O pleafant a morceau as the ballad on Ecclefiaftical Gallantry ||, alhough, as we guess, it is written by the fame Author :-who concludes his prefent performance with the following stroke at the priestbood: If therefore we strive A flame, which gives light to the blind; That PRIESTS are the JEST of Mankind. Art. 24. An Elegy on the Death of David Garrick, Efq. By the Author of the Ode to the Warlike Genius of Britain. 4to. I S. Becket, &c. The Mufes have not ftrewed the flowers of Parnaffus over Garrick's bier in fuch profufion as might have been expected. The prefent is, perhaps, the fairest tribute of the kind that hath yet been offered: The Paffions' Mafter lowly lies, Lo! Death's cold hand hath clos'd his eyes, Ye Mufe-infpir'd, lament his end, In Roscius' grave, MACBETH lies dead; Ye fons of mirth and gallantry, No more your fprightly RANGER fee! Loft with the archnefs of his eye, With SHAKESPEARE'S fire his breast was fraught, He caught the phrenzy in his eye, Whatever merit there may be in the feveral offerings brought to the fhrine-we had almoft faid-of our adored Rofcius, may we not, after all, conclude, that none are fo unfit to celebrate the merits of Jet friends, as those who most fincerely lament them? Art. 25. Poems. By the Rev. W. Tafker, A. B. 4to. 2 s. 6 d. Dodsley, &c. The pieces contained in this collection are, I. An Ode to the Warlike Genius of Great Britain; of which we have given fome account. II. An Ode to Curiofity, a Bath-Eafton Amufement. III. A Poetical Encomium on Trade, addreffed to the Mercantile City of Bristol. IV. An Epitaph intended for the Rev. [and juftly lamented] Mr. Eccles, late of Bath.-In the poem addrelled to the city of Bristol, are some anecdotes relative to Chatterton, and Rowley's Poems; for the authenticity of which the Author is a ftrenuous advocate. For For a fpecimen of Mr. Talker's poetical abilities, befide the extract given, in our laft Month's Review, from the Second Edition of his Ode to the Genius, &c. we may refer our Readers to the ftanzas felected from his Elegy on the Death of Mr. Garrick, in the preceding Article. Art. 26. The Difconfolate Widow. A Christmas Tale; or, a Art. 27. The Provoked Steed, and the Broil. Two Tales. By the Author of the Difconfolate Widow. 4to. I S. Stockton printed; and fold by Goldsmith in Paternofter-Row, London. 1778. Trifles, by a Writer from whom better things may be expected. Art. 28. A Bridal Ode on the Marriage of Catherine and Petru chio. 4to. I S. Bew. 1779. The celebrated Mrs. Macaulay (now Mrs. we know not her prefent name) is here made a fubject of ridicule, on account of her fecond entrance into the honourable state of matrimony. Satire, perhaps never wore a more impudent afpect, and never was her rod more flagitiously applied. Art. 29. Epifle to Admiral Keppel. 4to. Is. Fielding. A decent congratulation on the Admiral's late honourable acquittal.-Decent, we mean, in regard to the numbers in which this poetic compliment is conveyed; but the friends of certain gentlemen in administration will not, perhaps, allow that it is altogether decent with respect to the manner in which certain great perfons are introduced: fome of whom are attacked, en passant, with all the virulence of party fatire. Sir H. P. in courfe, is not spared. MISCELLANEO U s. Art. 30. The Maritime Campaign of 1778. A Collection of all the Papers relative to the Operations of the English and French Fleets. To which are added, Strictures on the Publication made in France, by order of the Ministry, concerning the Engagement on the 27th of July; illuftrated with Charts and Plans, on Six Copper-plates. By J. M. a Lieutenant in the Fleet. Folio. 6s. Sewed. Faden. 1779. We have here a very curious and inftructive review of the maritime tranfactions of the last year, respecting the war between France and England; a campaign, which as the Editor of this work remarks, though not very decifive, is become one of the most interesting in the naval history of our country.' The plans are ample and fatisfactory; and from an attentive perufal of the whole publication, the English reader will probably fee reafon to conclude with the Author, that although certain late arrangements (here enumerated and explained) may for a while, give a kind of energy to the French fleets, and even procure them fome tranfitory fuccefs, yet that it is not in the nature of things for them to acquire a fuperiority over the British navy. SCHOOL-BOOK S. Art. 31. Grammatical Inflitutions, or a Practical English Grammar: on a Plan entirely New. By James Wood. Izmo. Vefey and Whitfield. Newcastle. I s. 6 d. In the preface to thefe Inftitutions, Mr. Wood tells his readers, that notwithstanding the labours of many ingenious and learned men to diffuse a correct knowledge of the English language, whoever will take the trouble of examining into the ftate of grammatical learning, as it exifs at prefent (to ufe the Author's own words) in our English fcho ls, will find it to be fill in its infancy. This is to be imputed, he fays, to the want of method in the feveral grammatical treatises adopted in our schools; which makes the generality of masters look upon it as a science too abftrufe for the capacities of children, and only fit for thofe of maturer years.-His inftitutions are intended to remove this inconvenience, and to render the attainment of English grammar eafy to the most ordinary capacity. Mr. Wood's intentions do him honour; but we do not think his Inftitutions fufficiently clear and plain for persons of the most ordinary capacity. Art. 32. An Introduction to English Grammar. By Joshua Story, Izmo. 1 s. 6d. Newcattle, printed and fold. 1778. The Author tells us he proceeds on a different plan from any hitherto purfued. In the notes, rules, &c. brevity and perfpicuity, the utile dulci of every treatife for the use of schools have been confulted with attention, and nothing, he adds, is omitted, which is effential towards promoting a critical knowledge of the English language. The examples of bad English are numerous, and of that kind, fays our grammarian, which will require all the fkill a learner can poffefs to rectify them, for they are collected from a variety of reading, and are most of them fuch mistakes as fome of our beft English writers have fallen into, fo that the judicious reader will eafily perceive they differ very much from fuch as are generally to be met with in works of this kind, where the errors are fo glaring, that a boy of fenfe, entirely ignorant of grammar, can rectify them. On the whole this grammar feems very well calculated for the purpofe, under the direction of some proper inftru&tor. SERMON S. I. Preached before the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in the Abbey. Church, Westminster; January 30, 1779. By John Lord Bishop of Exeter. 4to. Is. Payne. 1779. S. There is nothing that we can fay concerning the difcourfe before us, which can fo ftrongly display the excellent understanding and heart of this good prelate (Dr. Rofs), as the following extract: It was long, and almoft univerfally thought, that pains and pe nalties were neceffary to promote the glory of God, and the intereft of Religion; and that thofe, who had the power, had the right to torment and punish their fellow-creatures here for the good of their fouls, and to secure their falvation hereafter. Hence arofe irrecon→ cileable hatred and refentment; and the world was often filled with confufion 7 confufion and bloodshed. But we are now grown wifer; we know, that the "fear of God," or true notions of the Divine Nature, direct us to a different conduct. We have learned alfo from experience, as well as from reafon, the great injuftice and bad policy of this meafure. We are convinced, that every man, while he continues a peaceable fubject, hath a right to follow the dictates of his own confcience, in the profeffing of his faith, and the worshipping of God; that the attempt of compelling men to follow the confciences of others, is as dangerous to public peace, as deftructive of true religion; and lastly, that the belt means to preserve and promote both, are to withdraw that attempt; to treat all who differ in opinion from us with brotherly affection and charity, and to leave them at liberty to determine for themfelves, what they ought to believe as neceffary to falvation; and what they ought to perform in the worship of God, as moft acceptable to him. Our ancestors, at the Revolution, acted on this principle. Among the many excellent improvements which were made in our conflitution about that period, the toleration of Proteftant Diffenters was not the leaft. It banished, as far as it went, perfecution and oppreffion on account of religion, from amongst us. It removed a great blemish, which difgraced our religious establishment, and contributed to increase its ftrength, as well as to improve its beauty. In a word, it put a stop to as many evils, and produced as much good, as perhaps the principles and fpirit of thofe times would then allow; and left to thofe who came after them, the duty and glory of finishing at a proper feafon, the work which they began. 6 That feafon. I truft, is now ap reaching. An opportunity will. I hope, foon be offered to us, of fhewing, that we defer-ve the character, which we have long affumed among Proteftants; of placing religions liberty on its true foundation; aud of giving to all who diffent from our religious establishment, and are good fubjects to the State, that legal Security, to which reason, and the Gospel, and found policy, undoubtedly entitle them. The Diffenters, it is to be prefumed, will not neglect fo honourable and liberal an invitation to apply for the full ellablishment of their religious liberty. II. Preached to a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters at Nottingham, Feb. 27, 1778 *. Being the Day appointed for a general Faft. By George Walker. 8vo. Is. Johnson. A ferious, manly, feasonable difcourfe, abounding with the freest and boldet strictures on the times; in which THE GREAT come in for a due fhare of just reprehenfion. We do not, however, approve of the defpondency of this very patriotic preacher, when he fays, I think no more of thee, my country, than of the venerable dead. The proceedings of the prefent are the last act of public thame, and can only be equalled by the infenfibility of the nation.'-But, courage, Sir!-Since the time when your animated and animating difcourfe was delivered, more favourable appearances have been obferved; and the mourning genius of Britain,' has given proofs * We believe that this fermon was not published till very lately; when a copy of it was tranfmitted to us by a friend. that |
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