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the world as the pofthumous publication of fome author of acknowledged genius and merit. With refpect to the poem before us, however, it is written fo much in the genuine manner of Dr. Goldfmith, that even were there no other proof of its authenticity, it could hardly be fufpected of owing its origin to the fraud that has been mentioned.

The Epistle begins with returning thanks to lord Clare for a prefent of venifon which the author had received from his lordship. The difpofal of the haunch, and the whimsical accident by which the expectation of the guests who were invited to partake of the repaft, was difappointed, are related with much humour. The following lines with which the poem concludes, contain an ingenious and well-turned thought in commendation of the epiftle.

Sad Philomel thus but let fimiles drop;
And now, that I think on't, the story may ftop.
To be plain, my good lord, 'tis but labour misplac'd
To fend fuch good verfes to one of your tafte:
You've got an odd fomething, a kind of difcerning,
A relish, a tafte, ficken'd over by learning;
At least it's your temper, 'tis very well known,
That you think very flightly of all that's your own:
So perhaps, in your habits of thinking amifs,

You may make a mistake and think lightly of this.' Subjoined to the epifle is an epitaph on Parnel, with two little fongs, compofed in an agreeable moral ftrain.

19. A Rhapsody occafioned by a late extraordinary Decifion. And inferibed to Sir Watkin Lewes. By J. Greenwood. 4to. Is. Almon.

The fubject of this poem is the decifion of the Worcester election, which the author laments in a ftrain that is far from being unpoetical. The annexed Complaint of Sabrina, or the Severn, though in different verfification, is composed nearly in the fame spirit.

20. Mifcellanies in Profe and Verfe, on various Occafions. 8vo. 35. ferved. KeárЛly.

An excellent cargo for the ufe of the paftry-cooks, and the other patrons of unfortunate publications.

21. Extracts from Pope's Tranflation corresponding with the Beau ties of Homer, Jeleted from the Iliad, by William Holwell, B. D. Svo. 4. Rivington.

Ä proper companion to the Beauties of Homer felected from the original Greek, which we formerly noticed. And the author has prefixed to it, by way of introduction, Mr. Melmoth's obfervations on Pope's Tranflation, publifhed in the Letters of Sir Thomas Fitzofborne.

• See page 28.

22. Mc.

22. Mc Fingal: a modern Epic Poem. 8vo. IS.

Almon.

A doggerel rhapfody, extended through forty-four pages, without wit, humour, or any discoverable defign.

23. Sonnets. 4to. Is. Snagg.

Amidft much incoherency, and a variety of palpable defects, fome very faint indication of poetical spirit may be perceived in thefe compofitions.

DRAMATI C.

24. The Bankrupt. A Comedy, in Three Ads. By Samuel Foote, Efq. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Kearfly.

Though we do not entirely concur with fome modern critics, who feem inclined to exclude fentiment from comedy, yet bu mour must be allowed to be the life and foul of that fpecies of compofition. A comedy without humour is as extravagant an idea as a tragedy without paffion, or an epic poem without the fublime. Common life is its object, and humour its inftrument. The copy must not only be faithful, but ludicrous; and every comic writer fhould, like the author whofe piece now lies before us, endeavour to be a kind of Hogarth of the drama.

The Bankrupt, however, has its ferious touches blended with the ridiculous. The character of fir Robert Rifcounter is fo whimfically imagined and delineated, that the tears ftand in our eyes while we are fmiling at his abfurdities; and the confultation on the expediency of bankruptcy is a most masterly, as well as feasonable, piece of fatire.

This Comedy is introduced by a very excellent prologue, admirably adapted to the fubject, and containing a happy parody on the well known fpeech of a late unfortunate nobleman. 25. Epicanes or the Silent Woman. A Comedy written by Ben. Jonfon. With Alterations by George Colman. 8vo. IS.

Becket.

The alterations made by Mr. Colman in the fable and dialogue of this comedy, must be acknowledged to be judicious, and well executed; nor has he been less fuccefsful in the imi tation of Ben. Jonfon's ftyle and manner, where any additions were required, in consequence of those alterations.

26. Airs, Ballads, &c. in the Blackamoor washed White, a comic Opera. 8vo. 6d. Corral.

Thefe Airs are entitled only to a very faint degree of appro bation, either in point of compofition or humour.

27. An Occafional Prelude, performed at the Opening of the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, Sept. 21, 1772. By Geo. Cölman. 8vo. 6d. Becket.

This fprightly bagatelle, which bears fome refemblance to the colloquial prologues of the French, is written with great humour, and difplays a few fcenes and characters in the genuine Spirit of comedy.

28. Don

28. Don Quixote, a Mufical Entertainment. 8vo. IS.

Wilkie. One who was well acquainted with the knight of La Mancha, and his 'fquire, could hardly recognize them in this production, where they are entirely deprived of those striking characteristics which render them fo highly entertaining in the hiftory of Cervantes.

DIVINITY.

29. Lectures on that Part of the Church Catechism, commonly called the Apostles Creed. Preached in St. John the Evangelift, Weltminfter, (Pursuant to the Will of Dr. Baby.) By Thomas Bennet, M. A. 8vo. 5s. ferved.

Bew.

Dr. Busby, here mentioned, was the celebrated mafter of Weltminster fchool. This learned man prefided over that feminary of claffical education forty-five years, and died in 1695, in the eighty-ninth year of his age. What he left for preaching his lectures, or what is required of the lecturer, we cannot inform our readers. If it was a small donation, little can be expected.

Thefe difcourfes are calculated for a plain, unlearned congregation. The author does not attempt to enter into any crirical difquifitions, or to difplay the learning of bishop Pearson; he difpatches the argumentative part of his difcourfe with the greatest facility. The language is in general eafy and correct. But, as the book lies before us, we obferve a flip of the pen, which the author may alter, if he thinks proper. All who have fell asleep, and been lain unto their fathers,' p. 142. 30. The Principles of the Revolution vindicated, in a Sermon preached before the Univerfity of Cambridge, on Wednesday, May 29, 1776. By Richard Watfon, D. D. F. R. S. 410.

15. White.

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This Sermon contains fome free, but, at the fame time, very fenfible remarks on every fpecies of tyranny, regal, parliamentary, and democratical.

31. Sermons to the Condemned. Literally, intended for the Benefit of thofe under Sentence of Death by the Laws of their Country; Spiritually, for all who feel themselves under Condemnation by the Law of God, and who may properly be ftyled Prisoners of Hope. To which is added an original Dialogue, between the Minifter and a Convict ordered for Execution. By David Edwards. 12mo. 25. Dilly.

In the methodistical frain; but pious and pathetic.

32. Inftructions for Young People in the Public Worship of God. By A. Crocker. 12mo. 3d. Robinson.

This tract contains a fhort explication of the fcope and propriety of the public prayers of the church; fome directions for a proper behaviour, during the performance of divine fervice; and, at the conclufion, two or three prayers for private ufe: calculated for young people, and others of ordinary capacity.

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33. Pietas Redingenfis, or a Vindication of the rev. John Hall. ward's Sermon on Tit. iii. 8. By Richard Hill, Efq. 8vo.

6d. Matthews.

Mr. Hallward's fermon, in defence of the Calvinistic notions of faith and good works, was printed in November laft *; and fome time afterwards was attacked by Mr. Wainhouse in the Reading Mercury. This production is a vindication of the former, and an answer to the latter; but of very little confequence to any reader, not immediately concerned in the controversy.

POLITICA L.

34. Independency the Object of the Congress in America. 8vo. 1, Rivington.

The object of the congrefs is too palpable to admit of any equivocation; but if there could be the fmalleft doubt of their defign, the facts to which this author appeals, might fully determine the question.

35. Common Senfe, and Plain Truth. Addreffed to the Inhabitants of America. 8vo. Is. 6d. Almon.

From the favourable reception which this pamphlet is faid to have met with at Philadelphia, it is apparent that the Americans have at length thrown off the veil with which they had endeavoured to difguife their pretenfions, and that the defign of rendering themfelves independent is now openly avowed. To enter into a particular account of this production, would greatly exceed the limits of a Review; and we fhall therefore only obferve, that under a fpecious title, it contains the most impudent, abfurd, and erroneous doctrines, relative to the British government, that ever were fuggefted by the fervour of political fanaticifm.

As a comment on this wild effufion, there is annexed to it another pamphlet, alfo printed originally at Philadelphia, and entitled Plain Truth; in which it is affirmed that the Americans have no defire of becoming independent of Great Britain. This may poffibly be the opinion of fome individuals; but the fuppofition that the rebels have really any other object in view, than abfolute independence, feems to be hardly countenanced, either by the tenor of their whole conduct, or the inconfiftency of their declarations.

36. The Conflitutional Advocate. 8vo. Is. Flexney.

The conftitutional advocate is, in other words, an advocate for the colonies; whofe caufe he endeavours to maintain by a repetition of arguments which have already been often refuted.

See Crit. Rev. for Jan. 1776. Art, 40.

37. Reflections on the American Contest. 8vo. 15. Bew. The author of this pamphlet endeavours to thew, that the attempt of forcing the Americans to fubmiffion is extremely impolitic, as it may produce an indelible animofity between the two countries, which it fhould be the object of government to reconcile. This is faying neither more nor lefs, than that the Americans ought to be totally emancipated from the duty of fubjects, whenever they chocfe it.

38. The Hiftory of an old fringed Petticoat; a Fragment. 12mo. 6d. Blythe.

The difpute with America related in the form of an allegory, in which an old woman and her two daughters are reprefented as quarrelling about mending a tattered petticoat. 39. Letter to the right bon. the earl of Shelburne on the Motives of his Political Conduct, &c. 8vo. 6d. W. Davis.

A warm expoftulation with his lordship relative to the motives of his polical conduct; from a correfpondent who threatens to keep a watchful eye over his future behaviour in public life.

40. An Oration in Memory of General Montgomery, and of the Officers and Soldiers, who fell with him, December 31, 1775, before Quebec; drawn up (and delivered February 19th, 1776) at the Defire of the honourable Continental Congress. By William Smith. 8vo. 6d. Almon.

By fome readers this may be called an animated compofition, by others a rhapfody. To us it appears to be a mixture of oratory and bombaft. The reader fhall judge for himself.

The magnificent ftructures raised by the gratitude of mankind to their benefactors of old, had but a local and temporary ufe. They were beheld only by one people, and for a few ages:

"The heav'n afpiring pyramid, the proud

Triumphal arch, and all that e'er upheld

The worship'd name of hoar antiquity,
Are mouldering into duft,"

• In vain does the way-faring man inveftigate the tottering ruins for the divinity once enfhrined there! A fcanty receptacle, about fix feet in length and half the breadth, informs him that it once contained fome human dust, long fince mingled with the common mafs. In vain does the prying antiquary dwell upon the sculpture, or ftrive to collect and fpell the feattered fragments of letters. The infcription is gone-long fince gone, effaced, obliterated! And fruitlefs were the fearch through the whole world for the hero's name, if it were not recorded in the orator's page, and proclaimed by the faithful voice of history.

There it fhall live while the smallest veftiges of literature remain upon earth-yea, till the final diffolution of things hu

man;

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