by employing unison as an adjective, as in ver. 57, dexterous as an ad verb, in 60, &c. &c. &c. nor against taste, by the introduction of fuch barbarous, alien, or misapplied terms, as chevage, chafuble, alluviofi, menstrual, &c. &c. or fuch converfations as that beginning at v. 339 or fuch brazen-candlestick lines, as Or, "Reas'n now demurs 'gainst flatt'ry's venal fame.” "Behold carp, flounder, roach, bream, chub, and pike.” Nor, lastly, against common serife, as well as verse; as when he says of the martin, Unwearied chamberlain of the ambient fky, "In vain the Sweeps the ftagnant fields of air." With refpect to his temper, we shall admonish the author by the following example: "A certain philofopher of Greece, when he fat down to write a book, took a dofe of hellebore, that he might dif"charge his bile, and be in good-humour with all the world." He, on the contrary, feems in ill-humour with all the world. He fatirizes human-nature itself, in his note K; and in all his notes, and throughout his poem, he evinces that his bofom overflows with the bittereft of all bile, the bile of democracy; by means of which his jaundiced fancy "One great republie fees from pole to pole." ART. 18. Fables in Verfe; or, Prefent Life under Different Forms 8vo. Is. 6d. Murray. The medium of fable in skilful hands becomes a ready vehicle for moral inftruction; but it happens that each departure of literature, which is intended to improve the mind, requires a more than common attention to the ornaments of style. Daily obfervation proves, that to amufe idle readers is an art eafily attained, their appetites are generally grofs, and their taftes undifcerning; but the moralift must provide for delicate appetites, and faftidious taftes; his guests will at least expect that neatnefs fhould prefide at his table, and perhaps will not haftily repeat their vifit, if they do not even meet with elegance. We cannot think the publication before us likely to furnish entertainment to vifitors of fuch a defcription. We are occafionally offended by the breach of grammatical propriety, the inaccuracy of verfification, and the admiflion of colloquial vulgarity. We shall fubjoin one inftance only of each : "Though you to me this morn was rude." P. 5, v.4. P. 65, v. I. "A jay harangu'd the vulgar crowd." "And when they've told you o'er and o'er, P, 67, v. 6. DRAMATIC. DRAMATIC. ART. 19. Sprigs of Laurel: a Comic Opera, in Two Acts. Written by John O'Keeffe. 8vo. is. Woodfall. The bufinefs of this little drama, of Mr. O'Keeffe, turns upon an incident, which, whether it be fictitious or real, is natural and interefting. The characters are aptly enough imagined, and the dialogue lively and well fuited to the perfons who fupport it. We doubt not that, with the decorations of fcenery, and the mufic of Shields, its representation was attended by the applaufes to which it seems entitled. NOVELS. ART. 20. Argal; or, the Silver Devil: Being the Adventures of an Evil Spirit, comprifing a Series of interefting Anecdotes in public and private Life, with which the Demon became acquainted in various Parts of the World, during his confinement in the metalline Substance to which he was condemned. Related by himself. Izmo. 2 vols. 6s. Vernon. This work is a manifeft imitation of Chryfal, or the adventures of a guinea; and upon the examination of their comparative merits, it may, perhaps, be allowed to poffefs its proportionate degree of worth. Vilius argentum eft auro! ART. 21. Letters from a French Nobleman to Mademoiselle de P -, written in the Months of June, July, and Auguft, 1792, with an Appendix. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Debrett. Thefe letters are profeffedly tranflated from French; but if we were never to exercife our powers of difcrimination upon them, we fhould not hesitate to fay, that they have never spoken any other language but our own. A French nobleman, flying from democratic perfecution, is fuppofed to take refuge in a deferted hermitage within a foreft, from which he writes to his wife. In a cottage on the confines of his foreft he finds another fugitive of the fame kind, who tells him his adventures. The little incidents and reflections feem by far too trifling for the fituation; and fome of the great incidents related, are crowded too rapidly on each other; yet the book is not devoid of merit. The appendix is chiefly filled with the atrocities of popular fury in France. ART. 22. Hartlebourn Castle; a defcriptive English Tale. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. J. Bell, Oxford-street. This tale is ftyled defcriptive, because it contains fome real names and circumstances of local defignation, interwoven with fictitious events. Such adaptation gives an intereft to the relation, as it increafes the appearance of probability. It affords likewife an occa BRIT. CRIT. VOL. I. AUG. 1793. I i fion 1 fion for difplaying thofe powers of painting, which indicate and excite taite. By the quotation from Mafon, in the title page, we are led to fuppofe, that the accounts have fome foundation in fact, and real occurrence. They are fuch, however, as are brought forward without much ufe, except that of amufing a vacant hour without improvement. Nor are the characters in these volumes delineated with fkill, except that of Ruffel; in which we fee, what is too often difplayed in real life, noble qualities depreffed and degraded by a fente of dependence. SURGERY. ART. 23. A Treatise on the Extraction of the Cataract. By Frederick Bifchoff, F. M. S. Oculift to his Majesty, in the Electorate of Hanover, and to her Majefty in England. 8vo. 3s. G. Nicoll. The author of this tract fets out with ftating, that his work is intended more to explain what is already known, than to offer new matter to the public; but gives us reafon to expect that his directions refpecting this operation are more full, explicit, and minute, and better calculated to inftruct the young practitioner, than those of any former work. A work published upon fuch principles has every claim to can. dour; but candour demands from us an impartial review. In giving, which we must confefs, that the author lays too much ftrefs upon a particular chair, and other circumstances, which may mislead the young furgeon, by making him attend too much to fecondary matters. His objections to a furgeon as his affiftant, are not at all in favour of his furgical friends, fince their curiofity and obftinacy, according to him, more than counterbalance their knowledge, and therefore make them more improper than any other perfons. The inftrument for raifing the upper eye-lid, appears to us only neceffary when the operator is obliged to have an obftinate affiftant. The mode of enlarging the incifion by fciffars, is a very proper one, but fhould only be had recourfe to when the incifion is found too small for the paffage of the cryftalline humour, as the incifion by the knife must always be preferred to that by the fciffars. The ufe of the Parma Spear has never been a general practice, and in particular cafes oculifts muft judge for themfelves; it is an inftrument that may anfwer better in the hands of fome operators than others; but in very few inftances will it be found neceffary. In making the incifion where a fpafm comes on, or any other motion of the eye, fo as to prevent the incifion being completed, the introducing, the fecond time, a knife with a blunt point, appears to be a very judicious practice. The opening the capfule freely is certainly proper; but the attempt to remove a circular portion, appears to be more a theoretical refinement, than a practical remark. The mode of performing the operation is very diftin&tly described, as well as the after treatment; and in both the one and the other, the author fhows himfelf master of the fubject; and we make no doubt but the work will prove ufeful, by making this operation, in all its parts, more generally underfood by the younger practitioner. 5 POLITICS. POLITICS. ART. 24. Falt without Fallacy: or, Confiitutional Principles contrafted with the ruinous Effects of Unconftitutional Practices. Together with other illuftrative Matter. In a Letter from an impartial Obferver in London to his Friend in the Country. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Jordan. This is a well written letter, but by no means conftitutional, in favour of the French revolution, on the political fituation of this country relative to foreign countries; and on the political concerns of Great Britain and Ireland, as they apply to our actual fituation : this neceffarily introduces much mifcellaneous matter; the prefent war-the glorious French revolution-the Ruffian and Spanish armaments the regency bill-the libel bill-taxes-parliamentary reform -bankruptcies, &c. This writer is a democrat of the fombre caft; but fomenting difcontent, and croaking ruin, are bad methods either to lighten burdens or to increase happiness. The vulgarifm no how, frequently disgraces the ftyle of this writer. ART. 25 Short Address to the Public on the Practice of Cashiering Military Officers, without a Trial, and a Vindication of the Conduct and Political Opinions of the Author. To which is prefixed, His Correfpondence with the Secretary at War. By Hugh, Lord Sempill. 8vo. IS. Johnfon. men. The political opinions of Lord Sempill, which he brings forward, in order to perfuade a loyal and enlightened people that his difmiffion was injurious, and unwarrantable, betray fuch wild democratical principles, and fentiments fo adverfe to the English conftitution, that they are not likely to call forth the fympathies of his countryThe fentiments of this addrefs feem to form a fufficient comment upon the addrefs, which Lord S. had the honour to fubfcribe, and fend to France. With fuch political conduct, and opinions, we cannot think it fufficient for his Lordship's juftification that his mili- . tary conduct was regular. A mafter may furely be very juftly defended who discharges the most exact and diligent fervant, fhould he discover that he conceals defigns dangerous to the peace and fafety of his family, by punctuality in his common duties; and his majefty certainly might be fo unfortunate as to find among his Guards a diligent officer who was but a fufpicious fubject. ART. 26. The Village Affociation; or, the Politics of Edley; containing the Soldier's Tale; the Headborough's Miftake; the Sailor's Tale; the Curate's Quotations; and Old Hubert's Advice. 8vo. Is. 6d. Ridgway. This collection, made by a perfon whofe abilities have been dreadfully mifapplied, is calculated to render foldiers and failors difcontented with their stations, to degrade the character of kings, and the 'order of hereditary fucceffion, to magnify the expences of courts, and to ridicule the ranks of nobles. Under the flimfy veil of parliamentary reform, the author fcarce attempts to conceal the vileft fedition. Ii 2 The The profeffions of the love of peace, and Christian charity are introduced to favour the general delufion. ART. 27. Thoughts on the New and Old Principles of Political Obedience, 8vo. Is. Rivingtons. Though we do not perfectly agree with this author in the advantages to be drawn from the doctrine of compact, which, with the modifications he allows, feems to be reduced to the mere shadow of the little fubftance it had originally, yet we have derived great pleafure from the perufal of his fenfible and well-written pamphlet. It very justly expofes the falfehood of the univerfal right to interfere in government, and the confequent right of majorities; and reproves the folly of being prejudiced against whatever has preceded our own times, as ftill worfe than the bigotry which is blindly attached to every ancient inftitution. The author points out feveral other errets, fuch as the over-eftimation of riches arifing from the prejudices of envy and ignorance, falfe notions concerning the ancient republics, &c. and illuftrates the whole with a degree of claffical and historical allufion, that gives it an air of elegance, befides its actual folidity. It is a fmall tract, but of confiderable merit. ART. 28. Confiderations on Reform; with a specific Plan for a New Reprefentation. Addreffed to Charles Grey, Efq. Member of Parliament for Northumberland. By Miles Popple, late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. 8vo. IS. Debrett. Mr. Popple feems to think, that if a reform in Parliament took place, there would be no variance between the conftituent and reprefentative body immediately afterwards, he fays, " that the freedom of debate, aided by the freedom of the prefs, concluded the American, and "prevented a Ruffian war." The obvious conclufion feems to be, that the freedom of the prefs cannot be fo obftructed as fome take pains to reprefent it; and that a reform in parliament feems less neceffary than certain Friends of the People would admit. One argument, adduced by Mr. Popple, we cannot deny ourselves the fatisfaction of tranfcribing: "Whilft those who live under any fyftem are not diffatisfied "with it, all endeavours to fubvert it by force, violate the very first principle of fociety." The author concludes his pamphlet with an outline of a reform of parliament: he would confine the right of voting to every perfon affeffed to the land-tax; and, dividing the kingdom into 279 diftricts, would have each return two representatives; then the number of the Houfe of Commons would be the fame as at prefent. He would have the Proprietors of private Boroughs indemnified, by every elector's paying, for a certain period, an annual fum not exceeding five fhillings; and with a calculation what this affeffment, to which thousands would object, might produce, the pamphlet concludes. ART. 29. Letter on the prefent Affociations. From an Officer to a Friend in the Country. 6d. Brewman. This gentleman prefumes the affociations to have been not only unneceffary, |