cent joys of true love, and the heart-felt pleasure which flows from conjugal endearments, and maternal tenderness. We could with the fair Wanton might read this Letter with attention: but, alas! fhould it fteal upon a ferious moment, and make a favourable impreffion on her pliant mind, the traces of returning virtue would foon be effaced, and licentiousness would recur with the firft giddy round of fparkling Champaign. R-d Art. 4. A View of the Edinburgh Theatre, during the Summer Seafon, 1759. Containing an exact Lift of the feveral Pieces reprefented, and impartial Obfervations on each Performance. By a Society of Gentlemen. 8vo. Is. Morley. As the Scotch theatre is yet but in its infancy, great things cannot be expected from it. We find, however, according to the account given by this worthipful Society of well-employed Gentlemen, that fome parts have been tolerably played there: and that these were, in general, executed by performers from the Dublin ftage; that great nursery for theatrical plants: whence, it must be owned, fome very good ones have been removed into the British foil, where they have grown to great perfection. Art. 5. The Dangers of a Lec-fhore; or an impartial View of the Bath Theatre, in the Year 1759, &c. By J. Brownfmith, late Prompter to the faid Theatre. 8vo. Is. Harper. Represents the [alleged] mifconduct of Mr. Lee, in the management of the play-houfe at Bath. This grievance, we apprehend, will very little affect the generality of our Readers; for which reafon we fhall not dwell upon it. Art. 7. The Hiftory of the Sieges of Aquileia and Berwick. Being the Story on which the new Tragedy of Aquileia is founded. With Remarks on that Play. 8vo. 6d. Kinnerfley. According to this Pamphleteer, Mr. Hume's play was originally founded on the well-known ftory of the Setons, who were fo feverely treated by our Edward III. at the fiege of Berwick; but, that appre hending this might be deemed too national, the Author fince altered it, and gave it a new allufion, to the fiege of Aquileia. As to the Remarks faid to be here made, on the merits of the play, they are poorly written, and not worth notice. Art. 6. Some feasonable Hints to a Candidate for a newly defigned Office of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce; in a Letter of Advice to Dr. J. Mitchell, M. D. F. R. S. Chymyft, Geographer, and Hiftorian. By Thomas Stephens. 4to. IS. Cabe. Intended Intended to prejudice Dr. Mitchell's election to the Secretaryship of the Society for the Improvement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. Mr. Stephens, it seems, had been attacked by the Doctor in a very tender point, viz. his fcheme for making Pot-afh in America vid. Review, vol. XX. page 81. And our Author has taken this critical opportunity for retaliation; by falling foul on the Doctor's writings, and on his map of North-America. * In a book which, according to Mr. Stephens, was written by Dr. Mitchell ; entitled, The Conteft in America, &c. Art. 8. L'Amour A-la-Mode: Or, Love a-la-Mode. A Farce, in three Acts. 8vo. Is. Williams. Not the celebrated Farce, written by Mr. Macklin, and entitled Love a-la-Mode; but a forry tranflation, as we apprehend, from fome French piece; the original, perhaps, as infipid as the copy. Art. 9. Genuine and curicus Memoirs of the famous Capt. Thurot. Written by the Rev. John Francis Durand, &c. &c. 8vo. Is. Burd. If our Readers can find a better word than Catch-penny, a word which we are tired of ufing, (having, indeed, hackneyed it, 'till it is worn thread-bare) they are heartily welcome to apply it on this occafion; provided, however, that its meaning be the fame: for whatever may be taken in a more favourable fenfe, will not be fuitable to the merits of the performance in question." Art. 10. Military Maxims: Or the Standard of Generalfhip. Addreffed to a British Commander. By an Officer in a marching Regiment. 8vo. Is. Morley. We have lately been informed, that a famous Artift at Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, has made a maxim of wood, which hath been exhibited, to the great honour of the inventor, and the no less fatisfaction of the curious. Now, if the fublime Author of this furprizing pamphlet could perfuade the Wellingborough Artift to make a fet of wooden models of these military maxims, we are of opinion they would make a very confiderable figure in the Mufæum.But, ferioufly, it is moft aftonishing, that any man, in his perfect mind, fhould prefix the Standard of Generalship, to fuch a poor and pitiful pamphlet. POLITICA L. But Art. 11. A Propofal for the refloration of public Wealth and Credit. In a Letter to a truly Honourable Member of the House of Commons. 8vo. 6d. Printed in Dublin. After premifing that the general scarcity of Coin in Ireland is as calamitous as it is notorious, the Writer propofes S Rev. Mar. 1760. . That That the Government fhould borrow three hundred and fifty thousand pounds, additional to the three hundred and fifty already in demand, making in all feven hundred thousand pounds. That a requifite proportion thereof fhould be appointed for the defence and fecurity of the nation, in building and repairing our barracks and forts, and in recruiting, cloathing, and fupplying our army with food, forage, &c. That the remainder fhall be applied to ⚫ extend fuch manufactures as fliall be deemed of greatest utility; and to expedite the defirable work of our inland Navigations. And that, in fecurity of the faid fum, a number of Debentures, or Paper Credits fhould be iffued, at fuch an intereft as fhall be judged fufficient for a speedy filling of the loan.' that the Our Author adopts Bishop Berkeley's propofition, Credit of the public Funds, is a Mine of Gold to England.' And argues very ftrenuously, in favour of Paper Credit. Such arguments, however, ought to be urged with proper caution and referve; for common fenfe tells us, that the circulation of fuch imaginary wealth in an unknown proportion, may, nay muft, in the end, prove fatal to the Government which favours it. R-d Art. 12. The Act for permitting the free Importation of Cattle from Ireland confidered, with a View to the Interests of both Kingdoms. 8vo. 1s. DodЛley. Although, fays this Writer, fuch an importation be evidently beneficial to Great Britain, yet it is doubted by fome, whether an exportation from Ireland may not be hurtful to the manufactures and trade of that country; or, in other words, whether a monopoly in the Irish Grazier over the Dealer in lean cattle, be not for the advantage of Ireland. To clear up this doubt, our Author propofes feveral Queries. Among others, he asks,. . Whether the breeding and rearing of cattle, be not the first ele. ⚫ments of grazing; and whether every encouragement given to them be not proper, which does not tend to flop a farther progrefs in improvement, and prevent the Breeder of cattle from rifing into a Grazier? • Whether cheapnefs in one article of the neceffarics of life, does not tend to reduce the price of all others? Whether the opening of Great Britain to the importation of Irish cattle, will not have the fame good effect upon the plenty and cheapnefs of cattle in Ireland, that exportation has upon corn in England? Whether a free importation of cattle from Ireland, far from bringing prejudice to the grazing bufinefs, and to the feveral branches of manufactures and trade, has not a direct tendency to encourage and promote grazing, tillage, manufacture, and trade, and be not clearly for the advantage of Ireland?' Our Author's reafoning feems, in our opinion, to be justly founded: for if breeding countries consist chiefly of mountain, heath, and marshy grounds, the profits arising fin breeding and rearing cattle, cattle, will in time enable the Occupier to improve them into graz- Art. 13. The Queflion relating to the Scots Militia confidered. -t-ves, A bold and fpirited pamphlet, fetting forth the expedience and utility of a national Militia, with the injuftice and danger of not extending it to Scotland. In the courfe of his remonftrances, the Author inveighs with great warmth against the Scotch Rand his impetuofity hurries him to fpeak truth, perhaps fometimes rather too plainly. We must confefs that, for our parts, we do not fee any good reafon against trusting the North Britons with arms for their defence against foreign invaders. Though the fpirit of difaffection may still furvive among fome obftinate individuals in that kingdom, yet the prudent methods taken after the late rebellion, by the fuppreffion of the Clans, and other politic meafures, feem to have effectually removed all apprehenfions of any difloyal combinations, & which will be as much against the intereft, as we truft it is against the inclination, of the natives. POETICA L. R-d Art. 14. Paradife Loft. An Oratorio. As it is performed at the My greatest difficulty, fays the Writer of this piece, has been, to bring the materials furnished by Milton into fo fmall a compafs, and, at the fame time, to preferve fome idea of the original plan. Herein all my merit, whatever it is, confifts. Almost all the Recitative is, word for word, taken out of my Author; and as to the Songs, they are, in general, fo much his, that I have tried to compofe them chiefly from the fentiments which I found in him, and, as often as I was able, to preferve his very words. He might have fucceeded better, however, had he been lefs fcrupulous in obferving the very words of Milton. Had he felected fome of the beft paffages from Dryden's play on the fame fubject, we conceive he might have greatly enriched his piece. Indeed, there is a confiderable difference between the verfification proper for an epic poem, and the free, harmonious expreffion beft adapted to the recitativo, air, and chorus of the modern musical drama. Of this Milton himself was extremely fenfible, as may be seen by his masks, and other pieces, wherein fongs, &c. are introduced. So great a Master of Numbers was capable of diverfifying his language, and adapting it to every theme and occafion; but we dare fay, he would have been the laft man in the world to have recommended his Paradife Loft to be fet to mufic. S 2 K-n-Art.k Art. 15. Zimri: An Oratorio. As it is performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent Garden. Set to Mufic by Mr. Stanley. 4to. Is. Griffiths. This is an original performance; and tho' we will not take upon as to fay there is more poetry in it than in the Oratorio above noticed, (as that is chiefly formed from Milton) we will, nevertheless, venture to affert, that the ftile and numbers are much better adapted to the defign of a musical entertainment. The fubject is the catastrophe of the Princes of Ifrael, who, feduced by the daughters of Midian, burnt offerings on the altars of the idols of Moab. With these fell Zimri, the strength of Simeon's tribe; too weak, however, to withitand the deftructive charms of Zuran's daughter. Hear how the describes, and glories in her conquest. RECITITATIVE accompanied. Cofbi. When first I met the Youth renown'd in arms, But his flow steps long linger'd in my view. A I R. With thoughtful pace, alone he fray'd RECITATIVE accompanied. Then loofely drefs'd, then glowing from the dance, Inflam'd, confus'd, he caught my am'rous glance; AIR. I faw the pride of Virtue fail, The tyrant of his bre-ft! Now pale, now bushing with disdain, And ev'ry fond defire express'd. With filent eloquence I footb'd the boy, Again, his defection is thus lamented by one of the virgins of Ifrael. |