifpherical Planetarium, or Reprefentation, in plano, of that interefting part of the Solar Syftem which includes the Orbit of our Earth. The defign is certainly a useful one, to fhew the manner in which the moon revolves round the earth as its particular center, and both together round the fun as their joint center, producing the variation of feafon; alfo the mode of the earth's rotation on its axis, by which is caufed the fucceffion of day and night. The Author (who, by the fignature affixed to a Dedication to Mr. Adam Walker, the Lecturer in Philofophy, we find to be a Mr. F. B. Watson) seems to have been impreffed with an idea, certainly rational enough, that practical leffons from vifible objects take fafter hold on the young mind, and are more effectual in demonftrating facts, than written or oral reprefentation; and to have been thence led to give a delineated view of the relative pofitions of our planet, as being more intelligible to the tyro than the ufual mode of beginning to instruct by the globe. To facilitate Obfervations in Defence of a Bill lately brought into Parliament for erecting the Corporation of Surgeons of London into a College, and for granting and confirming to fuch College certain Rights and Privileges: including a Sketch of the Hiftory of Surgery in England. By Thos. Chevalier, A. M. a Member of the Corporation. 8vo. Johnson. 2s. 6d. A candid and fatisfactory defence of thofe Members of the Corporation of Surgeons who promoted the late unfuccessful application to Parliament; an application which appears to have been defenfible on the grounds of utility, expediency, and propriety, and which ill deferved the illiberal oppofition it met with. The powers which were folicited for were only fuch as had already been granted to lefs refpe&table focieties, and fuch as appear little liable to abuse. On a future application, when the reasons are more fully 3 the task to thofe who come quite unpre pared to the study of Aftronomy and Geography, is the object of the Elementary Introduction, which occupies 72 pages of the Book, and is written in a style as fimple, perhaps, as the nature of the fubject would admit. It affords much ufeful information respecting both the before-mentioned fciences, and explains with regard to the Engraved Planetarium, that as a fubftitute for real motion in defcribing the revolution of the earth, twelve of its pofitions are reprefented, being thofe on the particular days of its entrance into the refpective figns of the zodiac. From our recollection of Mr. Walker's Eidouranion, and the obligations which in his Dedicatory Epiftle the Author profeffes to owe to that Gentleman, the prefent work appears to us to have been defigned to ferve at once as a preparation for the study of the globes, and as a graphical reprefentation and explanation of that ingenious tranfparent piece of mechanism invented by Mr. Walker. We think both the Treatife and the Engraving likely to be useful affiftants to the inceptive efforts of a young ftudent. J. understood than they appear to have been, we cannot doubt that the Bill will pafs into a Law. Mr. Chevalier difcuffes the objects he has in view with temper and intelligence, and rescues the leaders in the late application from the obloquy unmeritedly caft on them in a place where more decency might have been expected. The hiftory of Surgery in this pamphlet may be perufed with pleasure by readers who are not of the faculty. Moral Biography, or the Worthies of England displayed: containing the Lives of Perions eminently distinguished for their Virtues and Talems. Defigned for the Use of private Families and public Schools. 12mo. Sael. 2s. 6d. The defign of this Work is deferving of more praife than the execution of it. Some of the lives, as Beckford, Kippis, Sancho, &c. arc are hardly intitled to the rank in which they are placed; efpecially when it is recollected, fuch men as Boyle, Clarke, Tillotson, and other great names, are totally omitted. Where Gainsborough, who had great merit, obtains a place, it fhould not be to the exclufion of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who had a better title. Nor where General Wolfe appears, fhould the Duke of Marlborough be looked for in vain. The Work, however, may be useful to younger readers, though the felection might certainly be much improved. An Address to the Nation, fhewing the Neceffity of forming an armed Association, in Confequence of the Conspiracy of the Republicans in Ireland to fubvert the Conftitution. 8vo. Sewell. 25. This Author undertakes to give a fhort account of the conftitution and spirit of the Irish Confpiracy, from the Reports of the two Houfes of Parliament of that kingdom. He then fhews, we think to a demonstration, that the fame plot is going on in Great Britain: the leaders in both kingdoms pursuing the fame ends, and acting with the most entire co-operation; fo that they may be confidered as engaged in the fame confpiracy in different parts of the empire. How this affects the interefts of fociety in general, and fome different claffes and fections of it in particular, is then pointed out; and the measures thefe great intereits call upon us to embrace are ultimately confidered. This pamphlet is well written, and contains much impor.ant information. Remarks on the pofthumous Works of the late Right Honourable Edmund Burke, and on the Preface published by bis Executors the Doctors French Laurence and Walker King. 8vo. Debrett. The Writer of this pamphlet (who is probably Major Scott) queftions the propriety of the eulogium pronounced on Mr. Burke by his Executors, and alfo the propriety of his receiving from Government fo large a remuneration as he obtained just before his death, as being above any fervices he had performed. He appears alfo to doubt fome of the facts adduced by thofe Gentlemen, particularly that very extraordinary one of Mr. Burke's inheriting a fortune of 20,000l. which fo ill agrees with his writing for bookfellers, apparently for fubfiftence. Mr. Burke is now no more. He was, like other men, not without failings, of which this Author has pointed out many. He was, however, one whofe like we fhall not fee foon: we therefore with his faults to be forgotten. The Invincible Island, a Poem, with introductory · Obfervations on the prefent War. By Percival Stockdale. 8vo. Clarke. 25. 1797. A vigorous and fpirited call to Great Britain to unite in a general defence of our lives, liberties, religion, and property, threatened by a ferocious and unprincipled enemy, whose infulting menaces, we truft, will be frustrated, and their efforts rendered abortive by the valour and unanimity of the Nation at large. If true to ourselves, we need have no apprehenfions from the vain boatings of our foe, however they may vapour and threaten. A Difcourfe preached at the Parish Church of Manaccan, on Sunday, Aug. 27, 1797, in Confequence of two melancholy Events. By the Rev. Richard Polwbele. 8vo. 1797. Cadell and Davies. The two melancholy events alluded to in the title page of this Difcourfe were a violent ftorm of thunder and lightning, which happened the 18th of August, and did much damage, and the murder of a person of a refpectable family, in the execution of his office of furveyor of the highways, by a Mr. Polwhele, adneighbouring farmer. verting to the uniform practice of our Savicur, in impreffing on his hearers falutary admonitions from recent occurrences, takes occafion, from Luke xii. v. 4 and 5, to warn his hearers against prefuming to judge harfhly of those who are preffed by the hand of misfortune, and at the fame time admonishes them to avoid the miferies attendant on the indulgence of paffion. The defign and the execution of this Difcourfe are equally commendable. It were to be wished that the practice was more often followed. VOL. XXXIII. JAN. 1798. Ꮐ THEATRICAL THEATRICAL JOURNAL. DECEMBER 14. HE CASTLE SPECTRE, a Dra Ofmond, in attempting to affaffinate his elder brother Reginald, has murdered his fifter-in-law Evelina, with whom he was in love. Reginald, and his infant daughter Angela, are believed to have perished allo; but Olmond's fteward, Kenric, has prevailed on his mafter to fpare the child's life, and to fuffer her to be brought up in a peafant's cottage. Kenric has alfo preferved Reginald, in order to have an hold over Ofnend, but keeps him confined in a dungeon, whofe entrance is known only to himlf. Percy, Earl of Northumberland, falls in love with Angela; this alarms Olmond, who removes her to his own cattle, and is captivated with her beauty as much as he had been with that of her mother. At this period the Play begins. Percy arrives at Conway in purfuit of his miftrefs. Father Philip, Ofmond's houfeprieft, is in the intereft of the lovers, and after various preliminary incidents effects Angela's elcape; but in her flight through a fubterraneous paffage, accident conducts her to her father's prifon; here alfo Olmond, who has difcovered his brother's concealment, arrives for the purpofe of murdering Reginald; but at the moment that he railes his arm to stab him, the Ghoft of Evelina throws herfelt before Reginald; Ofinond ftarts back, and dropping his fword, Angela feizes the opportunity to plunge the dagger in his boiom. The imagination rather than the judgment is influenced. In character or fentiment there is no novelty, but incident and fituation are produced with great effect. The introduction of the aerial Being feems unneceflary; but it cannot be denied but the filence and gestures of the Ghoft operate very forcibly on the audience. The tortures of guilt are well difplayed, and nothing in the Drama is to be found unfavourable to morality. 19. BRITAIN'S BRAVE TARS, or ALL FOR ST. PAUL'S, a mufical Farce, by Mr. O'Keefe, was acted the firit time at Covent Garden. This flight performance, referring to their Majesties' attendance at St. Paul's, was acted only twice. It is too unimportant to deferve further notice. 26. HARLEQUIN AND QUIXOTE, or THE MAGIC ARM, a Pantomime, by Mr. Crois, was acted the first time at Covent Garden, and received with applaufe. When we have faid that the fcenery is beautiful and picturefque, and the drefies fplendid and characteristic, it is hardly necefiary to add more than the whole is well calculated for the spectators which the feafon of the year ufually brings to the Theatre. The fubject is principally taken from Don Quixote. FABLE. Greville, the hero of the Play, by his marriage with Mifs Egerton, is fuppofed to have forfeited all right to eftates of 10,000l. a-year, left him by his lately decealed father, who, by a will, ftrictly enjoins that the fon fhould not marry before a certain period, and in cafe of failure, that the property should devolve to Undermine, one of the executors. Undermine, who has a mind ili calculated to bear a fudden influx of wealth, exhibits the peculiarities of a fordid wretch advancing from abject fervility to intolerable infolence. Immediately prefuming on his power and authority, he is about to eject the young pair from the eltates, and orders them and their relations to leave the family manfion. Undermine's nephew, a youthful and honeft auctioneer, confpires againit the inhumanity of his uncle, and by his means, and the zeal. and dexterity of Greville's fteward, a difcovery is made, that the obnoxious will has been rendered null and void by a fubfequent one, in which Greville's right is confirmed, the infamy of Under. mine expofed and detected, and the fuccelsful parties become as happy as the fudden transition from despair and forrow to joy and triumph can make them. The characters are alfo interested in a kind of underplot, in which the principal perfons, Egerton (the brother of Greville's wife) and Mifs Sydney, terminate their difappointments in matrimony; the former having, by the generofity of Undermine's nephew, obtained papers from Old Underinine, which entitle him to confiderable wealth. In this Comedy Mr. Morton has at least equalled his former productions. It is interesting and impreffive; in fome parts ludicrous and bordering on the improbable, but on the whole affording an entertainment, which has already been completely fanctioned by the public approbation. The performers did great juftice to their respective parts. 16. BLUE BEARD, or FEMALE CU- Shacabac, Mr. Palmer. Mr. Suett. Mr. Bannister, jun. Mustapha, Aladin, Mr. Davis. Mrs. Crouch. FABLE. 443 the Ibrahim, a Turkish Peafant, is the father of Fatima and Irene. Abomelique, a Bafhaw, who is alfo a Magician, after having been married twelve times, and killed all his wives for having dared to open a clofet in his blue chamber, falls in love with Fatima. Fatima is attached to Selim, a Soldier, who is alfo devoted to her. Ibrahim the father, however, tempted by the profpect of Blue Beard's marry wealth, determines the fhall Bathaw. Fatima, accompanied by her filter, is conveyed to the Bafhaw's Castle, and Ibrahim is vefted with a high post in the houfe of his intended fon-in-law. Selim vows vengeance upon the Bafhaw, and flies to his comrades for affiftance. Before the ceremony of marriage can be performed, Blue Beard is called away upon fome commercial affair of high importance; he gives the keys of the Cafile to Fatima, defiring her to amufe herself in viewing the magnificence of the place till his return, trufting her, at the fame time, with the key to the closet, but prohibiting her, on pain of death, from opening it. Irene, her fifter, however, feeling a strong curiofity to discover the contents of this clofet, tempts her to open it. A tomb is immediately difcovered, on the fide of which ftands a skeleton; the fhades of Blue Beard's former wives pafs in fucceflion over the tomb, and vultures hover over it, eager for their prey. Fatima and Irene are ftruck with horror, but are comforted by Shacabac, a flave of Blue Beard, but one who looks with horror on his cruelty. Though the infcription on the tomb denotes that the who endangers the life of Blue Beard fhall be enclofed in the fepulchre, yet if the intended victim can remove the taliiman from the foot of the skeleton, her life is fafe. Shacabac is too much terrified to let her know this fecret. He advifes her to fupprefs her feelings, and poffibly Blue Beard may not fufpect that the has opened the door. But, unhappily, the magical key was broken, and Blue Beard mult, of courfe, detect her. Blue Beard returning to the Castle, and demanding the key, foon difcovers what has happened, and orders Fatima into the blue chamber, to prepare for immediate death. She begs a fhort time for devotion, which he grants her. She appears in a balcony, and her fifter at the top of one of the turrets, while Blue Beard is heard without, bidding Fatima prepare for death. She enquires of her fifter, in great agony, whether the fees G 2 any any thing. Irene anfwers, that the only fees earth and fky. Blue Beard calls again, and Fatima again enquires of her silter what the fees. Irene tells her the fees a cloud of duft on the plain. Fatima conceives hopes from this appearance; and then Blue Beard repeats his call with more vehemence. Fatima again enquires of her filter what the fees, and the latter tells her that the fees a troop of horsemen galloping over the plain. Irene waves her handkerchief, in great anxiety, to quicken their fpeed; and at this moment Blue Beard appears at the balcony, and drags in Fatima. Shacabac had kept post below during this fcene, in hopes of giving fome aid to Fatima. Immediately after Blue Beard has dragged Fatima to execution, Selim, her lover, arrives at the head of the troop of horfemen, to effect, if poffible, her refcue. Shacabac directs to the weakest part of the Caftle, and at length he and his comrades force into it. Blue Beard by this time has taken Fatima into the fepulchre, and is going to kill her with his fabre, when a part of the fepulchre opens, and difcovers Selim, who threatens Blue Beard with death, if he executes his cruel purpofe. The Bafhaw defpifes his menaces, and has raised his fabre to destroy her, when fhe flies to the foot of the ikeleton, and feizes the Talifinan, which faves her. Selim then defcends, and a contest enfues between him and the Bashaw, in which the latter falls, and finks with the tomb. Selim and Fatima are of courfe made happy, and there is a general rejoicing at the fate of the Tyrant. In this well-known ftory fome of the fituations are terrific, and fome ludicrous. It is diverfified by character, and enlivened by pleasantry. The fcenery is very fplendid, and the whole is well calculated for the audience of the feafon. Madame Pariot danced with her ufual grace, and the performers exerted themfelves with great effect. The music was compofed and felected by Mr. Kelly. ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC, On the Reprefentation of THE CRITIC, by the Scholars of READING SCHOOL, for the Benefit of the WIDOWS and ORPHANS of the Sailors who perifhed in Admiral Lord DUNCAN'S Victory over the Dutch Fleet. WRITTEN BY W. SEWARD, ESQ. OUR youthful tribe, by your applaufes fir'd, So foon again before you now appear, "Tis yours, through them, the drooping mind to chear, 'Tis yours, to wipe away the falling tear, Which ftains the Widow's and the Orphan's cheek, Whofe husband's, father's deeds in thunder fpeak; Who fpeak th' attempts of Holland overthrown, (Secur'd your happiness, destroy'd their own !) And nobly dying in their country's cause, In you their honeft feelings patrons find, This night from paffion you shall act aright, Upon Stability's eternal base. Whofe moral strains each virtue can infpire, And guide their footsteps in the way to Make them this world's low groveling joys defpife, And wing their flight immortal to the skies. * Dr. JOHNSON. "Yet |