ufed. Part of his employment was to drive his mafter in a one horse chaife to fome academies where he taught, in the neighbourhood of London, and to feed and rub down the horse, on his return to town.

During his ftay with Fournier he made a pen and ink drawing from a print of a fisherman fmoking his pipe, with fundry accompaniments in the file of Teniers. This, as the production of a boy under fourteen years of age, obtained him the honour of the fecond premium from the fociety for the encouragement of arts, and the ftyle in which it was executed fhews an accuracy of eye, and power of imitation, very rarely the lot of one fo young.

As this boyish production was higher in my eftimation than his own, in the infancy of our friendship he gave it me, but as it was the only fpecimen of his drawing, I prefented it to Mrs. Henderson on her marriage, and am informed it is now in the collection of Sir John Elliot.

Soon after this time he came to live with Mr. Cripps, a working filversmith in St. James's-ftreet, to whom his mother was related, and her intention was that he should learn that trade, but the death of Mr. Cripps put an end to this fcheme, and he was left at about twenty years of age with very few connections, and without any determinate purfuit.

His only refource feemed to be that of becoming an affiftant in a filversmith's shop, but even this fituation, humble as it may feem, was not very eafy to obtain; for, on application to a perfon of the trade, the highest terms offered were twenty-five pounds a year. A propofal was foon after made him to become out-door clerk to a banker, upon a falary little better than the foregoing. Both these offers he communicated to a friend, who warmly oppofed his accepting terms fo very inferior to what his abilities ought to command, and advised him to turn his attention to the ftage, for which he thought him eminently qualified; but Henderfon hefitated at this advice, declaring his circumftances did not enable him to wait the tedious delays of managers. Being, however, affured, that he might confider the houfe, intereft, and purfe of his friend, at his fervice, until he was fituated to his own fatisfaction, he directed his endeavours to an introduction amongst the Dramatis Perfona; endeavours in which he encountered difficulties, delays, and mortifications, which cannot be conceived by those who have not been in fimilar fituations; which would have abated the vigour of purfuit, and cooled the ardour of expectation in almost any other man; but he feems to have poffeffed, even at that time, a confcicufnefs of talents that when feen would force themselves into notice, and when noticed muft be encouraged.

He however paffed his time eafily and cheerfully, in the fociety of a family where he was treated with all the attention that friendfhip could prompt, by whom his intereft was confidered as connected with their own, who fincerely esteemed him, were pleafed with his talents, and gratified by his pleafantry; and perhaps it would not have been eafy to point out a man who poffeffed fuch convivial powers as he did in the younger part of his life. His obfervation was quick, his comprehenfion ample, his manners most lively and conciliating; but the ludicrous light in which he faw and frequently exhibited any

objet

object that prefented itself, created him enemies, who, though they were pleased with his wit, had no great relish for his fatire, when exercifed upon themselves.'

A.B.

ART. VII. Poems on feveral Occafions, written in Pennsylvania. By William More Smith, Efq. 8vo. 2s. 6d. fewed. Philadelphia printed; London reprinted, by Dilly. 1786.

WE

E have been much pleafed with many paffages in these American poems, although most of them turn upon a fubject which

Old as we are, for lady's love unfit*,'

hath no longer the power of compelling our judgment to fubmit to our feelings. Love-verfes, therefore, are not, of all others, the most likely to warp the integrity of the fnowy-headed critic.

With Dryden, however, we can with pleasure add, that the fubject which once infpir'd our fouls' ftill infpires our wit;' fo that we can yet read a tender tale with fympathy, and melt at the fufferings and complaints of an unfortunate lover, if defcribed in fuch ftrains as nature dictates to the pen of elegance: fuch as those by which an OVID, a TIBULLUS, a PETRARCH, and a POPE, have fo fuccessfully made their way to the hearts of their readers!

If these productions of the western mufe cannot rank with thofe of the admired bards juft named, we think that the Author, if encouraged to cultivate his genius, and give the utmost polish and perfection to his compofitions, may take his feat with HAMMOND, SHENSTONE, and GOLDSMITH. At prefent, however, it seems as though his modefty would with-hold him from coming fo forward. He does not appear to have formed too high an opinion of his own literary merit; for he fpeaks, in his very fhort preface, with becoming diffidence of the poems here given to the Public. They are thrown,' fays he, into the world by way of experiment. If they are favourably received, they will poffibly be followed by others; if they perish, the Author will not be disappointed.'

We shall give a fhort (pecimen, extracted from the poem, entled, The Man of Sorrow.

An aged American laments the death of his fon, which happened during the late bloody contefts in that country; and thus defcribes the aggravating circumftances that attended his lofs:

I had a Son!-Oh pierc'd reflection spare,

In pity ipare, an hapless parent's breast;
Long down his age-plough'd cheek the burning tear
Of anguish ftreaming falt, has broke his reft.

Adorn'd with every grace of blooming youth,
I had a fon, who bore from all the prize;
His foul was fpotlefs as the fhrine of truth,
And beam'd the mildeft radiance from his eyes.
Bright blaz'd his nuptial torch,-the happy hour
Approach'd; and mufic echoed thro' the grove;
With verdure bloom'd my DAMON's fav`rite bower,
Deck'd by the hand of his officious love :
Deck'd for ALMERIA-dear unhappy maid!
What pangs do now thy fnowy bofom tear!
Like April bloffoms do thy beauties fade,
Nipp'd by the frosty hand of pining Care.
ALMERIA came!-the pride of all the plain,
She sweetly fmil'd upon my raptur'd boy;
When Britain's fons ;-a fell remorseless train,
Burft on the sweet retreat of peace and joy.
Ah!-nought avail'd a kneeling father's tears,
Nor could their rage a mother's forrows stay;
Regardless of her fex, her feeble years,
They sternly fpurn'd her, as the proftrate lay.
Nor yet avail'd the fair ALMERIA's fighs;
From her foft clafping arms my fon they tore!
O'erthrew the wreath-bound altar,-curs'd our cries,
And to the embattled field the youth they bore.
What need I more;-my anguish speaks the rest!
On Monmouth's plain, he bow'd his dying head!
The hoftile fteel deform'd his manly breast,
And at the wound life's crim fon current fled.
On lightning's wings the cruel tidings came;
His boding mother guefs'd the fatal blow!
The dreadful fhock o'erpower'd her feeble frame:
She funk-a fpeechlefs fpectacle of woe!
Waking at length, fhe cry'd, with wild defpair,
Oh! bring my DAMON from the bloody plain;
I'll bathe his wounds with many a falling tear,
And from his bofom wash the crim fon ftain!
With wreaths of flowers his body I'll adorn,
On rofe-crown'd fods his icy head fhall lie,
And till the ftars fhall fade before the morn,
I'll watch my breathlefs child with fleepless eye.
No tainting blaft fhall touch my darling boy,
A fheet of lilies o'er his corfe I'll spread;
Come, come, ALMERIA, raife the fong of joy,
Thy well-known voice fhall wake him from the dead.

But

But foft, he flumbers in yon balmy grove;
Ye gentlest zephyrs, fan him with your breath;
His are the peaceful dreams of blifs and love:
-Ah no!-they dream not in the fleep of death!
Distracted now, fhe beat her aged breaft;
Wild as the winds, was every word she said;
But foon, to scenes of never-ending reft,
From its weak tenement her spirit fled.'-

The poem entitled, "The Wizard of the Rock," has confiderable beauties; but it is too long for our infertion, and incapable of abridgment. There are other pieces in the collection, the merits of which will be duly appreciated by the distinguishing and difcerning Reader.

G.

ART. VIII. The Hiftory of Sandford and Merton, a Work intended for the Ufe of Children. Vol. II. Izmo. 3s. 6d. bound, Stockdale. 1786.

SANDFORD and Merton are already well known by many a

fire-fide, and have afforded many an hour's inftructive entertainment to young people. It is with pleasure we announce to them the continuation of this agreeable tale, and, at the fame time, affure them, that, if it be not their own fault, they will receive more improvement from this volume than they have done from the former. The fenfible and ingenious Author (Mr. Day) poffeffes in great perfection the happy art of conveying useful information, juft and manly fentiments, and important precepts, in the form of dialogue and ftory. Excellent leffons of hardy temperance, activity, bumanity, generofity, and piety; rational views of fociety; and, withal, many articles of inftruction in fcience, are, in this little volume, agreeably wrought up into the form of narration.

The following story is an excellent leffon upon good manners: It happened that, while Harry was at Mr. Merton's, there was a troop of ftrolling players at a neighbouring town. In order to divert the young gentry, Mr. Merton contrived that they fhould make a party to fee a play. They went accordingly, and Harry with the reft. Tommy, who now no longer condefcended to take any notice of his friend, was feated between his two infeparable companions. These young gentlemen firft began to give fpecimens of their politeness by throwing nuts and orange-peel upon the ftage, and Tommy, who was refolved to profit by fuch excellent example, threw nuts and orange-peel with infinite fatisfaction. As foon as the curtain drew up and the actors appeared, all the rest of the au dience obferved a decent filence; but Mash and Compton, who were now determined to prove the fuperiority of their manners, began to talk fo loud and make fo much noife, that it was impoffible for any one near them to hear a word of the play. This alfo feemed amaz ingly fine to Tommy; and he too talked and laughed as loud as the ref.

rest. The subject of their conversation was the audience and the performers; neither of which thefe polite young gentlemen found bearable. The company was chiefly compofed of the tradesmen of the town and the inhabitants of the neighbouring country; this was a fufficient reason for these refined young gentlemen to speak of them with the most infufferable contempt. Every circumstance of their drefs and appearance was criticized with fuch a minuteness of attention, that Harry, who fat near, and very much against his inclinations was witness to all that paffed, began to imagine that his companions, instead of being brought up like the fons of gentlemen, had only ftudied under barbers and taylors; fuch amazing knowledge did they difplay in the hiftory of buckles, buttons, and dreffing of hair. As to the poor performers, they found them totally undeferving mercy; they were fo fhockingly awkward, fo ill-dreft, fo low-lived, and fuch deteftable creatures, that it was impoffible to bear them with any patience. Master Mash, who prided himself upon being a young gentleman of great fpirit, was of opinion that they fhould kick up a riot and demolish all the scenery. Tommy, indeed, did not very well understand what the expreffion meaned, but he was fo intimately perfuaded of the merit and genius of his companions, that he agreed that it would be the propereft thing in the world, and the propofal was accordingly made to the rest of the young gentlemen. But Harry, who had been filent all the time, could not help remonftrating at what appeared to him the greateft cruelty and injuftice. Thefe poor people, faid he, are doing all they can to entertain us; is it not very unkind to treat them in return with fcorn and contempt? If they could act better, even as well as thofe fine people you talk of in London, would they not willingly do it; and there, fore why fhould we be angry at them for what they cannot help? And as to cutting the fcenes to pieces, or doing the house any damage, have we any more right to attempt it, than they would have to come into your father's dining room and break the dishes to pieces, because they did not like the dinner?-While we are here let us behave with good manners; and if we do not like their acting, it is our own faults if ever we come to fee them again. This method of reafoning was not much relished by those to whom it was addressed, and it is uncertain how far they might have proceeded, had not a decent, plainlooking man, who had been long disturbed with the noife of these young gentry, at length taken the liberty of expoftulating with them upon the fubject. This freedom, or impertinence, as it was termed by Master Mash, was anfwered by him with fo much rudeness, that the man, who was a neighbouring farmer, was obliged to reply in an higher ftrain. Thus did the altercation increase every minute, till Master Mash, who thought it an unpardonable affront that any one in an inferior ftation fhould prefume to think or feel for himself, fo far loft all command of his temper as to call the man a blackguard and strike him upon the face. But the farmer, who poffeffed great ftrength and equal refolution, very deliberately laid hold of the young gentleman who had offered him the infult, and without the fmallet exertion, laid him fprawling upon the ground, at his full length under the benches, and setting his feet upon his body, told him that fince he did not know how to fit quiet at a play, he would have