No neighbour to defpoil his neighbour fought, But this no more!-We must not now, alack! Rush to debate with more than patriot flame : At Merchant Taylor's bred, Hardwareman cries→→ "To my dear country I'll this night devote, (Bred at Moorfields, or Tot'nam) hear him bawl, ES Art. 47. Matlock; a fare well defcriptive Poem. Moft humbly infcribed to her Grace Georgiana, Duchefs of Devonshire. 4to. Is. Baldwin. 1786. "Et in Arcadia ego"--We, too, have been at this Derbyshire Arcadia, but never had we the good fortune of meeting, there, with any of those blue-eyed Naiads,' or 'green-rob'd Nymphs,' or long-liv'd Dryads, none of the pearl-clad Nereids, Satyrs and Fauns, Fays and Goblins'-which fo plenteously abound-in this poem-that it is aftonishing we never met them on the fpot; for we too, have occafionally ftray'd among Dear Matlock's 'Dells darkling, hazel haunts, and graffy glades *.' * Page 7, 1. 4. Nor Nor did we ever hear, in the learned circles at the Hall, or at Lovett's, aught concerning the amours of the Giant Mangelon, and the Nymph Matlocia, which are here celebrated with all the fond fancy of a youthful Mufe, more verfed in Ovidian fable and imagery, than in just and natural defcriptions of rural fcenery. Matlock is a charming place, and demands the pen of a Denham, or a Pope. Art. 48. Henry and Acafto: a Moral Tale. By the Rev. Brian Hill, A. M. late of Queen's College, Oxford; and Chaplain to the Earl of Leven. With a Preface by Sir Richard Hill, Bart. 3d Edition, with Corrections, Alterations, and Additions by the Author. 12mo. 1s. Stockdale. The Author relates a tender tale, in easy verfe: it is, however, in our opinion, too strongly tinctured with peculiar religious fentiments, to be acceptable to the generality of readers. Art. 49. Socrates and Xantippe: a Burlesque Tale. By William Walbeck. 4to. 2s. Bew. 1786. There is fomething that looks like wit in the poem, and fomething alfo that looks like learning in the notes; but in good truth they are more like Iago's honesty than any thing befides-nothing else but fhew! B-b. Art. 50. The Mirror: a Poem. Addreffed to Lady L***. 4to. 19. Debrett. 1786. An elegant bouquet, culled from the garden of the Mufes, with which Lady L.-whoever fhe be-need not difdain to adorn her fair bofom. Art. 51. The Commemoration of Handel: a Poem. 4to. Cadell, &c. E. The procefs of the Commemoration is here defcribed, and the fubject of the Meffiah reprefented, in harmonious and elegant verse, which, amidst the triumphs of Mufic, in fome measure maintains the honours of Poefy. NOVELS. E. Art. 52. The Innocent Rivals, a Novel, taken from the French, with Alterations and Additions. By a Lady. 12mo. 7s. 6d. fewed. Bew. 1786. 3 Vols. In the character of Melmoth, a married man, who fuffers another fair one to fupplant his wife in his affections, and thereby involves both the females in diftrefs and wretchedness, and brings upon himself a load of remorfe which he is unable to fupport; this novel affords a ftriking example of the danger of indulging an illicit paffion. It is a leffon which has been taught in many different forms; but it comes with peculiar weight, as the moral of an interesting tale, agreeably written. E. Art. 53 Fanny, a Novel; in a Series of Letters; written by a Lady. 12m0. 3 Vols. 5s. fewed. Richardfon. This novel, befides that it is agreeably written, and exhibits a variety of characters in interefting fituations, has the uncommon merit of conveying, in its flory, a very ufeful leffon to young women; which is, that, by treating debauched young men-not, as is too often the cafe, with marked diftinction, but, on the contrary, with a spirited referve, they have it in their power to contribute very much 1 much towards reforming their manners, and confequently providing themselves with good husbands, and their country with ufeful citizens. E Art. 54. Juvenile Indiferetions; a Novel. By the Author of Anna, or the Welsh Heiress. 12mo. 5 Vols. 15s. Lane. Those who were pleased with this writer's former production, will probably find amufement in the prefent, which, in point of ftyle, is, on the whole, better written than Anna. We muft however remark, that the characters are more numerous than was neceffary, and are strained beyond real life. The plot is confused, and in many particulars extravagant. The tale is drawn out to an immoderate length, and the reader is fatigued without being interefted. The writer is culpable too, in adopting and proceeding upon an idea of a pernicious tendency, namely, that juvenile indifcretions are rather to be regarded as indications of genius and fpirit, than as proofs of an ill-principled or irrefolute mind. E Art. 55. The Tour of Valentine. Crown 8vo. 3s. Tewed. Johnfon. 1786. This volume is not published, we are told, to add another to the many novel adventures, eaftern romances, or fentimental effufions; nor folely to furnish entertainment. Its true defign,' fays the Author, will readily appear: it will mislead none; it may please fome; and, if any, thofe whofe approbation is moft valuable.' His profeffed intention is to promote Chriftian piety; and fome little objection, he acknowledges he felt, again ft clothing his work in a fanciful drefs. In other books of this kind,' he remarks, loose and paffionate defcriptions are hardly effaced, or rendered edifying, by grave confequences or fupplemental morality. Virtue is indeed propofed, but the means to attain it are not taught; there is, therefore, trictly speaking, no example of virtue given.' It must be allowed that the tendency of the work is fuch as the writer reprefents it to be. The scenes and adventures, if not fo numerous, or wrought up with fo much art and paffion as other novels difplay, are yet interefting, inftructive, and friendly to virtue; giving rife to juft and useful reflections and converfations on fubjects of the greatest importance. The dialogue held by Valentine and his coufin concerning duelling, is, in particular, well worthy of attention. More real and edifying fenfe is to be met with here than in feveral other productions which may probably be better received in the world. The ftyle has fometimes a peculiarity or degree of obfcurity, which might, we apprehend, have been avoided or corrected. Art. 56. Manon L'Escaut: or the Fatal Attachment. A French Story. 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s. fewed. Cadell. 1786. These volumes are far more likely than the preceding Tour to intereft the paffions, to warm the imagination, and, though it ought not to be fo, to engage the heart; for this novel gives us the hiftory of improper amours, and of gambling atchievements for their fupport. If its character is fairly given, while every allowance is made for the invention and ingenuity of the writer, it must probably be this, that it reprefents folly, extravagance, and vice, in colours too favourable and attractive; and while it makes the actors suffer, even H. to a high degree, it prefents them to the reader rather as objects of companion than of cenfure. The tranflator feems to have been a little fenfible of this, and fomething he fays by way of apology, which he would perfuade himfelf is fufficient to answer the objec tion. This little novel, he informs us, fell into his hands in the long winter of 1784, which he paffed in Normandy. For the amusement of fome English friends, who did not read French, he tranflated as he read fome of the moit ftriking paffages, which appeared to them fo interesting, that, fays he, I was induced to tranflate the whole; or rather to write it anew in English. He acknowledges he has made fome confiderable alterations, as to length of periods, tranfpofition of pages, &c. but all this has been done to render the performance more pleafant to an English ear, and after all he fears the clinquant of the French is ftill very visible.' To this account our tranflator farther adds, "It has been thought, that notwithstanding all her errors and failings, the picture of Manon is too captivating, and that vice is not drawn in her character as fufficiently odious. But furely an improper tendency cannot be imputed to a story where every deviation from virtue is immediately and feverely punished, and which is at length clofed by a catastrophe fo melancholy as the death of Manon, and the remorfe and defpair of her lover.' There is fome truth in this obfervation; but it is yet questionable whether the book is not fitted to produce bad rather than good effects, efpecially on fome minds; as it will be recollected, that the diftreffes, however deep, are really fiction, and the other parts wear a pleafing and alluring afpect. MISCELLANEOUS. H. Art. 57. The Works of M. Le Chevalier de Florian; containing Galatea, a Paftoral Romance; and other characteristic Romances. Tranflated from the laft Paris Edition, by Mr. Robinson. To which is prefixed, an Effay on Paftoral Romance, in an Epistle to Mifs C. T. by the Tranflator. Izmo. 2 Vols. 5s. bound. Becket. 1786. Thefe tales, which are written with much elegance and tendernefs, will afford that clafs of readers to whom they are addrefled an agreeable amufement, without the smallest hazard of perverting their talte, or corrupting their hearts. The first volume confits of a beautiful paftoral romance; the fecond, of characteristic tales, in which the spirit and manners of different countries are represented; the Spaniard and Portuguefe, as ftill fond of adventures and combats; the Frenchman, as infpired with fentiments of love and glory; the German, as diftinguished by manly fenfe and integrity; the Greek, as a lover of fcience and arts; and the Perfian, as teaching found leffons of morality under the form of wild romance. The work is tranflated with correctnefs and cafe, and the introduction is well written. E. Art. 58. Tales, Romances, Apologues, Anecdotes, and Novels; hu morous, fatiric, entertaining, historical, tragical, and moral; from the French of the Abbé Blanchet, M. Bret, M. de la Place, M. Imbert, M. St. Lambert, and the Chevalier de Florian. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Robinson. 1786. This is an amufing medley from French Novellifts; but it was, to fay fay the leaft, unnecessary to fwell the volumes with the addition of five of the tales of Florian, already fo well tranflated by the Editor of the preceding article. E.. Art. 59. A Letter from Capt. J. S. Smith to the Rev Mr. Hill, on the State of the Negroe Slaves. To which are added an Introduction and Remarks on Free Negroes, &c. By the Editor. 8vo. 6d. Phillips. 1786. In our Review for January last we expreffed our intention of withdrawing our thoughts from the controverfy we were likely to be engaged in, on a fubject which had been, with no fmall degree of rancour between the engaging parties, warmly attacked and defended. We shall adhere to our refolution, and only lay before our Readers the contents of the prefent performance, with the arguments of the Editor in vindication of his former affertions. In the Introduction, Mr. Ramfay gives an account of the manner in which his adverfaries have attacked him, and of his reply to what he ftyles the vindictive and argumentative antwers or objections to his original Effay.' The letter itself is the refult of a defire, which a friend of Mr. Ramfay's (we fuppofe Mr. Hill) made to Captain Smith, that he would read Mr. Ramfay's Effay, and give his opinion of it impartially.' The Captain having been an eye-witnefs to the many fpecies of cruelty exercised on the negroes, confirms what Mr. Ramfay had reprefented, and gives fome additional proofs of the miferable ftate in which thofe wretched beings are involved. The remarks concerning the free negroes are ingenioufly and judiciously set forth: as to the truth of the affertions contained in them, we cannot pretend to decide. R-m. Art. 60. The Night Cap. By M. Mercier. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. 1785. This writer is one of thofe volatile and eccentric geniuses who dash at every thing-with thought or without it, just as the whim of the moment tranfports them. Whether it was folly, madnefs, or the fond luft of fingularity, that made M. Mercier dafh his empty pate against Homer, we will not determine: but as his night cap was on, it would have been more for the credit of his tafte, learning, and judgment, if he had done what other people do when they put on theirs. B-h Art. 61. The Progress of Fashion: exhibiting a View of its Influence in all the Departments of Life. 8vo. Is, 6d. Sewell. An elegant and fenfible effay. It traces the influence of Fashion on religion, politics, morality, literature, and drefs; and the defign of it is to counteract its corrupt and dangerous effects, by expofing its futility and caprice. The Author difcovers a confiderable share of historical knowledge. His reflections are in general judicious, fometimes lively and acute, and always liberal and candid. Do |