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He writes with fpirit, and fays many ftriking things; but, in the
ardor of conteft, following his blow with, perhaps, too much con-
fidence, he attacks fome very eminent characters, particularly Dr.
Franklin, with an illiberal feverity; for which he deferves the repre-
henfion of every confiderate and candid reader. But if, as we have
heard, he is a young writer, he may hereafter, as his judgment
ripens, make a diftinguished figure in the polemical field.
Art. 35. A Letter to the Rt. Hon. Willoughby Bertie, by defcent
Earl of Abingdon, by defcent Lord Norreys; high Steward of
Abingdon and Wallingford. In which his Lordship's candid and
liberal treatment of the now Earl of Mansfield, is fully vindicated.
8vo. pr. one pound Scotch. One Shilling and Eight Pence, English.
Payne, &c. 1778.

An admirable piece of irony, in which Lord A. (who, certainly, is but an unfledg'd writer), is totally overwhelmed, by the fuperior abilities of his mock-vindicator. We have not, for a long time paft, been fo well entertained, in the perufal of any publication, of the humorous kind. Wit is faid to be of no party, yet has it been engaged in all; and is, perhaps, the most powerful auxiliary to

any.

MATHEMATICS.

Art. 36. A Compleat Theory of the Construction and Properties of Veffels, with Practical conclufions for the management of Ships, made eafy to Navigators Tranflated from Theorid complette de la e conftruction et de la mancore des Vaiffeaux, of the celebrated I eonard Euler. By Henry Watson Efq. 8vo. 5 s. boards. Elmfley. 1776.

The value of the original work, of which this is a tranflation, is well known to those who are acquainted with the mathematical principles of hydraulics. It is the most compleat fcientific treatise, on this fubject, as far efpecially, as it relates to the construction and management of fhips. But thofe who are converfant with foreign publications of this nature, are well apprifed, that every language has technical terms and phrafes peculiar to itfelf: the prefent tranflation is, on this account, the more valuable; and it is undertaken with a view of rendering the more abftrufe and mechanical part of nautical science, generally underflood.

The work is divided into three books: in the first book, the Author confiders veffels in equilibrium and at reft; and, by a variety of mathematical inveftigations, determines the ftability of different veffels, and lays down rules for this purpose. He closes, with recommending in general, and as the most effectual means of augmenting their flability, to carry the center of gravity as low as poffible. The 2d book contains an investigation of the refiftance which veffels experience in their courfe, and of the action of the rudder. The 3d book treats of mafts and the management of veffels: to the whole is added, a fupplement upon the action of

ears.

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MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 37. Obfervations on the Means of better draining the middle and fouth levels of the Fens. By two Gentlemen who have taken a view thereof; addreffed to the Landed and Commercial Interefts, affected by the Bill propofed to be brought into Parliament. 4to. 2s. 6d. Evans. Strand. 1777.

As far as we are able to judge of the fubject, from a bare perufal of this pamphlet, and a curfory infpection of the engraved plans which accompany it, there feems to be reafon for concluding, with the fenfible writer, that the works propofed by the bill are inadequate to the object; that the drainers will continue to work upon falfe principles; that the additional expenfes will only tend to increase the prefent calamity of the country, by ufelefs charges, and an accumulation of former errors, from which the long roll of undertakers and artificers, will alone reap any benefit.

Art. 38. The Cafe of Thomas Jones, Cl. of Ely, Cambridgshire, respecting his prefent ftate of confinement, &c. Together with fome introductoty Remarks on the general ftate of the Bedford Level, particularly the fouth part of it. 4to. I S. Leacroft. Mr. Jones's cafe confifts, partly, of matter of public concern, but chiefly of a reprefentation of his private diftreffes, arifing from the oppreffion of his creditors. This reverend gentleman had, it seems, taken an active part in feveral large public works in the South level, had purchased lands, to a very confiderable amount; and had, in the iffue, a fair profpect of being a great gainer by his improvements. Having however the misfortune of falling into fome unhappy connexions, and of fuftaining heavy loffes by the failure of perfons to whom he was creditor for large fums, he was arrested, in April laft, and thrown into prifon; where he remained at the time of the publication of this pamphlet, which is dated from the King's Bench, in September and where, he poffibly fill remains, in a most diftrefsful and ruinous feparation from his wife and children.

This cafe feems, fo far as we can judge from the unhappy man's own representation of it, to be a very hard one, indeed! and if his perfecutors are unable to invalidate the facts which he has stated, with regard to their proceedings against him (which are alledged to have been of the most unfair and ungenerous kind), the public will, undoubtedly, view their conduct in a very unfavourable light. Of all monsters, an unfeeling, unrelenting creditor, muft furely, (where the debtor is worthy of compaffion) be the most aborrent to God, and to all good men: To God, becaufe HE is the PERFECTION OF BENEFICENCE; and to the good man, because he is ever the moft fenfible how much even the best of us ftand in need of that mercy, which we fo frequently dare to with-hold from one another! Art. 39. A Rural Ramble; to which is annexed a Poetical Tagg; or Brighthelmftone Guide. By G. S. Carey. fmall 8vo. 2 S. Baldwin. 1777.

Defcribes, with fome pleafantry, but indifferent writing, the incidents which occurred in a foot-walk to Brighthelmftone. Some of the poetry feems to be aimed in imitation of Mr. Anfty's truly humorous, and perhaps, inimitable Bath-Guide,

Art,

I

Art. 40. The way to be Rich and Refpectable. Addreffed to Men of fmall fortune. In this pamphlet is given, an eftimate, fhewing that a gentleman, with a wife, four children, and five fervants, may, refiding in the country; with a few acres of land, live as well as, and make an appearance in life, equal to a man of 1000l. a year, and yet not expend 4001. including the rent both of house and land; and fill be able in the courfe of zo years, to lay by 2500l. The plan of living in this estimate, is not ideal only, but has been abfolutely purfued by the Author many years. Such. as are fond of farming, will here find the expence attending, and the profits arifing from the cultivation of land, feeding of sheep, &c. &c. 8vo. 2d. Edition. 1s. 6d. Baldwin.

The luxury and extravagance which have encreased so much among all ranks in the prefent age, render it highly neceffary for all perfons to begin to think of economy. Happy however, if they do not, as is too often the cafe, exert their parfimony on improper objects, and thus injure fome who have a juft claim to their regard, instead of retrenching with reafon and humanity. Good fenfe, and obfervation, if properly attended to, will generally inftru&t us where to fave, and where to fpend; and if we do not attend to these, we are not likely to gain much benefit from extraneous rules.

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This pamphlet, appears to have been well received by the public; the title-page fufficiently declares its nature and defign: it may be of ufe to give fome affiftance to those who are really difpofed to live within the bounds of their station and fortune. We observe one ungenerous article, which fays, buy fuch things as country fhopkeepers have from London, always in London, &c.' This would be unfriendly to our country neighbours, and would diminish the refpect and affiftance, which a gentleman or his family might occasionally fland in need of, and would be more likely to obtain by a conduct, in fome measure oppofite to that which is recommended by our Author, than by the obfervance of his precept. Art. 41. The Champion of Virtue. A Gothic Story. By the Editor of the Phenix; a tranflation of Barclay's Argenis. izmo, 3s. fewed. Robinson. 1777.

This writer has imitated with tolerable fuccefs, the ftyle and manner of ancient romance. The ftory is enlivened with an agreeable variety of incidents; the narrative is plain and fimple; and the whole is adapted to intereft the feelings of the reader, provided he has either faith, or fancy, enough to be interested in the appearance of ghosts. Art. 42. Travels for the Heart; written in France. By Courtney Melmoth. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. Wallis. 1777. We do not hesitate to pronounce this hafty production, an unfuccessful attempt to imitate the Shandyan manner. The work is indeed fufficiently irregular, and the uthor has faid enough about his irregularities. But, for that graceful eafe and apparent negligence of language, which has all the excellencies of the converfationftyle without its defects. -for thofe delicate touches of nature which captivate the foul, we have fearched in vain. In lieu of the former, we meet with a great perade of words, affected phrafes, whimfical conceits, and gaudy ornaments: inftead of the latter, we have

much

H.

E.

much unmeaning talk about the heart. row the language of his master),

The Author's ideas (to bor are tinfel'd over with an abun

dance of words, which glitter, but convey little light and lefs warmth.' "For our part," "" we had rather read "five words directed point blank to the heart.". -If Mr. Melmoth knew his own talents, he would employ himself chiefly in the humourous delineation of characters; of his abilities for which, he has given us an, agreeable fpecimen or two, in the courfe of thefe volumes. E.

Art. 43. Memoirs of the Life and writings of Samuel Foote Efq; the English Ariftophanes. 8vo. 1 s. Bew. 1777.

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A life-writer feems to have become as conftant an attendant at the funeral of people of any eminence, as the death-hunter: with this difference in their views, that while the one commits the body to oblivion, the other configns the name to immortality.-A grubtreet immortality, however, is commonly of fo tranfitory a nature,-fo much do our trunk-makers and cheesemongers exceed the worms in voracity, that we imagine, the Undertaker's work is beyond all competition, more durable than the Biographer's.

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Art. 44. A History of the late Revolution in Sweden, which happened on the 19th, of Auguft 1772, containing in three Parts, the Abuses and the Banishment of Liberty in that Kingdom. Written by a Gentleman, who was a Swede. 8vo. 5 s. fewed. Donaldfon.

It is unfortunate that this gentleman (who, by his own account, had been no more than eleven months acquainted with the English language when he wrote this book), did not throw his materials, into the hands of fome perfon accustomed to compofition. They might, in fuch a cafe, have been both useful and entertaining. In their prefent form it is toilfome to read them; but, as a foreigner, and a fugitive, the Author is entitled to every degree of indulgence. L. Art. 45. The Kentish Traveller's Companion, in a Defcriptive View of the Towns, Villiages, remarkable Buildings and Antiquities, fituated on, or near the Road from London to Margate,` Dover and Canterbury, illuftrated with a correct Map of the Road, on a Scale of one Inch to a Mile. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Fielding and Walker. 1777.

This book is fuperior both in matter and language, to what we ufually meet with in publications of the fame kind. It may not only prove an useful and agreeable fellow-traveller, in a fummer excurfion through the pleafant county it defcribes, but an entertaining [companion by a winter evening fire. The (many) Kentish antiquities, are described in an intelligent and scientific manner, and the particular beauties of profpect and fituation, are pointed out with tafte and well informed obfervation.

SERMON S.

I. The Refurrection of the Body, deduced from the. Refurrection of Chrift,
and Illuftrated from his Transfiguration; before the University of
Oxford, at St. Mary's, on Eafter-Monday, March 31ft, 1777-
By Robert Holmes, M. A. Fellow of New-College. 4to. 1s.
Rivington.

This difcourfe was printed in confequence of a note from an anonymous hand, affuring the Author, that the fatisfaction which it gave in the delivery, induced fome of the hearers to wish it might be made more public. It is an ingenious, fenfible fermon, illuftrating the fubject in a manner fomewhat new. He renders the text, Phil. iii. 21. a little different from our verfion; Who shall transfigure the body of our bumiliation, that it may become conformal to the body of his glory. He pleads for the refurrection of the body and the fame body. The glorious body of Chrift or the body of his glory, he fuppofes to have been manifefted to thofe of the apoftles, who were prefent at the transfiguration, and he confiders this, as the archetype or model of the future body of chriftians. This great vifion (the transfiguration) fays he, will inform men, that it is very poffible to the hand of omnipotence fo to modify matter, as to induce change without deftroying identity, and to preferve the fameness of a body of bumiliation, even when it is transfigured to a body of glory. It is afferted by thofe who maintain the fcriptural idea of refurrection, that God has promifed to repeat this miracle: and if it be true, that God has made promife of it, not to reft fatisfied in the expectation that it fhall again happen, must be the confequence of more impiety than weaknefs.- -It feems to refult from the comparison between these two important facts, that it was one great end of the transfiguration of Chrift, to give ample information in refpect of the refurrection; and to prevent mistakes which might be, and partly have been, made in that point of doctrine, by arguments drawn from that body of Chrift, in which he appeared after his refurrection, which was not, truly and pofitively, his bodyg of glory. H.

11. Preached in Lambeth Chapel, at the confecration of the right Rev. John Butler, LL. D. Lord Bishop of Oxford, May 25th. 1777. By John Sturges, A. M. Prebendary of Winchester, and Chaplain in ordinary to his Majefty. Published by command of the Archbishop. 4to. I S. Cadell.

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In a difcourfe pronounced at the confecration of a bishop, it was natural for the preacher, to enter on a general view and defence, of the ecclefiaftical part of our public confiitution. The prebendary of Winchester, accordingly, confiders not only the general neceffity of provifion being made in all chriftian countries,' [he might have faid all countries, without limitation,] for perpetuating religious knowledge, and enforcing religious truths, but also the expediency of this provifion being adapted to the different circumftances of each country:'-with a particular view (by no means improper, on the o:cafion which then prefented itself), to that provifion which is made for thefe purposes in our own.

In difcuffing this fubject, and fhewing the expediency and neceffity of appropriating fome thare of honours and wealth for the reward of merit in the clerical profeffion, our preacher has manifefted the utmost candour and moderation, and has fupported his caufe with good fenfe and found reafoning.

With respect, indeed, to the general defervings of the Clergy of our established church, we think every impartial reader will fubfcribe to the following juft encomium, taken from the conclufion of this very judicious difcourfe:

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