MONTHLY CATALOGUE,

For FEBRUARY, 1763.

POLITICAL.

Art. 1. The true State of the Cafe, in an Addrefs to all the good People of England. From a Well-wifher to his Country. 8vo. I S. Hinxman.

A Specious, temperate, well-written Defence of the Peace, and of the

prefent Administration. A common objection lies against any thing wrote in favour of the Government, That the Writer may be interested in what he is about: may have his views; his expectations: or, as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland faid to Swift,

few people come here,

But have fomething to ask, or fomething to fear.

To obviate every thing of this fort, our Author folemnly profeffes, "That he is altogether unknown to, unacquainted, and unconnected with, all and every one of the perfonages named, or hinted at, in this Addrefs; [here he means the powers that be-i. e. thofe that are in] and that neither he, nor any of his family or friends, have at any time, to his knowlege, ever received any benefit, place, preferment, injury, or difappointment, [here he muft mean thofe that are out] at the hands of any, &c. to sway his mind for or against them.-And that he is moved to publifh thefe his real fentiments, merely from the principles of unfeigned loyalty, profound refpect for public virtue, the love of truth, an abhorrence of difguife and falfhood." All this is perfectly right; but tho' this worthy Gentleman hath as yet received no fhare of Courtfavour, he hath forgot to inform us whether he hath no kind of expectation, no view to any future reward for "unmerited marks of approbation;" as a certain Gentleman, remarkable for his difintercftedness, once expreffed himself, on a memorable occafion.

But, be this as it may,-we truft it is not utterly impossible for a man to enter a Volunteer into his Majesty's fervice, without taking either enlifting-money, ftated pay, or accepting any kind of wages or gratification whatever, except the confcious gratification which virtue always affords to her fincere and faithful votaries: in which number, how finall foever, hoping that our Author has a right to be included, and only on that fuppofition, we bid him farewell, in the moft emphatical terms of approbation that can be pronounced:

Well done! thou good and faithful servant!

Art. 2. Thoughts on Trade in general, our Weft-Indian in particutar, our Continental Colonies, Canada, Guadaloupe, and the Preliminary Articles of Peace. Addreffed to the Community. 8vo. Is. 6d. Wilkie.

This Writer is a cool and difpaffionate Advocate for Canada, and the Preliminary Articles. But as the public, we imagine, have been long

fince tired of this exhaufted fubject, we shall forbear entering into the merits of this debate, especially as the point in controverfy has been decided by the conclufion of the Peace, and the Votes of a British Senate. It only remains for us to hope, that all our fellow-fubjects are as well fatisfied with the terms of Peace as this Pamphletteer appears to be, and we are strongly inclined to believe, that he writes from conviction, though we cannot greatly extol his talent for composition.

Art. 3. A Letter from a Member of the Oppofition to Lord B----. 8vo. Is., Burnet.

S.

Ironical. The Author, by raising abfurd objections to Lord Bute, the Preliminaries, &c. endeavours to ridicule the common arguments used by the Oppofition. He fupports the figure with tolerable gravity; but his powers are fcarce fufficient to prevent his being now and then a little dull, and fometimes more than a little ambiguous. He is also a very incorrect Writer: fo that, on the whole, we may venture to fet him down among the minor Politicians.

Art. 4. An Appeal to Knowledge: or, Candid Difcuffions of the Preliminaries of Peace, figned at Fontainebleau, November 3, 1762, and laid before both Houses of Parliament. By a Member of Parliament. 8vo. Is. 6d. Wilkie.

This Appellant "takes the pen in hand," to difcufs the prelimina ries of peace with all "cool candour imaginable." Cool candour! who ever heard of hot candour? "Mott Authors," he premifes, "have fome vanity, but his motive," he declares," is his country's good and not their applaufe." Modeft indeed! but let us tell him, that an Author without vanity, will make as little progrefs as a fhip without fails. He profeffes however that this is the firft production of his brain; and we are, inclined to give him credit, from the inflated ftile in which it is penned. The following paragraph may ferve as a fpecimen of his rhetorical powers. Having expreffed "his hope that the reader is convinced we have obtained full compenfation, and established firm feca-. rity," he winds up the whole with this flourishing recapitulation.

Thus circumftanced, thus fituated, can it be doubted that we have made a glorious peace; glorious, as having obtained beyond our expec tations the objects of the war, and having fo placed North America, as to be able for ever to defend herfelf, and to call no more for atmies to be fent from hence at a great expence; glorious, as having put the French fishery and their fugar colonies among the Caribbee Inlands abfolutely under our power; glorious, as having retained the most valuable of our acquifitions, and restored to France only thofe which are dependant now on us; glorious, as having the only conquefts the enemy had made, amply reftored; glorious, as having reftored the buccaneer'd (if I may be allowed that expreffion) kingdom of our most faithful ally, whom we have again fixed on the late tottering feat of his throne; glorious, as having with honour got out of that unfatiable, unfathomable pit the German war, which has fwallowed thousands of British lives, and millions of British treafure; and glorious, as beyond (from our own circumstances and abilities to carry on the war) what we

could

could have maintained and perfifted in, if refused; and if I should fay adequate to our fuccefs, might be juftifiable." Was ever peace fo glorified? How glorious is the Author of all this glorification? We would not however totally difcourage a young adventurer, for if this really is. as we are inclined to believe, his firft effay, he may hereafter, when he has learned to restrain his impetuofity, and lop his exuberances, make no inconfiderable figure.

Art. 5. Scotchman be Modeft: or Albion's Crifis. 8vo.
Printed for the Author, and fold by the Bookfellers.

I S.

Low, crazy, incoherent ftuff, intended to abuse the great man whom it has lately been fo much the fashion to abufe: even the very mob feem now to have found out the method of flinging dirt from the prefs; and poor Buckhorfe, perhaps, among the rest, when stick felling fails, will turn pamphleteer.

Art. 6. An Addrefs to the People of Great Britain and Ireland, on the Preliminaries of Peace, figned November 3, 1762. 8vo. 6d. Whifton, &c.

The depth of this Politician may be fathomed by the following lines, taken from the beginning of his Address.

Having mentioned the affurances given to the Parliament by his Majefty, that he doubted not they would be fatisfied with what he had done, in regard to the preliminaries, our Author adds, "This fhould make us read the preliminaries with a kind of prejudice in favour of the crown; and if we meet with any thing that comes fhort of our hopes and expectations, to think that poffibly our hopes may be too much raised by a train of extraordinary fucceffes, or that fuch difficulties might arife in the courfe of negociation, as would prove that our expectations were unreasonable, or could not be gratified.With this fpirit, I confefs that I fat down to read the preliminaries, and upon the perufal of them I think, I fee caufe to be entirely fatisfied."And with this spirit we doubt not, fuch an eafy good-natured gentleman would have been as entirely fatisfied with the peace of Utrecht, or with any other peace.Thefe unfufpicious men may prove very loyal subjects; but thofe who have had more experience of mankind in general, and of courts and ftatefmen in particular, will be lefs apt to entertain any prejudice in their favour. The fafeft way is to take the Apoftle's advice, and try all things: neither acquitting nor condemning, 'till after a fair heating, and a ftrict examination of the evidence on both fides.

Art. 7. A Letter from the Cocoa Tree to the Chiefs of the Oppofition. 4to. Is. Blyth.

The Author affumes the character of a penitent tory, with a view to afperse his pretended party, by fham confeflions of pernicious maxims, and evil conduct: in which, however, there is nothing but a repetition of the trite objections brought against the tory-party, by the whigs. He expresses much averfion to the Scots, and the great favourite; and

CON

concludes with a notable bill of mortality of "prime minifters fince the Conqueft, as per all the hiftories of England." viz.

Those who have more leisure than we have, may, if their curiofity be ftrong enough, fearch our Author's historical proofs for the truth of the foregoing numbers; which may be very accurate for aught we know to the contrary.- -And if fo, will they not be of fome ufe to future favourites, as data to proceed upon, in calculating the value of their lives?

POETICAL.

Art. 8. The Poetical Calendar: containing a Collection of fcarce and valuable Pieces of Poetry: with variety of Originals and Tranflations, by the most eminent Hands; intended as a Supplement to Mr. Dodfley's Collection. Written and felected by Francis Fawkes, M. A. and W. Woty. In twelve Volumes. Vol. I. for January. 12mo. Is. 6 d.

'

Coote.

A choice collection of fecond-hand poetry, carefully culled from Journals, Medleys, Mercuries, Magazines," and all other ancient and honourable repofitories of dullness; confifting of various fcraps pillaged from Tonfon's Mifcellanies, commendatory veríes to old plays, and panegyrics on immortal kings and heroes long fince dead; the works of feveral distinguished bards, from Tom Tickle down to Dennis and Peter Pinnell,

But though we have little to fay in commendation of the collection, we must not overlook the elegant manner in which it is printed. We have feen few productions of the English prefs equal to it: and are very forry that Mr. Dryden Leach's care and ingenuity were not better employed.

Mr. Baskerville's excellent performances are not here brought into any degree of comparison, as the peculiar ftructure of his types renders his work fo different from any thing printed on Caflon's or the Scotch letter.

Art. 9. On the Success of the British Arms, a Congratulatory Ode, addreffed to his Majesty. By Thomas Newcomb, A. M. 4to. 6d. Davis and Reymers.

It would be cruel to criticise a venerable Bard who has numbered about ninety years, near feventy of which he has spent in the not very lucrative fervice of the Mufes. Nou, indeed, his poetical fire feems almoft exhausted; only affording a little glimmering flame, like that of

an

an expiring taper, labouring for exiftence, with interrupted efforts, and broken gleams. Age is often called a fecond childhood; and in truth it feems to be more peculiarly the cafe, with regard to fome veterans of Paruaffus, who are, to the laft, as fond of jingling their poetical bells, as children are of their rattles.-Well! poor fouls, old and young, if it contributes to their happiness, e'en let them jingle on; though they do, now and then strain a few harsh difcords and unpleafing tharps,' as Shakespeare fays:-good nature may allow it to pafs for tolerable mufic.

Art. 10. A Poetical Wreath of Laurel and Olive. 4to. I S. Morley.

Sings, as a body may fay, the war, and the peace, and the heroes, and the fhepherd-fwains; and prudently advises the fons of faction to be quiet hear how pathetically he expoftulates with them:

Why will you thus in mad diverfion strive,

With zeal intemperate to torment yourselves?

This Twifter of wreaths has quite mistaken his talent; he had, perhaps, better lay by his Olive and Laurel, and try his hand at a bundle of oziers :-basket-making is an ufeful employment. But now peace is restored, the poor Mufes muft fuffer for it: they will be well teized. As Pope fays, after Horace *,

All those who cannot write, and those who can,
Will rhyme, and fcrawl, and fcribble, to a man.
• Scribimus indocti do&tique.

Art. 11. Redondo; or the State Fuglers. Canto II. 8vo, Is.
Nicoll.

We refer to the brief mention made of the first Canto, in our Review For last month, p. 73. and, for the reafon there given, fhall avoid entering into particulars concerning this fecond part: in which the Author perfeveres in the faine spirit he fet out with.

Art. 12. The Winter-Piece: A Poem. Folio. I S.

Bristow.

This Author modeftly acknowleges that Poetry is not his business; and we cannot conceive what bufinefs he had with Poetry. He pleads that it hath been very seldom his practice, and we hope this will be the last time. 'Tis true, he has not fo far mistaken his talent, as to grow vain of his performances; for he feems to expect but a fmall fhare of fame, from the prefent publication: of which he tells us that he is little folicitous whether it may endure the revolution of years to come, or enjoy but the short immortality of a month.'-In brief, there is much more merit in the Author's modefty, than in his verses; of which take the following couplet as a fpecimen. Old Hyems, he tells us, trembling at the decree iffued by the fovereign goodness, in behalf of fuffering nature, which the faid Hyems, or Winter, had ufed very roughly, thus makes his retreat:

Eurus and Boreas turn their tails and fly,
And bear him backward down the northern sky.

REV. Feb. 1753.

M

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