miftruft him, at least for a time,' and to fay to him of Mrs. Courtly, She has been too good to you- than to cry out with Sir Jacob, I'll answer for your nephew.' The truth is, that the circumftances of the play, though partly gleaned from Plautus and Deftouches, are neither fuftained by pleasantry, nor conducted with art; and there is but little comic force in the characters or dialogue. C. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For FEBRUARY, 1781. POLITICAL. Art. 18. Confiderations Preliminary, to the fixing the Supplies, the Ways and Means, and the Taxes, for the Year 1781. Addreffed to the Minifter and the Public. 8vo. I s.' Almon. THE ་ HESE preliminary Confiderations compofe a melancholy reprefentation of the prefent ftate of our national funds; though the Writer admits the readiness with which fubfcribers ftill offer their money to the Government. But by dropping the public argument toward the close of the pamphlet, and digreffing to perfonal confiderations, he appears confeffedly to be a difappointed, difcontented fenator. P. 28, he declares himself to be flave to no fyftem, attached to no party, weaned from ambition, nor wishing nor hoping for place or preferment, poffeffed of all the wealth I want, of titles that I could well fpare. In the very next page, he is fhut out from public confequence, public ufe, from all the fplendid diftinctions in a free state, which the generous mind pants after, dearer far than fordid heaps of hoarded gold,' Now, as this account of himfelf is not altogether fo correct as might have been expected; there may be fome comfort in the fufpicion that he may be erroneous in his ftate of the national circunftances. Indeed, if fufpicion went even farther, there is warrant for it in what follows the laft citation; for he goes on to inform us, that- one poor prefumptuous hour of difference in opinion, backed by no vote, cancelling all former obligations; for, called forth by minifters, I had flood their champion, warred on their fide, had fought and won their battles :'-bis cafe therefore brings to remembrance that of Sir Francis Wronghead in' the play; who accounts for the lofs of his feat in Parliament much in the fame manner. "N. Art. 19. The Speech of General Conway-on moving in the Houfe of Commons (May 5, 1780), "That Leave be given to bring in a Bill for quieting the Troubles now reigning in the British Colonies in America, &c." Svo. I s. 6d. Cadell. Slightly touches on thofe leading principles on which hoftilities in America were begun, and have been purfued; pathetically expatiates on the miferies produced by the war, and inflicted on both parties; and then propofes a plan of conciliation, to be previously fanctioned and ratified by Parliament.-The Author was heard with attention, and his ideas were generally admitted: but the hour was not yet come in which a propofal of fo pacific and equitable a tenor fhould be countenanced by a majority of the British House of Commons.The Order of the day was called for, and the "darling child *" of the patriotic Orator, which he had fo earnestly recommended to their care, was left to perish! Art. 20. A Collection of Treaties of Peace, Commerce, and Alliance, between Great Britain and other Powers, from the Year 1619 to 1734. To which is added, A Difcourfe on the Conduct of the Government of Great Britain, in respect to Neutral Nations. By the Right Hon. C. Jenkinfon †, Secretary at War. The whole being a Supplement to a Collection of Treaties between Great Britain and other Powers, from the Revolution in 1688, 8vo. 2s. 6d. Almon. 1781. When this collection is declared ufeful to thofe who wish for a clear understanding of our prefent unhappy contests with other Powers on the rights of neutrality confiftently with fubfifting treaties, we have faid as much as this republication requires: for we muft fuppofe the treaties above mentioned to have been carefully reviewed by certain right honourable brethren a; another board; whofe decifions are final and an account of Mr. Jenkinson's excellent Difcourfe, which was first published in the year 1758, has already been given in our Review, vol. xix. p. 542. N. Art. 21. On Government; addreffed to the Public. By Thomas Wycliffe, of Liverpool. 8vo. 5 s. Warrington printed, 1780. In our 55th volume, p. 317, we mentioned the first edition of this fingular tract, then published without the Author's name.-In our 62d volume, p. 85, we again noticed Mr. W.'s performance, which then appeared in an enlarged form; and now we fee it yet more increased, both in bulk and price.-The Author ftill abides by his favourite idea of an universal empire, of which Great Britain is to be the centre, and feat of government; and he again recommends to our attention his new plan for a more equal parliamentary reprefentation, viz. into 69 counties, to be reprefented by 292 deputies,-and 197 members for parishes. His fcheme is illuftrated by a map,-to which the ingenious inventor might, not improperly, have given the title of British Utopia." Art. 22. Unity and Public Spirit, recommended in an Address to the Inhabitants of London and Westminster. To which are added, Two Odes: viz. The Miferies of Diffention and Civil War; and,The true Patriot, infcribed to Earl Cornwallis, and Sir George Brydges Rodney, Bart. 8vo. 1 s. 6 d. Davis. Though we may not altogether agree with this Writer in attributing our diffentions to the fame caufe, or look for political falvation to the fame point of union that he does, we, nevertheless, concur with him in recommending unity and public fpirit to our country # P. 27. t Jaftice to our Readers requires us to intimate, that the name of Mr. Jenkinson is not to be understood as ftanding to the whole of the prefent publication; but restricted to the particular tract, included in it, which appeared about the middle of the last war. L 2 men men at this alarming juncture. From the natural, civil, and religious advantages which we enjoy, he infinuates, that it is the duty of every citizen to acquiefce in all the measures of a Government which protects him in the enjoyment of thefe advantages. He forgets, and herein confifts the fallacy of his argument, that it is to the Constitution, and not to the adminifters of the government, that we are in debted for the bleffings he enumerates; and that, confequently, it is incumbent upon every man, as he will answer it to himself, to his pofterity, and to a ftill higher tribunal, whenever he perceives the liberties of his country in danger, to apply for redress to thofe legal means at least, which the Conflitution points out to him. The two odes, which are fubjoined, are not without merit, efpecially the firft. We should have liked them better, had they been written in regular ftanzas. There is no fpecies of compofition we wish to fee exploded fo much as that child of idleness and falfe tafte, the irregular ode. C.ft Art. 23. Letters to his Excellency the Count de Welderen, on the prefent Situation of Affairs between Great Britain and the United Provinces. By John Andrews, LL. D. 8vo. I s. 6d. White. 1781. A ferious, fenfible, and, we apprehend, unanswerable impeachment of the conduct of the Dutch toward their old friends, and natural allies, the English. In regard to Count Welderen, whofe character, indeed, merits every mark of the most decent attention, thefe Letters are couched in the most respectful terms: at once proving Dr. A. to be not only a found politician, but a polite writer. Art. 24. The Legal Means of Political Reformation, &c. &c. By Granville Sharp. 8vo. I S. White. 1780. We have frequently recommended the political fpeculations of this fenfible, patriotic Writer; who is a ftrenuous advocate for the lately revived doctrine of "a more equal reprefentation," and "annual Parliaments." In this publication, Mr. Sharp offers many remarks which justly merit the confideration of the Public. Art. 25. Letters addreffed to Sir Thomas Charles Bunbury, Member of Parliament for the County of Suffolk. By a Freeholder. 8vo. 2 s. Dixwell, &c. On the fuppofition, that we muft conquer America, or be ourselves loft in the iffue of the difpute;-and in the perfuafion, that it is the duty of every good fubject to offer any hints that may occur to him, toward promoting the welfare of his country ;-our honest Freeholder hath here thrown together his ideas, on a variety of political and military topics, of great importance to government, and, confequently, to the community at large. The points which he has difcuffed are -Better methods of recruiting the army, and manning the navy.— "New schemes of military enterprize, in order to humble the pride of France and Spain.-Project for purchafing of the Portuguese the ifland of Tercera, or any other of the Azores, that hath a good harbour, and which, by its fituation, might enable us to intercept every fhip from France and Spain, going to, or returning from any part of America.-Propofals for the better employment of convicted felons, by removing them from the ballaft lighters to work in the coalmins-Scheme for conciliating the friendship of Ruffia, by giving to 3 her her the island of Minorca, as a Mediterranean port; the advantages of which, to that Power, would, as our Author thews, be very confiderable: the place, he obferves, is of little ufe, but great expence, to us, whereas, in the hands of Ruffia, it would prove a formidable check upon the Bourbon-alliance. In confideration of fo valuable a ceflion to the Court of Petersburg, he proposes that the Czarina shall immediately affift us with twenty fhips of the line, and 20,000 men. Some other hints, for the fervice of Government, and the public benefit, are thrown out in the course of these Letters; for which we must refer to the publication at large. The Author expreffes himself like an honeft intelligent man, whofe meaning is good, although his fiyle and manner are not the most refined * or elegant. Art. 26. An Addrefs to the Committee of the County of York, on the State of Public Affairs. By David Hartley, Elq. Second Edit. 8vo. Is. Stockdale. 1781. Mr. D. Hartley's fentiments relative to the flate of our public affairs, are well known; and fo, likewife, are the opinions of the Yorkshire Committee. Thofe fentiments and opinions are here employed on the mifconduct of the war, both in America and Europe,the evil meafures of Adminiftration,--the corruption of Parliament, -plans of political reformation, particularly the great fcheme for fhortening the duration of Parliaments, and for eftablishing a more equal representation of the people. Many things are here recommended to public attention, which deferve to be well confidered by "every friend to the true intereft of this divided and dißrated country. Mr. Hartley having now no longer any parliamentary employment,' continues, we fee, to devote his abilities to the fervice of that GREATER SOCIETY of which he was born a member; and for this fresh proof of his patriotifm, he is certainly entitled to the grateful acknowledgments of his countrymen.-For his Two Letters to the Yorkfaire Committee, fee Review for June 1780, p. 486. Art. 27. A Tranflation of the Memorial to the Sovereigns of Europe, upon the preient State of Affairs between the Old and the New World, into Common Senfe and intelligible English. 8vo. 1 s. Stockdale. 1781. In our Review for Aug. 1780, we gave an account of the "Memorial to the Sovereigns of Europe;" the author of which was not then mentioned, nor even gueffed at. The work was fuppofed to have been the production of no ordinary pen, but rather to have come from a mailerly hand, who chofe to conceal himself under the difguife of a peculiar ftyle, and a fictitious tale, with respect to the birth and parentage of the nameless foundling. The language of this piece was variously fpoken of, at the time of its first publication: "It is ftiff and affected"-" It is quaint"-" It is difguifed by a ftudied obfcurity"-"It ought to be tranflated into plain English."-Of the fame opinion with the last objector, was (we He honeftly profeffes that his Letters lay claim to no particular merit, in refinement of language and compofition, though in point of fubject matter they deferve the ferious confideration of every man of judgment in this country.' 3 fuppofe) fuppofe) the ingenious Author of the prefent re- publication; who not only profeffes to have rendered this famous Memorial into intelligible English, but alfo to have reduced it to common Jenfe: a point of improvement in which we did not perceive the original to ftand in much need. With respect to the real author of this performance, the prefent Tranflator fcruples not to tell us, that the Memorial is faid to have been written by Governor P-1 * :'—perhaps he is right; but whoever was the parent, or whatever were his reafons for concealment, we think he had no caufe to be ashamed of his offspring. We have only to add, in regard to the merit of this tranflation, as it is called, that the Re-publisher of the Memorial has certainly clothed it in a more eafy, natural, and becoming drefs. He has alfo confiderably reduced it in fize; but fome Readers will poffibly think, that while it hath gained by elegance of form, it hath rather Suffered by abridgment: as the rough diamond is reduced by the polifher. Like the diamond, however, in the Jeweller's hand, this performance appears to much greater advantage, by having its fentiments new fet, by a skilful artist. POETICA L. Art. 28. A Poem occafioned by the late Calamities of England; in particular thofe on the 6th and 7th of June 1780. 4to. 1 s. 6 d. Becket. This poem is written in fuch a train of Lycophrontic fublimity as frequently to fet all fober criticism at defiance: "Who bids in bick'rings fume before my eyes That thus inform'd my fenfe. "C..t... This Writer's fault confifts not fo much in the deficiency of his ideas, as in the want of tafte and judgment in the arrangement of them. Art. 29. September. A Rural Poem. Humbly infcribed to all Sportfmen. With Notes and Illuftrations. By a Gentleman. 4to. 2 S Baldwin. 1780. This good-humoured Satirift is a tolerably fair fportfman, feldom firing at any thing but lawful game. Though he fometimes makes a random hot, he hits his mark as frequently as many do who take a Some, with very fmall appearance of probability, afcribed it to Dr. Benjamin Franklin. more |