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ficient time for any one to prepare this little drama, in a fit man. ner, for the stage. 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 ftory, 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 start. From the ftrict truth of the facts, the ftage required fome deviation. This is a licence always allowed to fictitious diftrefs. GERMEIUL, in the drama, is ftill alive in the original he returns too abruptly, without due preparation. The English piece feems to have aimed at correcting this defect, but, we think, without fufficient improvement. There is another circumftance that required the utmost management. Nina, in the interview with her lover, recovers her reason. This furely ought to proceed by flow degrees; but it is too much hurried, and probability is fcarcely preferved. The translator, however, ought not to be cenfured. To make a drama, like this, perfect in its kind, time and confideration were neceffary. Our modern writers are galloping their fpur-galled Pegafus to come in firft at the winning-poft, and the laurel falls to the share of none. M-I

Art. 26. 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. 1s. Symonds. 1787. We take these two pieces together, as they are tranflations of the fame French piece, which, it feems, has had great fuccefs at Paris. The last 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 publish, aware that the jofling race our dramatic authors run, in importing fuccessful pieces from Paris, has urged him to a hafty tranflation. This writer further adds, that a piece, the chief merit of which confifts in pantomimical fituations, is not wholly calculated for the clofet of criticism. 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 taste of the audience; much lefs can we think, that the writers of our own country, who run a race for fuch commodities, are in titled to any degree of commendation: nor can we fee any reafon 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 trumpery in each of them. Much lefs is it our intention to analyse the fable of the French author. The whole is built upon the ftrongest 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 reprefentation of human life and manners, it becomes a worthless performance. We have often feen, on the ftage, how a man, by overhearing part of a converfation, may be led into a mistake; how a woman in disguise

may

may påfs 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 fuch 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.

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Art. 28. The Riddle. By the late unhappy George Robert Fitzgerald, Efq. With Notes, by W. Bingley, formerly of London, Bookfeller. 4to. 18. Jamefon. 1787.

When we perused this fingular compofition, we thought it fo very indecent, that it would be impoffible for us to praife 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 loose verses which the Author has introduced under the denomination of "arch entendre double." -On a second confideration, however, by a guess 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 loose verfes' being applied fo fully to two different ideas, we think them improper to be read by a modeft female *.

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

NOVELS.

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

fewed. Lane. 1787.

G. 2.

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 chufes to reprefent her plain and unadorned. In a word, the characteristic of his romances is fimplicity.

In the history 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 discovered 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," whose story is likewife relared in the Guardian, N° 150. A.B.

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 poflibly tend, in fome degree, to accelerate the wretched fate of the fatirift: but this, furely, was impoffible.

Art.

Art. 30. The Hiftory of Henrietta Mortimer. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5$

fewed. Hookham. 1787.

Were the merits of a novel to lie in its intrigo, as Mr. Bayes expreffes it, in the heaping of incident on incident, and that in defiance of eftablished rules, the hiftory of Henrietta Mortimer would be a capital performance indeed! The plot of it is as extravagant as that of a Spanish comedy, in which there is ufually fuch a multiplicity of events, that the mind is kept continually and painfully on the ftretch, in order to retain or retrace them. Such a compofition has little to recommend it to notice. There can be no delineation of character-there can be no difplay of fentiment. The pages are taken up in twifting, and then endeavouring to untie a knot, which, after all, the ingenious twifter is generally obliged to cut.

From the style of this novel, we fuppofe it to be the production of a female pen. Mr. Selby is a gentleman of a pretty fortune.' • Lady Sophia is never down till nine o'clock;' and fo forth. 4. B. Art. 31. The Hiftory of Mifs Greville. By the Author of Interefting Memoirs.' 3 Vols. 12mo. 7s. 6d. fewed. Cadell. 1787. We have feldom perufed a novel with which we have been better pleafed, or more affected, than with the prefent; and we regret that the limits of our Review will not permit us to expatiate fo much up on the merits of this production as we could with. Many and beautiful are the paffages we could felect for the gratification of our readers, did not this reafon prevent us. Some of the scenes are drawn with exquifite tenderness and pathos, the fentiments are pure and virtuous, and the language in which they are clothed is for the most part elegant. We are not of opinion that the Author has altogether proved what fhe was defirous of illuftrating-the poffibility of overcoming a first attachment. After frequent and great Atruggles in the mind of the heroine to acquire a victory over her unhappily-placed affections, many and deep regrets appear to difturb her happiness and interrupt her tranquillity. Mrs. Keir holds a diftinguished place among the novelifts of the prefent age; and what age has abounded more in this fpecies of writers? It is beyond the power of any one, endued with the fmalleft fhare of divine fenfibility,' to rife from the perufal of thefe volumes without feeling his heart meliorated, his affections expanded, and directed to their pro per objects, and his virtuous inclinations confirmed. S.R. Art. 32. The Minor; or Hiftory of George O'Nial, Efq. 12mo. fewed. Lane.

2 Vols. 55. In this ill-written book, the Author has reprefented human nature in the moft ugly and unfeemly fhapes. His perfons can only be compared, in filthinefs, with the fauns and fatyrs of poetic days. EDUCATION, SCHOOL Books, &c.

aYA: B.

Art. 33. The Looking Glafs for the Mind; or intellectual Mirror. Being a Collection of Stories and Tales, chiefly tranflated from L'Ami des Enfans. 12mo. 2s. 6d. bound. Newbery. 1787. As M. Berquin's Children's Friend has gained fuch univerfal ap plaufe, this felection from that work will meet with general appro

* See Rev. vol. lxxiv. p. 307.

bation.

bation. The ftories are told in eafy, flowing language, and are well calculated for the entertainment and inftruction of young readers. G.2. Art. 34. The Rational Dame; or, Hints towards fupplying Prattle for Children. 12mo. 1s. 6d. fewed. Marshall. 1786.

A very rational' compilation for young perfons of both fexes, containing defcriptions and plates of quadrupeds, reptiles, infects, &c. The defcriptions are fhort and clear; but they would, perhaps, be more fuitable to young understandings, if the language were lefs technical; few children, for inftance, can tell what is meant by digitated animals, the larva of gnats, the pupe of butterflies,' &c. &c. D

Art. 35. La Bonne Mère. Contenant de petites Pieces Dramatiques, &c. i. e. The Good Mother. Containing little Dramatic Pieces, each preceded by the Definition and followed by the Moral, between the Good Mother and her two Daughters, &c. By M. Perrin. 12mo. 3s. 6d. bound. Law, &c. 1786.

Books of education in our own language have lately encreased in an extraordinary degree, and French collections "à l'ufage de la jeuneffe," and" à l'ufage des écoles," are coming out very frequently. The prefent is on a plan, which, we think, has not yet been adopted. It confifts of little dramas, each preceded by a definition (in a converfation between the Good Mother and her two daughters) of the leading title of the play: for inftance, in the drama of The Benevolent Young Lady,' the Good Mother asks her children what benevolence is? and if their anfwers do not quite agree with her ideas, the explains them farther. Thefe are followed by the moral of the play, which is, in our opinion, a good thought, and, as well as the definitions, executed in a commendable manner. After this are given hiftorical sketches and anecdotes fuitable to the preceding drama; but many of the anecdotes, &c. have been already published in productions fimilar to La Bonne Mère:

In a word, this compilement is well adapted for the entertainment and improvement of young ladies, in particular, who are learning the French language; yet it may alfo be read with advantage by youth of both fexes. We with, indeed, it had been more correctly printed. D:

LAW.

Art. 36. The fuperintending Power of the Magiftrate, and the dif cretionary Power of Parish Officers, in the apprenticing of Parish Children, confidered. With a fhort Addrefs to Thomas Gilbert, Efq. relative to the Repeal of the Poor Laws. 8vo. Whieldon. 1787.

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This pamphlet originated on the following occafion : One of the churchwardens, and one of the overfeers of a parish, refusing to concur in executing indentures for putting out two parish children as apprentices, the other overfeer complained of this conduct, and the parties perfifting in their refufal, the juftices levied a fine of twenty fhillings upon each of them for negligence of office. An action of trefpafs was brought by the overfeer who had been fined, against two of the juftices for levying the penalty without jurif Rev. July, 1787.

G

diction;

diction; and the caufe being tried at the Summer affizes 1786, at Huntingdon, a verdict was given for the plaintiff, fubject nevertheTefs to the opinion of the court of Common Pleas, in matters of law arifing on the trial. At Michaelmas term, this court, without having the cafe fully argued before them (as it is reprefented), ordered the verdict to be confirmed.

The defendants now appeal to the public, and ftate, that by 43 Eliz. fec. 5. "It shall be lawful for the churchwardens and overfeers, or the greater part of them, by the affent of any two juftices of the peace aforesaid, to bind any fuch children as aforefaid to be apprentices, where they fall fee convenient." It was argued against them at Huntingdon, that the greater part required by the act was wanting; two officers being for binding, and two against it: that the required affent of the juftices is fubfequent to the application of fuch officers; fo that their interference previous to an application was extra-judicial: that the application must be voluntary, not compulfive; for the officers may refufe to bind fuch children apprentices with impunity and that therefore the profecution must be deemed oppreffive and malicious.

The defendants now reply, that the feveral fections of a statute are to be compared together to obtain the complete meaning of them; for that the moment the will of the fubject can impede the will of the legislature with impunity, that moment the will of the legiflature ceafes to be a law: that though the law vefts a difcretionary power in the officers to bind paupers, where they may fee convenient, to bind them fomewhere is their duty: that the officers have a difcretionary power to relieve the impotent, either in a workhoufe or out of it, but they have no difcretionary power to ftarve them; therefore, as fect. 2. inflicts a penalty of twenty fhillings on officers who are negligent in their office, an officer refufing to bind out children is liable to the penalty.

The court however did not adopt this conftruction; and the fault is imputed to the counfel retained in the court of Common Pleas, who did not enter into the propofed inveftigation.

The charge of oppreffion and malice, ftarted by the counsellor for the plaintiff at Huntingdon, gives rife to a fevere remonftrance for fo unfounded and wanton an exercise of language,

EXCISE LAW S.

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Art. 37. An Appeal to the Common Senfe of the Nation: containing fome remarks upon "An Act for repealing certain Duties upon Wines imported, and for granting new Duties," &c. fhewing that no Englishman, as the Law now ftands, is fafe in his Bed, unless in Prifon. By S. Purlewent, of Lincoln's-Inn. 8vo. 15. Wilkie, 1787.

By the act 2 Geo. III. c. 59. f. 39. perfons giving or using a falfe permit for the removal of foreign wine, muft forfeit 500l. By f. 40. the fame penalty is impofed on forging, or ufing forged certificates of recognizance. And by f. 41. in every action for the faid penalties, fufficient bail fhall be given. It is contended, that, by these claufes, a perfon is punished before he is tried: that the most virtuous man is placed in a worse fituation than a common pickpocket,

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