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Art. 42. The fine Gentleman's Etiquette, or Lord Chesterfield's Advice to his Son, verified by a Lady. to. TS. Davies. We should be miferably deficient in the fine Gentleman's Etiquette, were we to criticile a lady for employing her time as the pleases.

Art. 43. Euphrefine, or Amufements on the Road of Life. By the Author of the Spiritual Quixote. 8vo. 3s. DodЛley.

As a man of fenfe, fpirit, and humour, we have diftinguished this Writer in our account of his Spiritual Quixote; as a poet he has had our approbation on the review of a pretty little poem, called, The Love of Order. That production, and a great variety of other poetical pieces, make the fubflance of this volume. Thefe pieces are claffed, and thrown together, under the different denominations of poems on various fubjects-Sarcaftic-Encomiaftic-ParaphrafticAmorous-Humourous-Moral Pieces-Epitaphs, &c. On the first of thefe divifions, we fhall only obferve, that it contains many agreeable eafy verfes; but the ftanzas written near Bath, 1755, merit a higher character. They are truly beautiful, and are caft in the first mould of poetry. Under the title Humorous, are fome droll, and fome but indifferent things. The following merits diftinction : The Amorous 'Squire.

Strephon in vain purfued a rural fair,
The rofy object of his tender care.

The nymph, who long had lov'd a sturdy fwain,
Still view'd the amorous Strephon with disdain.
Povok'd, he ftrove by force to ftorm her charms,
She raised her hand,—and dah'd him from her arms.
"Ah! ceafe, cries he, fubdue that barbarous fpite;
Tho' doom'd to love, I was not born to fight.

You've ftol'n my heart, deprive me not of breath;
Thofe frowns are cruel, but that fit is death."

Art. 44. The Oeconomy of Health. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Almon. The precepts of the Schola Salernitana verfified, with original aphorifms interfperfed. If the book deferve any notice at all, it muit be for the medical knowledge it conveys; and even that appears to us problematical. The poetry is trafn.

Art. 45. The Works of Richard Savage, Efq; Son of the Earl Rivers. With an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author, by Samuel Johnson, L. L. D. 12 mo. 2 Vols. 75. Evans.,

.

1775

We are much pleased with this elegant Edition of the works of a man, whofe merit as a poet, and whofe misfortunes as a man, have rendered him, in a peculiar manner, the object of Public attention; an attention too, that has been greatly heightened by thofe admirable Memoirs, long known to the learned world, and here reprinted: Dr. Johnson's Life of Savage being, indeed, defervedly efteemed one of the most excellent pieces of biography in the English language.

Of Mr. Savage's Works we need fay nothing. His Wanderer and Baftard, in particular, will for ever fecure to him that "eminence

*Mr. Graves, near Bath.

of rank in the claffes of learning," in which he has been justly placed by his celebrated Biographer.

Art. 46. America, an Ode, to the People of England. 4to. 6 d. Almon. 1776.

The Poet is a friend to the political claims of America; and his ftanzas are fraught with terrible denunciations against the unnatural mother.' His numbers flow in the nervous ftrain of Gray's Welsh Ode: Ruin feize thee, ruthlefs king! &c."

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Art. 47. The Spleen, or the Offspring of Folly. A Lyri- comi-, tragic Tale. Dedicated to George Colman, Efq; Author of The Spleen, a Comic Piece. 4to. 2 S. 6 d. Bew.

Some perfonal enemy of Mr. Colman endeavoured to perfuade the defcendants and relations of a late worthy bookseller, that they and the deceased were the archetypes of Mr. Rubrick and his family, exhibited in the farce of The Spleen*. Having failed, however, in exciting their refentment, the fame malignant fpirit has affumed the character of the fuppofed young Rubrick, in order to give vent to the rankeft fcurrility and foulift perfonal abuse of Mr. Colman. His writings, his life, his birth, his family, are all equally traduced and reviled. But the wit and fatire of this medley have fo little poignancy, the falfehoods are fo grofs, the abufe is fo virulent, and the malice fo apparent, that if Mr. Colman fuffers himself to be the leaft disturbed by fo impotent an attack, we think he will in fome measure deferve whatever he may endure.

Art. 48. Ws's Feaft, or Dryden Travefti; a mock Pindaric. 4to. I S. 6 d. Barker.

A laugh at the expence of Mr. Wilkes and his city friends; as well as of the divine trains of Dryden's Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, which are here most wickedly prophaned.

Art. 49. A Rhapsody, occafioned by a late extraordinary Decifion; and infcribed to Sir Watkin Lewes. To which is added the

Complaint of Sabrina. By J. Greenwood. 4to. I s. Almon, &c, In both thefe poems the Author laments the final defeat of Sir Watkin, with regard to the late famous Worcester election: the poetry too good for the fubject.

Art. 50. Pro-Pinchbeck's Anfwer to the Ode t, from the Author of the Heroic Epistle to Sir Willim Chambers.

Ridley.

4to. 6 d.

A Rowland for 'Squire Macgregor's Oliver ;-if not written by the 'Squire himself.

Art. 51. New Idyls, by Geffner, tranflated by W. Hooper, M. D. With a Letter to M. Fuflin on Landscape Painting, and the two Friends of Bourbon, a Moral Tale, by M. Diderot. Small Folio. 16 s. Boards. Hooper.

Perhaps there is no object in poetical criticism that requires a more confummate judgment than to mark with certainty the dividing line between what is fimple and what is filly. The innumerable errors of this kind that we have met with confirm the truth of the obfervation; and it has recurred to us, once or twice, on the view of the publica

* See Rev. May.

+ See Rev. June, p. 504.

tion before us. Thefe Idyls are in number twenty-one. The first is intitled Daphne and Chloe.

Daphne. There is no fhepherd that understands fo well the culture of plants as Alexis. Is there, Chloe?

Chloe. No, not any one.

Is there, Chloe? is the interrogative of a chambermaid, and beneath all poetry but the burlefque, or the low familiar. The fimple dignity of the paftoral rejects it. Of the fame character is that paffage in the 16th Idyl: I looked round me, but could perceive nobody; upon my word, not any one.' And, again, you must abfolutely tell But, poffibly, thefe expreffions might be occafioned by attending to a French tranflation. Sweet moderation!' at the end of the 18th Idyl, feems to have been taken from the French mediocrité, but that word carries with it a more full idea of contentment than ours. Notwithstanding, however, these curfory criticisms, we can recommend this work to our Readers as replete with pathetic fentiments, fine natural images, and moral inferences, of general confequence, to the interefts of humanity. The letter on landfcape painting, by Geffner, and the tale of Diderot, have their respective merit. The engravings are elegant.

Art. 52. The Worthines of Wales, a Poem, a true Note of the auncient Caftles, famous Monuments, goodly Rivers, faire Bridges, fine Townes, and courteous People, that I have seen in the noble Country of Wales, and now fet forth by Thomas Churchyard. 8vo. 7 s. 6d. Evans.

This true note of the auncient caftles, &c. is partly in profe and partly poetical, if a mere narrative in rhyme may be called poetry; but, for our parts, we are of opinion with this honeft fcribbler of Elizabeth's days, that

A fimple poet's pen but blots white paper fill.' The prevailing fondness for antique poetry, poffibly, reproduced

this.

Art. 53. Abounding Grace; a Poem. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Taunton printed. Sold by Harris in London.

The harmless bat unpoetical afpirations of fome innocent enthufiaft.

POLITICAL.

Art. 54. Political Trans. Containing, The False Alarm, Falkland's Iflands, The Patriot, and Taxation no Tyranny. 8vo. 48. Boards. Cadell, &c. 1776.

The pieces here reprinted were all written by the celebrated author of The Rambler; and have been duly noticed in our Reviews.

FREE MASONRY.

Art. 55. The Spirit of Mafonry, in moral and elucidatory Lectures. By William Hutchinfon, Mafter of the Barnard Castle Lodge of Concord. Small 8vo. 3 s. 6d. Wilkie.

If we may prefume to hint any thing relating to fo myfterious an inftitution as free mafonry, we should incline to deem brother Hutchinson an arrant heretic in the order, who ftarts new opinions to create a fchifm in the fraternity, and to exalt himself as the head of a party. By the little that has hitherto transpired, it is under

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food that the order is univerfally open to men of all religions; no perfuafion operating as an exclufion: accordingly lodges of mafons are to be found in all parts of the world; in which no religious opinions are propagated, beyond what natural religion dictates; fcience, moral rectitude, and brotherly love being their only bonds of unity: and if any reference is made by them to the building of Solomon's temple, it is merely hiftorical, founded on a tradition of the patronage that king gave to ingenious craftsmen on fo fignal an occafion. The Bible is introduced into lodges here, as the book ef teemed facred in this country; in the Eait the fame honour is paid to the Koran.

Mr. Hutchinfon, however, a myftic even among mystics, aims not only to expound mafonry as a Chriftian inftitution, but to contract the privileges of the order, to thofe Chriftians only who are found Trinitarians yet if we compare his lectures with the book of Mafonical Conftitutions which is published to all the world, and by which all our lodges are regulated; he will be found to display a very oftentatious parade of reading for no other purpose than to mifapply it. Unlefs, however, that circumftance can be otherwise accounted for, Mr. Hutchinfon produces a licence from Lord Petre the Grand Master, and the other officers of the Grand Lodge, prefixed to his lectures, as the ftamp of their orthodoxy; which is a fanction it may not become us to impeach.

Either the boafted fecrecy, preferved among free mafons, depends already on their having nothing to betray; or the communicative difpofition of fcribbling brethren may in time bring them to fuch a happy ftate of fecurity.

Art. 56. An Introduction to Free Mafonry: For the Ufe of the Fraternity; and none elfe. In four Parts, &c. By W. Meeson, M. M. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Birmingham printed, and fold by Baldi win in London.

1775.

How is all this, brother Meefon? The fraternity are already introduced, and their lodges have hitherto been understood as the only proper places for them to receive inftruction in. If this pamphlet is intended for the ufe of the brethren only, why is it circulated abroad? It did not come into our hands in a confidential manner; fo that there is fomething truly Hibernian in this new mode of private publication, unless this exclufive hint is flily thrown out to produce an effect directly contrary to the terms of it. In short, had the fraternity no other amufement than the puerilities here recommended to them, they richly deferve all the mockery that the wits about thirty years ago employed against them.

AGRICULTURE. Art. 57. The improved Culture of Three principal Graffes, Lucerne, Sainfoine, and Burnet, &c. To which are added, fome Obfervations on Clover. 8vo. 3s. boards. Robinfon. 1775.

. These graffes are now too generally known for us to fay any thing new in their favour; further than that in this treatife the Reader is fupplied with different methods of cultivating them, in a variety of inftances; with comparative estimates of the fuccefs of each; which may ferve as ufeful guides to his own practice.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 58. The Florift: or Poetical Nofegay and Drawing Book.. Containing Twenty-four Copper Plates, neatly engraved. with a defcriptive Moral Poem to each. Addrefied to the Miffes and Matters of Great Britain.' Snuff box Size. 1s. 6d. Hooper. This is a neat thing, well adapted to the little drawing gentry, who are moreover inftructed how, and with what materials, to colour the flowers.

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Art. 59. A Tour in Scotland. 1772. Part II. 4to. 11. iis. 6d. White. 1776.

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We have already given fufficient fpecimens of this very entertaining work. The prefent Volume contains that conclufive part of Mr. Pennant's Tour (in 1772), which was promifed at the end of the former part. See also Rev. Vol. li. p. 460.

The Volume before us defcribes the objects which chiefly attraed. the notice of our ingenious traveller, in his tour through the coun-. ties of Argyle, Breadalbine, Athol, Perth, Angus, Fife, Sterling,, Linlithgow, Edinburgh, Berwick, &c. and homeward, through. Durham, Yorkshire, &c. to his own house, at Downing, in Wiltfire.

By way of Appendix, we have a number of original papers relating to the antiquities, natural hiftory, manufactures, church government, &c. of Scotland; which we e communicated to the Author by his learned friends. There are alfo fome additions to the Tour made in 1769; and to the voyage to the Hebri es,, in 1772. The whole Volume is illuftrated by a great number of excellent engravings. The whole of Mr. Pennant's Tours to Scotland are now comprehended in three quarto volumes.

Art. 60. The Wonders of the Little World: or a General Hiftory of Man. Difplaying the various Faculties, Capacities, Powers, &c. of the Human Body and Mind, in feveral Thousand most interefting Relations of remarkable Perfons, &c. &c.-By Nathaniel Wanley, M. A. late Vicar of Trinity Parish, Coventry. A New Edition, revifed and corrected, with confiderable Improvements. 4to. 18 s. Boards. Davies 1774.

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A well known collection of wonderful ftories, intended to increase knowledge, promote virtue, difcourage vice, and furnish topics for innocent and ingenious converfation,' appears to have received fome improvements from the hand of the Editor; among which, that of a copious Index is not the leaft.

Art. 61. The Comic Romance of M. Scarron. Tranflated by

Oliver Goldsmith. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6 s. Griffin. 1775The Bookfeller affures the Public, in a prefatory addrefs, that this tranflation of Scarron's well known work, was executed by the late Dr. Goldf.nith, a few sheets excepted.'-We have no authority to question the varacity of this declaration: We have feen tranflations by Goldimitn, in no refpect fuperior to the prefent performance. The truth is, the Dr. was not excellent in this branch of authorship. The new verfion of Scarron is, however, greatly pre

See the very verbofe title-page, which we have neither room nor patience to copy.

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