Jona. Thompson, and dated from Higham houfe, Northumber land. LAW. N. Art. 26. An Abstract of fuch Acts of Parliament as are now in force, for preventing the Exportation of Wool and other Commodities, Tools, and Implements ufed in the Manufacture thereof: and alfo for preventing the feducing of Artifls into foreign Parts. With a copious Index, extracted from the Statutes, and printed by Order of the Chamber of Manufacturers of Great Britain. By William Nicholson, Secretary. 12mo. No Bookfeller's Name nor Price. What more can be faid of abstracts of this kind, than that they will be useful to all who are concerned in the fubjects to which they relate, in proportion to their clearnefs and accuracy? This excerpt, in particular, appears to be carefully and judiciously executed.-The object is of great national moment; and the laudable views of the Chamber of Manufacturers, in laying this little compilement before the Public, are too obvious to require any explanation. Suffice it, therefore, to obferve, that its contents ought to be well known to every one who wishes well to the trading intereft of this country. AGRICULTURE. N. Art. 27. Curfory Remarks on Inciofures, fhewing the pernicious and deftructive Confequences of inclofing Common Fields, &c. By a Country Farmer. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1786. Thefe appear to be the genuine remarks of a farmer, who has urged all the objections that occurred to him against the inclosure of common land. He argues, as many have done before, that inclofing fuch land tends to the aggregation of fmall farms, and of courfe to depopulation; many thousands of inhabitants being fenced out of their livelihood, and out of their country, which is thus deprived of their labour: that fmall landholders, after being cajoled or intimidated into a concurrence in fuch undertakings, are fwallowed up by their more opulent neighbours; and that the prices of provifions have risen progreffively with the extenfion of inclosures. DRAMATIC. N. Art. 28. I'll tell you what. A Comedy, in Five Acts, as it is performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. By Mrs. Inchbald. 8vo. Is. 6d. Robinsons. 1786. Though there are evidently two diftinct ftories in the fable of this Comedy, yet they are artificially interwoven with each other, and, united, create a degree of humour and intereft, that muft recommend the piece to the reader as powerfully as, we are told, it has recommended it to the fpectator. The characters, though not original, are natural: the fatire un divorces, and modifh marriages, is well conceived, and duly fuftained; and the diftrefs of Mrs. Eufton, arifing from the ill-judged implacability of a parent, is truly affecting. The Prologue and Epilogue, the laft efpecially, are fpirited and appofite. Art. 29. The Widow's Vow. A Farce, in Two Acts, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. 8vo. 1s. Robinsons. 1786. To this piece is prefixed an Advertisement, confefling the Author's obligation for the plot of her piece, and the plot only, to a French *The advertisements afcribe this farce to Mrs. Inchbald. 2 · C comedy; comedy; but to the excellence of the English performers only for her fuccefs.' There is an ungracioufnefs in this coftive acknowledgment to M. Patrat, the Author of the French comedy, not very creditable to the English ftage; and we are forry to fay, that the Advertisement (confidering the Authorefs as an Actress) carries with it too ftrong a tincture of the Green Room. The performers alfo are Italitifed not by us, but by the Authorefs; and when we recollect that they are, as the herself ftyles them, ENGLISH Performers, though in the Haymarket, we believe they will hardly think themselves much honoured by the diftinction. Ambiguity of fex in the hero of the piece, the main hinge on which the whole fable turns, gives a natural air to that pruriency of ftyle and fentiment, for which female writers for the ftage have been remarkable. The æquivoque is well fuftained, and gives birth to many pleafant fituations, tending to excite laughter, and to fhew the ab furdity, as well as the brittle quality, of a widow's vow. thy name is Woman!" Frailty, The Prologue to this Farce is a good Prologue, and fo it would be to any other Farce as well as this. C Art. 30. Songs, Duets, Trios, &c. in the Siege of Curzola, a Comic Opera, performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket. 8vo. 6d. Cadell. 1786. It is difficult to fpeak fairly of the compofition of fongs, when the drama to which they belong is not before us. Many of these airs may have merit in the mouths of the perfonages by whom they are delivered, and in the fituations wherein they are introduced. We will, however, venture to pronounce the ftanzas on the Spanish Armada to be a good English ballad. POETRY. C. Art. 31. A flight View of the Village and School of R. In Imitation of Gray's Eaton College. 4to. Is. Dilly. 1785. Whether it be, that imitators are confidered in the light of rivals, or that their attempts imply a degree of vanity which we are unwilling to gratify, or whatever other caufe may be affigned, the fact is certain, that readers are seldom difpofed to bestow praise on pro feffed imitations. The prefent piece bears fo faint a refemblance to the beautiful original, of which it would be a copy, and falls fo far fhort of its richness of imagery, poetical diction, and harmony of numbers; that we apprehend the prop on which it leans will not be able to keep it from falling into oblivion. Let the Reader judge from the following verfe: Yon garden next demands my lay, And ornament combines: Pine apples there in beauty vie The gourd winds flowly up the wall! L 3 E. Art. Art. 32. Alnwick's Condolence; a Paftoral Elegy, in Memory of O rueful fight! Behold! how loft to SENSE, Yet one line more, if the Reader wishes for a farther specimen : Art. 33. A Collection of Songs, by the inimitable Captain Morris. There is a degree of wit in fome of thefe fongs; but too many of them are written in Rochester's worst ftyle of obscenity. Art. 34. Probationary Ode for the Laureathip of the Royal Academy. By a Tag-Rag of the Sacred Nine. 4to. 15, Faulder. 1786. When Lyric Peter drops the quill, And will not write, there are who will.' So fays, or fings, this Tag-Rag of the Sacred Nine;' and if Peter Pindar, Efquire, fhould refign [See Rev. for June, p. 465.], he bids fair to be his fucceffor. Art. 35. Julia to St. Preux. A Poem. SCHOOL-BOOKS. By the Author of Murray. B-k Art. 36. The Little Spelling-Book for Young Children, enlarged and improved. Small 4to. 6d. Johnfon. 1786. In our Review, Vol. LXIX. p. 172, we recommended the firft edition of this little work, for which, as we then hinted, the Public are indebted to the ingenious and good Mrs. Trimmer. This edition has received feveral very requifite and proper improvements.* Art. 37. Eafy Leffons for Young Children. Small 4to. bd. Johnfon. 1786. For this little volume, we are alfo obliged to Mrs. Trimmer, who, in the Advertisement, has given us this account of it: The following book of leffons is defigned as a fupplement to the Little Spelling Book, as it was impoffible to introduce in fo fmall a volume (a principal part of which is occupied with other matter) leffons confifting of fo great a variety of words, as young children may be taught to read. The chief object of the prefent performance is to furnish fuch a variety.' The above extract is fufficient to fhew the plan of the Authorefs. The leffons are divided into two parts; the firft containing words of one fyllable only; the second, words of one, two, and three fyllables. On the whole, we recommend this elementary production to all our Readers, who have children of the age to which it is peculiarly adapted. *** Art. 38. The Beauties of the British Senate: taken from the Debates of the Lords and Commons, from the Beginning of the Ad MISCELLANEOUS. miniftration miniftration of Sir Robert Walpole, to the End of the second Seffion of the Administration of the Right Hon. William Pitt; being an impartial Selection. To which is prefixed the Life of Sir Ro10s. 6d. Boards. Stockdale. bert Walpole. 8vo. 2 Volumes. In this age of compilation, every thing of a literary nature is provided in hashes and minced-meat for those who do not know how, or have not time, to purvey for themselves. Thus we ha e the Beauties of Richardfon, of Sterne, of Johnfon, of Chesterfield, and, at length, of the British Senate: and in due time the good citizens of London may be furnished with the Beauties of their Common.council. These volumes may ferve, as Foote faid, for "light fummer-read. ing," when the mind is vacant, when a perfon is at a lofs for a subject of amufement, and dips into a book for any thing. On fuch an occafion if American Affairs, Eaft India Affairs, or Civil Lift, do not ftrike his fancy, the table of contents will direct him to Attack, Defence, Eloquence, Anecdote, Remarkable Sayings, Similies, Humour, S.-tire, Wit, &c. N. In due time, perhaps, a new Joe Miller may grow out of se natorial Debates! Art. 39. English Claffics abridged: being felect Works of Addi- : 12mo. Nearly one half of this mifcellany confifts of papers felected from the Spectator the remaining part contains Pope's Effays on Criticifm and on Man, and felect paffages of Milton's Paradife Loft. The Editor has prefixed a few remarks on his Authors, chiefly explanatory of his defign in the felection, which appears to have been, to execute a hint of Mr. Knox, who wishes to confine young people, at school to the perufal of three or four English authors: a limitation, which, in the prefent ftate of letters, would be as ridiculous, E. as the old college ftatute, which obliged the ftudents to dine every day upon mutton. Art. 40. Comments on the laft Edition of Shakespeare's Plays. By John Monck Mafon. 5s. Boards. Dilly. 1785. * It would perhaps require a volume, of equal fize with that here prefented to the Public, to point out the particular paffages in which Mr. Mafon has corrected the text in the laft edition of Shakefpeare, as well as thofe in which he has often fuccefsfully, and fometimes unfuccefsfully, fuggefted new readings. Annotations on the text of Shakespeare are innumerable, and verbal criticism is inexhauftible; yet, on the whole, it may fafely be pronounced of the comments of Mr. Mafon, that they are evident proofs of the acuteness and ingenuity of the critic, who has in many places inconteftibly amended the text, and given a natural and eafy explanation of the obvious meaning of the poet,-overlooked or mistaken by former He has, in confequence, refuted the too hafty and commentators. Not the laft edition, by Reed, but that which immediately preceded the date of Mr. Mafon's book, in 1779. L 4 too too pofitive affertion of Mr. Malone relative to the laft edition, that "the text of the Author now feems to be finally fettled." Art. 41. Correspondence between Lord Macartney and Major General Stuart, fince Lord Macartney's Arrival in England. 4to. Is. 6d. Pebrett. 1-86. General Stuart having been difmiffed from the command of the army in the East Indies, took particular exception against Lord Macartney, Prefident of the Select Committee, on account of the charges brought against him, to which he applies the terms of injuftice and falsehood. When thefe Gentlemen arrived in England, General Stuart presented a petition to his Majelly, in which he failed not to exprefs his refentment against the Noble Prefident, by a repetition of the above invidious terms. A correfpondence of letters afterward took place, copies of which are here laid before the Public. The confequence was the duel; the circumstances of which have been fufficiently detailed in the papers. Art. 42. An Explanation of the Cafe relating to the Capture of St. Euftatius in which is included the feveral Commiffions, appointing the Agents to manage the Bufinefs of the Capture. Pointing out the most effectual Methods to fecure to the Captors what there is remaining of the captured Property. 8vo. Is. Stockdale. It appears that there has, fomewhere, been dreadful mifmanagement of this affair, and that there is very little profpect of justice being ever done to those of the captors of St. Euftatius, who have been fo cruelly deceived in their expectations of fharing in the prize-money; many of whom, fays our Author, are ruined, and fome now languishing in prifon, for debts contracted on the credit acquired from the boasted riches found on that island.' Art. 43. Anecdotes of the learned Pig. With Notes, critical and explanatory; and Illuftrations, from Bozzy, Piozzi, &c. 4to. 1s. 6d. Hookham. 1786. By the LEARNED PIG is meant the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson. This is a rough piece of pig-ftye ridicule; chiefly in profe, but here and there a icrap of very fignificant verfe, to the delightful tune of Gruntledum, gruntledum, gruntledum, fqueak!'. Art. 44 The Royal Academicians. A Farce. As it was performed, to the Aftonishment of Mankind, by his Majesty's Ser vants, at the Stone Houfe, in Eutopia, 1786. 8vo. 1s. Pew, &c. Grofs abuse and ribaldry, levelled at fome diftinguished members of the Royal Academy. Art. 45. A plain and friendly Addrefs to the Undergraduates of the University of Cambridge, particularly to thofe of Trinity College, on the following important Topics: Affociates, Drefs, Debts, Time, early Attachments, Lectures, Mathematics, Gaming. Offered with all Deference, good Intention, and Regard. By a late Undergraduate. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Dodley. The benevolent defign of this piece, and the useful advice it.contains, abundantly compenfate for any defects which criticism may dif cover in the manner in which it is written. Perhaps the Author would have fucceeded better in his main purpofe, had he expreffed his с 1 |