Our bard feems in fome places merely attentive to the rhyme, and fills up the intervening part with any words that fuit the

metre.

To find a country where fuch splendours fhone,
And oh ! to find that country is my own!

Thefe ftrings afpiring to your strains, the feat
Shews th' unskill'd virgin, with a virgin's heat.'

The idea, if there is any, in the firft couplet appears to be, that the author is glad to find that he lives in his own country.' Of the next, we can make out nothing more than that frains feem applied to the country, and firings to the poem. We shall not prefume to investigate what is meant by the feats of an unfkill'd virgin.'

The Collyrium of the Nation or, the beft Remedy for the Sight. 4to. 15. 6d. Macklew.

Another title would have been much more fuitable-for Collyrium of the Nation,' read Delirium of the Author.' We meet not here, indeed, fo many glaring abfurdities as in the preceding article, but it is more ungrammatical, and equally unintelligible; witness the opening lines, which, to our hame be it spoken, have puzzled the whole corps of Critical Re

viewers.

First on philofophy, my mufe, direct,

While the keen thought the diftant climes infpect;
'Till amity's the main-fpring of the mind-
The world 'midft folly wild, gapes ever blind.
Then fince this dignity we can't attain,

How weak the man, the butt of others' gain :
Freelefs from debt, ever prone to borrow,
Confcious of woes-with for life to-morrow!
No variations new, but mixt with cares,
With him that richest lives, or poorest fares:
The best of clay fome trick chicane will try,
From dervife strict, to devotee, or fly.
Each in this vale the game of broils muft play;
Then ev'ry cynick deem the worst of clay.
Supernal, th' Omnifcient rules on high!
And as we're good, we're station'd in his fky:
But as we're tyrants, punishment fhall find;
Dire the proportion, as we hurt mankind.
Then candid live, and travel 'midst the heat
Of Phlegethons, you'll find fome fafe retreat.'

In our Sixtieth Volume, page 72, we expreffed fome apprehenfion of an epidemic diforder reigning among the bards in the Weft of England; and were in hopes that the late severe froft had put a period to its progrefs: but it gives us infinite mortification to perceive that it is now fpreading to other parts. Should it reach the metropolis! the idea is as dreadful to Re

viewers

viewers as an infectious fever in a parish work-house, which an apothecary, eager to display his talents, has engaged to attend at an inferior rate.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Advantages of Sunday Schools; a Difcourfe for the Benefit of that ufeful and excellent Charity, at St. Mary's, Manchefter, October 2, 1785. By the Rev. John Bennett. 4to. 15. Cadell. The institution of Sunday fchools, for inftructing the children of the poor in the principles of religion, is a defign which merits, in a particular manner, the encouragement of the public; as nothing can tend more effectually to prevent that corruption of heart which lays the foundation of all the moral evils that contaminate fociety. It is impoffible to conceive more forcible arguments for the establishment of fuch a plan, than what are urged by the reverend author of this difcourfe, which we would warmly recommend to the perufal of all who have a regard either to national polity, or the most effential interefts of mankind. It abounds with excellent fentiments of piety; with obfervations on religious duty not lefs important than rational; and with fuch strong indications of univerfal benevolence, as must command the applaufe of every reader. We fincerely congratulate the patrons of this new inftitution, on beholding the advantages of their laudable project difplayed with fuch eminent abilities; and we hope that the meritorious example of Manchester will be zealously imitated over the kingdom. The Beauties of Mrs. Siddons: or, a Review of her Performance of the Characters of Belvidera, Zara, Ifabella, Margaret of Anjou, Jane Shore, and Lady Randolph. 8vo. 25. Strahan. Among the various beauties which have lately been so often and fo wantonly expofed to public view, thofe of Mrs. Siddons now appear. We are pleased with her in every shape, even in the imperfect outline of this defcription. The characters felected, are thofe which the performed in Dublin, viz. Belvidera, Zara, Isabella, Margaret of Anjou, Jane Shore, and lady Randolph.

The remarks on Mrs. Siddons are occafionally accompanied with fome on the plays in which the appeared. The latter are of little confequence; the former are correct, and the sensations the infpires are defcribed in bold energetic language; but they are not diftinguifhed either for their acuteness, or any very precife difcrimination. If we confider them in a philofophical light, they will be found deficient; but, with this view, they were certainly not written; and it is no imputation to the author, that while fhe wished to give general information, she has not composed a metaphyfical treatife.

Letters from Ninon de l'Enclos to the Marquis Sevigné, which have not before appeared in English. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Hookham. The French make love by talking about it. In this little volume there is a great deal of this kind of conversation; and,

to parody the fpeech of a Frenchman, we may add, that ✦ the lady feems to have great talents for loving.' The Letters may be very ufeful for fentimental correfpondents, and for fome ethers, whofe views may be much lefs refined; for it is wonderful how much may be expreffed in this fentimental way, without raifing a blush. The tranflator tells us, that a part only of this collection has been yet tranflated: we could have refigned this part without the least regret.

Ejays on the following Subjects; Wealth and Force of Nations § Authenticity of Offian; Accompanyment; Exiflence of Body; Fortification; Battle. By Charles McKinnon, Efq. 8vo. 55. in Boards. Edinburgh.

Never had any production lefs claim to regard than this Whimsical mifcellany, which, under the title of Effays, confifts of incoherent fentences, moitly borrowed from other writers, and only rendered the property of this author by the capricious form into which he has metamorphofed them. The paffages really original in this work are beyond conception ridiculous. The Novelties of a Year and a Day. 12mo. 35. fewed. Murray.

This little volume contains a series of picturesque letters, on the characters, manners, and cuftoms of the French and English nations, with a very little of the Spanish; and interfperfed, we are told, with real anecdotes. The author affumes the title of Figaro, and may afford entertainment to fome readers. Harmony of Law and Gofpel, in the Method of Grace, demonftrated. By W. Arnot, Minifter at Kenno way. Svo. Jamefon.

If we may judge from the extreme tedioufnefs and cant of thefe fermons, the author is one of the religious fect in Scotland, known by the name of Secéders. That the fermons, however, have been well received by the congregation, there can be no doubt, as they are faid to be printed by defire. But very different, we fear, will be their reception with the public. A Catalogue of Books, ancient and modern, in various Languages Land Faculties, and upon almost every Branch of Science and Polite Literature including an extenfive Collection of Claffical, Critical, and Philological Learning; collected, for the most Part, in Germany and the Netherlands: methodically digefted, with a View to render it useful to Students, Collectors, and Librarians. To which is added, An Index of Authors, Interpreters, and Editors, 8vo. \ 55. in Boards. Sold by the Bookfellers in London, &c. *

It affords us great pleafure to have an opportunity of an nouncing to the learned the publication of this Catalogue of Books, lo uncommonly numerous and valuable. The collection amounts to no less than eight thousand different works; many of them diftinguished by their celebrity, many, as we are informed, by the elegance and correctnefs of their editions, and

This extenfive and valuable Collection of Books will begin to be fold By Auction on May 8, 1786, and continue for thirty-five days.

not a small number by their scarcity. They have been collected in various parts of Europe, by a person who has devoted the greater part of his life to fuch employment. But what adds peculiar value to this Catalogue, is the remarkable judgment with which the books are arranged; a circumftance highly wor thy of attention, and for which Mr. Paterfon is known to be particularly qualified. The arrangement of libraries, he very properly obferves, is of no small importance to literature; more especially in an age when there are far more literary ens quiry, jut, criticifm, and general reading, than were ever known in this country. It is the only means of pointing out the progrefs of science and knowledge of every kind, from the origin of printing, to which happy invention we owe the revival and diffution of letters to the present time; and of noting the defiderata in each for to know what is wanting, and may be done, it is highly neceflary to be acquainted with what has al ready been done.'

To render the prefent Catalogue more ufeful to students, collectors, and librarians, 'Mr. Paterfon has fubjoined an Index of Authors, Interpreters, and Editors. This addition is at→ tended with one advantage of no inconfiderable moment; which is that of difcriminating perfons of the fame, or nearly the fame name. In a word, we cannot but regard this great collection as a literary treafure, the arrangement of which is no lefs honourable to the induttry of Mr. Paterfon, than aufpicious to the interells of learning.

A Table which reduces Deals, as imported from the Baltic, to Standard Deals, 4to. 6s. in Boards. Hodgson, Liverpool. This Table fhews the quantity of standard in any number of Baltic or common deals, from one to a thoufand; of any length, from fix to fixteen feet, and from seven and a halfs to twelve inches broad; of thickness, from one and a half to three inches, including the intermediate divifions. There is like wife a Table for white deals imported, from Norway, when fold by the hundred,, at twelve feet long and three inches broad with a Table of Solid Meafure, fhewing the contents, in feet and quarters, of any piece of timber, from one to fixty feet long, and from five to twenty-four inches the girt, to every half-foot in length, and quarter inch in girt. The Tables feem not to be calculated with perfect accuracy; but a little correction is fufficient to render them extremely useful to the purchafers of thofe timbers.

A Candid Defence of the Appointment of Sheriffs Brokers, as originally inftituted by Sir Barnard Turner and Thomas Skinner, q. 8vo. Davis.

This author is evidently unacquainted with writing, but not deficient in the knowledge of his fubject, with regard to which his fentiments appear to be just.

COR.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We have received Dr. Adair's Letter, relating to the ' Medical Cautions,' to which we paid as much attention as, from its real merit, seemed necessary: he must be aware that, in our fituation, the motives he mentions, however laudable, could have no influence.

Our correfpondent flattered himself, that he had fome claim to originality; and yet at diftance from books, and offering merely the refult of his own experience, and of thofe opinions which occured to his recollection,' owns that he may be lefs explicit and accurate than he otherwife might have been.' This is not a good reason for publishing the Cautions, when he returned again to his library, unless he had ascertained the truth or the originality of his obfervations by a fecond examination. The tribunal of the public is a refpectable one; and we are always difpleafed with excufes for negligence and inattention in those who voluntarily appear before it.

Dr. Adair will excufe us, when we observe, that our words were roafted meats,' not 'roaft beef.' In many different parts of his work he exprefsly directs the meats to be roasted; and allows of the ufe of butter, even melted. In fact, we have not mifapprehended our author; but he is a little inconfiftent in different parts of his pamphlet.

WE are forry that we can give no fatisfactory information to our correfpondent Phyficus,' about the means of procuring Monf. Sauffure's Voyages dans les Alpes.' We have been informed, that it is not to be met with in Paris; and most probably not to be bought in England. The firft volume is only published, and affords great information on the natural history of the Alps. The fecond volume may, however, be foon expected. It is handfomely printed in quarto, adorned with a chart of the lake of Geneva and the adjacent country, and feven other plates; but these are not executed with any great elegance.

OUR correfpondent Y. Z. reminds us of the promise which we made of analyfing Mr. Charles' Antimonial Preparation; but the circumstances of the cafe are now very different from thofe in which our promife was made. At that time, Mr. Charles had published a general, and advertifed a more particular account of the process; fo that our analyfis of the refult was neither unjuft or improper. At prefent, while the pamphlet which contains the rules at large is fold at a higher price, it would be both. We have not, however, been inattentive to our promife; and may be allowed to add, in vindication of our own opinion, that it is a calx, pretty highly dephlogisticated. It contains a very fmall proportion of uncombined vitriolic acid; and is only foluble, in a flight degree, even in a boiling heat. What we have elfe obferved it may be injurious to the inventor to relate, though we have difcovered nothing which will probably detract from the virtues it may poffefs as a medicine.

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