• ridicule of HIM OF HIS Servants. This Chriftian-like reply, fays Mr. Wignel, altonithed the Beau. He took fnuff, turned upon his heel, and affured the firft Coxcomb he met, "That Shuter was run mad, and "that he had entered into partnership with the Bishop of Tottenham"Court."

This anecdote, the truth of which we have other authorities for, is here related, Mr. Wignel fays, to obviate the opinion of those who may attribute Mr. Shuter's attachment to Mr. Whitefield, to views of gain; to fome female connections; or to a defign of diverting the Town at that reverend Gentleman's expence.

Art. 4. Woman. An Epiftle to C. Churchill, on his intended Publication, entitled, Woman: A Satire. By A, B, C. 4to. IS.. Williams.

Mr. Churchill having fome time ago intimated a defign of writing a Satire, entitled as above, taking it for granted, that his intention muft have been to fatirize the fair fex, the prefent Writer interpofes in their behalf; pointing out other objects which, he conceives, more july cenfurable.

The field is free: yes, Churchill, draw the pen;
Drain Satire's quiver on the fons of men:
Vice in all ranks let ridicule await,

Players, Plaufibles, and Minifters of State:
But fpare their daughters, nor the random dart
Launch at the foftnefs of a Lady's heart.

We know not how far the Ladies may think themselves obliged to this their Advocate, or what effect his apology for them may have on the rugged difpofition of the Satirift: if, indeed, the latter had any real intention to be fevere on them at all; which, by the way, is not very certain. It was natural, however, for our Author, who is evidently a very juvenile Writer, to embrace fuch an opportunity of recommending himself to the fex, by endeavouring to ward off the stroke of fo formidable a hand. The merit of the defign may poffibly prevail, alfo, with his fair Readers, to make them overlook the defects in its execution as Critics, however, we must tell him, he hath paid no compliment to their tafte, by the many unpolished and difcordant lines which he hath permitted to difgrace his performance.

Art. 5. A Declaration, by an old Plebeian. 4to. 3d. Kent.

:

The requeft of friends has been affigned in excufe for the publication of many a worthless production; it is now urged by this old Plebeian as his fole inducement for laying before the public thefe his private thoughts but they were not really his friends who advifed this honest man to expofe himfelf in print. We hope, however, that those who are difpofed to laugh at him for his bad writing, will pardon him for the fake of his principles, for which we have the utmost reverence, although they appear to the greatest disadvantage, cloathed in fuch miferable verfe, as this truly plebeian Writer has manufactured. His defign is, to recommend civil and religious Liberty; to decry all King

craft,

craft, Prieft-craft, and impofition whatever; to curb the exceffes of inordinate zeal; and to cultivate the great principle CHARITY, among the various denominations that have obtained in the Chriftian world. The following fpecimen will fhew in what manner this laudable defign is executed:

When Courtiers and Priests by interest are sway'd,
They join in foul play, being both of a trade:
The tyranny of Princes had never existed,

If these abus'd functions had not with them been lifted. Whatever the Reader may think of the above lines, we can affure him, they are fome of the best in the pamphlet.

Art. 6. Rodendo; or the State Jugglers. Canto I. 8vo. Is.

Nicoll.

A droll Mortal has here attacked Mr. Pitt, in Hudibraftics. The mode is new, but the matter, as far as we can judge from the contents of this firft Canto, is pretty much the old story over again. But the Author's plan, is, perhaps, more extenfive than may be apparent from the fpecimen now published. Rodondo [Mr. P.] is not the only perfon here fatirized. Several other characters are introduced, as friends to Mr. P. or as foes to Lord B-e. Mr. Wilkes, and Mr. Churchill, the fuppofed Writers of the paper called The North Briton, are bandfomely chattifed in their own way: the latter, especially, is mauled with as much feverity as he himself has mauled the Scots. We do not think it proper to retail perfonal abuse in our Review, and therefore shall give no extracts from this humourous piece of fcurrility.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

Art. 7. A new, plain, and fcriptural Account of the Nature and Ends of the Holy Eucharift, deduced from feveral important Paf Jages in the Old and New Teftaments. By Samuel Hardy, Curate of St. Clements in Ipfwich, Suffolk. 12mo. Is. Law.

If the famous propofition advanced by the late pious Dr. James Fofter be true, that where Mystery begins, Religion ends, then is Mr. Samuel Hardy a very irreligious Writer; for he is a moit zealous stickler for those myftical notions of the facrament which have been so justly exploded by feveral eminent and judicious modern Writers. The worthy Bishop Hoadly's Plain Account, he ftiles an infamous book; and gives his own tract as a full and complete anfwer to it. He likewife falls foul on the Bishop of Glocefter, for having joined his forces with those of the Bishop of Winchester; and really we think Mr. Hardy's zeal leads him rather too near the borders of fcurrility. He may, however, in his sway, be a very pious and well-meaning man; and by his earnest manner of treating his fubject, we are inclined to believe, that his zeal for what he apprehends to be the truth, is only blameable in its excess; and may be founded in a laudable defire to approve himself a diligent and faithful labourer in his mafter's vineyard.

Art. 8. A Letter from a Clergyman to one of his Parishioners, who

was

was inclined to turn Methodift. With an Appendix concerning the Means of Converfion and imputed Righteoufnefs. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Hinxman.

This judicious and fenfible letter is figned Richard Hardy, who appears to bear a very different character, as a divine, from Mr. Samuel Hardy, who wrote the tract on the Eucharift. He is a modelt, decent, and candid Writer. He ftrictly examines and compares the feveral methodistical doctrines with thofe fcriptures from whence they pretend to have drawn them; and fhews how egregioufly the Methodists have mifunderstood and mifreprefented them. Ilis defign is not to enter into all the numberless absurdities of modern enthufiafts; but, in a flort, clear, and candid manner, to convince them that they err, not knowing the Scriptures ;-to which they fo often and fo confidently appeal.-We think this treatise might do much good, if it could be effectually recommended to the attentive perufal of all who are in danger of being feduced by thofe enthufiaftic preachers now fo abundantly difperíed through most of the British dominions.

Art. 9. A Collection of Latin Sermons. By John Burton, D. D. Fellow of Eton College. (With other Pieces) relative to the Ministerial Office. 8vo. 6s. 6d. bound. Fletcher.

We have here, collected in one volume, feveral pieces published at different times, under the following titles: Hophni et Phinees, five im pietas facerdotum publica impietatis caufa-A Difcourfe made by the Right Rev. Dr. Sprat, Lord Bishop of Rochester, to the clergy of his Diocefe, at bis vifitation in the year 1695-Heli: five exemplum mazi?ratus intempeftiva lenitate peccantis-Samuel triplici nomine laudatus, Propheta, Populi Ifraelitici Judex, Scholarum Propheticarum Reftor-De fundamentalibus differtatio theologica--De praxeos-theologica abufibus-Sacerdos Paracialis Ruf ticus. Of the merit of the collection, we need fay nothing, having already given our fentiments of the feveral pieces contained in it, excepting that entitled--De praxeos theologice abufibus---which is ufeful and judicious; and Dr. Sprat's difcourfe, which is an excellent one, and contains more good fenfe, and pertinent reflections, than are to be met with in many volumes upon the fubject.

POLITICAL.

Art. 10. A Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Bute, on the Preliminaries of Peace. From neither a noble Lord; a candid Member of Parliament; an impartial Briton, but, an Englishman. 8vq. 8vq. is. Nicoll.

This Letter-writer need not have taken the trouble to tell us, he was neither a Lord, nor a Member of Parliament; we will venture to say, there is no one member, either of the upper or lower house, who can be at once fo illiterate and void of common fenfe as this contemptible fcribbler. An Englishman! for fhame!-A driver of black cattle from Scotland would be afhamed of fuch English, and fuch nonsense, as are to be found in this pamphlet.

Art,

Art. 11. The Two Gentlemen of Verona, a Comedy. Written by Shakespeare. With Additions and Alterations, as it is performed at the Theatre - Royal in Drury-Lane. 8vo. IS. Tonfon.

Although this Comedy is generally reckoned as one of Shakespeare's worft Performances, and even by many thought fo meanly of, as to be deemed the Work of fome inferior hand, in which Shakespeare bore but a very fmall Part; yet hath it been fo much more favourably regarded by the prefent Editor, as to be thought worth all the pains he hath taken to improve it. He obferves, in his previous advertisement, that it is the general opinion, that this comedy abounds with weeds;" but he thinks no one who perufes it with Attention, will deny," that it is adorned with several poetical Flowers, fuch as the hand of a Shakespeare alone could raife." he rankeft of the weeds he has endeavoured to remove, and we think with a careful and skilful hand.-Another part of his defign was to give a greater uniformity to the scenery, and a connection and confiftency to the fable, which in many places is vifibly wanted:" wherein we apprehend our Editor hath not been unsuccessful. He has also inferted two additional scenes in the last act, of a humorous caft, and which, in our Opinion, are not inferior to any other parts, of the fame kind, in the original.

Art. 12. The British Grammar: Or an Effay in four Parts, towards Speaking and writing the English Language grammatically, and inditing elegantly. For the Ufe of the Schools of Great Britain and Ireland, and of private young Gentlemen and Ladies. 12mo. 3s. Millar,

It has been long conceived, that the best way to acquire a grammatical knowlege of modern languages is, by firft ftudying thofe of the Ancients; whofe writings are confeffedly the models of elegance and beauty of ftyle. Our British Grammarian, however, is of a different opinion, and thinks nothing of this kind is now to be learned from them. "Will the greatest mastership," fays he, "in Greek or Latin, or tranflating thefe languages into English, avail for the Purpose of acquiring an elegant English ftile? No-we know juft the reverse from woeful Experience! And as Mr. Locke and the Spectator observe, men who have threshed hard at Greek and Latin for ten or eleven Years together, are very often deficient in their own language. That the greatest Skill in, or tranflating from the Greek and Latin, will not, cannot, procure an elegant English ftyle, appears to be indifputable even from the following reafon, viz. That the learned fucceffively roaming over all the beauties of thefe ornate languages, have in course ranfacked all their fweets, and culled all the moft expreffive and lively Flowers which now fo beautifully clothe the ftyle of our beft Writers, adorn the British oratory, or embellifh the most pompous and ravishing strains of a Mansfield's eloquence!" After this flourishing fpecimen of our Author's own ftile, we conceive the Reader will not prefume to call in question the propriety of those means he prescribes for acquiring a fimilar elegance. Away, then, ye Tyros! with Demofthenes, Cicero, and the

reft

reft of your claffical trumpery, and apply yourselves incontinently to the British Grantmar. Raillery apart, however, though we do not think there is fo little to be acquired by studying the dead languages as our Author would infinuate, we conceive there could not be a more acceptable service done to the cause of British literature, than by the publication of a methodical and well-digested English Grammar. It is neverthelefs to be doubted, whether any Perfon hath as yet engaged in fach a Defign, with Resolution and Abilities equal to the task. As to the Author of the prefent work, it must be confeffed he hath laid down a number of very juft rules and obfervations relative to speaking and writing the English language grammatically. They are intermixed, however, with fo many that are erroneous or impertinent, and are rendered fo perplexed and confused by the Author's method, or rather want of method, in arranging them, that we can by no means think this Performance likely to answer the end defired. At the fame time we hold it neceffary to give fuch young perfons, provincials and foreigners, as may confult this Grammar, a particular caution against placing too much dependence on our Author's rules for pronunciation; by a fervile attention to which, they would only acquire a mixt dialect of vulgar English, and broad Scotch.

Art. 13. The Modern Part of an Univerfal Hiftory. Vol. XXXVIIL Vide Accounts in our laft.

Having compleated their history of the three other Quarters of the globe, our industrious Compilers are, at length, arrived at America: a wide extended field, but not fruitful of hiftoric materials. All we know of the new world, is its recent conqueft and fettlement by the Europeans; fo that of course the annals of America could only fall under the title of Modern Hiftory, although carried up to the highest antiquity of which we can poffibly attain any certain knowlege: as the fartheft retrofpect will neceffarily be confined within the limits of the three last centuries.

Our Authors have, indeed, in the prefent volume, given a brief sketch of what they term the Ancient History of Mexico; but it is all of fuch uncertain authority, as to deferve very little credit, being drawn by the Spaniards from the fabulous traditions of the Mexican Indians; a nation equally deftitute of literary knowlege with the rest of the Americans, although greatly fuperior in other refpects to all the other inhabitants of that immenfe continent: the Mexicans being, in truth, an amazingly ingenious and civilized people. They were not strangers to science, nor to many of the liberal arts; notwithstanding they had no more idea of the nature and use of letters than the Peruvians; one of whofe incas, or emperors, being folicited by the Spaniards to turn Chriftian, and being fhewn the Bible, which they told him contained the oracles of truth, he put it to his ear, liftened with great attention, but hearing nothing, threw it with refentment on the ground, and vehemently reproached the Spaniards with naving intended to impofe upon him by a moft palpable falfhood.

Our Hiftorians have given in the prefent volume, an account of the voyages and difcoveries of Columbus; together with the entertaining and affecting ftory of the conqueft of Mexico and Peru by the Spaniards

under