voured, in very bad verse, to characterise. Of Mr. A • How well thofe features, ting'd with brass, Pride, Luft, Revenge, and Falfhood shine; Express and brass are but poor rhymes any more than Whilft Gallic flaves fit blushing by.' What our author fays of the Welsh, at the conclusion of the poem, is to the laft degree elegant and poetical. The fons of Mona never wrote or read; But honeft Taffy's itch require not watching, Brimftone's the cure, with butter-milk and fcratching. The rest of this piece is equally admirable with the lines above quoted. If the reader is defirous of feeing any more of it, we refer him to the work itself, confifting of no lefs than fifty-five pages, in the perufal of which we wish him all poffible fatisfaction. A Storm with the Defcription of a Water-Spout; a Shoal of Dol phins; and other ominous Appearances. 4to. 6d. Crowder. We recommend this poetical ftorm and water-fpout to all freshwater failors, to be taken with them on their firft fea voyage; as both the Storm and the Water-fpout are so smooth and inoffenfive, that they may be viewed without the leaft terror and anxiety; and, if properly attended to, instead of frightening or alarming, as these things when real are apt to do, may, on the other hand, even lull them to fleep when they are on the mafttop. La Bagatelle. On the Ufe and Abuse of Satire; occafioned by the Guildhall Orators, and other (o called) "Satirical Poems." 4to. 6d. Fuller. This Bagatelle contains a few good lines, with many more bad ones, on the use and abufe of fatire, in a dialogue between the poet and his friend. The following feem to breathe fomething of the true Popian or Churchilian fpirit, If Defpotifm lurks about the throne, The The people's right, the fenate's power relate, If giant Faction lift her rebel brow; (Though God of Heav'n thyself avert thy curfe), The reft of this little performance, however, is very unequal: and the whole appearing to be written without any plan, order, or precifion, is a piece of poetical patch-work, which we know not what to make of. The Generous Impoftor: a Comedy, as it is now performing at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. 800. 15. 6d. Robion. The variety of pleafing and well-imagined incidents with which Mr. Sheridan has enriched his dramatic performances, together with the high-feafoned wit and humour fo liberally difperfed through them, has fo tickled the palates of our modern audiences, that a plain, fimple fable, however moral, and however interefting, if not enlivened by ftrong character and fpritely converfe, will not now go down. We remember the time when the Comedy before us would have paffed off with no inconfiderable fhare of applaufe, and gone through its firft night's fiery ordeal without fingeing a hair: though it now with fo much difficulty ftands upon its legs, and will probably produce to its author no great portion either of profit or of praife. The plot is taken from a French play, and, as moft French plots are, is much too thin and meagre to fit well upon an English ftomach. The whole plan (which by the way is feen through from the beginning of the piece) confifts in nothing more than making a spritely, fenfible, young widow, who is in love with a fpendthrift, contrive to fave him from ruin by getting all his poffeffions into her own hands; and when he imagines himfelf totally beggared, preventing him from deftroying himself, by generously reftoring the whole to him. The catastrophe which faved the piece, is well worked up, as will appear by the following quo tation from the principal fcene, which being both well-written and well-acted, had its proper effect, and met with its deserved applaufe. Sir Harry Glenville, the fpendthrift, in the laft act, being left alone, makes this foliloquy, Unavailing anguifh! Ufelefs remorfe! Reflections that come too late! Why did you not rather prevent the ruin that o'erwhelms me? Here I fit abandoned by the world-and every way to be most miferable. I feel that I have deserved it all. Where now are the officious friends that rioted in my bounty? Flatterers who feemed to live but to ferve me? You are now fled from this wretched bankrupt.-Them I could forgive.-But you, my Harriet! You whom I ftill feel I love-That you fhould purfue me to deftruction-That you should plan my ruin, and, when you had accomplished it, infult me This is the dagger that ftrikes me to the heart. What have I then then to hope? What should I wait for? Shall I live to be pointed at by every finger? To beg, and be denied? To feek, and be avoided? Shut out-Ha! there is but one remedy, and-this—this [Snatching up his fword, Mrs. Courtly enters from the door, and, falling on her knees, flops his hand.] Mrs. Courtly. Hold, unhappy man, what would you do? Sir Harry. Barbarous, inhuman woman! • Mrs. Courtly. O stay your fatal purpose! Look on me-liften to me. Sir Harry Cruel, and unfeeling to the laft! Would you debar me of the only refource your rapacious hands have left me? Mrs. Courtly. By all you love-by your precious life, dearer to my foul than my own, I conjure you hear me. All that my rapacious hands have taken from you is yours. Sir Harry. What artifice is yet left for you to practise on my credulity? Mrs. Courtly. That which must reconcile you to me, or leave me for ever wretched and hopeless.-Could you but fee that heart you accufe of unfeelingness[Takes hold of him.' Sir Harry. Hang not on me thus-Be gone, or you fhall fee me perish in your prefence, and fhall glut yourself with my blood, as you have with my fortune. Mrs. Courtly, O! but a moment's hearing. If these streaming eyes, that witness the anguifh of my heart-if all these terrors I feel for your fafety, cannot convince you-believe at least this deed-I ruined only to fave you-If I confented to accept your inheritance, it was only that you might owe your all to me. That all, I here refign you. By that deed you are again poffefs'd of your former fortune.-Live, live, my Glenville, and enjoy it. • Sir Harry. Can this be possible! Mrs. Courtly. This was the only way, I had, to save and reclaim you. All other expedients I had attempted in vain. Love at length_ fuggefted this artifice, and prompted me to anticipate that ruin, which, from the course of life you indulged in, would speedily have been effected by other hands. O, cou'd I paint to you the painful ftruggles the profecution of this fcheme has coft me-the meanneffes to which I have ftooped-the violence I have been compelled. to offer to the pride and dignity, and-let me confefs it-to the tendernefs of my heart Sir Harry. And must I believe you? Had my Harriet fuch goodnefs, while I treated her with ingratitude? Mrs. Courtly. This hour, I hope, will repay me for all the sacrifices I have made. From this moment you are mafter of all I poffefs. My fond melting heart throws off all reftraint. It would gladly make fome atonement for the anxiety I have caufed you, by thus pouring forth all its tenderness-by confeffing that you are all its treasure, all its joy, all its hope.The reft remains with yourfelf-Live happy, live contented, and, if that can add to that happinefs and content, live with me. Sir Harry. O thofe transports are too much!-Adorable woman ! my angel! my preferver! [falls at her feet] How have I deferved? How can I exprefs? Mrs. Courtly. Pray rife.-Thank heaven, I have found the fecret to restore you to yourself." Many fcenes in this Comedy, it must be acknowledged, for want of incident, character, and wit, hang extremely heavy. It is not, however, upon the whole, ill-written; and confidered as the first attempt of a young author, may be intitled to fome degree of approbation. When the writer becomes better acquainted with the stage, and the reigning tafte of the times he lives in, he may probably make choice of a better fubject, and treat it in a more judicious manner in fome future performance. Songs in the Comic Opera of Tom Thumb the Great. Published by Permiffion of the Author, Kane O'Hara, Efq. 8vo. 1s. Kearfly. Thefe fongs are well adapted to the piece, being very agreeable nonfenfe, and what the galleries call extremely funny. Hints on Difeafes that are not cured, addressed to the Faculty only. 410. 1s. 6d. Murray. Thefe Hints are defigned to excite the attention of the faculty to two diseases which are generally confidered as but little within the power of medical affiftance, viz. the confumption and the gout. The author's zeal for the improvement of science is doubtless highly commendable; but we wish that it were accompanied with more explicit and effectual regulations for accomplishing the purpose. Obfervations on Dr. Hugh Smith's Philofophy of Phyfic, and bis two firft Chapters of Philofophical Inquiries. 40. 15. 6d. Macgowan. In Dr. Smith's Theoretical Reflections we obferved the marks of ingenuity, as we alfo perceive in thefe Obfervations on his doctrine. The subject in controversy being entirely of a speculative nature, we fhall, at prefent, without interpofing our own opinion, leave the farther investigation of the matter to the Doctor and the author of these Obfervations; referving to ourfelves the privilege of examining their arguments when the queftion has been maturely debated, Introductory Lectures to the facred Books of the New Teftament. By John David Michaelis, Profeffor in his Majefry's Univerfity at Gottingen. 2s. 6d. fered. Dawson. This learned writer treats of the original language, the manufcripts, the printed editions, and the verfions of the New Teftament; the inspiration of the facred writers, the time when they wrote, and a variety of other curious and useful fubjects. The value of this excellent work is well known to the learned. The prefent tranflation was published about the year 1759, in 4to, price twelve shillings. This, being a much cheaper edition, will therefore be more acceptable to the generality of readers. A Sermon against Perfecution: preached at Houghton-le-Spring, On Sunday, July 16, 1780. By John Rotheram, M. A. 8vo. 6d. Robfon. A plain practical fermon on thefe memorable words of Jefus Chrift, The Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives,' &C. &c. tending to fhew, that violence, cruelty, intolerance, and perfecution, are totally contrary to the fpirit and genius of Christianity. Thou that fayeft, a Chriftian fhould not perfecute, dost thou perfecute?' Mr. Rotheram's difcourfe has a reference to the late diabolical infurrections. For though the demon of deftruction had not reached the congregation of Houghton-le-Spring, this admonition was not unfeafonable. A Charity Sermon preached at St. Edmund's Bury, on Sunday, Oct. 17, 1779, for the Benefit of the Charity Schools in that Town. 4to. Is. Crowder. An oratorical difcourfe on Luke xiv. 14. They cannot recompenfe thee; but thou shalt be recompenfed at the refurrection of the juft.' CONTROVERSI A L. The Unlawfulness of Polygamy evinced: or, Obfervations occafioned by the erroneous Interpretations of the Paffages of the New Teftament, refpecting the Laws of Marriage, lately published in a Treatife on Female Ruin. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Kearfly. The author of Thelyphthora has afferted, that polygamy ⚫ allowed by the law of Mofes, is not prohibited by the gofpel;" and that it was impoffible, that our bleffed Lord, who came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it, fhould condemn polygamy as adultery; this writer therefore confiders his erroneous interpretations of fome paffages in the New Teftament, refpecting thofe points; and fhews, that polygamy, though allowed by the law, is forbidden under the gofpel. He concludes with an inftance, which, amongst many others that might be produced, evinces the Deity to have altered, and even revoked, as well as permitted, the violation of his inftitutions and laws, according to the capacities, condition, and fituations of mankind. God, fays he, exprefly commanded our first parents, and their immediate fucceffors, to increase and multiply, at a time when their fituation was fuch, that they could not obey this law, without committing an act [inceft] which by a fubfequent law is prohibited as a fin of the deepest dye.' This pamphlet contains feveral critical remarks, which are apparently very juft. A Letter to the rev. Mr. Madan, concerning the Chapter of Polyga my in his late Publication, entitled Thelyphthora. 8vo. 15. Fielding and Walker. The author of this Letter, in oppofition to the learned advocate for polygamy, who attempts to fupport his doctrine on the Mofaic law, endeavours to establish the truth of these three propófitions: 1. That the political law, as delivered to the Jews by Mofes their legiflator, was not eternal. 2. That the ritual law was only typical of that facrifice, which was to be made for the fins of the world by Jefus Chrift. 3. That as foon as the ferpent's head had been actually bruif ed |