Imatges de pàgina
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his return home. It is well known, that they fuppofe death only changes the scene, without varying the wishes, the objects, or the enjoyment. Some lines, in the tender penfive ftrain of the Monody, on leaving a Place of Refidence,' concludes this elegant little collection.

The Female Geniad; a Poem. Inferibed to Mrs. Crefpigny. By Eliz. Ogilvy Benger; written at the Age of Thirteen. 4to. 23. Hookham and Carpenter. 1791.

Young authors admire too much: they know not, or do not recollect the nil admirari,' but every glittering tinfel is gold; its fplendor is admired, and its brilliancy held up to view. What fpecimen fhall we felect? Will Mrs. Griffiths know herfelf in the following mirror?

Of learning Griffiths is, and wit, poffeft;
Her genius heaven with gifts peculiar bleft;
A polish'd elegance her language smoothes,
While pure morality the mind improves;
Nor only wit and elegance combine,
The tafte to please and manners to refine:
Juft fatire, wifdom, erudition join,
The unborn age (and far and foreign climes)
May view the present in her comic Times;
And as they ridicule their parent's days,
Charm'd critics fhall refound the author's praise;
Vice to correct and virtue to engage,

To lafh our follies, dares bright Griffiths's page.'

We wish that we could praise this poem more; but fcribbling is an idle trade. Leave it, my dear! Moderate poetry (we could give the line in Latin, if it would be more forcible) will never render any author famous.

An Imitation of the Prayer of Abel. In the Style of caftern Poetry. 4to. 15. Nicol. 1791.

The fubftance of Abel's Prayer, in meafured profe, divided into verfes. The work is indeed magnificently printed; but what advantage is gained from its new form, we are not told, and cannot difcover.

Bagatelle; or, the Bath Anniversary. A Poem. 8vo.

Harrison and Co. 1791.

15. 6d.

This tale may have local humour, which, at a distance, we can neither understand nor relifh. The place cannot render it poeti

"Mrs. Griffiths has been long an admired dramatic writer; The School for Rakes, and The Times, received univerfal applaufe. She likewife wrote a very learned book on Shakspeare; the celebrated Letters of Henry and Frances were the productions of Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths; they have produced feveral novels. The other lady alluded to, on Shakspeare, is Mrs. Montagne, mentioned in the first canto.'

CRIT. REV. N. AR. (IV.) Jan. 1792.

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cal;

cal; for Antey has monopolifed the Helicon of Somersetshire, and numerous inacuracies would how that, at leaft, our author has been churlitly denied one drop. There are fome imitations from the claffics, if not notoriously incorrect, fhamefully lame Fired with lubricity,' can be only apologised for by recollecting Nimium lubricus afpici,' and the apology will be generally confidered as infuficient. The English of ducere' is undoubtedly to lead; but is the following line a tranflation of vivos ducent de marmore vultus!

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Iphig nia, a Novel. 3 Vols. 12mo. 9s. Lane. 1791. This Novel is the work of an author unhackneyed in the ways of men or of authorship. The tale is perplexed without intereft, and the plot unravelled without pathos. She, for we fufpect it is the work of a female pen, knows as little what to conceal, as in what manner the concealment should be difcovered. In fhort, it is in every view a trifling and improbable ftory.

The Hilory of Sir Geoffry Reftlefs, and bis Brother Charles. By the Author of the Trifer. 2 Vols. 12mo. 65. Lowndes. 1791.

We were pleased with the Trifler; but no prepoffeffion in favoar of an author can render perfonal fatire agreeable. In every other view alfo the Hiftory of Sir Geoffry Rettlefs is contempti

ble.

Wanley Penfon; or, The Melancholy Man. A Mifcellaneous Hiftory. 3 Vols. 12mo. gs. Keardey.

This work will not be generally interefting, nor often called for by the readers of circulating libraries. Yet it is not void of merit: but its peculiar nature; the various digreffions; fome of which at least are not very entertaining; a flory frequently interrupted, without any artificial contexture of adventures, will not pleafe the million. In its form it refembles the Fool of Quali ty' and the introduction of Moravian tenets, with an artful defence of this feet, the juftice of which we need not now inveftigate, renders the refemblance more clofe. In the abruptnefs of the occafional introductions, and in the tender fenfibility of Penfen, we perceive that the author had alfo in his view the Man of Feeling? Though we are not highly pleafed with this work as a whole, the different parts are interelling and entertaining The early tenderneís of Penfon for his Linny is well defcr:tet; the haughty and cruel infolence of Old Suell', oppreffor is deli neated with a matterly pencil. Tom Snell's ftory, though, the manner, as well the adventures, are too evidently bor

rowed,

rowed, is interefting and entertain'ny. The death of Mahud is a short sketch, but in a very fuperior ftyle, and difplays the apprehenfion of detection, the triumph of feeming fecurity, a mind habitually wicked and ungrateful, moft admirably. Perhaps the great defect of this work is a want of originality: the images are too often borrowed, and the feelings are more weakly affected, becaufe the impreffion has loft the force and the zelt of novelty.

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On Ele&tricity; with occafional Obfervations on Magnetism. By E. Peart, M. D. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Miller.

191.

Dr. Peart, with fome propriety and accuracy, though not in every view fatisfactorily, endeavours to confute the common fyftem of pofitive and negative electricity. He thinks that electrics per fe have an atmosphere of a fluid compofed of æther and phlogifton, in a peculiar state of attraction. When rubbed, or brought within the atmosphere of an excited body, the union is deftroyed, and the external atmosphere confifts of æther or phlogifton, according as the atmosphere of the approaching body is either phlogifton or æther; thus fubftituting two fluids inftead of the pofitive and negative electricity. The fame fyftem he extends to coated plates of glass and jars. By thefe terms, however, he neither means the fluid of Stahl nor of Newton; and he feems to guard us against fuppofing that he employs them in any other view than as the indefinite letters in an algebraic calculus; but by afterwards referring to his former work, the Elementary Principles af Nature,' he feems to have fomething more appropriated and specific in his view. Until, however, this be more diftinctly afcertained, he does not make any confiderable progrefs: he has scarcely done more than fubftitute words for words. The different kinds of magnetifm he also refers to two diftinct fluids occafionally united, and in the magnetic ftate feparated.

An Analysis of the Medicinal Waters of Tunbridge Wells. 8vo. 15. Murray. 1791

We cannot recommend this Analyfis as very scientifically accurate, nor does it add much to our knowledge. Of the aerial fluids, fixed air is in the largest proportion; of the folids, muriated magnesia. But the former fcarcely amounts to eleven cubic inches in a wine pint, and the latter to two grains and a quarter: the calx of iron in this quantity is not more than half a grain.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Juvenile Excurfions in Literature and Criticifm. By W. Ti: dal, A. M. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Robinfcns. 1791.

In this elegant little volume we find fome judicious obfervations

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and remarks, which difplay both tafte and erudit on. They are feat. tered, however, with little order, and are rather the first organic molecules of a work, than the disjecti membra poetæ. Some of them are perhaps too concife even for this form of publication, and a few too trifling and unimportant: the obfervations on mufic, on Theocritus, Homer, and Milton, are by far the most interefting. Through the whole, Mr. Tindal appears a man of judg ment and learning, an able defender of religion, and a friend to mankind.

The Arithmetical Preceptor; or, Practical Afiftant. By R. Arnold. 12mo. 25. Rivingtons. 1791.

We have many affiftants of this kind, and we cannot find any confiderable fuperiority in Mr. Arnold's method over those of his competitors, His principal variation confifts in giving first a general view of all the rules of arithmetic, before he proceeds to examples; but introducing too many novelties to the student at once, is more likely to confufe his mind than to render his ideas more clear.

An Appeal to the Humanity and Equity of the Nation: and especially to those whom it more immediately concerns, on the Execution of Criminals. By S. Neely, 8vo. Is. Debrett. 1791.

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The fubject of this Appeal is a trite one: it is on the indifcriminate adjudication of capital punishments, and the frequent executions in this kingdom. The author's humanity deferves our praife; but he has not engaged in the examination with fuch able and comprehensive views as to permit us to pay him any other compliment.

The Blind Child; or, Anecdotes of the Wyndham Family. By a La dy. 12mo. 21. Newbery. 1791.

This is a pleafing and instructive little ftory. We mean not to be fallidious, but we know not whether the mind may not be forced forward too fast, and, like a tender plant, lose in strength what it gains in apparent maturity. Reflection is the laft effort of the mind in its matureft ftate: if haftened on, it may produce fententioufnefs, but not judgment. We know these observations are unfashionable; but we have hazarded them as a subject of future reflection, and we think parents ought to be on their guard against pretenfions to affected refinement.

The Mifcellaneous Works of A. McDonald, including the Tragedy of Vimunda, and all thofe Productions which have appeared under the Signature of M. Bramble, Efq. 8vo. 65. Boards. Murray.

1791.

When Velina and the Independent, a novel, first occurred to us, we perceived marks of poetry and genius, from which we

formed

formed a favourable estimation of this author's future works. Our prophecy, however, was not true, or it has been counteracted by a more malignant and powerful spirit. In these miscellaneous Poems, we fee occafional gleams of genius and of wit; but the imitations of Peter Pindar are too close, and the attempted witticifm too often falls short of its destined mark. The probationary odes are greatly below thofe formerly published under this title, and the plays fcarcely rife above mediocrity. In short, 'chill penury' feems to have repreffed his rifing spirit; or, compelled to write haftily, he has feldom written with his former powers.

Sketches of Female Education, partly original, and partly felected from the most approved Authors, for the Inflruction and Amusement of Young Ladies, both in public Seminaries and private Families. By Thomas Broom. 12mo. 35. Law and Son. 1791.

Thefe little Sketches cannot be charged with abstruseness: they are rather childishly familiar, and contemptuously perfpicuous. That, however, may be no fault; and the instructions in general, which fcarcely foar beyond the mereft elements, are feldom erroneous. We only regret that, according to the prefent system, it is neceffary to give females the femblance of science: it inspires a forward confidence, but it can never proceed so far as greatly to improve the mind.

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Précis de l'Hiftoire de France, depuis l'Etablissement de la Monarchie jufqu'a nos jours. — A concife Hiftory of France, from the the firft Eftablishment of the Monarchy to the prefent Time, extracted from the best Writers. By M. des Carrieres. Vol. II. 75. Boards. Cadell. 1791.

8vo.

We formerly gave fome account of our author's first volume. The fecond difplays equal care, judgment, and impartiality : on the fubject of a profeffed compilation we cannot be more full. This feond volume was to have comprehended the whole, but the materials were too numerous, and a third may confequently be expected in due time, including an account of the revolution : at prefent it concludes with the reign of Louis XIV.

A View of the Naval Force of Great Britain, &c. &c. To which are added Obfervations and Hints for the Improvement of the Naval Service. By an Officer of Rank. 8vo. 5s. Boards, Sewell, 1791.

This work is a very valuable one, not fo much in the line which its title points out, as in the accidental obfervations on various branches of the fea-fervice, which feem to require regulation, and on the growth of timber, which demands attention and encouragement. Our author's remarks, on the registering of fea

men,

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