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to have had an eye to the noted profecution of a perfon who had too freely enquired into the character and writings of Mofes; but we imagine he is too hard upon a certain great man, if he means to charge him with being the Author or Stimulator of that profecution: for we are affured, that his L- -p was rather averf to fuch a procedure, and reluctantly yielded to it, in compliance with the zealous follicitation o. certain dignified Ecclefiaftics.-But, in truth, tho' we cannot but highlý approve the Writer's principles, as a Whig and as a Proteftant, yet candour obliges us to condemn the ungovernable excefs of his ardour, by which a good caufe is more likely to be injured than ferved. We must alfo obferve, that his manner of writing is by no means agreeable to the epiftolary style: his papers may be called Anima verfions, Reflections, Differtations, or any thing rather than Letters.

* "Were the maxims, fays he, of the Scottish rare to prevail, -we foculd fee the land deformed and miferable with flavery, violence, fuperfti tion, inorance, and that worf of furies, religiou perfecution."

Art. 8. Curious and authentic Memoirs concerning a late Peace, concluded between the Rooks and Jack-Daws. 8vo. Is. 6d. Burnet.

Under a very thin difguife, we have Here a fatirical sketch of the late war, and of the Preliminaries. There is not much wit or humour in the piece; but plenty of fcandal appears in the characters here drawn of many of the principal Rooks; i. e. the late and present British Miniftry, and the leading Members in both Houfes of Parliament.The Author has fallen into an obvious abfurdity, by making ufe of strokes and dafhes, in fome parts of his work, where he apprehends his fatire to be dangerously fevere; although we are of opinion, that if the feathers of his Rooks and Daws are not thick and close enough to cover a libel, those breaks and blanks would but little avail him. Befide, fuch an obvious and common evafion of a literal construction, is quite foreign to the mode of allegorical writing; it prematurely unveils the fubject, poils that agreeable deception from which the Reader's entertainment is chiefly derived, and looks like Harlequin's white neck and ears behind bis mafk, juft appearing to undeceive the audience, by revealing to them, that Mr. Wriggle-tail is no Negroe, notwithstanding the footy complexion of his features.

Art. 9. Confiderations on the fatal Effects of the prefent Excess of public Charities. In which the Magdalene, Afylum, Foundling, Hofpitals for Sick and Lame, Lying-in Hofpitals, Charity-Schools and the Diffenting Fund, are particularly confidered. And a Plan for a new Syftem of Poor's Laws propofed 8vo. 1s. Hooper. Many fhrewd and fenfible obfervations are to be found in this public fpirited pamphlet. The fcheme for a new fyftem of Poors Laws deferves confideration; the fubject being of very great confequence. As to the Writer's Remarks on our public Charities, they are not all of equal depth and folidity. Our Author is fometimes too warm and declama.

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tory;

tory'; and does not seem to have always given himself fufficient time for weighing the extent and tendency of his own reafoning. Some of his reprefentations of facts too, appear a little doubtful, and others, we are pretty certain are rafh, erroneous, and totally wrong. On the whole, nevertheless, we recommend what he has faid, to a candid hearing; as the public may poffibly reap confiderable advantage from a due attention to several of his hints.

Art. 10. A new Trade laid open from the Iflands of Tobago, Granados, and others of the Leeward Islands, to the Spanish Main, in the Kingdom of Peru; and from Cape Florida to the Havanna and La Vera Cruz, in the Kingdom of Mexico. By a Gentleman who refided many Years in both Kingdoms. 8vo. Is. Hinxman.

An old Trade is here laid open; viz. that of printing fresh titles to old pamphlets, &c. a trade which has been long carried on by the noted Ed. Curl and his worthy fucceffors. This pamphlet was published in December laft, under the title of "The great Importance of the Havanna, fet forth in an Effay on the Nature and Methods of carrying on a Trade to the South Sea, &c. By Robert Allen, Esq;”—In our Review for that month, we took notice of it as an old tract revived, by one Samuel Jemmat; whofe name and dedication to Alderman Harley, do not appear to countenance the prefent reiterated attempt, to force a fale for an unfaleable tract.

POETICA L.

Art. 11. The Triumph of Brutes. A Satire on this Caledonian Age. 4to. Is. 6d. Pridden.

The incoherent ravings of fome crazy Rhimer, whofe friends, if he has any, ought to keep the pen and ink out of his way. It is no lefs indecent to let mad-men expofe to public view all that may be conceived in their disordered imaginations, than to fuffer them to run naked about the streets.

Art. 12. An Ode, facred to the Memory of a late eminently diftinguifbed Placeman, on his retiring from Bufinefs. Folio. I s. G. Woodfall.

Dull and heavy abufe of the Duke of N, mftead of Pegafus, has mounted a Pack-horse.

e.

The Author,

Art. 13. Peleia; or the Old Woman. A Mythological Eclogue. By Mr. Thomas Milward. 4to. Is. Dodfley.

We do not understand what Mr. Thomas Milward would be at. He certainly has an intention to draw the Reviewers into fome fcrape: it behoves us, therefore, to be careful how we meddle with him. Hence, we hope, our Readers will not too rigidly infift on our attempting to explain to them the nature and defign of what appears to us an inexpli cable poem. It is fomething about Adam and Eve, the ferpent, and

the

the apple, virtue and vice, reafon and fuperftition; and it concludes thas;

Mark then the reigning tafte, and fail along
The ftream of cuftom with the vulgar throng;
But keep your heart, for there the danger lies;
This only makes, and can preferve us wife!

There may be meaning in this, but non cuicunque datan eft habere nafum.

Art. 14. The Poetical Calendar, containing a Collection of fcarce and valuable Picces 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 William Woty. Vol. II. for February. 12mo. Is. 6d. Coote.

These two Poetical Almanack-makers keep pace with the fun, and pafs with him from Sign to Sign through the Zodiac. They are now in Pifces, and fing of February, of Snowdrops, Crocufes, &c. but poor Sonnetteers! they do not feem to mend their hands. However, it is to be hoped, that when they get into Taurus, and the reft of the more ge nial Signs, they will exert a little more fpirit.

But tho' we cannot commend all the pieces which the Editors themfelves have written, and inferted in this publication, yet we do not indifcriminately condemn the whole. The Bacchanalian, in particular, by W. W. deferves to be diffinguished, for the eafy and fpirited strain in which is conceived. Several of the pieces which they have collected from the labours of other Bards, or which have been communicated by their friends, have likewife their fhare of merit; efpecially the very natural Eclogue entitled, ROBIN, written by Captain Dobson.

- Art. 15. Fitz-gigo: A new English Uproar, &c. 4to. 6d. Swingfter.

Excellent fun :-to ufe the style of fuch choice fpirits as the Author." The fubject is, the late riot at Covent-garden theatre. The fongs, &c. are comically adapted to the favourite airs in the opera of Artaxerxes.A fecond part has been printed, not quite fo funny as the first.

Art. 16. A grand folemn Dirge, in the high burlesque tragi-comic Tafte, performed at the Funeral of Old English Liberty, on the fame Day as the definitive Treaty of Peace was figned betwixt France, Spain, and Great Britain. By H. Howard. 4to. 6 d. Williams.

Another piece of choice fpiritifm, in burlefque airs, recitativo, duetta, and chorus. The Geniuses allow Harry to be the drolleft Dog, the highest Fellow, that is to be met with in all the Rounds.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 17. Theatrical Difquifitions: or a Review of the late Riot at Drury-lane Theatre, &c. By a Lady. 8vo. I S. Burnet.

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The old Lady takes part with the Managers, and gives the Rioters & good /cvising.

Art. 18. Three original Letters to a Friend in the Country, on the Caufe and Manner of the late Riot at the Theatre-royal in Drurylane. Letter the first: The Introduction-with a theatrical Anec dote, the Caufe af the Riot as fet forth in the printed Paper: Letter the jecond: The Complaint impartially examined; and their Proceedings at the Theatre faithfully related, with proper Remarks. Letter the third: A Review of the Condition and Usage of that Theatre forty Years ago: the first Rife of latter Accounts-the Entertainments then given to the Public-the Salaries, &c. compared with the prefent. The Rights of an Audience confidered. Remarks on the whole. By an old Man of the Town. 8vo. I S. Becket.

A very good itle-page; but the Author ought, in confcience, to have given fomething more for a shilling.

Art. 19. An hiftorical and fuccinct Account of the late Riots at the Theatres of Drury-lane and Covent-garden. 8vo. 1s. Morgan.

Little more than a bare compilation of the papers and advertisements published by both parties, before and after the disturbances at both Houfes.

Art. 20. The Gentleman and Lady's Key to polite Literature; Or, a compendious Dictionary of fabulous History, &c. &c. 12mo. 2s. Newbery.

Young Gentlemen and Ladies may here very readily find out who was who, in the old heathen world, three or four thousand years ago: Hector, or Helen, or Homer, or Jupiter Ammon: Gods, Heroes, Poets. Godeffes, Monsters, &c. &c. collected from the larger Dictiona ries, Pantheons, Hiftories of the heathen Gods; and other compila dons generally made ufe of, for debauching the minds and morals of youth in our public fchools, with the help of fuch claffic impurities as are to be found in Horace, Ovid, and other obscene Wits of antiquity.

Art. 21. An Effay on the Theory of Agriculture, intended as an Introduction to a rational Syftem of that Art. By a Farmer. 8vo. 1s. Becket.

In our laft we gave an account of a valuable treatise on Agriculture, written and published in Scotland; where this noble and useful fubject has been very much ftudied of late years. This Effay is another pro duction of that country, and appears to come from no ordinary hand. We can hardly think it the work of a common Farmer: the style is too much elevated for people of that clafs, and, indeed, if it had been lefs laboured, the writing would have been more agreeable to the generality

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of Readers; we might have faid to all. The matter, however, not the manner, is the chief thing to be regarded in books intended for improvement in arts and manufactures; and the Author has fhewn himself fo much a master of his fubject, by this little fpecimen, that it is to be hoped, we shall, in due time, have the fatisfaction of perufing his intended largor work. This introductory part was published in the year 1750.

Art. 22. The Fall of Mortimer. An hiftorical Play. Revived from Mountfort, with Alterations. 8vo. 2s. Kearfly.

The play of Mortimer's Fall, as projected by Ben Johnson, and afterwards written by Mountford, is well known to those who are acquainted with the British theatre. As to the edition before us, we prefume our Readers will hardly require any information concerning the motives of its prefent appearance. Its publication at this juncture, is, indeed, evidently made with a view to a molt illiberal parallel, equally false and invidious; the Reviver having made feveral additions and alterations," the more compleatly to effect this fcandalous defign. That there might remain no pollibility alfo of mistaking the virulent intention of the Reviver, he hath prefixed a dedication to Lord Bute, containing a franget mixture of illnature, humour, irony, and abuse.

The reason, fays he, why" I chufe your Lordship for the fubject of this dedication, is, that you are faid, by former Dedicators, to ciltivate with fuccefs the polite arts. They ought to have gone further, and to have fhewn how liberally you have rewarded all men of genius, Malloch and the Home have been nobly provided for. Let Churchill or Armstrong write like them, your Lordship's claffic / tafte will relish their works, and patronize the Authors. You, my Lord, are faid to be not only a Patron but a Judge; and Malloch adds, that he wishes, for the ⚫ honour of our country, that this praise were not, aimoft exclusively, your own.' I wish too, for the honour of my country, and to preferve your Lordship from the contagion of a malignant envy, that you would not again give permiffion to a Scribler to facrifice almost the whole body of our Nobility and Gentry to his itch of panegyric on you, and of pay from you; and I submit, whether a future inconvenience may not refult from fo remarkable an instance how certain and speedy the way to obtain the laft is, by means of the first."

It is to be obferved, that our Dedicator hath juft before been facrificing, as he calls it, fome of the principal characters of the Nobility and Gentry to a different motive. But he goes on; The progress, my Lord, which almost all the sciences have made in England, has become the jealoufy of Europe. Under your aufpices Botany and Tragedy have reached the utmost height of perfection. Not only the fyftem of peaver, but the vegetable ffem has been compleated by the joint labours

• In Cibber's Lives of the Pacts, que do not find this play mentioned among the writings of Mountfort; an omiffion which ought to be fupled in any future edition of that work. Mr. Mountfort was a Player, and a Writer of fome talents, in the reign of Charles the fecond; he was affaffnated in the freet by Lord Mohun, on account of fome connections with Mrs. Bracegirdle.

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