of Oxford, in the year 1772.' It opens with the distress of Arabia, on account of the ravages of the fmall-pox, which is perfonified in the following bold and striking manner.

His motley front uprear'd the deadly pest,

And fhook, with favage pride, his purpled creft;
The fcorching fands of Afric gave him birth
Thence fprang the fiend and fcourg'd the afflicted earth;
Fiend fierce as this ne'er faw astonish'd time
Creep from old Nilus' monfter-teeming flime;
Each vale now felt the deadly tyrant's force,
Nor tears nor vows could ftop his deftin'd course :
In vain was fung the mighty prophet's name
To Mecca's hallow'd walls the monster came;
E'en in the facred temple's inmost cell
Check'd in mid prayer the pious pilgrim fell,
Nor could Medina's fabled tomb withftand
The baleful vengeance of his death-fraught hand.
Thofe balmy gales that whilom could dispense
A thousand odours to the ravish'd fenfe,
With fragrant coolness pleafing now no more
Spread thro' the tainted ky their deadly store;
With anxious fear the fainting mother prefs'd
The fmiling infant to her venom'd breast;
The fmiling babe unconscious of his fate
Imbib'd with greedy joy the baneful treat;
Oft as the swain beneath the citron shade
Pour'd his foft paffion to the liftening maid,
Infection's poifon hung on every breath,

And each perfuafive figh was charg'd with death.' The concluding lines are exceedingly elegant and pathetic. We have likewife a tranflation of twenty-three Italian fonnets, from the collection of P. Nicandro Jaffeus and others; all of which, either in the original or a profe verfion, have been already published. Though the author does not always give an adequate idea of their fweetness and fimplicity, he never difgufts, and generally pleafes. The tranflation of thirteen odes of Horace, which conclude this collection, are neither entitled to praise nor cenfure.

Poems on various Subjes, Moral, Sentimental, Satyrical, and entertaining. By T. Harpley and W. Sancroft. 8vo. 35. Dilly.

We have compared these friendly rivals, who entwine their laurel crowns into one feftoon; but are really unable to afcertain the victory. Each is worthy of a heifer.' May this foçial pair pafs down the ftream of fame, and collect the gale, free from the rocks and quickfands of criticifm, whose slightest touch would deftroy their feeble bark; for, while neither can excel, neither can fink lower than the other,

• Arcades ambo
Et cantare pares & refpondere parati.'

Coalition

The Coalitional Rencontre dnticipated. A poetical Dialogue. 4to. 25. Stockdale.

Whether the author, as he has *post-dated the time in which his poem was published, has not likewife, from an anticipation of its fuccefs, prepared a fecond edition, before the first was disposed of, seems to us not a little fufpicious. If it really has had fo rapid a fale, we can only wonder, and exclaim, in the words he has chofen for his motto,

'There's no accounting for tafte!'

Aerophorion. A Poem. 4to. 15. DodЛley.

This poem, though not remarkable for novelty of thought, or depth of reafoning, is written with fpirit and elegance. It treats with no finall share of severity those cynics who fneer at our aerial adventurers,

And mock the labours they defpair to reach.'

It is no less liberal in its encomiums on them. The following analogical reafon has been often urged in favour of those gen tlemen's arduous attempts; and though, like other apologies, fallacious, yet, from the poetical garb in which it is arrayed, will give a favourable idea of the author's abilities:

Tempted by cloudlefs fkies, yet half afraid,
When firft the novice mariner effay'd
On the frail raft the border to forfake,
To try the bofom of the unruffled lake,.
Grafping with trembling hand the ill-form'd oar,
And scarcely venturing from the leffening fhore,
While fhouting crouds applauding rent the fkies,
And weeping matrons blam'd the bold emprize:
Had fome enthufiaft bofom then foretold
What wonderous fcenes the invention should unfold,
That ocean, fway'd by this improving art,
Should join those coafts its billows feem'd to part;
Bear the ftupendous bark in fafety o'er,

And ev'ry produce waft to ev'ry fhore;

Had talk'd of climes by future navies crofs'd,
From fcenes of Arctic to Antarctic froft,
And regions open'd to the aftonish'd fight
Beyond imagination's wildeft flight;

Such credit had he gain'd, as now would gain

That fanguine votary from the fneering train,

Whofe hopes fhould promife from th' improv'd balloon
Planets explor'd, and empires of the moon.'

The Immortality of Shakspeare. A Poem. 4to. is. Highley. The author, in a prefatory essay, obferves, After the correct Pope, how homely appears my verfe! after the divine Shakspeare, how poor my imagination! and, after the im mortal ancients, how despicable appears the whole!' We are

*The poem was put into our hands, December, 1784.
F3

much

much of the fame opinion. Why then do I rush thus eagerl into the very bofom of death! Aye, marry, there's the quef tion! We hope, however, that by death he means only a poetical non-existence; for an unfuccefsful writer may prove a very valuable member of fociety. Alas, continues he, this adds to the many proofs of man's weakness: almost convinced of the fterility of my mufe, I cannot destroy the hope of her bearing a beauteous progeny.' We cannot indeed confider the prefent delivery as an abortion; but, as he has formed a connection with this lady at an early age, being but a youth of eighteen,' 'tis poffible, if he continues the intercourfe, fhe may hereafter produce him a living offspring. We wish we could speak with juftice more favourably of this young author, who seems tremblingly alive in regard to literary fame. As the account of his fituation in life may plead fomething for poetical defects, we fhall lay it before the reader.

Enchained by the fetters of commerce, how can the freeborn genius take its unbounded flight? The prefent production comes from fuch an one, whofe time permits not of its corsection; whofe verfes are made by ftealth; and who is fur rounded, not with folio commentaries, but with folio ledgers; not with the volumes of hiftory, but with journals; not with common-place books, but with wafte-books. That ship muft indeed be of the first rate, which, with unfavourable winds, weathers the ftorm, and triumphantly enters the harbour !'

His library at prefent is certainly ill calculated for affifting the flights of fancy; it may, however, prove of more real utility, and afford folid pudding, while the more favoured votaries of the Nine ftarve on empty praife.

The Vanity of all human Knowledge. A Pocm. By the late Rev. John Stuckey. Corrected, enlarged, and arranged by M. Dawes, Efq. With a philofophical Dedication to Dr, Pricfley, and an Account of the Life and Death of the Author. 4to. 2s. 6d. Evans, This pamphlet for a time efcaped us; and, if it had con tinued unknown, we fhould have loft neither pleasure nor advantage. The philofophical dedication is an intended compliment to Dr. Priefley, on the fubject of Neceffity; but we know not how the following paffage can be confidered in this light: It is delightful (viz. the art of philofophifing) and instructing to thofe, whofe road to truth is anchoaked up by fears, prejudices, and unconquerable habits of thinking. If this has any meaning, it is, that philofophy would be pleafant, if it could be attained without the trouble of thinking. We really fufpect, from Mr. Dawes's different publications, that he has aimed at this extraordinary art,

The life of Mr. Stuckey, a clergyman in Bristol, and the fon of a gentleman in Devonshire, is unvaried by incidents and adventures. Mr. Dawes feems to have known little of him, but that he was educated for a clergyman, and, from his unconquerable habits of thinking,' he became a methodist. His

cha

character, though oftentatiously difplayed, is equally void of features, either remarkable or expreffive. The poem is fuch as may be expected from one who, from the tenets of his fect, defpifes worldly knowlege. A large fhare, if we can trust an original manufcript, is written by Mr. Dawes; but neither the original, nor the additions, offer us any temptation to tranfcribe a fingle line. In fome of the paffages there is a fancy, which we should neither expect from a philofopher nor a methodist; the verfification, is fmooth, and the rhymes tolerably correct. The great defects are force, fpirit, and meaning. A Paftoral, in four Parts: Abfence, Hope, Jealoufy, and Despair. 4to. 15. Fores.

Never was the manner of any poet more wretchedly imitated than that of Shenftone in this production. In the title page, the author is faid to be a half-pay officer. It is poffible, that in a military capacity he may deserve esteem; but let him never expect to gather laurels, or even the humble ivy, within the bounds of Parnaffus; for he is none of thofe illuftrious geniufes, "whom both Minervas crown.'

POLITICA L.

Political Letters written in March and April 1784. By a late Member of Parliament. 8vo. 15. 6d. Biadon.

The hiftory of the laft parliament, fubfequent to the paffing of the celebrated Eaft India bill by the houfe of commons, is fufficiently well known to the public, and will ever deserve to be regarded as one of the most remarkable periods in the annals of this country. The prefent pamphlet is employed in reconfidering the political topics which were fo warmly agitated during that time. The author writes with good fenfe, difpaffionate reafoning, and hiftorical knowlege; but the fubject has been already too much exhausted to afford many interesting obfervations. The remarks moft worthy of attention, are those which he makes relative to fecret influence. He evinces, from the authority of fir Edward Coke and fir Matthew Blakiston, that it is the inherent privilege of a peer to offer advice, when he judges proper, to his fovereign; and he alfo fhows from the hiftory of Edward the Second, and Richard the Second, that the monopolifing of the royal ear by minifters, was confidered in thefe times as a grievance fo unconftitutional and dangerous to the ftate, that it proved the fource of great public commotion in both the above mentioned reigns. Some pertinent obferva tions are alfo made on the pernicious confequences which might refult, fhould the houfe of lords be governed by an implicit obfequioufnefs to the refolutions of the houfe of commons. A Sequel to Sir William Jones's Pamphlet on the Principles of Government. 8vo. 6d. Cadell. This dialogue, though denominated a Sequel to Sir William Jones's Pamphlet, is a direct refutation of that production.

F 4

The

The principal fpeaker, (but whether likewife the author, we know not,) is the dean of Gloucefter, who attacks the dean of St. Afaph with great vehemence, and comes off victorious in the difpute.

Lord N-th condemned, and Lord S ne vindicated. 8vo. 15. Cooper.

During the long and ftruggling period of lord North's adminiftration, the author adduces various inftances of mifconduct, as well as misfortune. With regard to lord Shelburne, however, he thinks that the only plaufible charge is what relates to the limits of the British and American territories; refpecting which he obferves, that his lordship may have been deceived by erroneous information.

A Letter to the Jurors of Great-Britain: occafioned by an Opinion of the Court of King's Bench, read by Lord Chief Justice Mansfield, in the Cafe of the King and Woodfall; and faid to have been left by his Lordship with the Clerk of Parliament. By George Rous, Efq. 8vo. zs. Stockdale.

The author of this Letter has endeavoured to fhew, from the forms of proceeding, from the defign and spirit of the inftitution, and from the conftant practice of our ancestors, that jurors ought of right and duty to determine the whole complicated charge in the profecution of a libel.' In regard to the two firft of thofe heads, Mr. Rous argues with much plaufibility; but in fupport of the third, the only inftance he adduces is that of the feven bishops; concerning which, when we confider the difpofition of the people at the time, perhaps the conduct of the judges may appear to have been not uninfuenced by political motives, in leaving to the jury the right of determining with refpect to the libel. At any rate, one instance, and that in à cafe which feems too equivocal for any pofitive inference, cannot be deemed a fufficient proof of the ' conftant practice' of our ancestors.

MEDICA L.

A Method of preventing or diminishing Pain in feveral Operations of Surgery. By James Moore. 8vo. 25. Cadell.

Notwithstanding Mr. Moore's ingenious apology, we fear that phyficians are fometimes unfeeling, and furgeons cruel. This ftate of mind is unavoidable, in confequence of the frequent fight of mifery and pain; for the mind becomes callous from fuc ceffive impreffions, as well as the body. We are by no means certain that great fenfibility would be advantageous to perfons of either of thofe profeffions: it would certainly increase their own diftrefs, and perhaps would not be very ufeful to their patients, as it would deprive them of the power of exerting a dangerous, but neceffary, mode of relief. The means of diminishing pain, therefore, recommended by our author, will not probably be very generally received by practical furgeons; yet it is inge