princes of the Asmodean race, beginning with Aristobulus, (who is said by Josephus to have been the first who wore the diadem, with his brother Antigonus) and ending with Mariamne, who was married to Herod : for when that cruel tyrant had put her and her two sons, together with their uncle Ariftobulus, to death, that race became extinct. The literal accomplishment of this Prophecy, in connection with a judicious abstract of the history which evidently corresponds with the prediction, we recommend to the strictest exairination both of the friends and enemies of Christianity; who, we apprehend, will also perceive with what cogent evidence. the Doctor hath invalidated and refuted the different interpretations which Tarnovius, Grotius, and Calmet, have given of the place.-The difference between Dr. Sharpe's interpretation and that by Grotius, is, that the former is a literal translation of the original, giving the proper and most obvious sense of the words, consistent with the context, and confirmed by events. The other is not a translation, but a paraphrase, in which almost every word is wrested from its true sense and proper application, to figurative and improper purpofes. The rules of language are not observed, the context is disregarded, and the history of events confounded. We therefore cannot but assent to the Doctor's conclusion, that this oracle is applicable to Jesus Christ, and to him only.

(To be concluded in our next.] , F

The Ghoft. By C. Churchill. 4to. 2s. Flexney.

THE ingenious Author of the Rosciad hath here taken

i the opportunity, afforded him by a late absurd imposture, to indulge his satyric vein, by rallying the credulity of the town, and particularly of some well-known characters, on that ridiculous occafion. He gives a humorous sketch of the history of Superstition and Credulity, which he deduces from the Chaldeans, tracing it through Egypt, Greece, and Rome, to this island.

England, a happy land we know,
Where Follies naturally grow,
Where without culture they arise,
And tow'r above the common size;
ENGLAND, a fortune telling hoft,
As num'rous as the Atars could boall,
MATRONS, who toss the Cup, and see
The grounds of Faic in grounds of Tea,

Who

Who vers’d in ev'ry modest lore,
Can a loft Maidenhead reftore,
Or, if their Pupils rather chuse it,
Can shew the readiest way to lose it;
GYPSIES, who ev'ry ill can cure,
Except the ill of being poor,
Who charms 'gainst Love and Agues fell,
Who can in Henroost set a spell,
Prepard by arts, to them belt known,
To catch all fect except their own,
Who as to Fortune can unlock it,
As easily as pick a pocket;
SCOTCHMEN, who in their Country's right
Possess the gift of second-fight,
Who (when their barren hèaths they quit
Sure argument of prudent wit,
Which reputation to maintain,
They never venture back again) ,
By lies prophetic heap up riches,

And boast the luxury of breeches. The Satyrist particularizes the famous Duncan Campbell, and ludicrously describes many others, wko,

Seated in Garret, for you know,
The nearer to the stars we go,
The greater we esteem his art,
Fools curious flock'd from ev'ry part.
The Rich, the Poor, the Maid, the Married,
And those who could not walk, were carried.

The BUTLER, hanging down his head,
By Chamber-Maid or Cook-Maid led,
Enquires, if from his friend the Moon,'.
He has advice of pilfer'd spoon.

The COURT-BRED WOMAN OP CONDITION;
Who, to approve her difpofition,
As much superior, as her birth,
To those compos’d of common earth,
With double fpirit must engage
In ev'ry folly of the age)
The honourable arts would buy,
To pack the Cards, and cog a Dië.

The Parson too (for now and then,
Parsons are just like other men,
And here and there a grave DIVINE
Has Passions such as yours and mine)
Burning with holy luft to know
When Fate Preferment will beltoiv,

'Fraid

Fraid of detection, not of sin,
With circumspection Theaking in,
To Conj"rer, as he does to llkore,
Thro' come bye Alley, or Back-door,
With the same caution, Orthodox,

Confults the Stars, and gets a Pox. · The art of Fortune-telling, in time, however, growing out of reputation,

When the prudent Laws thought fit
To curb this infolence of Wit;
When Senates wisely had provided,
Decreed, enacted, and decided,
That no such vile and upitart elves
Should have more knowlege than themselves;
Affrighted Sages were perforce,
Oblig'd to steer some other course.
By various ways these Sons of Chance
Their Fortunes labour'd to advance,
Well knowing, by unerring rules,

Knaves ftarve not in the Land of Fools. The arts they took up in consequence of being obliged to quit their old one, are humorously enumerated; the Poet al· cribing to this revolution, our many self-made Physicians,

Critics, Magazine-Writers, Journalists, and the various impostures that have for many years come in to their assistance. With respect to that imposture which gave immediate occasion to this Poem, he is not more ludicrous in relating its circumstances, than severe in describing some of the moft distinguished personages that played the principal parts in the farce. A third book, however, is promised, by which the general design of the work may perhaps farther appear. In the mean time we Thall close this article with the following sensible lines :

Whilit, in contempt of all our pains,
The Tyrant SUPERSTITion reigns
Imperious in the heart of man,
And warps his thoughts from Nature's plan;
Whilst fond CREDULITY, who ne'er
The weight of wholesome doubts could bear,
To Reason and herself unjust,
Takes all things blindiy up on trust;
Whilft CÚRIOSITY, whose rage
No mercy shews to Sex or Age,
Must be indulg'd at the expence
Of Judgment, Truth, and Common Sense;'
Impostures cannot bút prevail,
And when old Miracles grow ftale,
JUGGLERS will still the art pursue,
And entertain the world with New.

Tbe

к

The British Lion rous’d: Or, Aits of the British Worthies. A

Poem, in nine Books. By James Ogden. 8vo. 5s. Printed at Manchester.

JT was the cuslom of a late celebrated Protestant Divine, 1 to include in his public prayer, a clause against the AntiChristian Church of Rome ; and one day it chanced that, by a lapsus linguæ, he prayed for our deliverance from the error's and delusions of Poetry. * He immediately perceived and corrected his mistake; but had he been a Reviewer, and observed so many poor souls as we have seen possessed by the raging Dæmon of Rhyme, he might have let the petition stand: ---leser evils having often been the subject of many a circumftantially pious address to Heaven.

It is a sad thing, courteous Reader! to be bitten by a mad Poet; for though the saver be not mortal, it produces melancholy effecis. When this misfortune happens to honest pains-taking people, what a change is wrought in them! how do they disdain their lawful callings, set at nought the good opinion of their neighbours, and, vainly thinking to immortalize thcir names, become universally ridiculous !

Ecce fignum! the unfortunate Author of the British Lion rous'd; bred, we are told, to the laudable occupation of Fuftianwraving : but, seized with this terrible malady, none but poetii fuftian weaves he now! And alas ! such stuff does he manufacture, that it is matter of astonishment to many how he could think of bringing such goods to market! 'Tis true he has had great encouragement for the first produce of his jingling-loom; having, we cannot conceive by what means, procured a very considerable number of subscribers for it. But this, instead of curing, will only serve to increase his disorder ; so that his friends may write over his door, as in the time of the plague, MISERICORDIA! If, however, the symptoms of his malady still continue, and he should chance to get another set of subscribers as far gone as himself, the Lhave mercy on the poor man indeed !- for, after all, as it is probable that this is far from being the best kind of fustian that has passed through his hands, it may be apprehended, that, on the whole, he will not find it turn to the most valuable account.

This Rhyme-weaver seems to have taken it into his head to versify all the news-paper accounts relating to the present Meaning Popery,

war

war with France, in order to turn them into an Heroic Poem. His exordium sets forth, that he sings

. . Great-Britain's Worthies, an illustrious train,

Who prop the throne in George the Second's reign. These illustrious props he celebrates, from the breaking out of the war to the pursuit of the remains of Conflans' vanquished fleet into the river Vilaine ; and if this Homer of the North carries on the work till he lulls his lion to sleep again, he may. have an opportunity of making them serve to prop the throne of George the Third.

But our Lion-rouzer is not so dreadfully hag-ridden by that witch of Endor who passes herfelf upon him for a Muse, but that he can be a little comical now and then ; perhaps rather more so than is consistent with Epic dignity. Thus, toward the conclusion of the Episodical story, which the Pilot relates to General Wolfe and Admiral Boscawen, when he comes to recite the rigors of the climate at Hudson's Bay,

Here paus'd the Pilot, in his tale perplext;
Weil, said the Brigadier, what follows next?
Hold, I intreat you, cries the Admiral, hold,
Our liquor stands-you hear the Climate's cold.
However glad to see you entertain's,
I'll get another bowl, let this be drain's :
The Captain, just refresh'd and breath'd the while,

Then ends his tale— all nod, assent, and smile. So will thy Readers nod, O James Ogden!-- so will thy subscribers smile as oft as they view their own names, ranged in such goodly order, in thy well-fill'd lift ;-and in return for the honour thou and thy performance have done them, may they, nemine contradicente, ele&t thee Poet-laureat of Lancashire !

MONTHLY CATALOGUE,

For A PRI L, 1762.

POLITICAL. Art. 1. An Answer to the Observations on the Papers relative to

the Rupture with Spain. 8vo. Is. Hinxman. This Writer fairly acknowleges his production to be the “ work of a few hasty hours, and of a person whose total unacquaintance with every measure and motive of Government, allows him no other lights than what must necessarily ftrike every one, whole political

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