** Has not Sherry, this morning, expos’d to your view And the Judges new modes of interpreting Lau. “ I can't think for a moment of starving the Cause." Art. 19. The Socinian Champion; or Prieitleyan Divinity : a Poems By Philochristos. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Buckland, &c. 1788. • The huge Socinian, none besides, And lay expiring on the ground:' So vaunteth our hero! nor, if we may credit his own tale, is his vaunting vain : for, without conjuring up the ghosts of the Seven Champions of Christendom, by the fingle prowels of Y-, a dreadful knight, he leaves the poor Socinian champion weltering in his gore, and after configning his foul to the abyss of hell, honours bis carcale with the following epitaph: • In philosophy drown'd, From Y, who was wiser than he.' Our Readers will not wish for any farther specimen of the poetry of this piece: of its wit or humour, it is impossible we should give any fpecimen. Art. 20. Address to Loch Lomond, a Poem. 460. is. 6d. Dilly. 1788. • The gleaming lake; the ever changeful sky; The The barren heath; the lofty mountain wild, Among the first in letters as in arms.' The concluding part of this passage alludes to Napier, the inventor of logarithms, Buchanan, and Smollet, of whom, after briefly chao racterising each, he says, • 'Twas near thy southern More They sportive rov'd ;' • To guard from ev'ry rude intruder's eye To all the hardships of a steril clime,- By force or fraud, thy heroes to enslave.' Prom these fpecimens, the reader will perceive that this little poent possesses fome degree of merit. The descriptions, in general, are faithful pictures of nature, the objects which engage the writer's attention are simple and sublime; and the piece is rendered the more interesting by frequent allusions to historical events, and the characteristic manners of ancient and modern times. The harp of Ollian which had enlivened these scenes, as they lie in the vicinity of Balclutha, being mentioned, he says, " Its notes Mufing on scenes and feats of other years.' Inspired by this great idea, the Author concludes the poem with the following address : • Wrapt in the mist that veils yon mountain's brow, A serere With a A severe critic might perhaps discover faults in this poem, which evince that the Author is but a beginner in the art of composition; but its beauties so far compensate for its defects, that it would be cruel to dwell on them. Art. 21. Elégie composée dans un Cimetière de Campagne, &c. i.e. Gray's Elegy in a Country Church-yard, translated into French, The beauties of Gray's Church-yard Elegy are of so exquisite a nature, that we conceive it to be extremely difficult to translate it happily into any language, and next to imposible to do it tolerable justice in French verse. We could not therefore take up this pamphlet with any flattering presentiments. We feared M. Guedon would fail in his attempt ; and, in justice to our Readers, we must add, our examination of his work has confirmed our suspicions. But this failure involves in it little disgrace, as the obstacles he had to contend with are insurmountable. There are so many of the leffer graces, such touches of the great master in this Elegy, as cannot be fuffused into a French translation. Mr. Gray, in French poetry, could neither please an English reader, nor convey to a foreigner any idea of the beauties of the original. In some places, M. Guedon might have made his version better than as it now stands; but with all his efforts, it must have remained, in our opinion, very defective. By the following specimens, the reader will have an opportunity of appreciating for himself the merit of the present translation, and of seeing at the same time, how unlike himself, the elegantly plaintive Gray appears in a French dress. • The swallow twitt'ring from her straw-built shed :" • Le Ciel ne paya point ses vertus à demi.' The above extracts fhew that the translator has often departed from the sense of the original; and we might have given other infances of this kind. As to the Latin translation, it is abundantly more faithful and elegant; but not without defects. Tinnitusque pigra voce foporat oves' is an happy version of Gray's line, “ And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds ; " but • Et tenebris mundum dat, tenebrasque mihi,' is not a translation of “ And leaves the world to darkness and to me." Art. 22. Poetical Address to his Majesty: occasioned by the late Royal Visit to Worcester, at the Meeting of the three Choirs, Aug. 6th, 1788. Dedicated, with Permission, to the King. By Theophilus Swift, Esq. 410. Is. Bew, &c. • Dedicated, with permission, to the King. It is im poslible to peruse this poem without admiring the gracious condescension of his Majesty.—But good nature is always pleased with good intention. Art. 23. Sop in the Pan for Peter Pindar, Esq.; or a late Invitation to Cheltenham: a Burlesque Poem. By Pindaromastix. 4to. is, 6d. Robinsons. 1788. The Author proposes to revive the dormant office of Court Buffoon, or King's Jefter; and to confer it on the Cornish Bard. With this view, he entertains us with what he, no doubt, esteems a humorous, dialogue between Peter Pindar and the King; and with other diverting particulars. ' But it is an infuperable misfortune to these imitators, that we cannot read their productions without recollecting their original; - and then, as Mrs. Slip-flop says, “ Comparisons are odorous." Art. 24. CERBERUS: or, a Leash of Portraits. A Poem. 4t0is. Ridgway. 1788. The retort poetic, but not courteous, is here given to Mr. Horne Tooke, of whose Two Pair of Portraits some mention was made in our Catalogue for August. This piece may be considered as a Weftminster election squib, though it was not thrown up till after the election was over. Mr. Horne Tooke, Mr. Churchill, and Mr. Frost are the persons here caricatured; but Lord Hood takes his share of the abuse, both in the poem, and in the satirical copperplate, prefixed, by way of frontispiece. The poetry is tolerable. The Author had seen Swift's Legion Club. Art. 25. The Triumph of Volpone : or a Peep behind the Curtain at the Westminster Election. With Sketches of some public Characters. By Pepper Pasquin, Esq. 400. 15. Axtell, &c. Many thanks to thee, gentle Pepper, for the comfortable nap which thou hast afforded us, by the perusal of this thy sober Satire on the Blue and Buff party. Art. 26. The Children of Thespis. A Poem, by Anthony Pasquin, Esq. Paris 2d, and 3d. 4to. 35. each. Ridgway. 1788. In our 75th volume, p. 68, we introduced to the notice of the Public, the itt Part of this imitation and continuation of Churchill's RosciaD; and, on that occasion, we spoke what we really thought of its merits; and what was there faid may suffice for the present occafion ;-unless we add, that this angry Poet raves most outrageously at the Reviewers :-whence his readers will, doubtless, infer that he has, on some unfortunate occasion or other, severely smarted under the lash critical. He seems, indeed, to have been so deeply cut, that the the galhes remain yet unhealed, his wounds ftill rankling, and, at times, breaking out afresh, like Uncle Toby's hurt in his groin, fo that, poor map! he becomes quite offensive to those who approach too near him!-It is picy that we have no public charitable foundation for patients labouring under maladies and accidents of this peculiar kind. -For such benevolent purpose, suppose a new ward were added to the great hospital in Moorfields ? It might be productive of much good; but great care fhould be taken that it be sufficiently capacious, to prevent is being over-crowded !-Should this hint prove effc&tive, the proprietors of the Reviews, the Magazines, and Critics in general, ought to subscribe liberally : for who are so fit to bear the expence of the remedy, as those who have excited the mischief?-Set the M. R. down for five hundred. Art. 27. Chatsworth, a Poem. Dedicated, by Permission, to her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire. 4to. 25. Jeffery and Co. Pallmall. The Poet describes the beauties of this occasional retreat of the noble family of Cavendish ; not forgetting to pass a just encomium on the family itself, --so highly respectable for the great and worthy characters which it has produced. He likewise pays due homage at the shrine of female beauty and excellence.---The Duchess certainly merits all that he has said and sung in her praise. But we were particularly pleased with the beautiful little view of Chatsworth, which adorns the title-page. As to the poetry, we confess that we have been better entertained by the perusal of Cotton's Wonders of the , Peak : rough and rugged as, in general, are the numbers of the Derbyshire Bard-like most of the scenes which he has celebrated. Art. 28. Milton's Paradise Loj, illustrated with Texts of Scripture. By !ohn Gillies, D. D. one of the Ministers in Glasgow. izmo. 3s. 6d. bound. Rivingtons, &c. 1788. The author of Paradise Lost, that “ divine poem,” as Addison has so justly, and by way of excellence, denominated it is known to have drawn considerably from the sacred writings. To illustrate that poem, Dr. Gillies has added many scriptural texts to those already adduced by bishop Newton; and informs us, in his preface, that the design of the present edition is to shew this only, that Paradise Lost owes its chief excellence to the holy scriprures.' The texts are printed in the margin of the work; and there are, no doubt, many to whom the Paradise Lost will be particularly acceptable in such a form. DRAMATIC. Art. 29. Harold; a Tragedy. By Thomas Boyce, A. M. Rector of Worlingham in Suffolk, and Chaplain to the Earl of Suffolk. 4to. 35. Becket. 1786. This tragedy ought, before this time, to have passed in review, for it may well stand in competition with many, that have made more noise in the world. It has lain by us, not neglected, but by fome accident hitherto omitted. We are told in the preface, that this Drama was finished in its present form, when it was first known that a tragedy on the same subject, called The Battle of Hastings, was in Rev. Oct. 1733. Bb rehearsal |