London Magazine Enlarged and Improved

wit as gives the power of pleafing in society on converfation; but he was not, however, deftitute of a certain degree of natural good sense, though there are some that aver the contrary. It is not without reason that the proverb might be applied to him, "that affairs form men;" for, before his arrival in Ruffia, he had not, perhaps, so much as heard of the name of politicks; whereas, after having resided there some years, he knew perfectly well all that related to that empire. The two first years, he made as if he meddled with nothing, but at length he thok a taste for business, and governed every thing.

It is unneceffary to inform the intelligent reader that Biron on the decease of the empress Anne had the address to get himself. acknowledged regent to the young emperor Iwan (lately put to death) and that he projected the establishment of the Ruffian empire in his own family - his intrigues, howeyer, producing a revolution, he was banished into Siberia, where he continued till recalled by the empress Elizabeth about the year 1741. II. The deferted Village, a Poem. By Dr. Golifmith, 4to. 2s. Griffin.

This is a very elegant poem, written with great pains, yet bearing every poffible mark. of facility; in our laft number we gave an extract from it containing the picture of a country curate. We shall now present the public with the defcription of a country school-master, and a village alchouse which we think particularly picturesque.

Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the

way,

With bloffomed furze unprofitably gay,
There, in his neisy manfion, skill'd to rule,
The village master taught his little school;
A man severe he was, and stern to view,
I knew him well, and every truant knew;
Well had the boding tremblers learned to tracer
The day's disasters in his morning face;
Full well they laugh'd with counterfeited glee,
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he
Full well the bufy whisper circling round,
Conveyed the dismal tidings when he frown'd;
Yet he was kind, or if fevere in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in faults
The village all declared how much he knew;
'Twas certain he could write and cypher too;
Lands he could measure, terms and tides pre-
fago,

And even the story ran that he could gauge.
In arguing too, the parfon owned his skill,
For e'en tho' vanquished, he could argue ftill;
While words of learned length, and thunder-

ing found,

Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around,
And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew,
'That one finall head could carry all he knew.
But past is all his fame. The very spot
Where many a time he triumphed, is forgot,
Near yonder thorn, that lifts its head on high,

Where once the sign-post caught the passing
eye,
[inspired,
Low lies that house where nut-brown draughts
Where grey-beard mirth and smiling toil re-
tired,
[profound,
Where village statesmen talk'd with looks
And news much older than their ale went
Imagination fondly stoops to trace [round,
The parlour splendours of that festive place;
The white-washed wall, the nicely sanded
floor,
[door;

The varnished clock that clicked behind the
The chest contrived a double debt to pay,
A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day;
The pictures placed for ornament and use,
The twelve good rules, the royal game of
goose;

The hearth, except when winter chill'd the
day,
[gay
With aspen boughs, and flowers, and fennel
While broken tea-cups, wisely kept for thew,
Ranged o'er the chimney, glistened in a row.

Vain tranfitory splendours! Could not all
Reprieve the tottering manfion from its fall!
Obfcure it finks, nor shall it more impart
An hour's importance to the poor man's heart;
Thither no more the peasant shall repair
To sweet oblivion of his daily care;
No more the farmer's news, the barber's tale,
No more the wood-man's ballad shall prevail;
No more the smith his dusky brow shall clear,
Relax his ponderous strength and Jean to hear;
The hoft himself no longer shall be found
Careful to fee the mantling bliss go round;
Nor the soy maid, half willing to be prest,
Shall kiss the cup to pass it to the reft.
III. A Survey of the British Customs.
S. Baldwin, 4to. Ips. 6d. Nourse.

This is a most wretched tranflation of a most wretched Latin oration written by the fame author, in which the licentiates are at tacked with every term of infantine reproach for their oppofition to the regulars of Warwick lane.

V. Ionian Antiquities, published with Permiffion of the Society of Dilettanti. By R. Chandler, A. M. N. Revelt Architect, and W. Pars, Painter, Folio, 11. 113. 6d. Dodley.

The Dilettanti society confifts of several gentlemen who being improved by travel themselves, are willing to make their country the better, by communicating every veftige of art and genius from the most original or moft celebrated feats of the sciences; they therefore allow occafional establishments to ingenious young men, who go abroad to gain certain

certain information, and the Ionian Antiquities are the joint production of the three names in the title page, who under their patronage lately visited particular parts of the Eaft, and now offer the fruits of their researches to the public.

VI. The Poftbumous Works of a late celebrated Genius. 2 vols. 12mo. 5s. Almon.

An infamous attempt to palm the united effufions of dulness and indecency upon the world, as the genuine productions of the late Mr. Sterne.

VII. The natural History of Lac, Amber, and Myrrb, &c. By John Cooke, M. D. of Leigh, in Effex, 8vo. 6d. Woodfall.

The design of this publication is to recommend some effences and a tincture to the world, in which Dr. Cooke we fancy is particularly interested.

VIII. Pride and Ignorance, a Poem. By Edward Nicklin, Gent. 4to. 2s. 6d. Baldwin. Mr. Nicklin may be a very worthy man, but we cannot by any means confider him as a good writer.

IX. Some Account of the British Dominions beyond the Atlantic, in which the important Question of the North West Paffage is fatisfacsorily difcuffed, &c. By William Doyle, L L. B. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Domville.

The idle reverie of a political visionary. X. The Meffiab, in nine Books. By John Cameron, 8vo. 4s. Robinson and Roberts.

Some Tranflations have lately appeared from the German on religious subjects, which have given Mr. Cameron the idea of this performance; we are forry however to observe that what should be grave, is turned to farce, by the affectation of a prose abfolutely run mad, which he intends for elevated stile, but which must appear highly disgusting to every judge of compofition.

XI. Poems on feveral Occafions, written by Dr. Thomas Parnell, late Archdeacon of Clogher, &c. Davies.

Dr. Parnell's reputation as a poet has long been universally established, and his writings are so very well known that it is unneceslary in us to characterise them; we shall therefore only observe, that this is a new edition of his works, with his life by Dr. Goldsmith, in which however we can discover nothing very extraordinary.

XII, A short Account of the Waters of Rocoaro, near Voldagno in the Venetian ftare, in a letter from Antonio Mastini, M. D. to Sir C. Bunbury, Bart. 8vo. Is. Dodiley.

The chief merit of these waters according to Dr. Mastini confists in an ethereo-elastic fpirit, on which account he recommends them in weakneffes of the stomach, hypochondriac complaints, and all other disorders arifing from too acrid, or too inert a bile.

XIII. A foort Essay on military first Principles. By Major Thomas Beil, 8vo. 58. Becket.

Though the critical reader in the present

article may find some things to condemn, the military student will discover many things well worth his serious observation.

XIV. Critical Obfervations on the Writings of the most celebrated original Geniuses in Poetry. By W. Duff, A. M. 8vo. 55. Becket.

There is much good sense, as well as much ingenuity in the present article; it is divided into eight sections, comprizing the author's opinion of Homer, Offian, Shakespeare, Spencer, Milton, Ariosto and Tafio. His last section considers the effects of genius upon tempers and characters, together with the good and bad confequences resulting to the possessors; we can however no more agree with Mr. Duff that Homer, Offian, and Shakespeare, were the only complete original geniuses the world ever boasted, any more than we can think Offsian deferves a place in such very illustrious company.

XV. A chronological Series of Engravers, from the Invention of the Art to the present Century. 12mo. 35. Davies.

This article can be of no use but to the mere collector of prints, as it is barely a catalogue of names, which may put us upon an enquiry into their performances.

XVI. The Establishment of the Church of England defended by the Principles of religious Liberty. By N. Fofter, M. A. 4to. Is. Wilkie.

The fermon before us was preached at the bishop of London's triennial visitation at Chelmsford. It seems a plain, sensible difcourse; but indeed it was no way difficult to prove that the more liberal a religion is, the more it is calculated to promote the happiness of mankind.

XVII. Six Paftorals. By G. Smith, 4to. 2s. Dodsley.

Mr. Smith is a landscape painter of great eminence at Chichester-And though his pen is not to be put in competition with his pencil, we must nevertheless acknowledge, that it is calculated to produce very pretty pictures.

XVIII. Reflexions on the feven Days of the Week. 12mo. Is. Rivington,

We are told that these reflections are the effufions of a female fancy, and that the fair author is 'but lately dead, we cannot therefore be suspected of flattery, when we declare that the air of piety and benevolence which breathes through this little work would do honour to the first names in the republic of

literature.

XIX. A sport Explanation of some of the principal Things contained in the Revelation of St. John, sherwing from the 11th Chapter, that the Fall of the tenth Part of Turkey, is begun under the Protection of the Empress of Ruffia. Is. Owen.

A dark room, and a retipe from Dr. Batty is much more necessary for this writer than a critical examination. Our readers need therefore be only told, that the article befores us, is the fabrication of fome religious luna

tic, whose cafe may merit their compassion, but whose works can excite nothing but their laughter.

be originally raised by the legal representatives of the people.

XX. Providence, a Poem. By the Rev. J. Wife, 8vo. 15. 6d. White.

XX. The Usage of bolding Parliaments and of preparing and passing Bills of Supply in Ireland, ftated from Record, with Annotations and an Address to Lord Townsend. By C. Lucas, M. D. 8vo. 15. Robinson and Roberts. The pamphlet now under confideration was drawn up to justify the proceedings of the Irish adminiftration with regard to the right of originating money-bills in the privy-council, instead of the House of Commons; but Dr. Lucas invalidates the sufficiency of the re-terature, and perhaps where a man evidently

cords stated, and proves to the fatisfaction of evéry unprejudiced mind, that as all public money must be ultimately paid, fo it should

This poem, if poem it may be called, made its first appearance about three years ago, but met with no fuccess; the author however now offers it a second time to the world, and tries what a little abuse will do, by miferably mauling in a prefatory criticifm Mr. Pope's effay on man. How far this may serve him with the world we know not-Scurrility feems the chief ingredient of our present li

wants politeness he may be complimented with the fuppofed poffeffion of extraordinary abilities.

There's Taycho, the trumpet of faction,

Who fets all their forces in action,

At titles and penfions he always has foar'd,

ESSAYS.

Havannah, so glorious and great,
Is surely a patriot complete,
All foldiers and failors revere the good man,
For making of money was never his plan;

Great was the plan,
That led the good man,

For making of money was never his plan.
Poor Wilkes's afflictions and trouble,
Are vanish'd away like a bubble;
Conducted from prifon in judgement to fit,
A striking example of liberty wit

Patriot wit,

His project hit,

And the wit of all wits is a liberty wit,

Though grumblers enough till attend

To my fong I shall now put an end,
And advife every Briton to merit applaufe,
By revering his monarch, religion, and laws;

This is the caufe

Merits applause,

And ever was charm'd with the found of my Then honour your monarch, religion, and

lord;

laws.

EDMUND and CATHERINE.

HOUGHTS on the present difcontents,

Written by Edmund B-rke!

Cries Catherine, 'tis to all intents
A most pernicious work.

Thoughts upon Edmund's thoughts I'll write;
Thoughts that shall stand the test;

And all shall own, when I indite,
That fecond thoughts are beft.

The Death of Nicou, an African Eclogue.

N Tiber's banks, Tiber, whose, waters
glide

In flow meanders down to Gaigra's fide;
And circling all the horrid mountain round,
Rushes impetuous to the deep profound;
Rolls o'er the ragged rocks with hideous yell;
Collects its waves beneath the earth's vaft shel
There

And purple aloes shed a rich perfume:
Where, when the fun is melting in his heat,
The reeking tygers find a cool retreat;
Bask in the fedges, lose the sultry beam,
And wanton with their shadows in the stream,
On Tiber's banks, by facred priests rever'd,
Where in the days of old a god appear'd:
*Twas in the dead of night at Chalma's feaft,
The tribe of Alra slept around the priest.
He spoke; as evening thunder bursting near,
His horrid accents broke upon the ear;
Attend Alraddas, with your facred priest!
This day the fun is rifing in the east;
The fun, which shall illumine all the earth,
Now, now is rifing in a mortal birth.
He vanish'd like a vapor of the night,
And funk away in a faint blaze of light.
Swift from the branches of the holy oak,
Horror, confufion, fear, and torment broke:
And ftill when Midnight trims her mazy
lamp,

They take their way thro' Tiber's watry fwamp.
On Tiber's banks, close rank'd, a warring train,
Stretch'd to the diftant edge of Galca's plain;
So when arriv'd at Gaigra's highest steep,
We view the wide expansion of the deep;
See in the gilding of her wat'ry robe,
The quick deelenfion of the circling globe;
From the blue sea a chain of mountains rise,
Blended at once with water and with skies:
Beyond our fight, in vast extenfion curl'd,
The check of waves, the guardians of the

world.

Strong were the warriors, as the ghost of Cawn,
Who threw the hill of archers to the lawn :
When the foft earth at his appearance fled;
And rifing billows play'd around his head:
When a strong tempeft rising from the main,
Dash'd the full clouds, unbroken on the plain.
Nicou, immortal in the facred song,

Held the red sword of war, and led the strong;
From his own tribe the fable warriors came,
Well try'd in battle, and well known in fame.
Nicou defcended from the god of war,
Who liv'd coeval with the morning star :
Narada was his name; who cannot tell,
How all the world through great Narada fell?
Vichon, the god who rul'd above the skies,
Lock'd on Narada, but with envious eyes :
The warrior dar'd him, ridicul'd his might,
Bent his white bow, and summon'd him to

fight.

June, 1770,

Vichon disdainful bade his lightnings fly,
And scatter'd burning arrows in the sky;
Threw down a star the armor of his feet,
To burn the air with fupernat'ral heat;
Bid a loud tempeft roar beneath the ground;
Lifted the fea, and all the earth was drown'd.
Narada ftill escap'd; a facred tree

Lifted him up, and bore him thro' the fea.
The waters still ascending fierce and high,
He tower'd into the chambers of the sky:
There Vichon fat; his armor on his bed,
He thought Narada with the mighty dead.
Before his feat the heav'nly warrior stands,
The lightning quiv'ring in his yellow hands :
The god aftonish'd dropt; hurl'd from the

shore,

flood,

Hedrop'd to torments and to rife no more.
Headlong he falls; 'tis his own arms compel,
Condemn'd in ever-burning fires to dwell.
From this Narada, mighty Nicou sprung;
The mighty Nicou, furious, wild, and young:
Who led th' embattled archers to the field,
And bore a thunderbolt upon his shield:
That shield his glorious father died to gain,
When the white warriors fled along the plain
When the full fails could not provoke the
[blood.
'Till Nicou came, and swell'd the feas with
Slow at the end of his robust array,
The mighty warrior pensive took his way;
Against the son of Nair, the young Rorest,
Once the companion of his youthful breaft.
Strong were the paffions of the son of Nair,
Strong, as the tempest of the evening air.
Insatiate in defire; fierce as the boar;
Firm in refolve, as Cannie's rocky shore.
Long had the gods endeavour'd to destroy,
All Nicou's friendship, happiness, and joy:
They fought in vain; till Vicat, Vichon's

fon,

Never in feats of wickedness outdone,
Saw Nica, fifter to the mountain king,
Drest beautiful, with all the flow'rs of spring:
He saw and scatter'd poison in her eyes;
From limb to limb, in varied forms he flies:
Dwelt on her crimfon lip, and added grace
To every glofly feature of her face.
Roreft was fir'd with paffion at the fight,
Friendship and honour sunk to Vicat's right:
He saw, he lov'd, and burning with defire,
Bore the soft maid, from brother, fifter, fire.
Pining with forrow, Nica faded, died:
Like a fair aloe in its morning pride.
This brought the warrior to the bloody mead,
And fent to young Roreft the threatening reed,
He drew his army forth: Oh! need I tell!
That Nicou conquer'd, and the lover fell:
His breathless army mantled all the plain;
And death fat smiling on the heaps of flain.
The battle ended, with his reeking dart,
The penfive Nicou pierc'd his beating heart:
And to his mourning valiant warriors cry'd,
I and my fister's ghost are fatisfy'd,
Brooke-Street, June 12.

C, ODE

ODE for bis MAJESTY's Birth-Day, June 4, 1770. Written by William Whitehead, Efq; Poct-Laureat, and fet to Mufick by Dr. Boyce, Master of the King's Band of Musicians.

ISCORD hence! the torch resign-
Harmony shall rule to-day,
Whate'er thy busy fiends design
Of future ills, in cruel play
To torture, or alarm mankind,
Lead the infidious train away,
Some blacker hours for mischief find,
Harmony shali rule to-day.

Diftinguish'd from the vulgar year,

And mark'd with heaven's peculiar white, This day shall grace the rolling sphere, And ling'ring end its bright career, Unwilling to be lost in night. Discord lead thy fiends away, Harmony shall rule to-day.

Is there, intent on Britain's good,

Some angel hovering in the sky, Whose ample view surveys her circling flood,

Her guardian rocks that shine on high,

Her forests, waving to the gales,
Her streams that glide thro' fertile vales,
Her lowing pastures, fleccy downs,
Towering cities, busy towns,

Is there who views them all with joy serene,
And breathes a bleffing on the various scene?
O! if there is, to him 'tis given,

(When daring crimes almost demand
The vengeance of the Thunderer's hand).
To foften, or avert the wrath of heaven,
O'er Ocean's face do tempefts sweep,

Do civil storms blow loud,
He stills the raging of the deep,
And madness of the croud.
He too, when heaven vouchsafes to smile
Propitious on his favourite ifle,
With zeal performs the task he loves,
And every gracious boon improves.

Bleft delegate, if now there lies
Ripening in yonder pregnant skies

Some great event of more than common good,
Tho' Envy howl with all her brood,
Thy wonted power employ,
Usher the mighty moments in
Sacred to harmony and joy,
And from this æra let their course begin!

THE MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER.

SUNDAY, May 27.

HIS night between ten and eleven o'clock, as Mr. VenaT bles, a wholesale carcafe butYgcher, in Whitechapel-market, and Mr. Rogers, cabinet-maker, in Houndsditch, were returning from the blue anchor alchouse, at Stepney, they were attacked in Redman's grove by three footpads who demanded their money; and on their making resistance, the villains fired at them, shot Mr. Venables under the jaw-bone, and the ball went thro' the lower part of his head; Mr. Rogers was hot in the forchead just above his eye; they both expired immediately. The unfortunate deceafed perfons staying after their friends to have another bowl of punch, occafioned their meeting with the fatal accident.

address to his majesty at St. James's, on the birth of the princess, which was as follows:

To the KING's Moft Excellent Majefty. The bumble ADDRESS of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commons of the City of London, in Common-Council affembled.

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

"We wait upon your majesty with our fincere congratulations on the happy delivery of our most gracious queen, and on the birth of another princess, and to affure your majesty that there are not in all your dominions any fubjects more faithful, more dutiful, and more affectionate to your majesty's person and family, or more ready to facrifice their lives and fortunes in the maintenance of the true honour and dignity of your crown.

Long may your majefty reign the true guardian of the liberties of this free country, and be the instrument, in the hands of Providence, of tranfmitting to our posterity these invaluable rights and privileges, which are the birth-right of the subjects of this kingdom."

To which the king gave a gracious anfwer, and concluded with faying, "That whilft the citizens of London addressed him with fuch profeffions of loyalty, they should be sure of his protection."

Whilst the Lord Mayor and council waited in the anti-chamber, the Lord Chamberlain particularly addresled the Lord Mayor, and

fold

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London Magazine Enlarged and Improved, Volum 39