Art. 48. Biographia Claffica. The Lives and Characters of the 12mo. The obvious utility of this work, and the fhare of reputation it has obtained, are very good reafons for its republication. The Editor has the merit of having corrected and materially improved the language; and of adding ufeful lifts of the best editions of the feveral authors. Befides this, he has given four new lives, viz, of Theognis, Nicander, Dionyfius, and Nonnus, comprifed in four pages, and profeffes to have added in every life feveral particulars, and corrected many millakes in names, places, and facts.' Juftice to the public, however, requires us to declare, that we have taken fome pains to fearch for thefe corrections; and that in fix lives (thofe of Tibullus, Lucan, Statius, Dionyfius Halicarnenfis, Nepos, and Juftin), we are not able to difcover any particulars which the Editor has E. added. Art. 49. A Catalogue of the Manufcripts in the Cottonian Library To which are added many Emendations and Additions. With an Appendix containing an Account of the Damage fuflained by the Fire in 1731; and alfo a Catalogue of the Charters preferved in the fame Library. 8vo. 4s. fewed. Hooper. 1777. The cata ogue of this valuable library published by Dr. Smith in 1696 is known to be very defective; the learned and ingenious have therefore long wished for a remedy of the inconveniences they have met with when they confulted this library. To gratify thofe wishes is the object of the prefent publication, which we doubt not-will be found, according to the Author's account, fo far fuperior to Dr. Smith's as to leave no room for, fimilar complaints. Each fubject is fo difpofed that the reader may, without difficulty, have recourfe to the object of his enquiry. We cannot but lament the damage which the library fuftained by the fire that happened Oct. 23, 1731; though on the whole it feems much less than might have been justly appre hended. It is a laudable care to endeavour to make thefe collections as useful as poffible, and therefore this publication must be feafonable and valuable. The Author gives what we doubt not is Juft praife to the forty-two truflees who have the immediate direction of the British Museum, whofe excellent and judicious regulations, and very laudrble management, he fays have rendered this invaluable treafure of learning of much greater utility to the public than it has been at any former period.' Hi Art. 50. English Humanity no Paradox. Or an Attempt to prove, that the English are not a Nation of Savages. 8vo. Is. 6d. Lowndes. 1778. This Writer declaims, with much fpirit, and fome humour, on the character of the English nation; endeavouring to refute the charge of barbarity brought against the English by Voltaire, Rouffeau, and other foreign writers, and to fhew that the national spirit of ́ Englishmen is generous and humane. Through the whole he difcovers himself to be a zealous friend to liberty, and he writes in a manner manner which will be highly pleafing to the true lovers of their country. Art. 51. The Reformation of Law, Phyfic, and Divinity. With Arguments to prove, that their Spirit fhould be the Bafis of our focial contracts; and that to establish univerfal Peace and Happinefs, among all Parties, in Great Britain, Ireland, and America, they must be linked in a Chain of one common Intereft, and the Penal Laws made against Papifts, diffenting Nonjurors, &c. must be repealed. By Daniel Magenife, M. D. Second Edition. 8vo. Bew, &c. This rhapsody was published about two years ago, and was fufficiently noticed at that time. It now appears again, with the addition of a rambling kind of introduction, and a title page fomewhat altered from the former, under the profeffion of being a fecond edition. Little need be added to the account already given of Dr. Magenife's political lucubrations, but that in this introduction he af cribes the American rebellion to the penal ftatutes against Roman catholics, and the oppreffed ftate of thofe in Ireland particularly. "What, fays he, have the people now living to do with the gunpowder plot?" Very true, but if the principles are fill alive which produced that plot, the maffacre of Paris, and many other machinations, of a fimilar kind, it is but natural for proteftants to be jealous of all who profefs them, though fuch jealoufy may grievously affect those who do not exert them to any evil purpose: and however the fashion of politics may alter, principles that allow a latitude of doing ing evil in certain cafes, for certain ends that are efteemed good,though they may lie dormant, muft, like gunpowder, be watched to keep them from being inflamed. The catholices in Ireland may, in fome cafes, have caufe to complain, but they have had better advocates than the writer now before us: yet as there is a pleasure in writing which none but writers know, his countrymen are obliged to him for the choice of his fubject. Art. 52. An Addrefs to John Sawbridge, Richard Oliver, Frederic Bull, and George Hayley, Efquires, Reprefentatives in Parliament for the City of Londen. With Propofals for the better Regulation of Bankers and B.okers, and for fecuring the Property of the fair Trader, from Swindlers and Sharpers; by reftraining within proper Bounds, public Auctions. Alfo a fcheme for establishing a Loan Bank, fimilar to the Lombard at Amsterdam, &c. By Walfingham Collins, of London, Merchant. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Kearily. 1778. The first object of this judicious addrefs, is to have a fair line drawn between feparate occupations, that each party might enjoy the profits and emoluments of his particular profeffion without interference. The writer clearly fhews the great mifchiefs that arife from merchants turring bankers, and bankers engaging in merchandice; from brokers acting for themselves as merchants, and others acting as brokers without regular authority, particularly clerks of the Bank in buying and felling ftock. He expofes the frauds carried on by * See REV. vol. Iv. p. 234• I i 4 public E.. N. public auctions, fupplied by that clafs of rogues called fwindlers; and the facility with which sheriffs officers ftrip the unhappy of goods feized in execution, by inftantly felling and removing them: for all which evils he points out fufficient remedies to thofe gentlemen who are intrufted with the political interests of this great commercial city. The scheme of a loan bank after the model of that at Amfterdam, would certainly be of ufe to answer temporary emergencies in trade, and refcue honeft men from the claws of harpies, who pray upon diftrefs chiefly produced by their own arts: and he recommends the employing useless fums in the chamber of London, in fuch an establishment. To this he adds an hint for a transfer bullion office, to keep our bullion from being fent to Holland, the pation being drained of its fpecie, and the Dutch from being arbiters of the courfe of exchange. Art. 53. The New Italian, English, and French Pocket-Dictionary. Carefully compiled from the Dictionaries of La Crufca, Dr. S. Johnfon, the French Academy, and from ether Dictionaries of the belt Authorities; in which the Parts of Speech are properly dif tinguished, and each word accented according to its true and natural Pronunciation. To which is prefixed a new compendious Italian Grammar. By F. Bottarelli. 18 s. Nourfe. 1777. 3 vols. The defign of this publication is to provide a portable and cheap dictionary of the English, French, and Italian languages. For this purpose the whole is printed on a fmall type, and, as far as poffible, ingle words in one language are interpreted by fynonimous terms in the other. Idiomatic phrafes are occafionally introduced, and many technical terms are admitted. In the first volume the Italian takes the lead, in the fecond the English, in the third the French. This dictionary appears to be drawn up with correctness, and will be very ufeful to thofe to whom a cheap and portable dictionary is an object of convenience. Art. 54. An Anfwer to a Book, intituled "An Inquiry into the Facts and Obfervations thereon, humbly fubmitted to the candid Examiner into the Principles of a Bill intended to be offered to Parliament, for the Prefervation of the Great Level of the Fens, and the Navigation through the fame, by a Tax on Lands and a Toll on the Navigation *." Wherein the Claim of the Adventurers on the Navigations, for Affiftance in draining and preferving the Fens, is impartially inquired into ; and the Conduct of the Drainers and the oppreffive Defigns of the prefent Bill are exhibited in their true Light. 8vo. Is. 6d. Cadell. 1778. This Aufwer ought to be perufed by every one who has read the Inquiry, and is interested in the fubject. The Author feems to be well acquainted with the real merits of the cafe; and he argues the point with great appearance of reafon and justice. He allows the importance of preferving the Fen lands, by keeping them in a proper ftate of drainage; but he apprehends that the means offered by the Corporation of the Eedford Level, for that purpofe, are very inequitable; and that, fhould they obtain the fanction of the legislature, great See REV. vol. lvi. P. 392. and N. and undeserved hardships will, confequently, fall upon the inhabitants, and particularly the poor of the feveral counties which fürround these fens. Art. 55. Authentic Memoirs of the Right Honourable the late Earl of Chatham. 8vo. 2 S. Wenman. 1778. Art. 56. The complete Works of M. de Montefquieu. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. 1777. 4 vols. An entire collection, in English, of the works of this illuftrious modern, whofe name is praise, having never appeared before, the prefent publication will doubtless prove acceptable to the lovers of good fenfe and found philofophv, united with elegance and taste. Art. 57. True and Lawful Matrimony, or effablifhed Ceremonies, not essential to that honourable State. Wherein the Legality of the Marriage of their Royal Highneffes the Duke and Dutchefs of Gloucester is fairly evinced, and clearly demonstrated. With a few explanatory Notes fubjoined, 8vo. 1 s. Hogg. 1778. This performance exhibits a fingular phænomenon-an orthodox faint apologizing in the language of fcripture, for the relaxation of the matrimonial bond. Of the ftupid and vulgar manner in which it is written, we can give our readers no idea, without quoting the following paffage : Those who confider and view the ftate of matrimony in the light it deferves, will readily excufe me, if I shall to the preceding remarks add, that in the judgment of fome confiderate ferious people, the vowels A, E, I, O, U, with the letter P prefixed to each of them in the words Parts, Perfon, Piety, Portion, Purity, denote the qualifications prerequifite in thofe who enter into the married ftate in order to be happy therein.' Art. 58. Confiderations on the Nature, Quality, and Diftinctions of Coal and Culm; with Inquiries philofophical and political, into the prefent State of the Laws, and the Questions now in Agitation relative to the Taxes on thefe Commodities; contained in a Letter from Dr. James Hutton, Phyfician in Edinburgh, to a Friend. 8vo. Is. Edinburgh. Elliot. Sold by Richardfon, &c. London. 1777. In this pamphlet, the writer attempts to afcertain the difference between coal and culm, not chemically, but from the different effect of fire upon them, and their different application and ufe. Culm, being a kind of fmall coal which does not cake or folder, on burning, is unfit for most of the domeftic and culinary uses of fuel; and from hence Dr. Hutton concludes that it ought to be exempted from the tax laid upon coals. Its chief ufe being in the manufacture of brick E. brick and lime, a tax upon it would, he observes, be an unreafon. able incumbrance upon these articles. E. Art. 59. Remarks on "Confiderations on the Nature, &c. of Coal and Culm, &c." By a Friend to the Revenue. Addreffed to the Commiffioners for managing his Majefty's Caftoms, &c. in England, &c. To which are added, Copies of the Memorial prefented to the Lords of the Treafury in the Name of the General Convention of the Royal Boroughs of Scotland; and of the Report of the English Board of Customs thereon. 8vo. 1 5. Bew. 1777. An angry reply to the preceding article; from which, however, those who are interested in the fubject, may gain material information. Art. 60. A Letter from a Father to a Son on his Marriage. 12mo. 1 s. Dilly. 1778. A fenfible leffon of advice, apparently the refult of obfervation and experience, which may be of great ufe to those who enter upon the matrimonial connection with the antiquated idea, that it is of fome confequence that married people should live happily together. RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. E. E Art. 61. The Proof of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, drawn from its fuccessful and speedy Propagation, confidered and enforced, in Two Sermons lately preached before the University of Oxford. By Thomas Randolph, D. D. Prefident of Corpus Chrifti College Oxford, and Lady Margaret's Profeffor of Divinity. 1 s. 6d. Rivington. 1778. 8vo. The rapid progreis of the gofpel, under the circumflances in which it was first publifhed, has been generally hought a ftrong ar gument for the truth of the Chriftian religion. Mr. Gibbon, in his Hiftory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, has taken great pains to invalidate the force of this proof, and endeavoured to ac count for the fuccefs of the gospel by natural caufes, Dr. Randolph introduces the firft of the fermons now before us, with obferving, that Mr. Gibbon begins too late. If the caufes, which he affigns,' fays the Doctor, were adequate to the effect, which they by no means are, yet they could not operate till Chriftianity had already got fome confiderable footing in the world. If the zeal of the firft Chriftians and conftancy of their martyrs might, in after ages, promote its fuccefs, yet it will fill remain to enquire what firit infpired them with this zeal, and animated them with this conftancy. To account for this, it will be neceffary to look back to the first publication of the gofpel.' Now as the only authentic account we have of the first publication of the gofpel is in the Acts of the Apofiles, our Author, in his first fermon, gives a regular and connected view of the feveral circumftances that are contained in the five first chapters of the As, concerning this important and interefting event, taking the matter in order from the beginning, and making very judicious and pertinent obfervations as he goes along. If the narrative of the behaviour of the Apostles and Jews, on the first publication of the gospel, which is contained in thefe chapters, be a faithful narrative, we need defire, he fays, no better proof of the truth of the Chriftian religion, and may |