ready had, or been threatened with? How many more are to come, ftill more complete and on newer plans, it is not easy to guefs. Mr. Wiseman fets out, in his preface, like most other writers on these fubjects, expatiating on the great utility of grammatical learning, the unfuccefsful attempts of others, and the fuperior advantages attained, or difcoveries made, by himfelf. On a very attentive and impartial perufal, however, of his performance, we find him not only proceeding on the old plan, but advancing hardly any thing new on the fubject. A very confiderable part of his work, relates to pronunciation, an object of the greatest importance in the prefent ftate of our language; as it is owing principally to the amazing uncertainty and irregularity prevailing in our orthoepy, that foreigners do not attempt to learn a language which is fo greatly deferving their acquifition. But the common rules are fo vague, and the number of anomalies and exceptions fo great, that the perseverance of an Hercules and the patience of a Job seem infufficient to furmount fuch difficulties. It will be imagined ftrange, that, amidft fuch a multiplicity of attempts as have lately been made, the public fhould not reap fome emolument, as each fucceeding writer must have the opportunity of feeing and avoiding the miftakes of his predeceffors. But the truth is, that few, or none, have gone deep enough to trace the fource of that fundamental errour, which is common to grammarians, of all nations*. Add to this, that most of these writers are particularly interested · in the pecuniary fuccefs, or fale, of their books; writing more for their own emolument and that of their refpective schools, than for the public in general. As they have a temporary purpofe to answer, it is no wonder, therefore, they should precipitate the execution of their performances, and content themfelves with borrowing liberally from each other: in which cafe, as they adopt their manner, it is almoft impoffible not to adopt their errours. That Mr. Wiseman is no more to be exempted from this cenfure than his competitors, will be evident to the Reader who fhall turn over only a few pages of his book. In his lift of words, exemplifying the ufe of the final e filent; which he fays ferves to lengthen and foften the word, which would otherwife be fhort and hard, he hath got are, done, one, finge, &c. Among his examples also of fimilar founds, he adduces manywords very diffimilar, according to the pronunciation of good fpeakers. It is impoffible, fays he, for the niceft ear to diftinguish between the found of the word noofe and news, of and off, &c. Now it is well known that nefe is founded by polite This is the custom of imputing articulare founds to letters, instead of fillables, and of attempting to teach the found of one letter by that of another equally mute or equivocal. C 3 fpeakers fpeakers as loofe, goofe, &c. and news like mufe, hews, &c. Of in conversation or reading alfo is founded as if written ov. Thus we fay a man ov war, a man ov wit, &c.-Again this Author adopts the errours of the moft grofs and vulgar dialect, as the practical method of pronouncing English. But we might appeal to any tolerable speaker of our tongue against the custom of faying amoft for almost, alablastur for alabaster, fcutcheneal for cochineal, conftur for conftrue, loveyers for lovers, moral for model, nabel for navel, ingons for onions, continential for continental, figary for vagary, vardy for verdict, winfcutting for wainscotting, &c. Of what ufe can fuch examples be, either to foreigners or provincials, unlefs to acquaint them how falfely they may venture to speak, and yet be understood by the vulgar. This Writer tells us farther, that the niceft ear cannot diftinguish between the founds of the following words, when pronounced one after another in converfation, more air and more rare, more ice and more rice, fome eat and fome meat, fome ice and fome mice, the little ox and the little locks, in either and in neither, &c. This Mr. Wiseman must be a ftranger speaker fure than he is a writer, if he puts these his own rules into practice. As a writer, however, we have an intimation from himfelf of his uncommon abilities. The Reader of this grammar, fays he, while he feeks after the drynefs of precept, may be agreeably furprised with the fallies of imagination, as I have taken care at proper intervals to infert pleafant leffons, which like fpots of verdure in an Afiatic wild, may ferve at once to afford the weary traveller reft and refreshment.' It may be thought injurious in us to omit a fpecimen or two of these extraordinary beauties; as it is certain, a man may fometimes fhine as a poet or hiftorian, without excelling greatly as an orator or grammarian. A Praxis on Naffals [as he writes it] ending in ing. Naffals ending in ung. Whilft on her I hung, and close to her clung, So much for poetry; now for a tale in profe, ferving to illuf trate the nature and ufe of the letter b; another pleasant spot of verdure in this Afiatic wild! An English gentleman once ordered his fervant to heat fome broth, but in his manner of pronoucing it left out the b; whereupon the fervant naturally concluding he was bid to eat it, he did fo; when his master had waited a confiderable time expecting his broth, he called his fervant and enquired where it was? to which he answered, Sir, if you remember, you ordered me to eat the broth, which I have accordingly done; to whom the mafter replied, Why, how's that perhaps you did not hear me pronounce the h; I bid you beat the broth, I could have ate it myself; but Sir, fays the fervant, I have often heard you infift upon it, that H non eft litera.' Thus, concludes our Author, we find the gentleman very juftly loft his broth for not confidering has a letter. K-n-k The Judgment of Paris: A Poem. By James Beattie, M. A. 4to. Is. 6d. Becket, THI HIS Poem has a moral tendency, and the end of it is to prove that virtue alone is capable of affording us a gratification adequate to our whole nature; the purfuits of ambition, fenfual pleasure, &c. promifing only partial happiness, as being adapted not to our whole conftitution, but only to a part of it. Mr. Beattie writes from ftrong powers of imagination, and a brilliant fancy. His expreffion is at the fame time bold and elegant, and his imagery various and rich; but his verfe is fometimes too artificially laboured, and a pursuit of prettiness appears too vifibly.-At other times his expreffion wants fufficient eafe and perfpicuity, and is rendered ftiff by the formality of compound epithets. The fpeech of Venus we fhall felect as a fpecimen, as well for the entertainment of our Readers, as because that, in our opinion, omitting two or three ftanzas, it contains, though contrary to the Poet's intention, the wifeft ar guments of any that were offered by the celestial triumvirate.' three celestial When thus the Queen of foul-diffolving fmiles : Joylefs and cruel are the warrior's fpoils, Of mortal joy full narrow is the Space, And the dread verge ftill gains upon the fight; C 4 Candidates: Till Till every sprightly hour, and blooming scene Thou ftill exult to hail the present joy; Thine be the boon that comes unearn'd by toil; No froward vain defire thy blifs annoy, No flattering hope thy longing hours beguile! Ah! why should man purfue the charms of Fame, Light as the gaudy rainbow's pillar'd gleam, That melts elufive from the wondering boy! If hung loofe-tottering o'er th' unfathom'd tomb? That night draws on; nor will the vacant hour Each moment's flight how precious to the wife! O fhun th' annoyance of the bustling throng, O'er fancy'd injury Sufpicion pines, And in grim filence gnaws the feftering wound; Deceit the rage-embitter'd smile refines, And Censure spreads the viperous hiss around. Hope not, fond Prince, though Wisdom guard thy throne, Though Truth and Bounty prompt each generous aim, Though thine the palm of peace, the victor's crown, The mufe's rapture, and the patriot's flame; Hope not, though all that captivates the wife, Envy, ftern tyrant of the flinty heart, Can ought of virtue, truth, or beauty charm? Can foft Compaffion thrill with pleafing smart, Repentance melt, or Gratitude disarm ? Ah Ah no. Where Winter Scythia's waste enchains, Then, Envy, then is thy triumphant hour, When fquint-ey'd Slander plies th' unhallow'd tongue, Grovels, low-muttering at Sedition's fhrine. Let not my Prince forego the tranquil fhade, The whispering grove, the fountain, and the plain : The yell of frantic Mirth may fton his ear; But frantic Mirth foon leaves the heart forlorn; Where the high carol chears th' exulting ring Or to the long and lonely fhore retires; What time, loofe-glimmering to the lunar beam, Then, to the balmly bower of rapture born, Spangle with twinkling dew the flowery waste, The frolic Moments, purple-pinion'd dance And the blithe Graces, hand in hand, advance, Mild |