rived much of his information from foreign fources, he hath been too careless in adopting foreign idioms and phrafes, which have deprived his ftyle of that perfpicui y and beauty, for which, otherwife, we fhould have been disposed to recommend it.

Dr. Forster's "Hiftory of the Voyages and Difcoveries made in the North, &c." contains, betides many ingenious difquifitions, and entertaining remarks, a vaft fund of geographical knowledge, collected, with great care and attention, from the best and most authentic fources. The general divifion of this work is into three books, which are again fubdivided into feveral chapters, fections, &c. In the first book, we have an acCount of the voyages and difcoveries made by the Phenicians, the Greeks, and the Romans, in which, as his materials were but feanty, he frequently indulges himself in roaming in the fields of fancy and conjecture. The fecond book contains an account of the difcoveries made towards the North in the middle ages, by the Arabians; by the Saxons, Franks, and Normans; and by the Italians and fome other nations. In this book we have a collection of many curious and important particulars; and among the reft, Alfred's Tranflation of Orofus, that real literary curiofity, and relations of voyages made to Norway, Grenland, and Winland, which he will have to be part of North America; for which we confider ourselves much obliged to Dr. Forfter. The third book contains a fummary of the different voyages made to the North in modern times, by the English, the Dutch, the French, the Spaniards, the Portuguefe, the Danes, and the Ruf

fians, in which the author hath condenfed the numerous books which treat of these voyages, with judgment and perfpicuity. But though this work poffeffes great and unquestionable claims on our approbation, we do not pronounce it to be a faultlefs production. Though we admire the ingenuity difcoverable in many of his conjec tures and etymolo_ical enquiries, in the first book, we cannot fay that his reafonings have always had force enough to make us converts to his opinion. Neither do we feel, in the fame degree with out author, the weight of the authoriz ties which he brings from ancient manufcripts, in fupport of the difcovery of the ancient Winland.

From the perufal of Hamilton's "Letters concerning the northern Coaft of the County of Antrim, &c." we have received much inftruction and entertainment. They addrefs themselves to the student in general history, to the antiquary, and the philofopher. In fome of the first letters we have a particular and pleafing account of the ifland of Raghery, or Raghlin, of its productions, antiquities, and the fimple innocent manners of its inhabitants. Mr. Hamilton next de. fcribes the falmon fisheries on the oppofite coaft; and prefents us with historical accounts of the incur fions of the Scots, and their first fettlement in Ireland, which abound in many curious and interesting particulars. But his attention is principally engaged by the natural curiofities on the northern coast of Antrim; and particularly by the bafaltic columns, commonly called the Giant's Caufeway. After giv ing us the natural history, and an accurate analyfis of thefe bafaltes,

he

he introduces his ingenious and fatisfactory reafonings in favour of the volcanic theory, which has received fo much fupport from fr William Hamilton, and Mr. Faujas de St. Fond; and in answering fuch objections as have been made to it. We recommend this engaging and philofophical performance as calculated to afford pleature and improvement to every defcription of readers.

In Hurtley's "Account of fome natural Curiofities in the Environs of Malham, in Craven, Yorkshire," we have a particular, and not unpleating description of fome fublime natural fcenery, in the centre of the kingdom, well worthy of the attention of travellers. To this description there is annexed an Appendix, containing ufeful directions to thofe who are difpofed to vilt these romantic fituations; the height of fome of the highest mountains in England and Sectland, with the heights of Mount Blanc, the Pike of Teneriffe, and Cotopaxi in Quito; and particulars of the life and genealogy of Lambert, the parliamentary general, which feem to be collected from the beit authorities.

Dr. Anderfon's "Account of the prefent State of the Hebrides, and Western Coafts of Scotland;" which escaped our notice, in its proper place, recommends itfelf by many important facts and ueful obfervations, relative to the fifheries of this kingdom, and other confiderable fources of national improvement. This account is the fubftance of a report made by the author to the lords of the treafury, and of the evidence which he gave before the committee of fisheries, after he had been employed by government in examining

thefe neglected parts of the British dominions. And it prefents us with fuch a fhocking picture of the melancholy poverty and wretchednefs of great numbers of our fellow-fubjects, who are capable of being rendered fome of the most useful members of the community, as must intereft the patriotic and feeling bofom to apply every poflible remedy to fo lamentable an evil. To this account is prefixed an Hiftorical Introduction concerning the Britif Fisheries, in which Dr. Anderfon takes up the fubject from the earliest accounts; points out the circumstances and impediments which have prevented its fuccefs; and fuch regulations as are mott likely to give full employ to the induftry of the people, augment the wealth of the nation, and add to the revenue and refources of the state." We have already feen that thefe important objects have engaged the fcrious attention of the legiflature; and we doubt not but that the judicious remarks before us, will have confiderable weight with the committee to whom they are referred.

"The History of the War with America, France, Spain, and Holland, by John Andrews LL. D.” appears to be with great candour and impartiality, and to contain a judicious detail of the circumftances of the late war, drawn from the public prints, and the proceedings of the houfe of commons. Many of the political remarks which oc cur in it, are fentible and pertinent. And what he fays on the views and motives that influenced the contending powers, in their various operations, feems on the whole, to have been dictated by a juft know◄ ledge of mankind, and deliberate, cool reflection,

tailed in different authors, than a regular account of his life. To have appreciated his literary abili ties, and to have examined into his real opinions, would have been a proper employment for his biographer; and would not have precluded the recital of his witty epigrams and bon mots. It would, likewife, have carried with it the appearance of greater candour, if our author had not fo fervilely followed Voltaire's own reprefentations of his quarrels with Rouffeau, and Maupertuis, and of the circumflances of his difgrace at Berlin; as thefe are more than fufpected to be exceedingly partial and unfair. And he would have deferved the thanks of his readers, if he had been more particularly attentive in expofing the pernicious tendency of many of the productions of his hero; to gether with the duplicity and profanenefs of his character. We would not be understood as wifhing to deprive M. de Voltaire, of his claims to extraordinary genius, and extenfive abilities. We would not have a fingle action of his forgot ten, that was humane or benevolent; and for many fuch actions he will be remembered with gratitude. But we could have wished that the veil had been more completely withdrawn from his imperfections, and cffential failings, to counteract the dangerous and fashionable influence of his opinions and example. In this part of the duty of a good biographer, we think that our author hath greatly failed, and loft a favourable opportunity of blending the ufeful with the amufing. This volume is concluded with an Abitract, Hiftorical and Critical, of the Theatrical Works of Voltaire."

From Mrs iozzi's "Anecdotes"

of Dr. Johnson, the public had been led to entertain very high expectations. Many years had the Doctor ipent at the house of her former husband, Mr. Thrale, in the habits of undifguifed and commu nicative friendfhip. And the was understood to poffefs abilities and materials which could enable her to gratify the public with many of the valuable obfervations, and profound difquifitions, by which his private converfation was diftinguifhed. But we are obliged to acknowledge that although, from the perufal of the work before us, we have frequently received pleafure and entertainment, we have been likewife much difappointed and mortified. Many of the literary anecdotes which our authore's hath preferved, the poems, and bon mots, are new and curious. But whoever expects that he fhall be able, from this work, to form a judgment of Dr. Johnfon's abilities in argument, of his powers in general converfation, and of his manners in common life, will find himfelf greatly deceived. And it will be difficult for the reader, when he confiders many of the anecdotes and fpeeches which are recorded, to perfuade himself, that they can have been published by one who lived for twenty years in the thist eft friendship with him, and who withes to warn her friends to virtue, even by the difant reflec tion of his glowing excellence." How unfortunate has it proved, tha thofe who were the compani ons of Dr. Johnson, and who have undertaken to be his biographers, fhould feem as if they had made it the principal object of their injudicious performances, to expofe the failings and weakneffes of their friend, rather than to preferve his R 4 admirable