ful, but as an agreeable work; from its nature a compilation, but collected with care, and delivered in a pleafing manner. The Life of Bishop Taylor*, publifhed by Mr. Wheeldon is only his funeral fermon by Bishop Ruft, and the book merely a tribute to his merits, in certain felections from his works. A real life of that Prelate, if any new materials for it could be found, would intereft many readers. Of Mr. Chalmers's Life of Ruddiman † we shall speak in our next Preface.

ANTIQUITIES.

In a fhort article I, we took upon us to announce, though yet imperfect, the Via Appia of Carlo Labruzzi, published under the aufpices of Sir Richard Hoare, becaufe we are anxious to fee a work of fuch uncommon importance to the fcience of Antiquities completed, to which point, without being known and patronized, it cannot eafily attain. Infcriptions are interefting, not only to the antiquarian but to the hiftorian, grammarian, and every ftudent in the languages, and this publication promifes to comprehend more original infcriptions than any fingle work that has yet appeared. In our firft volume and preface we noticed the two first volumes of the Indian Antiquities, by Mr. Maurice, as a work of fingular merit; the third volume has fince been given to the public, and is conducted with equal induftry and ingenuity. To the completion of this defign alfo we fervently with fuccefs. The fubftance of Mr. Bryant's celebrated Analyfis of Ancient Mythology, is prefented in a convenient form of abridgment in Mr. Holwell's Mythological Dictionary I, which, though it might have been improved by the revifion of the original author, is executed with diligence, and certainly announced with modefty.

*No. IV. p. 431. † No. VI. p. 611. No. II. p. 184. § Vol. I. p. 1. Pref. p. 150. vii. No. V. p. 487. ¶ No. III. p. 293.

TOPO

TOPOGRAPHY,

A more fplendid work of this kind than the Hifto ry of the Rivers of Great Britain* cannot often be produced. Nor is it always that, in fuch productions, the written part correfponds fo well, in elegance of ftyle, and judicious management of its topics, to the general merits of its clafs; beauty, and accuracy of delineation, and typographical magnificence. The first volume publifhed demands this teftimony, and we doubt not that those which are to follow will continue to deserve it.

TRAVELS.

It might admit of a doubt, whether the Journal of Dr. Moore, the firft volume of which we noticed in our first Preface t, and the fecond remains to be mentioned here, fhould be claffed with Hiftory or with Travels. Its title brings it to the latter divifion, but its contents, which are chiefly a narration of the events of France in the year 1792, and the beginning of 1793, refer it to Hiftory. This entertaining author has appeared ufually in the character of a traveller, and as he makes his movements in that country the vehicle of his relation, we think it not expedient to remove it. If lefs lively than fome former productions of Dr. Moore, this work is, on many accounts, deferving of applaufe. It carries with it much intereft, and doubtlefs, authenticity, and the reflections of the writer are fuch as do him honour. Travels are for ever varied, as the objects of the traveller differ. Dr. Smith is a fcientific traveller, and, in his Sketch of a Tour on the Continent §, we were fo much interested by his botanical notices, and yet more by his anecdotes of eminent Profeffors in that and other fciences, that it was with regret we found him turning

No. VI. p. 649.

+ Vol. I. Pref. p. ‡ No. I. p. zz. No. III. p. 245•

occafionally

*

occafionally to the hacknied topics of tourifts, palaces, and pictures. Mr. Gray, who publifhed Letters during the courfe of a Tour through Germany, &c. may be called a moral traveller, unless to moral any person fhould think it neceffary to annex the idea of dull, which certainly we do not mean. Mr. Gray is a fpirited obferver of local peculiarities, and their tendencies. Both thefe tours may be read with distinct kinds of pleasure, though the ground over which their authors went is in many parts the fame. Such is the advantage of a fertile fubje&t, handled by minds of different cafts.

POLITICS.

This certainly ranks among the subjects that are inex hauftible, and the circumftances of the prefent times employ many minds in difcuffing it, both generally and particularly. No perfonhas lately given a more general fcope to his ideas than Mr. Wilde, though writing on a particular topic, in his Addrefs to the Society of Friends of the People . With a fluency of eloquence by no means common, he has made his defence of Mr. Burke a vehicle for many opinions, which the vivacity of his ftyle has ufually rendered interefting to his readers. With many merits, his performance has only the fault of redundancy. This work, as well as Mr. Chalmers's Eftimate of the Comparative Strength of Great Britain, &c. may be termed a book, the reft which we have to notice in this clafs are pamphlets only, by their fize, but feveral of them confiderable in point of merit. Mr. Chalmers has, in this edition, prefixed a pamphlet to his book, and a pamphlet of no little force of wit and reasoning, his dedication to Dr. Currie of Liverpool, in the character of Jafper Wilfon. The great Queftion of Peace or War produced feveral publications of merit, among which on + No. II. p. 177. ‡ No. V. p. 164. the

• No. IV. p. 374•

the fide of the neceffity of war, the most remarkable were that of Mr. Vanfittart on the Propriety of concluding Peace*; Mr. Miles on the Conduct of France towards Great Britain; Mr. Bowles, on the Objections to the War, which he examines and refutes. On the

oppofite fide, the Letters on the Concert of Princes §, though extended by much irrelevant matter, and rendered heavy by the mode of that extenfion are beft worthy of notice. But a production not originally intended for a pamphlet, the Speech of Lord Morrington, delivered in the Houfe of Commons, on Jan. 21, 1794, carried with it more complete conviction concerning the neceffity of the war, than any fingle work. The proceedings of the French are there laid open, from their own documents, in the clearest and most perfect manner. Mr. Brand, in a most able tract on the propofition of altering the conflitution of the Houfe of Commons, has thrown many original lights on that important fubject: which is alfo very ably handled in the appendix to Mr. Pye's Tranflation of Xenophon on the Athenian Government**, a production ftill more mafterly than the French tranflation noticed in our fecond volume, (p. 215) and in all refpects deferving of attention. In a very excellent manner, Mr. Owen of C. C. Coll. Cambridge, drew up a Retrospect ++, containing reflections on the ftate of religion and politics in France and Great Britain; and promises to be an eminent reafoner on political fubjects. Two French pamphlets, after being much noticed in their original form, have been made English by tranflation, and certainly deferve to have their appearance recorded. Thefe are, the final publication of Briffot ‡‡, in which he unveiled many of the iniquitous myfteries of his own party, and of his adverfaries; and the Confiderations on the French Revolution, by M. Mallet du

++

No. I. p. 68. No. I. p. 71. No. V. p. 539. § No. II. p. 167. No. IV. p. 406. No. VI. p. 686. No. V. p. 574 tt No. V. p. 551.. ‡‡ No. IV. p. 450.

Pan,

Pan*, a writer who defended true liberty in France, much longer than it was fafe to do so, and now in exile from that country, continues to labour in the caufe of order. Thefe are the chief, though by no means all the productions of merit, to which the prefent circumftances have given birth.

LAW.

The commencement of a new work, by Mr. Wil liams, of the Inner Temple, intended to deliver the whole Law relative to the duty and office of a juftice of the Peace, was noticed in the first number of this volume t. On a comparison of what there appeared, with the great work already exifting on that fubject, we faw fome reafon to prefer, and fome to cenfure this. We wait for the completion of the defign, before we attempt to record a decided opinion. The reports of Peere Williams, Efq. a book of the moft eftablished eftimation in the law, republifhed in a manner truly masterly by Mr. Cox, of Lincoln's-Inn, afford a treafure to the practical lawyer; which, though fuch works are generally known throughout the profeffion, it would be unpardonable in us not to mention. As far as our recommendation can go, we unequivocally approve, and felicitate the ftudents and profeffors of the law on its appearance.

POETRY.

We have but few triumphs of the Mufes to record. Thofe ladies continue their referved difpofition, and beftow their favours very fparingly. One of their own sex has been not altogether unheard by them §: Peter Pindar has continued to have a kind of fuccefs in his boisterous mode of courtfhip; and one or two young poets have difplayed that promife of talents, which leaves us room to hope for fomething more

No. V. p. 575. No. I. p. 16. ‡ No. V. p. 553. § Mrs. Robinfon, No. II. p. 171 and 198. No. II. p. 192.

perfect