ed.

The behaviour of an enemy is generally reprefented in the worst light; but there is little room to doubt of the wanton severities authorized by a General, who, in one of his letters to Louvois, among many others to the fame purpose, hath this remarkable expreffion; • Si on ne brûle, nous ne mettrions jamais ces gens-ci à la raifon, et nous allons faire de beaux feux de joye.' There is no bringing the people of this country to reafon, without burning them out of their houses; fo that we are going to make noble bonfires.'

It appears alfo, that he was as good as his word: the firing of a fingle mufket, by any ignorant and wrong-headed peafant, within hearing of any of his parties, being a fufficient provocation for setting fire to the adjacent villages. Nor is it to be fuppofed even fuch provocation was always waited for, fince he boafts of having his bon-fires every other day, as regularly as the return of an ague.

Indeed, from the ftile and manner of thefe Letters in general, it appears, that the mifery into which the wretched inhabitants of this country were at that period reduced, afforded rather matter of mirth than compaffion to their infolent Conquerors.

Traité de la Nature de l'Ame, et de l'Origine de fes Connoiffances. Contre le Syfteme de Mr. Locke et de fes Partifans. 12mo. 2 tomes. Amfterdam. (i. e.)

A Treatife on the Nature of the Soul, and the Source of human knowlege. In oppofition to the Syftem of Mr. Locke and his Partizans.

IF F the fyftem of Mr. Locke and his Partizans be attacked by no abler an Antagonist than the Author of the treatise before us, there is no danger of its falling into difcredit with those who are capable of entering into the arguments of that celebrated Philosopher.

The talents of this Writer, indeed, feem better adapted to matters of theological difputation than the profound difquifitions of Metaphyfics. We fhall not detain the Reader, therefore, with any fpecimen of the argumentation here made use of, to controvert the opinions of Mr. Locke, or to fupport dogmas which are more properly the objects of Faith than of Philofophy.

K-n-k

MONTHLY

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For A PRI L, 1760.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 1. A Letter to M. de Voltaire; with comparatory Defiants on the extraordinary Compofition and Incidents of a dramatic Poem called, The Defert land, written by the Author of the Orphan of China. Alf Remarks on the Tragedy of the Siege Williams. of Aquileia. By a Gentleman. 8vo. Is.

Othing is more likely, than that the public are indebted for this pamphlet to the overflowings of the spleen of some poor Author, dilappointed of having his favourite performance brought on the itage; who, therefore, enraged at Mr. Gk, and envious of Mr. M y's fuccefs, has thought proper to abufe them both, in fuch terms as, were we not told in the title-page of this performance, that it is written by a Gentleman, would have made us apt to conclude it the production of one of the meanest of the Grub-street race. If we add to this, that our Letter writer, after having attempted to depreciate and ridicule the Defert Ifland, takes equal pains to reprefent the tragedy of Aquileia as the perfect work of a Writer, who bids fair to do honour to the English drama, and has fhewn the moft genius of any Author of the prefent times,--our Readers will need no farther proofs of this Critic's judgment, tafte, or impartiality.

That he may not, however, have room to complain, as fome unreasonable Writers do, that we condemn their performances, without giving the public any fpecimen of them, we fhall offer our Readers one fhort example of his criticifm. After having made fome abfurd ftrictures on a fpeech of Sylvia's, in the Defert Island, wherein are these beautifully defcriptive lines,

The twilight grey

Of morn but faintly ftreaks the eaft; the ftars
Still glimmer thro' the whit'ning air;

he proceeds thus. But as we are afterwards acquainted, that they ⚫ were wrecked on a defert island near the burning Line, in a place ⚫ where the fummer was continual, I am at a lofs to guefs how they came to meet with darkness, as darkness is not the property of climes in any degree near the Line: however, if these are poetical licenfes, they are very dark ones?

By what authority does this Gentleman affert, that the nights are not dark under the Line? There is, indeed, no darkness there, nor even in the half-year's night of either Pole, equal to the more-thanCimmerian darkness of fuch criticism. K-n-h

Art. 2. The Mirrour: Or a Chain of Reflections, founded on true Principles; wherein are Rules laid down for the Conduct

a d

and Oeconomy of Life, for promoting true Happiness by the Res gulation of the Paffions, and the Practice of every focial Virtue. Extracted partly from the most celebrated Authors, joined to a feries of Obfervations on Mankind. Being a Compleat Syftem of Ethics. Wherein the many Exceptions, fo juftly cenfured in the Maxims of that celebrated French Moralift, the Duke of Rochefoucault, are carefully avoided. 12mo. 2 S. Owen.

Had the execution of this work been answerable to the profeffed defign, fo ample a title-page would have made any farther account of it unneceffary. But as it is; in juftice to the public, we cannot help informing our Readers, that this collection of Aphorifms and Reflections, will give them but a very indiferent opinion of the talents of the Compiler; whether confidered in the capacity of a Writer, or as a Moralift and Observer of Mankind. At best, it deserves nothing less than it does the title of a Syftem; many of the maxims and obfervations contained therein, being diametrically oppofed to each other; nor is there any regularity obferved in the order of their compilation, that may juftly entitle them to be called a Chain of Reflections. K-n-k Art. 3. The History of Ophelia. Publifhed by the Author of David Simple. 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s. Baldwin.

In an Advertisement prefixed to this work, we are told, the Editor was obliged to Fortune for the manufcript of this Hiftory; which, it is hinted, was unknowingly purchafed in an old buroe. I have not been able, continues the Advertifer, by any enquiry, to find out the Author, or the Lady to whom it is addreffed; but I hope I fhall not give offence to either of them by the publication; for if the story be fictitious, in all probability it must have been defigned for the prefs; as it is unlikely any one thould put their invention on fo laborious a task, merely for their own amuiement; and if the ftory be real, it is pity adventures fo new and entertaining, should be buried in oblivion; efpecially, when they and the reflections scattered throughout the book, are as well calculated for inftruction as amusement.

Now, whether the history be true or falfe, if it be fact that Fortune did thus put the Editor in poflefion of the copy, it matters, in our opinion, very little, whether the Author, or the Lady, be offended, if the public in general are pleafed or inftructed, by its publication. But as it does not follow, that every performance' which is defigned for the prefs, is worth printing; fo, for any great inftruction or amufement a Reader of tale and difcernment will meet with in the perufal, the manufcript might as well have till remained in the buroe: neither do we think that a more lumping pennyworth, because this happened to be thrown into the bargain." "We do not mean, however, to caft a too rigid cenfure on the taffe and judgment of the ingenious Editor; whom the fingularity of the accident might, very poflibly, not a little influence to partiality, in favour of this literary Foundling, K-n-Art

A

Being the Hiftory of 12mo. 3s. Corbet.

Art. 4. Louifa: Or Virtue in Diftrefs. a Natural Daughter of Lady *****. The generality of Writers, fays the fagacious Author of this performance, compofe their works according to their own difpofitions: if the Author be dull and phlegmatic, his works are a compound of cruelty and horror; and, 'on the contrary, if he is gay and chearful, it is eafily known by a perufal of his writings.-Now it would have been as eafy for me to have made my principal characters unhappy as not, but having a great deal of the vis comica in my disposition, I chose rather to difmits my Readers with a smile of contentment upon their features.

How difficult it is for a man to know himself! or, at least, how feldom do we find an Author poffeffed of any great degree of fuch knowlege! The vis comica! this Writer poffeffed of a great deal of the vis comica! we can affure thee, Reader, that this is as comical a thing as any he has faid throughout the book. Nay, however it may mortify him, we must own, that tho' we read his performance fairly through, we laid it down rather with a fmile of contempt than contentment. Were we to judge of his difpofition also, according to his own obfervation, we should be fo far from fuppofing he had any thing of the vis comica in him, that we fhould think him one of the dulleft animals in the creation: for tho' we have not fufficient reafon to call his work a compound of cruelty, it was cruelty enough in him to fubject us to the reading of fuch a compound. K-n-k

Art. 5. The Praise of Hell: Or, a View of the Infernal Regions. Containing fome Account of the Advantages of that Place, with refpect to its Antiquity, Situation, and Stability; together with a Defcription of its Inhabitants, their Drees, Manners, Amufements, and Employments. To which is added, a Detail of the Laws, Government, and Conftitution of Hell. Adarned with Cuts, and illuftrated with Notes critical and hiftorical. Tranflated from the French. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Kearfly.

In an excurfion which one of the Reviewers made a few years ago to the Continent, the French Manuscript of this work, faid to be a tranflation of a Latin piece written above a century before, was put into his hands. A Bookfeller of the Hague, who was on the point of buying the copy, defired his opinion of the performance; which he gave him, by faying he thought the manner too hackneyed, and the matter too trite, to pleafe in an age fo fond of novelty and va riety as the prefent. The Bookfeller, taking the friendly caution, defifted from the purchase; and, perhaps, thofe who have been fince concerned in the publication, have had reason to wish they had followed his example.

As we have had, of late years, feveral pieces written in our own language, on nearly the fame plan, we fhall not trouble our Readers with any farther account of a performance, whofe pretenfions, at beft, lay na higher claim than to the merit of mediocrity. K-n-k REV. April, 1760.

Art.

Art. 6. The Narrative Companion, or Entertaining Moralist : Containing Choice of the most elegant, interefting, and improving Morals and Allegories, from the beft English Writers, viz. the Spectator, Rambler, World, Adventurer, Connoiffeur, &c. &c. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Becket.

A pretty collection for young Readers; or, indeed, any Readers who are not poffeffed of the originals from whence thefe tales are felected; efpecially thofe who cannot afford to purchase the abovementioned works at large.

Art. 7. The Hiftory of the Marchionefs de Pompadour, Miftrefs to the French King, and first Lady of Honour to the Queen. Part III. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Hooper.

In the first article of our Catalogue for November 1758, we mentioned the two former volumes of the Hiftory of this celebrated Lady. We then obferved, that the merit of the work was various, and its authenticity questionable, were it only on account of its being anonymous. For the reft, however, we could not but allow, that the narrative was, on the whole, extremely entertaining; being penned in an agreeable, fprightly manner, and enlivened with fuch remarks as bespoke the Writer's happy turn for obfervation, and his extenfive knowlege of the world, as it goes.

As to this additional volume, the Publisher honeftly advertises us, that it is not the production of the fame pen. The two first parts,' fays he, having greatly excited, and partly gratified, the just curiofity of the public, in every thing relative to fo extraordinary a perfonage, it was but natural for the Publisher of the first parts to wish for a Supplement, which might make them more perfect. But this with was cafier to form than to procure its accomplishment. The Writer of the firft parts having exhaufted his materials, refpected the public too much to palm invention upon it for hiftorical truth. He is then entirely out of the queftion in the fupplemental part here offered. But as fome account may be july expected of its authenticity, the Editor begs leave to affure the public, that the fame is no other than a tranflation from the original manufcript of a Gentleman, who had, during his refidence at the court of France, collected fuch further anecdotes and paffages of Madame Pompadour's life, as he thought might moft entertain and inform the public. And though this Supplement feems, in fome meafure, a continuation of the first parts, it is, in fact, entirely independent of them; and though it may even contradict them in fome particular points, that contradiction is, however, no impeachment of the veracity of either Writer; fince, wherever that happens to be the cafe, it will appear to be only in regard to fuch particulars as frequently are not ⚫ by their nature capable of any abfolute afcertainment.

As to this Supplement, (of which I have procured a translation * from a Gentleman not concerned in the former parts) the French original of it may be feen by any Englifh perfon of character at the

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