true punters, talk of crooked verfes and limping feet:-but, waving this, what has the progrefs of aftronomy to do with Mrs. Smith's Select Poems? We were really at a lofs to anfwer, till we found that all this introductory information confifts in telling us, that Jane Smith keeps a fhop, where hopes and fears are fold for ready money-in her own words, that the is a professor of aftrology; or, in the words of others, a fortune teller. "No man ever forgets his trade;" nor woman neither. Mrs. Smith is busy with the planets all the time fhe is compofing verfes; and the unmercifully converts them into inftruments of abuse against us Reviewers: for toward us, we fuppofe, fhe has an eye, when, after talking of critics raging like any tempeft,' fhe adds,

• Tho' old malignant Saturn feems to frown,
Yet his dire projects plainly fhall be shewn.'

but we shall never quarrel with a lady who prefents us with fuch new and important information. We learn that, in these days, we may walks on the fea; and that there are inns on it, to refresh the weary traveller:

I faw Prophanenefs ftrut along the main,
And at the

inn lodg'd her venal train.' No wonder fuch a fight caus'd the authorefs to weep:

Sweet were my fighs and tears, thoughts unreftrained,
And all things prefent feemed to feel my pain.

The glittering ftreams ftole murmuring away,
Slid by the banks like those afraid to stay.
The very clouds that wander here and there,
And ftagger to and fro with wind and air,
They feem'd concern'd, and, in a hurry ran,

To know from whence poor Nature's grievance came ;
Which when they heard, amaz'd away they crept,
They fied for fear, and, as they fled, they wept.'

This is wonderful; and fhews Mrs. Smith's influence over the works of nature: but it is, really, with a fhrinking of heart, that we mark the aweful fublimity of expreffion, and majestic grandeur of manner, with which the infpired poetefs controuls the heavenly bodies, and directs their motions!

Go, ftill-born, go, from us falute the ftars,
Bid them prepare for univerfal wars:
Let Hercules appear, with club and coat,
And bring Auriga, with his cart and goat;

Let rough Bootes, in the northern sphere,
Mufter his force, and bring his herd of bears,

Acquaint the Twins with what from us you've heard,
And bid Orion come, or fend his fword,
Bid Argus bring his fleet, his fhip of force;
Chiron and Sagittarius lend their horse:
And when our force is met, the earth below,
Shall its own fate in time's due order know.
From pole to pole we'll vifit ev'ry fhore,
The cross, the crefcent, all fhall feel our power:

The bearded and the beardlefs, none can fhun't,

They that believe a God, and they that don't.'

After this fublime effufion, any other quotation from thefe poems would appear like a farthing candle after a sky rocket.

Art. 32. A Collection of Odes, Songs, and Epigrams, against the Whigs, alias the Blue and Buff; in which are included Mr. Hewardine's Political Songs. 8vo. 2s. 6d. pp. 98. Bell. 1790. A little humour, a few flashes of wit, and ribaldry without limitation, are the ingredients for compofing a party ballad, fong, or catch, fit to fet the tavern tables in a roar, at election feafts, &c.

MEDICAL.

Art. 33., Obfervations on Gangrenes and Mortifications, accompanied with, or occafioned by, convulfive Spaims, or arifing from local Injury, producing Irritation. By Charles White, Efq. F. R. S. Member of the Corporation of Surgeons, &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 29. Is. Dilly. 1790.

After flightly enumerating the different fpecies of mortification, and after obferving that a variation in their fymptoms and causes will neceffarily require a variation in their treatments; Mr. White fpeaks of that kind which is accompanied with convulfive fpafms, or which is occafioned by local injury. He has here found an almoft never-failing remedy in large and repeated dofes of mufk and falt of hartfhorn. His words on this head, are as follow:

When I first employed this medicine, in the complaints to which this pamphlet relates, it was not from any expectations, I must own, of stopping their immediate progefs, but merely to combat difagreeable fymptoms fuch as the fingultus, fubfultus tendinum and other convulfive fpafms. I foon found it not only removed thefe unpromifing appearances, but also procured eafe, fleep and a gentle diaphorefis, whilft, at the fame time, the mortification regularly ftopped. The circumftance ftruck me, but I fcarcely durft flatter myself the ftoppage of the complaint itself, in the firft inftance, was owing to the medicine, till, from repeated trials of it, I obferved the fame uniform effects. In most of the cafes, in this fpecies of mortification, that have fallen under my practice, it has fucceeded to the utmost of my wifhes, viz. when accompanied with, or occafioned by, convulfive fpafms, or arifing from local injury, producing irritation.'

Four cafes are added, in fome of which, the patients took one hundred and twenty grains of mufk, and as many of falt of hartf horn, in the courfe of a day.

EDUCATION.

Art. 34. Young Grandijon: A Series of Letters from young Per fons to their Friends. Translated from the Dutch of Madame de Cambon; with Alterations and Improvements. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Johnfon. 1790.

This publication is of that ufeful kind, which, while it awakens. curiofity, and affords inftruction, is calculated to expand the heart. Such parts of the original work, as appeared to the translator to

afford

afford too much encouragement to vanity, are here fuppreffed: in other parts, he has added fuch incidents, or fentiments, as he judged might render the work more useful to young people. The judicious principle on which he has proceeded in his alterations, is, that productions intended for the inftruction of youth, fhould be as free from error as poffible: but, that, above all, no narrow prejudices fhould be retained, to cramp the understanding, or make it fubmit to any other authority than that of reafon. In this particular view, the prefent work, as it appears in an English drefs, has great merit. In the easy and pleafant way of anecdote and dialogue, it at once inculcates fentiments of probity, humanity, and piety, and conveys useful information concerning nature. The language is fimple and correct, and perfectly adapted to the underAandings of children about eight or ten years of age, for whofe ufe, chiefly, it feems to have been written.

Art. 35. The Fairy Spectator; or, the Invisible Monitor.

By

Mrs. Teachwell and her Family. 12mo. pp. 83. 19. Marshall. Since the days of Shakespeare, when "Puck was fear'd in field and town," the race of Fairies are much improved in their manners, and instead of "mifleading night wanderers, laughing at their harm," are now bufily occupied in teaching little mafters and miffes to be good; and this book contains a fpecimen of their pretty Jeffons.

NOVEL.

Art. 36. The Citizen.-By Mrs. Gomerfall of Leeds, Author of Eleonora. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Scatcherd and Whit

aker. 1790.

The favourable idea which we formed of this female writer, from her Eleonora, (See Review for June, 1789. vol. Ixxx. p. 552.) is confirmed by this fecond attempt. Though fhe does not appear to poffefs any peculiar degree of refinement, either in fentiment or language, the reprefents the manners of middle life with great exactness, and has a happy facility in sketching familiar converfations. Her citizen, the hero of the piece, is an excellent character, and, well fupported.

POLITICAL.

Art. 37. The Speech of Major Scott, in the Houfe of Commons, May 21, 1790, on the Complaint of General Burgoyne for Breach of Privilege. 8vo. pp. 38. 19. Stockdale.

This complaint, our readers may remember, was inftituted against the Major, for writing a letter in the public newspapers, which was ftyled a fcandalous and libellous paper, reflecting on the honour and juftice of this houfe.' Against this charge, the Major defended himself with his ufual abilities and addrefs; his great strength in this inftance, which he is not backward in exerting, confifts in preffing home the fact, that the statements made by the India minister, and certain refolutions and proceedings, are at total variance with the articles of impeachment: but the Major muft wait for a cabinet revolution, before this fact is feen and admitted, and then he may

be amply gratified. In the mean time, he may amufe himself with the argumentum ad hominem, which he points around him very happily.

Art. 38. Mifcellaneous Proposals for increafing our National Wealth, Twelve Millions a Year; and alfo for augmenting the Revenue without a new Tax, or the farther Extenfion of the Excife Laws. By John Donaldfon, Efq. 8vo. pp. 58. 1s. 6d. Murray,

1790.

The eagerness with which we opened propofals that promised fuch welcome advantages, can only be measured by our mortification, at finding they only held up a string of political arcana, or noftrums, infallible when explained, but-no pay, no purchafe. John Donaldson, Efq. informs us-'the whole fecrets remain with myself, I never having communicated any part of them to any one, neither is it my intention to do it, until I have the honour and happiness of my requeft being complied with, which is only to have the conducting the bufinefs, and to bar others from reaping the benefit of my labours without my confent, as mentioned in the propofals. Though thefe fecrets, from motives of prudence, are carefully with-held from public fcrutiny, the projector condescends to declare, that he has, with great expence, and after more than forty years ftudy and labour, found out and invented a method of employing convicts, vagrants, and other idle and diforderly people, whether old or young, and of either fex: to put the fisheries on a folid and lasting foundation: to put an end to fmuggling: to prevent house-breaking, and all other acts of violence and depredation: to fupply the navy, on any emergency, with many thousands of able feamen without preffing: to make it the intereft of the manufacturers and others to stay at home. By thefe and other popular means to increase the revenue, profperity, and happinefs of the nation, without laying any additional tax on the people, without making the penal laws more fevere, or putting government to any expence.'

Like the famous Marquis of Worcester, Mr. D. has given us no more than fcantlings of his inventions; fo that we are wholly precluded from judging of the means by which they are to be accomplished: but it is doubtlefs with a view to bespeak our confidence in his abilities to effect thefe grand objects, and to prove that he is no obfcure defigning adventurer, that he advertises us, of his having obtained a patent for an improvement in candles, by which invention, the public now have candles that give a better light with lefs fmoak than other candles, which look neat, and burn pleafantly, not being apt to fpark, gutter, or flare.'-After fuch exertions, for the better illuminating our houfes, it was but a natural step forward, to folicit another patent for performing the fame kind office to our minds; and with little Pope, a fhoe-maker, one of the laft diftinguished orators at the Robin Hood and Queen's Arms, to undertake to "fnuff the candles of our understandings." Art. 39. Confiderations upon the political Situations of France, Great Britain, and Spain, at the prefent Crifis. Tranflated from the

French

French of M. Dupont, Deputy from Nemours to the National Affembly of France. 8vo. pp. 30. 1s. Bell. 1790.

We cannot look on these confiderations in any other light, than as the ravings of a man who does not understand the fubject on which he is talking. M. Dupont throws out the most abufive invectives against this country, for entertaining projects destructive of the liberty of France; and he ends with threats, which, if they were not fo ridiculous as to cause our laughter, could only tend to produce that temper, which he fuppofes already to exit:-but, to our forrow be it fpoken, M. Dupont may juftify himself, by referring us to our own fenate for fimilar language!

Art. 40. Second Letter to the People of England, upon the prefent Crifis. By James Edward Hamilton, Efq. 8vo. pp. 15. 6d. Debrett.

The former letter of this gentleman was mentioned in our Review for laft Auguft, p. 469: this fecond epistle is employed in confirming the estimates which he then formed, in condemning Mr. Pitt's plan of buying in the public debts, and in recommending the minifterial abilities of Mr. Fox.

Art. 41. An Attempt to Explain the Terms Democracy, Ariftocracy, Oligarchy, Monarchy, and Defpotifm. By James Edward Hamilton, Efq. 8vo. pp. 16. 6d. Debrett.

Why Mr. Hamilton fhould offer thefe definitions, when every one, who is poffeffed of an English dictionary, is already furnished with them, does not clearly appear. They lead, however, to an avowal of his writing A new Plan of Parliamentary Reform *, and an intimation of the celerity of his pen; having, as he informs us, first conceived the idea of that reform, together with the fubject of his Second Letter to the People of England, above mentioned, on May 16th, which were thrown upon paper that evening, and published the 18th.' Mercy on us, to what are we expofed, if Mr. H.'s pen fhould meet with no interruptions!

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 42. An Enquiry into the Principles of Tafte, and the Origin of our Ideas of Beauty, &c. 8vo. pp. 52. 25. Smeeton. Plain fenfe is easily comprehended, and, of course, easily reviewed: but metaphyfical difquifitions often abound with fuch an appearance of reafoning and deep inveftigation, that we are obliged to look and look again before we can difcover the inanity, or want of clear ideas, that lies concealed under an heap of philofophical terms. This gentleman, however, has not given us much trouble. No fooner did we read the firft period of his firft chapter, in which he undertakes to give a sketch of the mental fyftem refpecting our perceptions of tafle, &c. than we clearly perceived his inability to throw much light on the principles of tafle, by his enquiry. The mind of man, introfpecting itself, feems as it were, (in conjunction with the infcrutable principles of nature,) placed in the central point of

*See Review for Auguft laft, p. 469.

the