Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

ceffary to its exiftence? Is not fuch a confidence as is founded in the nature of things, whatever occafional diftruft may prevail, effential to our existence? According to this, let whoever will be the minifter, whether a Sejanus or a Borgia, it will be the duty of every one to place a certain confidence in him, as neceffary to the existence of the ftate.-Moft admirable doctrine!

This being the leading principle of the book, the Reader will not be furprised if, under the infidious appearance of fanctity and candour, he finds our Author friving to mislead and impofe upon the underflanding by mifreprefentation and declamatory invective, unfupported by facts, or the least shadow of found argument. We are willing, however, to believe, that his net work of Jefuitical fyllogifms is of too fimfy a texture to hold thofe faft who may chance to be entangled in it. His political creed feems to be nearly of a complexion with that imputed to a late unpopular orator at York. He is of opinion, that there is neither extravagance in the expenditure of public money, nor corruption in government; and that our refources are of confiderable magnitude. As a proof of this, he points out a tax which alone would bring in, as he tells us, two millions and a half yearly, without diftrefing the fubject, and which no one ought to grumble at. He, moreover, feems to think that, • If virtue is not fo enforced, as to produce a fufficient fum, yet not acting precipitately, no miniffer will be fuffered to enjoy any degree of peace and comfort for fome years to come.' But this is not all: it was lefs for this Writer's fagacity to difcover that freedom is one great fource, or at least an aggravation, of mifery. We are in a lefs happy fituation, under difficulties, than people who are not free. This is a bold word [yea, verily], but not being compelled to act in union, in danger, we incrcafe that danger by difunion. On the other hand, being more in love with liberty, than with any other object, it may be prefumed we should do more for her fake; but this is a fpeculative idea, and exifts chiefly in the minds of the virtuous few. Being enthralled by voluptuoufnefs, what we have not the fpirit to do by choice, we must perform by compulfion.' The above fentiment is wrapped up with fome degree of dexterity; nevertheless the folds of the drapery are not fo difpofed but the cloven foot of defpotifm may very easily be feen through them.

[ocr errors]

Art. 13. Modern Patriotifm exemplified, in a late Convention, after the Capture of our outward-bound East and West India Fleets. 8vo. I S. Faulder. 1780.

Scarce had the forrowful tidings of a late capture arrived by exprefs, but the trumpeters of faction, like birds of prey, eagerly learned. the misfortune.'-Thus we are inftructed, that birds of prey are eager to learn misfortunes!-Many fcribblers have done wonderoufly, but thou excelleft them all!

POETICA L.

Art. 14. An Anfwer to the Heroic Epiftle lately addressed to the
Rev. Dr. Watfon. 4tc 6d. Rivingtons. 1780.
Dulness reprimanding Pertness.

Prov. xxxi. 29.

Art.

Art. 15. An Incredible Great Bore: a familiar Epiftle, from Roger Wittol, Efq; ofCollege, Oxford, to Mr. John Hedgings, in the Country. 4to. 1 s. 6d. Kearsley. 1780.

The cant words and phrafes, hackney'd, on every occafion, by the bucks, the punsters, and other fmall wits of the age, are here ftrung together, like the fashionable jargon of Swift's time, in the Polite Converfation of that pleafant fatirilt. Swift's work was a fatire in profe; Mr. Wittol gives us his fun in verfe,-fomewhat in Anftey's manner. The Epittle recites the incidents which occurred in the Author's excurfion to London,

On one of Kemp's tits, which did up on the road *.

They are rehearsed in a strain not deftitute of humour, and illuftrated by a frontispiece in caricature; but though the Writer's defign may have been purely to ridicule the reptile fpecies of wit here brought into exhibition, the performance will perhaps be mifconceived by many of its Readers, who may be provoked to exclaim, with the Writer himself

[blocks in formation]

Art. 16. An idle Hour's Amufement: being a small Collection of Poems, Sonnets, &c. and a few Imitations from Anacreon, Ho、 race, and Virgil. 4to. 2 S. Becket. 1780.

A very idle hour's amufement, indeed-Exempli gratiâ.

Sing who will with founding note,

In fields how mighty heroes fought,
I'll fing the charms of Harriot.

Ye Mufes, aid each amorous thought,
Till my verfe with graces fraught,
Shines like lovely Harriot.

Art. 17. Panegyric. An Effay on fome of the worthieft Characters in the Kingdom. 4to. I s. 6d. Fielding and Walker. How fond fome people are of giving oblique glances at their own characters! This Writer, furely, had an eye to himself when he Speaks of

darling fons,

In whom the blood of Dulness runs

With Falfehood's mixt; who ftill, in fpite
Of nature, and the Poet's right,

Can works compofe of rueful length, &c.

Rueful, indeed, is the length of this poem; it extends through three and thirty of the moft unmeaning pages we ever met with. The worthieft characters in the kingdom, if we credit this Panegyrift, are Lord North, Lord G. Germaine, and Lord Sandwich! And yet, after all, we find ourselves puzzled to guefs, whether, in what he fays of this triumvirate, he would chufe to be thought ferious or ironical. Indeed, it is no matter: the problem (we mean with respect to the merit of the poem) is not worth folving.

The Reviewer afpires to the honour of exactly one-feventh part of this line.

[blocks in formation]

Art. 18. Fugitive Pieces. Written by J. P. Kemble. 8vo, 1 s. 6d. Fielding and Walker. 1780.

This little collection, confifting of odes, fongs, occafional prologues, &c. will, we doubt not, be acceptably received by the Author's particular friends: whether the Public in general will be amufed with them, is a question we will not take upon us to anfwer. Though far from being first-rate performances, they are, nevertheless, fprightly, and in fome degree ingenious.

Art. 19. Election Flights. Containing, the Nomination Day, a Letter from Timmy Straightforward to his Mother, and a New Song. 4to. I s. 6 d. Almon.

A forry imitation of the Bath Guide. The best ufe to which the Cambridgeshire freeholders can apply this eighteen pennyworth of trash, will be to light their pipes with it at their next entertainment. Art. 20. A Second Letter from Timmy Straightforward to his Mother, containing a Defcription of Pot-Fair, and an Ode for the Anniversary Meeting of the Governors of Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. 4to. 6d. Almon.

Equally ingenious and ufeful with the foregoing flights.

Art. 21. A Letter from Mrs. Straightforward to her Son Timmy. To which is prefixed Mrs. Straightforward's Letter to the Ladies and Gentlemen of Cambridge. 4to. 1 s. Rivington. "Ne'er a barrel better herring."

Art. 22. The Modern Pantheon, a Dream. By a Lady of Quality. 8vo. IS. Bew. 1780.

This fyftem of modern mythology is much too unmeaning to be entitled to criticism, or farther notice.

Art. 23. Poems to her Majefty: to which is added, a new Tragedy, entitled, The Earl of Somerfet; literally founded on Hiftory with a Prefatory Addrefs, &c. By Henry Lucas, A. M. Student of the Middle Temple, Author of the Tears of Alnwick, Vifit from the Shades, &c. 4to. 10 s. 6d. Dodfley, &c. 1779.

[ocr errors]

In a molt rapturous Dedication to the Queen's most excellent Majefty, we are told, that the first poem in the collection arrived at the diftinguished honour of her Majefty's most gracious perufal; and that the dear intelligence naturally gave rife to the fecond,' which the Author flatters himself was alfo graciously received. After fuch dilinction, we apprehend Mr. Lucas is little anxious for the approbation or applaufe of inferior critics; we fhall therefore not prefume to comment upon his Ejaculation, occafioned by feeing the Royal children on his Majefty's birth-day,' nor yet on his Oblation, a lyric poem, on her Majesty's happy delivery of a daughter, the mot amiable Princefs Sophia, November 3, 1777

Mr. Lucas expreffes great indignation at the ill-treatment he fup. pofes himself to have met with from the managers of the theatres, in rejecting his play of Somerfet. We entirely agree with him, that he has been extremely ill-treated: though we think the objects of his refentment ought not to be the managers; who from felf-intereft would certainly not reject a play that was likely to fucceed, but rather thofe accomplished critics, dramatic as well as claffical, who, by the private estimation in which they held his tragedy,' buoyed

him up with the idea that it merited a public exhibition on the stage. Who these accomplished critics are, we are not told: one indeed is mentioned, whofe authority in these matters few will difpute; yet, in the present inftance, many will fufpect that, if his fentiments be rightly expreffed, he is unwilling, now he has commenced courtier, to offend by his fincerity. We do not, however, suppose this to be the cafe. We rather think that the Author, who perhaps may be not naturally diffident, has explained fome good-natured expreffion of the critic's with a latitude of interpretation which he never intended it fhould bear. People, who have had but little intercourse with the world, are very apt to mistake the forms of common civility for profeffions of the most inviolable friendship; and the felf-fufficiency of young authors will as often mistake thofe unavoidable compliments, which their own vanity may have extorted, for the genuine fmiles of critical approbation.

The only part of the managers' conduct which feems to require an apology, is the keeping Mr. L. nearly four years in fufpence. It furely was not neceffary to fit four years in judgment, before the fate of fuch a play as the Earl of Somerfet could be determined.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 24. A Tour through Ireland; wherein the present State of that Kingdom is confidered; and the most noted Cities, Towns, Seats, Buildings, Lcughs, &c. defcribed. Interfperfed with Obfervations on the Manners, Cuftoms, Antiquities, Curiofities, and natural History of that Country. To which is prefixed, a general Description of the Kingdom: with the Distances between the Ports &c. on the Coaft of Great Britain, and thofe on that of Ireland. 12mo. 3 s. 6d. Lowndes. 1780.

To those who wish to make the Tour of Ireland by their own fire. fide, this book will be a convenient vade-mecum. It fully answers to its Title. We must remark, however, that the Writer's information does not appear to be collected altogether from actual obfervation; he has occafionally availed himself of the labours of others who have preceded him, whofe works, probably, made part of his travelling equipage.

Art. 25. A Letter to the Patentees of Govent Garden Theatre, on the Conduct of Mr. Harris, the Acting Manager. 4to. I S. Lambert. 1780.

Time has fhewn the idea, on which this acrimonious epifle is written, to be ill-founded. Spirit, but rather an illiberal fpirit, breathes through this compofition; and we are inclined to think better of Mr. Harris, than to fuppofe him capable of undermining another public adventurer *, the nature of whofe undertaking in a manper precludes him from being confidered as a competitor.

Art. 26. The Fashionable Day. 8vo. 2s. Kearfly. The defign of this pamphlet is to ridicule the fashionable mifemployment of time. Ingenious as fome parts of it may be, it is written in a strain of phantaftic irony that to moft Readers will be more wearifome than amufing.

Mr. Colman.

Art.

Art. 27. Female Government! or, Letters from a Gentleman to his Friend on the Education of the Fair Sex ; with Hints for the Conduct of Men in a married State; humbly addreffed to the Peeresses of Great-Britain; with all Submission inscribed to their hen◄ pecked Husbands; and now published for the Benefit of the rifing Generation of Cuckolds. 8vo. 6d. Fielding and Walker. 1779. If this Writer be in jeft, we cannot compliment him for the felicity of his wit; and if he be in earneit, we see as little to commend in his argument. The Preface informs us, that it will be evident to every critic of difcernment, that the compofition is the language of the heart.' It may be fo, for aught we can difcern to the contrary-and fo much the worfe for the Author, in our estimation; for old as we are, we have not forgotten the endearments of youth. The delightful remembrance of them ftill plays round our hearts, and beams a mild luftre on the evening of life. This pleasure we should never have experienced, had we viewed the most lovely part of the creation with the "jaundiced eye" of this gloomy and malignant Writer, who, under pretence of fupporting domestic tranquillity, would erect a domeftic tyranny-break the pleafing affociations of the fexes, under pretence of fupporting conjugal honour-and make women flaves, that they may not be tyrants nor ftrumpets !-O righteous judge!

Art. 28. The Beauties of Shakespear, regularly felected from each Play, with a General Index, digetting them under proper Heads. Illuftrated with Explanatory Notes, and fimilar Paffages from ancient and modern Authors. By William Dodd, LL. D. The 3d Edition, with large Additions, and the Author's laft Corrections. 12mo, 3 Vols. 9 s. fewed. Macgowan. 1780. In our 6th volume, p. 316, we commended, to the Public, the first edition of this work, as a valuable miscellany. The collection is now much improved, as well as confiderably extended. The Editor affures us, in his preliminary addrefs, that Dr. Dodd had, during the latter part of his life, made many confiderable additions to this hock; that he had finished his plan; and had got more than one half of it printed, before his unfortunate death.—Poor Dodd! if ability could compensate for the want of virtue, thy fate would, indeed, be justly lamented, and this Editor would ftand in need of no apology for the farcaftic terms in which he has infcribed these volumes to the Earl of Chelterfield.

DRAMATIC.

Art. 29. The Manager in Diftrefs. A Prelude on opening the Theatre-Royal in the Haymarket, May 30, 1780. By George Colman. 8vo. I S. Cadell.

A theatrical jeu d'efprit, taking a fair advantage of many circumftances, temporary and local, which are handled with much address and vivacity. It contains, likewife, fome materials worthy of a more regular drama. The character of Buftleton, in particular, would figure as no inconfiderable perfonage in the groupe of a comedy. Art. 30. Fire and Water! a Comic Opera: in Two Acts. Performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket. By Miles Peter Andrews. 8vo. I S. Cadell. 1780.

Much of this opera is fo very applicable to fome late events, that

we

« AnteriorContinua »