under the gallant Cortez, the afpiring and avaricious Pizarro, and other famous commanders of that ambitious, rapacious, and cruel nation; whofe treachery and inhumanity to the innocent and unhappy Indians," will be an eternal monument of infamy to the Chriftian name and character.

Art. 14. John English's Travels through Scotland; containing an entertaining Account of the Manners and Customs of the Inhabi tants, &c. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Morgan.

Of all the dull and stupid trash which, to our unavoidable mortification, hath paffed in review before us, this, furely, is the dullest and moft ftupid; as it is alfo the filthieft and meaneft. It is not merely that the Author (if it be not an abuse of the term to ufe it on fo unworthy an occafion) has falfely afperfed a whole nation, fince much better Writers have fallen into this low and illiberal conduct, and rendered the practice as common as it is fenfelefs; it is not his telling the most improbable and impudent lies, for they can only reflect fcandal on the liar himself;—it is not any confideration of this fort that ought fo much to provoke the candid Reader's refentment, as that fuch vile ribaldry fhould pass through the prefs.-We hope, however, that no Englishman can be charged with offering fo bare-faced an affront to the Public: and, indeed, from fome expreffions in his trumpery, we are led to conclude this shameless fcribbler a native of some other foil. Certain it is he can be a credit to none.

Such infringers of public decorum, put us in mind of an impudent fellow, who, fome years ago, made it his practice, many fummer evenings together, to poft himself in one of the public fquares at the weft end of the town, where, letting down his breeches, he expofed, in full view of the oppofite houfes, where the ladies very frequently appeared at the windows, a fight which could not fail to attract their notice. The ladies, however, foon found a knight who undertook to encounter this monster; and who luckily aiming a fowling-piece at the hideous object, fent him hobbling to a furgeon, who made him pay handsomely for the trouble of extracting the small-shot.

As to the prefent dirty offender, we think it would be very proper to have him well washed in a horfe-pond.

Mr. Birt's travels into Scotland were feverely fatirical upon that country, and he may poffibly have made fome things worse than he found them; yet, as he wrote hike a gentleman, we have known even fome North Britons who could readily forgive him his fatire, for the fake of his good-humoured remarks, and fenfible obfervations.

• See Review, vol. XI. p. 342.

Art. 15. An Effay on Oeconomy. The Fourth Edition. By Edward Watkinfon, M. D, Rector of Little Chart in Kent, 8vo. 6d. Richardfon.

Having already two or three times mentioned this little useful tract, the former Editions of which were printed at the Author's expence, with the fole view of distributing them among his friends, we find ourselves, for

that

that very reason, in fome measure ebliged to acquaint our Readers, that it is now re-printed, with fome additions, and will for the future be fold at the Price, and by the Bookfeller, above-mentioned. We are very glad to find the fubject so much attended to.

Art. 16. Memoirs of the Chevalier Pierrepaint. 2 Vols. 12mo. 4s. few'd. DodЛley.

A taftelefs and infipid performance, deftitute of action, paffion, and character. It may, nevertheless, go down with your curd-and-whey gentlefolks, (as a certain writer calls a certain fet of readers) or with those who, in our Author's own words, may be able to make a good repaft on an indifferent Olla Podrida.

Art. 17. The Statutes at Large, from Magna Charta to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761. Carefully collated and revifed, with References, a Preface, and a new and accurate Index to the whole. By Danby Pickering, of Gray's-Inn, Efq; Reader of the Law Lecture to that ho nourable Society. 8vo. 6s. Cambridge printed, for Bathurst in London.

The learned Editor of this work, thinking it expedient to defer the publication of his preface till the whole be compleated, it is not in our power to gather, from the prefent volume, what improvements may be intended in this octavo edition; we must therefore defer any farther account of it till the publication be finished.

Art. 18. The Humourift. 12mo. 35.

35. Coote.

Confifts of Effays in profe and verfe, not entirely deftitute of wit and humour; but fo ill-written, and fo profufely interlarded with commonplace reflections, trite ftories, and low jefts, that they will afford but very little entertainment, and will frequently give great difguft, to a reader of tale and difcernment. Thefe Effays are dedicated "To the moft high, mighty, puiffant, omnifcient, cognofcitive, and illuftrious Deciders of common fenfe, the REVIEWERS, of Great Britain and Ireland." An excellent ftroke of humour, doubtlefs! for which we give the Author due credit, valeat quantum valere poteft.

Art. 19. Propofals for enriching the Principality of Wales: Humbly Jubmitted to the Confideration of his Countrymen, by Giraldus Cambrenfis. 8vo. Is. 6d. Glocefter printed for the Author, and fold by Dodfley and Millar in London.

A fenfible and judicious pamphlet, apparently written with the most benevolent and public-fpirited view, viz. that of enriching the principality of Wales by agriculture and commerce. To this end, the Author recommends a method for improving the eftates of that country, for a plenteous increase of the neceffaries of life, and of rendering that part of our inland rich and populous. As thefe are not the reveries of a

vifionary

vifionary projector, but the practicable scheme of a fhrewd and obferv ing patriot, it is with pleasure we embrace the opportunity of recommending the ferious perufal and confideration of this pamphlet, to every perfon, who may be concerned in the benefits it points out; a fingle publication of this kind promifing to be of more real public utility, than a hundred of thofe literary or political fquibs, that engage the attention, or inflame the paffions of the indolent, without having any tendency to the fervice of mankind.

Art. 20. A Poftfcript to Dr. Smith's Harmonics, upon the changeable Harpfichord which, being fupplied with all the useful flat and fharp Sounds, and tuned in the beft Manner, is made as harmonious as poffible; and yet the Execution of Mufick upon this perfect inftrument is the fame as upon the common Harpfichord.

8vo. 6d. Dod.

This little pamphlet contains an account of an excellent improvement in the conftruction of the harpfichord; we cannot enter into a particular defcription of it, however, for want of the plate by which it is illuftrated.

Art. 21. The Naval Repofitory: Or young Seaman's beft Inftructor. Containing a most accurate Defcription of a Ship of War; with every Word of Art made ufe of in a maritime Employ.-The Daty of every Officer on board. The Conftruction of a Ship of War, from the laying of her Keel to the Launch.-A Defcription of the Mafts, Yards, Rigging, &c.-Ceremonies used on board a King's Ship, in entertaining a Prince or Grandee.-Of Anchors, Cables, &c.-Of ordering Fleets in chacing, engaging, boarding, and ftriking-An approved Method to make Salt Water fresh.-The Diftances between the feveral Ports in England, Wales, and France.-A compleat Lift of his Majefty's Navy, with their feveral Commanders, and Number of Guns and Men they carry.The Pay of every Officer and Seaman. With Variety of Anecdotes relative to the fame. By an Officer in the Navy. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Wilson and Fell.

Although this publication may not be altogether without its ufe, as a vocabulary to confult occafionally, we conceive a young feaman will learn more from one voyage, than he will recollect after repeated perufals of this pamphlet. That our naval Officer may have given a very just explanation of the feveral fea-terms he hath here enumerated we do not difpute ; we must have better authority or better arguments, however, before we can fubfcribe to every thing he affirms concerning the construction, management, and failing of fhips. To mention a particular inftance, he tells us, that "the loofer a fhip is, the better way fhe will make through the water; which is fimilar, fays he, with a man having too ftrait a waiftcoat, and cannot make his way fo faft as though he was loosely attired, having no room to work or exert itself." Is not this an excellent illuftration? We do not take upon us, nevertheless, to

contravert

contravert the fact, though we think it, at beft, highly problematical. This Officer's lifts, alfo, are not fo compleat as one might expect from a gentleman in the service, if indeed that be the case of this compiler.

Art. 21. Fingal reclaimed. 8vo, 6d. Hinxman,

The defign of this little pamphlet is, to prove that the poem, entitled Fingal, is of Irish, and not of Scottish original, as hath been pretended by the Editor. Among other plaufible pretences, in fupport of his argument, he obferves, that neither Hero nor Bard, throughout the whole poem, ever mentions the name of Scotland, nor defcribes it by any peculiar circumftance; while, on the other hand, they dwell with an evident pleasure on the feveral names of Ireland. To this he adds, that their Miftreffes and Wives were chiefly Irish; and that the episodes of the poem are founded on family anecdotes, on the amours of the Irish: things, fays he, which no man could take pleafure in relating, or be even fuppofed to know, who was not a native. He throws out many fhrewd reflections alfo, tending to convince the Reader of the truth of his opinion. Nay, he proceeds fo far, as to charge the Editor almost with plagiarifm; giving examples of feveral paffages that bear a very striking refemblance, indeed, to fome in Homer. He affects to think it cruel alfo, that the Translator hath declined giving the public fome fpecimens of the original, after having fo highly extolled the verfification of it; putting him in mind of his promife, that the public expect to fee the faid original lodged in fome of our public Libraries. Although this Author may be right in fome of his remarks, we can by no means approve of that illiberal ftrain in which he treats Mr. Macpherson, the ingenious Editor of the Poem in queftion.

See Review, vol. XXVI. p. 41, 140, 157:

+++ The pamphlets from Er have been received, and rufed with pleasure, on account of their judicious compofition; altho the fubject, being of a private and local nature, may feem to exclude them from a place in a Literary Review. Befide, in all Controverfies, both Parties fhould be heard; but with refpect to the prefent debate, we have only heard one: in fupport of which, indeed, the Evidence is fo very strong, that we think it easy to foresee which way the cause must go, on a fair and full hearing. We with pleasure observe too, that the Decarum which abtains among well-bred men in perfonal altercations, is by no means violated, altho' the party hath fometimes indulged a vein of fa tire, for which he appears to have received fufficient provocation.-Had the feveral pieces which have been published, pro and con, in this Difpute, duly fallen in our way, as they came out, we should not hare over looked them.

Emilius and Sophia: Or, a new Syftem of Education. Tran flated from the French of J. J. Rouffeau, Citizen of Geneva. By the Tranflator of Eloifa. 4 Vols. 12mo. IOS. fewed. Becket and De Hondt. [Concluded.]

AVING already mentioned the contemptuous manner in which Mr. Rouffeau affects to treat that philofophical fpirit which, he thinks, prevails too much among modern Writers, it would be fuperfluous to take notice of the farther inftances of a like nature, which are afforded us in his Savoyard's Creed. The Philofophers, however, are not the only Writers over whom our Author gives himself airs of conscious fuperiority. The Divines are here treated with full as little ceremony, and, indeed, on much the fame pretenfions; Mr. Rousseau appearing not more deeply versed in theological than in philosophical controverfy. Mere reading, we confefs, is not fufficient to make us Metaphyficians or Theologifts: much thought and reflection, doubtlefs, are requifite; but we fear our Author's mortal averfion to books, may have carried him too far. It is impoffible to employ our reafoning faculties without previously acquiring fome degree of knowlege; and knowlege is not to be radically acquired from mere ftudy and reflection, but from experience or information. But, however pernicious, books may be imagined, to the generality of the world, furely nothing can be more expedient for a Writer, than to fpend much time in reading; particularly fuch books as relate to the subjects on which he may think proper to employ his pen. It is for want of having fufficiently done this, that very ingenious Writers are fometimes found labouring in defence of certain principles, or tarting difficulties against others; all which have been demonftratively proved, or clearly obviated, by preceding Controver VOL. XXVIII.

G

fialists,