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philofophy is faid to have moved upon the face of the waters. Rivers, which had been running quietly within their banks for ages, (through mere want of reflection) now firft discovered that they were in fuch a state of depravity, as made it necessary to recur to first principles; and rights of waters were making a rapid progrefs through the globe. It was argued, that this confinement within banks was a restraint they had impofed upon themselves, contrary to the bountiful intentious of nature. They were created fountains, with equal natural rights, and deemea it expedient for the purposes of investigation, to go back to their fources: nor could they see why fome particlès of water fhould be oppreffed, and impelled, by others no better than themselves: their forerunners, it is true, had been fubmitting to the fame coercion time out of mind; but what was this to them? The rights of living waters were not to be thus controuled and sported away: as to divifions of water into fprings, lakes, rivers, &c. thefe they rejected as mere civil distinctions; and pushed their researches to that time when water came from the hands of its Maker : what was it then?→→→ Water: water was its high and only title. From this æra they derived their rights, Now a rumour went, that in the time of Noah, a great aquatic revolution had taken place, and reduced all things to a philofophic level; in this ftate of affairs then it was refolved by the rivers, that they would be imprisoned within banks no longer; nor be driven headlong in one direction at the arbitrary will of their fountains; but would fhed their last drop in afferting the indefeafible rights of waters. The Nile, a river of obfcure origin, and (as it is not unufual with that clafs,) al. ways remarkable for its ungovernable temper, and levelling prin. ciples, led the way; and Egypt was covered with an inundation. Every cultivated inequality was overwhelmed; and all diftinétions levelled nature was fuppofed to have refumed her rights; and philofophy contemplated with fatisfaction all the grand fimplicity of ruin; when lo! the tide of tumult began to ebb: eminences were feen to get their heads above water; the party continued to gain ground; and all things tended to a counter revolution: the Nile retired imperceptibly within its channel; leaving the country oppreffed with luxuries, and fwarming with monfters, the rank and corrupt produce of this watery revolution.'

Rights for Man: or Analytical Strictures on the Conflitution of Great Britain and Ireland. By R. Applegarth. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Richard fon. 1792.

Mr. Applegarth was formerly a Quaker, and fill maintains the mild good fenfe and calm decifive reafoning of that fect. His defence of the British conftitution, under the apparently quaint title of Rights for Man,' adds greatly to his former reputation.

A Letter

A Vindication of the Revolution Society, against the Calumnies of Mr.
Burke. By a Member of the Revolution Society. 800.
Ridgway. 1792.

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2s. 6d.

The Member of the Revolution Society' very artfully and ably defends their conduct in the late congratulatory addrefs to the national affembly. His great object is to fhow, that the French having done no more, having indeed done lefs, than the Revolutionifts in England in 1688, a fociety formed on thefe principles is not blameable for testifying their regard for liberty, by a publicapprobation of the event.

Not, however, to prefs this matter farther, it must be acknowledged, that whatever language, and whatever conduct, the author of the reflections may hold in fuch circumftances, the Revolution Society certainly truft, that France will make at least as good a ufe of her liberty as England has done of that, which was confirmed to her century ago; that she will establish her prefent conftitution with lefs treacherous and bloody oppofition, than that, which was established by the British Revolution, most shamefully and moft iniquitously met with; that her illuftrious legiflators, forming not a partial and imperfect, but an equal and pure representation of the people, may continue to be, as they are at present, a national affembly; and fecure their conftitution, in the fureft manner, against the corrupting influence of the crown, in order that it may for ages be an honour and blefling to her, and an example to the whole world; of which there is a fairer profpect and a greater certainty, than could appear to our ancestors, at the time of the Revolution, in favour of the conftitution, then eftablished in England. It was in this view of things for the benevolent rejoice at the probability and appearance of good to others, without affecting to be plus fages que les fages, by prying too deeply into futurity- that the fociety offered their congratulation, and opened their correspondence with the national assembly.'

Such, however, was the opinion of the nation, that, on each of these subjects, the fociety was supposed to imply more than they faid. Even this cautiously worded apology for their views carries a double meaning; and thofe, who fo eagerly congratulate their neighbours on fuch acquifitions, feem to imply what they have al ready spoken more plainly on other occafions, that fome part ac leaft of thefe improvements is wanted at home. In this way, we confider their conduct as highly exceptionable, for we are not fu perior to the fear of the bugbear innovation. The extravagant and erring fpirit, when loofened from the confines of opinion, or prejudice, knows not where to reft: in purfuit of a fancied good, it combats every real ill, and at last refts, because there is little more mischief to do. The indecency of a fingle fociety, not in a public or corporate capacity, carrying their congratulation to a

national

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national affembly, is of little importance. Any individual might do the fame, and would become ridiculous only in proportion to his want of confequence. In other refpects our author opposes Mr. Burke with ability, and fights againft him very fuccessfully with his own weapons. We perceive occafionally a little too much of what is ftyled the feafoning of controversy, and the revolutionist also can foften by words what is most disagreeable in fact. The demolition of the Baftile, one of the ebullitions of recovered liberty, which we can most readily and chearfully pardon, was called by Mr. Burke, the demolition of the king's caftles; a retreat has been ftyled a fhifting of the pofition; and the dreadful outrage of the fixth of October, in the pamphlet before us, is conducting the king of France from one palace to another. Perhaps an eager defender of the death of Charles may be found, who will ftyle it only conducting the king from his palace to a temporary balcony.

A Letter to the Rev. Thomas Cope, LL. D. and Mr. Henry Moore. Occafioned by ibeir Proposals for publishing the Life of the Rev. John Wesley, A. M. In Opposition to that advertised (under Sanction of the Executors) to be written by John Whitehead, M. D. 8vo. is. Luffman. 1792.

The Life of John Wesley is too rich a harveft not to occafion a numerous competition. Much contention has already arisen among thofe appointed by the executors to the office of biographers. The merit of the difpute, from an ex parte evidence, we shall not pretend to determine; but much curious information has already appeared, and more is likely to follow When :'-we were going to quote an adage from this Letter; but the proverb is fomewhat mufly.It is enough to fay, that the author is feemingly a friend of Dr. Whitehead.

An Addrefs to the Students at the New College, Hackney, occafioned by Dr. Priestley's Anfwer to their Addrefs. 8vo. 6d. Riving

tons.

1791.

This Addrefs is written with a calm perfuafive familiarity, and is, in general, very judicious and convincing. It is juftly oblerved, that the churchmen could not with propriety be faid to be the cause of the riots at Birmingham, because the question was already decided by the legislature: if violence is confeffing a weakness of argument, as Dr. Priestley contends, it must be remembered that their arguments had been fuccessful.

POETRY.

Leopold of Brunswick: a Poem. Translated from the French of M. Marmontel. 4to. 15. 6d. Wingrave. 1792.

It is the ftory of Leopold, who was unfortunately drowned in

the Oder, in the noble and humane attempt to fave the lives of fome poor perfons who were carried away by a fudden unexpected inundation. The original poem never appeared to us one of the happiest exertions of its author; and, to use the quaint language of Denham, already quoted in this Number, no fpirit is added ' to compensate that which is evaporated in the transfufion.

An Epifle to W. Wilberforce, Efq. written during the Disturbances in the Weft Indies. 12mo.. 6d. Darton. 1792.

Mediocribus effe poetis

Non dii, non homines, non conceffêre columnæ.

Our author's politics are equally undeferving of any honorary diftinction.

Reflections on Cruelty towards the Brute Creation. To which are added, Animadverfions on jeveral Authors on the Subject. 12mo. 25. Denis.

1792.

Our author is more humane than poetical; and his lines are truly moral, fometimes ftrictly philofophical, but feldom elegant or animated.

Winter, or Howard in the Shades; an Elegy; addressed to Humanity. To which is added, an Ode to Eternity. By George Paffmore. 8.v0. 15. Bourne. 1792.,

Horace has long fince pointed out the construction of the elegiac ftrain, and Mr. Passmore has not followed the rule: his ftanzas are too airy and too light to fuit the language of woe. In other refpects, he neither rifes high nor finks low. of the Bathos would class him among the fwallows. ing lines will ferve as a fpecimen: the thought our remember to have seen in the inimitable Sterne.

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The author The followreaders will

To

To fee what he endur'd;

He feem'd in tears to intimate

My kind intentions came too late,

His wound could not be cur'd.'

This feems to be the language of Mr. Howard; but we perceive not how he is introduced. - Of Eternity, an ode, we can lay nothing advantageous.

NOVEL S.

Terentia. A Novel. By the Author of the Platonic Guardian. 12730. 6. Hookham. 1791.

2 Vols.

This is one of the few imitators of mifs Burney that we can read with pleasure. Yet the work, though pleafing and interesting, neither deficient in character or fituation, is pursued fo rapidly as to leave us often to regret chaẩms which might be filled with advantage, and improbabilities which might have been prevented, or cleared. Terentia will hold her place on the fecond fhelf, though the author, with more care, might have claimed a higher station.

The Libertine. A Novel. In a Series of Letters. By James Bacon. 12mo. 35. Miller. 1791.

A great deal of love, many marriages, fome feduction, much fentiment and poetical defcription, with a good moral. This is the farrago libelli of a book, that on the whole poffeffes too little merit to require a more ample examination.

Generofity. A Novel. Young lady. You have read Generofity, I find: what do you think of it?

3 Vols. 12mo. 95. Lane. 1791.

Reviewer. It is one of the moft trite, trifling, improbable,

and absurd stories that I ever faw.

Y. L. I would not give a pin for your opinion: you never like what the reft of the world are pleafed with. I found it delightful-what charming love-fcenes! How many weddings!

R. Pray, my dear girl, do you think the characters

Y. L. Hang the characters: it is a charming book-the dear lord Walton

Juft as we were fitting down to give fome account of Generofity, this converfation occurred between a young lady and one of our corps: as the whole is literally true, we thought it right, by tranfcribing the dialogue, to give the opinion of this flippant girl and of our affociate, thus contrafted. Our readers may adopt that which they think moft judicious.

Poems. 12mo.

Mary de Clifford. A Story interfperfed with many Poems. 35. Symonds. 1792.

This little novel is the work of no common author: the cha

racters

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