The Country Farmer and the London Committee, appointed to confider the caufes of the high prices of provifions, are favoured in their turn with fome remarks which will not afford them a high degree of fatisfaction.

IRISH CATHOLIC s.

Art. 21. A Letter from the Most Reverend Doctor Butler, titular Archbishop of Cafhel, to the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Kenmare; relative to the Bishop of Clovne's Prefent State of the Church of Ireland.' 8vo. 6d. Coghlan.

Dr. Butler warmly afferts the fincerity of Catholic bishops in taking the test of allegiance required by the government, and juftifies the oath they take at their confecration, which he fays is taken by them both in Catholic and Proteftant ftates throughout the world, and which being of almoft eight hundred years date, there has been fufficient time for every fovereign to know the meaning of it.

This is the principal object of the prefent publication. The Author proposes to leave other matters to a public and formal anfwer to the Bishop of Cloyne's ftrictures, which he fays must be given; and which, perhaps, is given: for we have feen an advertisement of" a juftification of the Roman Catholic religion *, in anfwer to the Bifhop of Cloyne." The publication itself hath not yet fallen into our hands.

MILITARY.

Art. 22. A Hiftory of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America. By Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton, Commandant of the late British Legion. 4to. 11. 6s. Boards. Cadell. 1787.

Colonel Tarleton's hiftory commences with D'Efaing's fruitless attack on Savannah, in the Autumn of 1779, and then proceeds to give a minute detail of all the military operations in both the Carolinas and part of Virginia, until the furrender of York-town and Gloucester, Oct. 19, 1781, when Lord Cornwallis, with his whole army, fell into the hands of the Americans: that memorable event which crowned the military toils of the American Fabius with final fuccefs, and gave INDEPENDENCE to America!

In most of the transactions here recorded, Colonel Tarleton was perfonally concerned; fo that their authenticity, the most material circumitance in all historical narratives, cannot (we fuppofe) be called in question; and, in order to confirm what he has advanced, he has regularly interted, at the end of each chapter, and in connexion with the preceding details, many original letters from the commanders in chief, and other officers. Of thefe, the difpatches to government, which have been published in the Gazettes, with proclamations, general orders, &c. make the most confiderable part, though there are likewife a great number of private letters, especially from Lord Cornwallis to Colonel Tarleton, which have not before been published: most of them contain temporary directions and private intelligence, relative to the marches, difpofition, detachments, &c.

By Dr. Butler.

of

of the two armies, and other communications, which tend to explain the feveral plans of operation.

That the narrative might not be interrupted by a detail of fuch events as occurred in the fouth, after Lord Cornwallis had left those parts open (and to which parts the American General, Green, did not neglect the opportunity of directing his views), the Colonel has judi. ciously added an account of them, in his appendix; they are given from good authority, and, generally, in the words of the refpective commanders.

The work is enriched with fome explanatory maps and plans, efpecially thofe relating to the battles of Camden and Guildford, and the fieges of Charles-town and York-town, befide a large general map of the country.

The volume is hand fomely printed, and, on the whole, notwithftanding fome imperfections, which good judges have hinted to us, does credit to the Author as an officer. A Reviewer, who is only a man of letters and not a man of war, cannot pretend to fpeak with critical precision of the merit of a work of this kind, especially where the remoteness of the fcene places the objects beyond every point of view that might ferve to render them diftinct.

POOR.

Art. 23. The Abridgment of a Plan for an honourable, effectual, and permanent Relief for all the Poor of England. By a Lady. 4to. 2s. Hookham. 1787.

This lady, whofe fympathetic feelings for the miferies of poverty, are greatly to her honour, propofes county workhoufes, with four for the metropolis; and because the attention of gentlemen is engrossed by legiflation, racing at Newmarket, and by the gaming-table, the propofes to veft the management of thefe poor-houfes in ladies. She gives a plan for conftructing the houfes, and sketches out the domeftic œconomy of them, with many other propofals and hints, more humane in fpeculation than (in our opinion) practicable.

DRAMATIC.

Art. 24 The Death of Dien, a Tragedy. Written by Mr. Tho. mas Harwood of University College, Oxford. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Scatcherd and Whitaker. 1787.

If the Author of this piece feels a propensity to this fpecies of compofition, we are afraid that he has not waited to diftinguish between inclination and the true dramatic talent. Should he be refolved to perfift in this career, we would advife him to read with diligence thofe authors who have beft fucceeded in dramatic dialogue, and have practifed the great fecret of uniting fimplicity with dignity, and of giving a natural air to the most adorned and fhining paffages. There are many objections to this piece. The very title fets out with an error: why call it the Death of Dion? The cataftrophe is discovered at once. Addifon called his piece CATO, and not the DEATH of CATO. All critics have agreed in finding the fame fault with Otway's Venice Preferved, or a Plot Difcovered. We proceed from the title to the Dramatis Perfonæ, and there we find a name which no actor can pronounce, Tcetes. This looks uncouth

to

to the eye. The verfification requires that it fhould be TICETES, and why not print it fo? As to the fable, it turns upon the defign of Calippus, who has lived in friendship with Dion, and honours his virtues, but thinks his ambition dangerous. He is determined therefore to cut him off; and for this purpose his plot is formed in the first act but how? A foldier is called in with the ufual word of command, WHAT HO! and receives orders to bring the chofen band before Calippus. A body of foldiers foon comes forward expectation is raised, but difappointed. Calippus fays, My friends, prepare to follow,' and all go out with a flourish. The confpiracy is thus formed, and remains in ambush, till it is time to put an end to the drama. In the laft act, Dion fends for Calippus, who immediately enters with Lycon and Soldiers. Dion fays to Calippus, ' Here • repofe thy vengeance;' which is by no means a natural expreffion. Lycon cries out, Then fall: Delay is cruelty ;' and Dion is instantly ftabbed. Calippus and his confpirators leave him to utter his laft fentiments, and the piece concludes. The true dramatic paffions are never excited; no fituation rifes to terror, and pity is no where touched. The fentiments throughout are trite; the language aims at finery, but reaches nothing but the quaint and the unnatural. The diction is of courfe always feeble, and very often ungrammatical. To give a fring of quotations merely to exhibit blemishes, would be both tedious and painful. We with the Author better fuccefs in his next attempt.

Art. 25. Nina, or the Madness of Love: a Comedy, in Two Acts, tranflated from the French by the Author of Maria, or the Generous Ruftic. 8vo. is. Elliot and Co. 1787.

This piece is dedicated to the Hon. Mrs. Hobart; and in a preface the Author tells us, that it is founded on a real fact; the account of which is as follows. At a village in the neighbourhood of Rouenne in Normandy, the unfortunate NINA contrives to wait her GERMEIUL, to whom, with the confent of her parents, she had promised her hand. Previous to the celebration of their intended nuptials, he was fummoned to Paris. On the day fixed for his return, NINA repaired to the fpot appointed for their interview; but instead of her lover, found the melancholy tidings of his untimely fate: GERMFIUL was no more. Nina, unable to fuftain this awful ftroke of Providence, loft her fenfes. In vain has friendship united efforts with those of time to foothe her forrows, or recal her reason. NINA ftill expects with anxiety the return of GERMEIUL, and each revolving day vifits the fpot appointed for their interview.'-The bare relation of the facts is pathetic; and no wonder that a drama founded upon it has made its way to the ftage. A young lady who has loft her fenfes, and retains nothing but the memory of her lover, and of the place where he was to meet him, cannot fail to awaken the tendereft fympathy. That, day after day, fhe ftills expects to fee him, is a circumftance that goes directly to the heart. That a piece, reprefenting a calamity like this, fhould be intended for the English ftage, there can be no wonder. It has an intrinfic value that fets it far above the pantomime plays which have been lately imported from France. It is to be regretted that the race which a number of translators have been running with Lady W-, did not leave fuf

ficient

ficient time for any one to prepare this little drama, in a fit man. ner, for the ftage. Though the original fucceeded at Paris, the. plot is too thin and meagre. There was ample room for invention; and we are of opinion, that a well-conducted fable, on fo interesting a flory, would not only meet with great fuccefs, but do credit to the writer. The madness of NINA is in many places happily touched, even in the bare perufal of it, a tear is often ready to ftart. Fon the dra tua of the facts, the ftage required fome deviation. Ta's is a licence always allowed to fictitious diftrefs. GERMEIUL, in the drama, is dill alive: in the original he returns too abruptly, without due preparation. The English piece feems to have aimed at cor odong tais defect, but, we think, without fufficient improvement.

res another circumitance that required the utmoft management. Na, the interview with her lover, recovers her reafon. This

eaght to proceed by flow degrees; but it is too much hurried, are probability is fcarcely preferved. The tranflator, however, gh, not to be cenfured. To make a drama, like this, perfect in its Lid, t me and confideration were neceffary. Our modern writers are gdieping their fpur-galled Pegafus to come in first at the winning port, and the laurel falls to the fhare of none.

Art. 6. Diamond cut Diamond: a Comedy in Two Acts, tranflated from the French of Guerre ouverte, ou Rufe contre Rufe. By Lady Wallace. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1787.

Art. 27. The Midnight Hour, or War of Wits: a Farce in Two Acts, tranflated from the French. 8vo. 15. Symonds. 1787. We take thefe two pieces together, as they are tranflations of the fame French piece, which, it feems, has had great fuccefs at Paris. The laft of thefe tranflators fays, he offered his performance to the little theatre in the Haymarket; but it was not received, because it was to be foreftalled at Covent Garden. The writer therefore determined to publifh, aware that the jostling race our dramatic authors

, in importing juccessful pieces from Paris, has urged him to a hafty Panflation. This writer further adds, that a piece, the chief merit of which confifts in pantomimical fituations, is not wholly calculated for be clafet of criticifm. The obfervation is candid and true. Whatever may have been the fuccefs of the original, we do not think it a proof either of the genius of the French dramatic writers, or the taite of the audience; much lefs can we think, that the writers of our own country, who run a race for fuch commodities, are intitled to any degree of commendation: nor can we fee any reason why a Lady of fashion fhould join in the race.

Of the diftin&t merits of the two pieces before us, it is not our intention to make a comparison. We are prefented with foreign sumpery in each of them. Much lefs is it our intention to analyse the fable of the French author. The whole is built upon the strongest improbability, and the tricks that follow may divert the lovers of pantomime, but cannot deferve the attention of the judicious reader, who knows, that when the Drama ceafes to be the representation of human life and manners, it becomes a worthlefs performance. We fen feen, on the ftage, how a man, by overhearing part of a

, may be led into a mistake; how a woman in difguife

may

may pafs for a man; and finally, how a trunk may be brought into a house with a man concealed in it. It is from fuch incidents that the mirth of the audience muft arife. It has been long fince obferved, that men in general can fee better than they understand; and if such productions continue to be in favour with the Managers of our theatres, it may be apprehended, that the public will owe them very little obligation.

POETRY.

Art. 28. The Riddle. By the late unhappy George Robert Fitzgerald, Efq. With Notes, by W. Bingley, formerly of London, Bookfeller. 4to. 19. Jamefon. 1787.

When we perufed this fingular compofition, we thought it fo very indecent, that it would be impoffible for us to praise it, whatever might be its poetical merit; but the Editor informs us in his Preface, that the Author's fecret bears a name as delicate as any in the English language; notwithstanding the few loofe verfes which the Author has introduced under the denomination of "arch entendre double." -On a fecond confideration, however, by a guefs at the fecret, we were inclined to believe the Editor; who offers a premium of not lefs than 5 guineas for the most appofite poetical interpretation of, or anfwer to it? The Riddle fhews that the unhappy Author was a man of abilities. Yet, although we allow the ingenuity of the loofe verfes' being applied fo fully to two different ideas, we think them improper to be read by a modest female *.

N. B. Mr. Fitzgerald is the perfon who was executed with the noted Brecknock, and others, for the murder of Mr. M'Donnel, in Ireland.

NOVELS.

Art. 29. Henrietta of Gerfenfeld; a German Story. 12mo.

fewed. Lane. 1787.

2s. 6d.

The German Novelift may be faid to paint according to Nature,but it is not Nature trickt' and frounct,' or as the French exprefs it, La Nature fardée, which he is fond of exhibiting :-no, he rather chules to reprefent her plain and unadorned. In a word, the characteristic of his romances is fimplicity.

In the hiftory of Henrietta of Gerstenfeld all the fimplicity we have hinted at is to be found; and on the score of morality it is truly excellent. But it is greatly wanting in thofe delicate and pathetic touches, which fo particularly diftinguish the writings of a Gefner, and a Klopstock; and which, indeed, we have fometimes difcovered in thofe of Mr. Wieland, by whom the prefent performance is afferted to be written. The truth of this affertion, however, we are not a little inclined to doubt.

The incidents appear to be borrowed, with fome variation, from the "Memoirs of a French Nobleman," whofe ftory is likewife related in the Guardian, N° 150.

Some part of the Author's wit appears to have been levelled at certain eminent law characters, in Ireland; a circumftance which, the Editor feems to apprehend, might poffibly tend, in fome degree, to accelerate the wretched fate of the fatirift: but this, furely, was impoffible.

Art.