The ninth and tenth volumes were published in 1795. Though the author has really vifited the countries which he defcribes, the work, however, confifts chiefly of an affemblage of general obfervations on manners, population, industry, and the fciences; among which are occafionally inferted particular differtations on different interefting fubjects. Thus, for inftance, the 11th volume contains differtations on the Celts, their language, the Suabians, &c. the 12th, fome very important observations on certain geographical names given by Pliny, Ptolemy, and others, to places fituate in the Black Foreft, and in Helvetia. To the recital of his travels are added, a multitude of Notes and Tables, relative chiefly to ftatistical matters, fome of them bearing the date of 1795. Ibid. ART. 69. Chriftliche Kirchengeschichte von Johann Matthias Schröckh, ordent Lebrer der Gefchichte auf der Univerfitat Wittenberg-Hiftory of the Chriftian Church, by J. M. Schröckh. Vol. 22. Leipzig, 1796. 304 pp. 8vo. Of this equally comprehenfive, accurate, and elegant ecclefiaftical hiftory, the plan of which must be already known to most of our readers from the former volumes, we think it fufficient merely to point out the continuation in the prefent volume, which takes in the period from the year 815 to the year 1073. Ibid. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A Friend to the British Critic proves himself to be really fo, by the communication he has conveyed to us; for which we return our fincere thanks. But we must repeat to him, what we have faid to many prior correfpondents, that anonymous critiques are of little ufe to us. We are pledged, for the ftrongest reafons, not to adopt them without examination; and when we have gone through a book, it is nearly as easy to write down our own fentiments, as to adopt those already written; and, in fome refpects, more fatisfactory. We are much obliged to Mr. Hoper, of Lewes, for his kind information on the fubject of Lord Mansfield. With refpect to the Mezzoranian Tale, he will find, in vol. vii, p. 219, that another correfpondent, long ago, gave us the fame hint. We then turned to the Adventures of Gaudentio de Lucca, and found the obfervation to be correct. LITERARY LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. A complete Edition of the Works of Sir William Jones, will speedily be published, under the authority of Lady Jones, his Executrix. We hear, that a German Verfion of the great Work of Mirkhond, the Perfian Hiftorian, is nearly ready for publication at Vienna. The Annual Regifter, for 1792, which, though fo long promifed, has by unavoidable accidents been delayed, will appear in the course of the prefent month. Two more volumes of the fame Work, are alfo in the prefs. We understand, that Mr. Stockdale will have carried his Hiftory of London, &c. as far as the Fifth and Sixth Parts, by Midfummer, or soon after. We hear alfo, of a Poem, called Henry and Acafto, which is to be embellished by Plates, from defigns of Loutherbourg. The Author is the Rev. Brian Hill. The Museum Worfleanum of Sir Richard Worsley, so often promised, and fo long expected, is at length nearly completed. Mr. Chamberlayne, to whom the lovers of the arts are already fo much indebted, is preparing to publifh two beautiful miniatures, from Holbein, of two fons of Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who both died of the fweating fickness. The new edition of Tyrwhitt's Chaucer, in two volumes, quarto, is finished, at the Clarendon Prefs. To the numerous enquirers after the Strabo, we can only reply that it is in progress. An Account of the Embaffy to China, by Serjeant Holmes, is printing, by Bulmer, under the aufpices of Sir William Yonge. A Life of Lord Chancellor Egerton, by a defcendant of that ancient family, is now in the prefs. In the course of next month, the public will receive another volume of Mr. Nichols's Hiftory of Leicestershire. Mr. Pinkerton is preparing a volume of Poems for the prefs. THE BRITISH CRITIC, For APRIL, 1798. Senfe may be good, yet not deferve the prefs; The world as pupil of their wifdom claim, And for their ftipend an immortal fame. Nothing but what is folid or refin'd, Should dare ask public audience of Mankind. YOUNG. ART. I. The Hiftory of Scotland, from the Acceffion of the Houfe of Stuart, to that of Mary. With Appendixes of original Papers. By John Pinkerton. In Two Volumes. 4to. 517 and 510 pp. 21. 2s. Dilly. 1797. THE plan of this work being in fome refpects new," as the author remarks in his preface," it may not be unneceffary to indicate the causes of the arrangement. The characters of the monarchs are delineated at the commencement, not at the clofe, of their reigns, becaufe in the most eminent hiftorical productions, when other perfonages afcend the scene, they are thus introduced, and recommended to the reader's attention, as he becomes more interested in the events by a previous acquaintance with the actors. In the other mode, the mind feems to feel fome defect in gratification, fome defire to reperufe the reign, in order to mark its correfpondence with the character; nor can any jud caufe be affigned, why the princes fhould, in this refpect, be diftinguished from the other chief perfonages." P. v. This is the first reafon given, by Mr. Pinkerton, for prefixing rather than fubjoining the character to the narrative. But, we are forry to fay, at fo early a part of our review of this Bb PARIT. CRIT. VOL. XI. APRIL, 1798. work, work, that the reafon is as infufficient in itfelf, as it is weakly urged. In no hiftorical productions, either "the most" or the leaft" eminent," was this method ever adopted before. Even, if it had been, there is a principle of propriety, a common fenfe in criticism, which prohibits fuch an arrangement. This allows no anticipation of the coming events, no reference either fecret or open to a history not yet told. It takes up the perfonage, either fuperior or fubordinate, at the moment of his introduction upon the narrative; and gives fuch an account of him, as fhall explain his character prior to his introduction, but preparatory to his fubfequent actions; It then leaves his character to unfold itself in all those actions: and it finally contracts all the fcattered rays of illumination, draws them together in a general character, and fo caufes them to appear with collected force at the close. "Nor is the private perfonal character of a monarch,” adds Mr. Pinkerton, " always to be difcerned in the public fortunes of his fovereignty, often the machinations of minifters and parties, though it doubtlefs have fuch influence as to deferve great attention: and modern hiftory, not permitting fuch variety of rhetoric and digreffion as the ancient claffical models afford, it becomes the more important to preferve its legal wealth unviolated, and to diverfify the chronicle of wars and treaties by ethic portraiture, by delineations of men and manners." P. vi. This is the fecond reafon given for prefixing inftead of subjoining the character to the narrative. Yet what relation does it bear to the point? None at all. We cannot but look with furprise, at the intrufive obfervation. It refers not either to the prefixing or the fubjoining of characters, but to the delineation of characters themselves, and even to the delineation of general manners with them. What confufion of elements, then, could have produced fuch an heterogeneous mixture here? The paffage relates obviously to another mode of arrangement in the hiftory, of which we thall immediately take notice, and by which the manners of the times are very particularly delineated. Nor can we trace any poffible affociation of ideas, by which this obfervation forced itfelf here fo unfeafonably upon the writer's mind; but that he thought a character fubjoined in the ufual form, would preclude him from "fuch variety of rhetoric and digreffion," as he wished to copy from the ancients, while he tried to diverfify the chronicle of wars and treaties by ethic portraiture, by delineations of men and manners." He thus introduced here, what fhould have been obferved hereafter; and anticipated the future, only to confufe the prefent. "Yet," as Mr. Pinkerton finally adds, re"it becomes indifcovering at length from this confufion, penfable, that the reign be first compofed with complete candour, candour, from the moft genuine and unbiaffed fources, and meditated in all its relations of time, place, and circumstances, before a juft estimate can be prefixed." Here the reafon revolts from its owner, and turns directly against him. If the narration must be written before the character can be drawn, that ought to be perufed before this be examined. If the course is indifpenfable in the one cafe, it is at least as proper in the other: and the author, we fear, in this inaufpicious commencement of an able work, has, to a reason not true in itself, and to an observation not relevant to the point, fubjoined a remark fubverfive of the whole pofition. But, as a difpofition fo novel to history ought to be profcribed ftill more feverely, let us produce an inftance of Mr. Pinkerton's anticipated characters. It fhall be that of James the Firft; and we will give it at full length, that we may exhibit this fingular mode of writing in all its impropriety. "After two weak and inactive reigns, and two regencies of no fuperior character, a monarch is to fucceed, whofe government is to be diftinguished for its novelty and vigour; and the houfe of Stuart is at laft to know a fovereign. James had now attained his thirtieth year, and his prime of life was yet further recommended by every advantage, which natural talents, and a complete education, could beftow. In perfon, he was rather under the middle fize, but endued with fuch firmness and agility, as to excel in every manly exercife. In wrestling, in the management of the bow, or the fpear, in throwing the quoit, in running, in horfemanship, he yielded to none. But his mental qua lities were yet more confpicuous. A man of fcience and learning, an excellent poet, a master of mufic, the fame of his accomplishments reflected glory even on the throne. Illuftrious in every perfonal virtue, free from any perfonal vice, his very amufements adorned his character; his hours of leifure being frequently dedicated to elegant writing, and miniature painting, to mechanical arts, and to the cultivation of the garden and the orchard." Vol. i, p. 108. So far the author has confined himfelf, except only in the fingle intimation about the throne, within the prescribed barriers of an hiftorical career. But he inftantly overleaps them, and hurries away into the field of narration. "The features of his government," before the author has begun an account of his government," it is more difficult to difcriminate. If we believe fome writers, not lefs than three thousand men were put to death, in the two firft years of his reign; and after the inroad of Donald Balloch," of which the reader knows nothing at prefent, "three hundred highland banditti met with the fame fate. Happily thefe matters," he adds, making an excurfion even beyond narration into criticism," are quite unknown to contemporary and authentic monuments of our hiftory: the juftice of James fell only on a few nobles, and fome chiefs of clans; but the numerous dependants Bb z of |