Imatges de pàgina
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ous mantle of moderation and humanity, which is thrown over thefe bad qualities, renders him the involuntary object of admiration and esteem. If prepoffeffions of this nature are eftablished in the mind contrary to the dictates of reason, and in matters which do not relate to the happiness of any individual, with much greater reafon may we fuppofe, that in things which immediately relate to the attainment of felicity, or which are ultimately connected with it, prejudices of the ftrongest kind muft concur to obftruct that impartiality with which questions of importance ought to be examined.

In whatever light, therefore, the pretence of vindicating error by the plea of impartiality presents itfelf to the mind, we fhall find it utterly inadequate to the accomplishment of its end. Both the virtuous and vicious part of mankind are alike actuated by prepoffeffion with regard to their religious principles, because both the virtuous and vicious are led to adopt that fyftem of opinions to which their practice may be reconciled with the greatest facility. In the prefent cafe, however, it ought to be remembered, that when the influence of a predominant paflion is obviously exerted to counteract the decifions of the understanding, as it must be when a man is afhamed of adhering to his principles, he ought to proceed with the utmost circumfpection, because he is in imminent hazard of taking a wrong course. We may obferve likewife in general, that as propenfities to evil adhere fo clofely to every mind as to be in fome measure characteristic of human nature; the man who embraces a system of religion, by which every propensity of this nature is discountenanced, may be prefumed to have made a more impartial research than that person who makes a very defective practice the ftandard of principle.

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Upon the whole, it is evident, that as the plea of impartiality cannot be admitted, unless it is previously fuppofed that the mind is divefted wholly of prepoffeffion; and as we have already fhown, that this can fcarce ever be the cafe in any in-. quiry whatever, it obviously follows, that intention cannot atone for an obftinate perfeverance in the belief of error, or in the practice of vice.'

XIII. Poems and Tranflations. By the Author of the Progress of Phyfic. 8vo. Pr. 4. Sanby.

T

HIS volume contains a great variety of poetical compo- . fitions ; but none of any confiderable length. The capital performance is the Progrefs of Phyfic; a poem in praife of the modern difcoveries and improvements in the theory and

V 3

practice

practice of that art, which here is traced from the earliest ages of antiquity. The reft are tales, fables, fongs, odes, epigrams; tranflations from Phædrus and M. Guido, &c. The author, though not an eminent, is not a contemptible poet. He feems to write with ease, his manner is lively, and his verfification tolerably fluent and harmonious. The following receipt to make a pretty-fellow is not destitute of humour.

• Should it e'er be your lot to be bless'd with a fon, These rules well obferv'd he'll not fail to be one, Whom with joy you may view, and with pride you

may own.

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Ne'er fend him to school, and from thence to a college, "Twill fpoil all, if the youth fhould have one dram of know

ledge;

In romances and plays let him deeply be read;

And his heels be inftructed inftead of his head.
But tho' you're to guard againft Latin and Greek,
He, like any monfieur, the French language fhould fpeak:
Thus inform'd, and grown up, you must fix him in town,
Where, to greateft advantage, fuch talents are fhewn ;
Ne'er balk his amours, let him kifs all he meets,
From Fanny the fair, to brown Befs in the streets:
Let him whisper foft things, as he fees others do,
And be fure to be falfe, when he fwears to be true;
Let his converfe ne'er fail to be feafon'd with flander,
And daintily larded with double entendre.
His wit, if at all, fhould but rarely be shewn,
And never rife higher than quibble or pun:
Now and then of grave authors and books he may prate,
That he knows no more of than his grandmother's cat ;
Out of journals, be fure, he pick common-place stuff
For fome flings at the court, and he's patriot enough;
Let Collins and Tindal prescribe him a creed,
To fettle his faith-'tis but little he'll read-

In all things befides, let new modes be his paffion,
But be his Religion-" Old as the Creation.".
Hence, dull as he is, he'll be furnifh'd, at least,
With many a bob at that scrub, call'd a priest.
'To accomplish your fpark, (or he's not quite genteel)
He must pay debts of honour, but no tradefman's bill;
He fhould ne'er mifs an op'ra, to make it appear
He's a man of true tafte, and has got a good ear;
To give him the lie who his courage difowns,

He muft whip thro' his lungs, or at leaft break his bones;
And at all times to prove that he is not faint-hearted,
He muft draw on his man, when he's fure to be parted.

When

When in any debate he's almost run a-ground,
Let a wager or oath his opponent confound.
In fhort, let each hour, inftead of dull thinking,
Be devoted to gaming, and whoring, and drinking,
Till by piftol or halter he finish his race,

And he dies like a dog,—who has liv'd like an ass.'

The author tells us, that the lighter fallies of youth are thrown promifcuously among the more ferious exercises of a maturer age. Perhaps the following fick-bed foliloquy is in the number of the latter; it is at least a proof that he has a claim to a higher character than that of a poet.

Tis well, I long to be releas'd,
With joy I wait my doom,
Eager to mingle with the blefs'd,
And taste a life to come.

Too long I've mourn'd this painful scene
Of noise, and guilt, and folly,
Where heartfome mirth is madness seen ;
And wisdom, melancholy.

Where pigmy Science, loud and vain,
Distracts the doubtful mind ;
Where Truth all labour to attain.

But few must hope to find.

The good we covet, fure to mifs,
We weep the ills we fear;
Delufive all our hopes of blif,
Our griefs alone fincere.

Not fo, my foul! where shortly, thou
Shalt wing thy happier flight;
Thy tafk t'explore-thy blifs to know
The fource of life and light.

There Truth, with ever-open face,
Thy ravish'd eyes fhall fee:
Hope to Fruition fhall give place,
And Doubt to Certainty.

There, thro' Eternity's wide round,
No ills halt thou deplore,

No Enmity fhall ever wound,

Nor Friendship cheat thee more.'

This writer, if we may rely on the date* of one of his pieces,

has been a dangler of the mufes above forty years.

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MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

14. Poems. By George Canning, of the Middle Temple, Esq; 4to. Pr. 10s. 6d. Dodfley.

THE

HE capital pieces which compose this volume have already appeared in feparate publica ions, viz. An Epiftle from Lord Ruffell to Lord Caven ish, in 1763; Love and Chastity, in 761; the Progrefs of Lying, in 1762; Horace's first fatize modernized, in the fame year; and a tranflation of three books of Anti-Lucretius, in 1766.

The pieces which are added in this collection àre, an introductory address to Dr. Thompfon; Horace's 27th ode of the first book imitated; verfes written in a lady's prayer book; an epinle to Mifs Kitty ****; feven epigrams; and a tranflation of the fourth and fifth books of Anti Lucretius; on which we fhall make no remarks, as the public is already fufficiently acquainted with the author's poetical abilities.

15. Il Penferofo. An Evening's Contemplation in St. John's ChurchYard, Chefter. A Rhapsody, written more than Twenty Years ago, and now (first) published. Illuftrated with Notes biftorical and explanatory. 410. Pr. 15. Longman. The author of this Rhapfody, from an eminence in St. John's church-yard, furveys the river Dee, and fome of the moft remarkable places about Chefter. This profpe&t leads him into a contemplation on the various revolutions of thofe places, and the heroes, princes, or patriots, who formerly diftinguished themfelves in that neighbourhood, by any memorable transaction.

The notes are chiefly hiftorical, and calculated to illuftrate

the text.

This work may be entertaining to thofe who are acquainted with the fcenes which are defcribed. The author makes ufe of old words and ancient names, and appears to be a poetical antiquarian.

16. Fugitive Pietes. By a Poor Poet. 4to. Pr. Is. Becket. The pieces which this Poor Poet has attempted to rescue from oblivion are, Pulpit directions, a poetical billet, an impromptu to Canidia, a tale, verfes written upon the hearts and addrefied to a young lady in bed, two epigrams, and two epitaphs.

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If this writer, with refpect to his circumstances, is actually apoor poet, we are forry for his misfortunes, as his works, we are afraid, will not encrcafe his revenues.

17. The Veftry, a Poem. By an Overseer of the Poor of the Parif of Saint Peter le Bailey, Oxford. 410. Pr. 1. Jackfon at

Oxford.

A difpute about the payment of a rate, or fomething equally infignificant, has given rife to this publication. The author fatirizes one of the parishioners, who objected to the affeffiment, and called the veftry a den of thieves with what juftice we cannot pretend to determine. The poem is written in tolerable verfe; but contains nothing which can be agreeable to the generality of readers, who cannot be fuppofed to entertain themselves with an account of any frivolous altercations in the veftry of St. Peter le Bailey..

18. The Vanity of Human Life, a Monody. Sacred to the Memory of the moft Hon. Francis Ruffel, Marquis of Tavistock. 410, Pr. 15. Dodfley.

This is one of thofe productions which will neither extend the re utation of the poet, nor that of the perfon who is the fubject of his encomium; and yet it may be read with approbation. The author concludes his Monody with this modeft apology, which entitles it to a candid reception.

Think!-but ah! whither do I fondly ftray,
And why recount his matchless virtues o'er ?
O-you who wear, "in your heart's core,"
His image deep engrav'd, accept this lay,
That rich in zeal, in wit and learning poor,
A rural mufe prefents at Ruffel's fhrine:
Worthless I own the gift,-yet fhepherds bring
The frail and fhort-liv'd beauties of the fpring,
To deck the altars of their pow'rs divine.'

19. An Ode to the Earl of Ch-m. By the Author of the E-l of Ch-m's Apology. Folio, Pr. 6d. Almon.

This is a kind of fatire upon the partiality fuppofed to be fhewn by a certain nobleman to America, in prejudice of the mother-country. The verfification is different from that of the Apology, and therefore it may be proper to give a fpecimen. Speaking of Britannia the author fays,

Caft off, impoverish'd, undone,

She weeps, her health and fortune gone,

Whilft your New Love rejoices;

But her's is no uncommon state,

'Tis but the juft decree of Fate

To dames who make fuch choices.

America,

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