But then, unlike the general run of Novelifts, he is poffelfed of a lively imagination; a competent judgment of human life and manners; and, if not of an elegance, at least of an affluence of language. His book certainly deferves to be read with attention; for it contains juft and falutary fatire, pertinent reflections, and agreeable pictures: it is true, fome of the schemes he propofes for amending certain customs that prevail among us, are altogether Utopian, but the very contemplation of more perfect plans may have its ufe, as it must naturally excite us to make all poffible improvements in those we are obliged to follow.

His account of the political principles of two of the Lunatic family, viz. Sir Whimsical Lunatic, and Sir Humphry, the Author's father, conveys a juft fatire on pretended Patriotifm-In the character of Sir Whimfical, we fee how frequently the human mind miftakes the principles by which it is actuated, and how much, in general, it is influenced by external circumftances in that of Sir Humphry, we behold the vanity of political zeal, buffling to no end, and disturbing the path of life with painful infignificance,

The Author, when in the lunar world, could not but meet with his friend Bishop Wilkins. He finds the Prelate in a diftinguished fituation, and from him receives an account of many confiderable perfons who had been removed from this our globe into that region. The allotments of Peter the Great of Mufcovy, Alexander the Great, and Charles XII. of Sweden; Henry the VIIIth, Queen Elizabeth, Oliver Cromwell, Charles the fecond of England, Lewis the fourteenth, Cardinal Wolfey, and Cecil Lord Burleigh, are characteristic and entertaining. The speech of Cromwell, in particular, is mafterly and ingenious; but the Author is, perhaps, a little out in his obfervation, that Henry the eighth fhould carry with him the fpirit of religious reformation-It is certain that Monarch had no real regard for religion; and, though he defended the Romish faith, and afterwards introduced the Lutheran fcheme, vanity was his motive in the former, and revenge in the latter.

We fhall difmifs this article with a fhort fpecimen of the Au thor's manner: being a droll account of a trial between Beau Nath and old Cato, before the principal Magiftrate in the ifland of Noibla. Thus Nafh opens his caufe:

May it please you, I was esteemed upon earth a very confiderable perfonage; it is true I am in the Moon at prefent; but no matter for that, I was Mafter of the Ceremonies at a place called Bath: indeed they used to ftile me King of it; and, tho' I am no Citizen here, I ruled all the Citizens there; nay, fcoldA a 2 ed

ed Ladies, cut jokes upon Lords, directed balls, bespoke plays, and did-in fhort I did what I pleased: the corporation idolized, the long-rooms reverenced, the coffee-houfes adored me: I had my ftatue fet up in the pump-room, not a good likeness; but no matter for that. I was always a great enemy to quarrels, and therefore never fuffered a fword to be drawn in my territories; fo not knowing there would be any occafion for fuch implements in another world, I came hither quite unprovided; which this grim old Roman being acquainted with, took the advantage of fuperior ftrength, and yesterday pulled me by the nofe all round the Salmina Ruvenal, fpurring me on, every fix or eight yards, with a fevere kick, which I think very ungentleman-like treatment, and I hope you will think so too, that he may be corrected for it."

The familiar nothingnefs of this fpeech, occafioned a general fmile through the audience, and I obferved that even the Namredal had fome difficulty to command his muscles; however, reafon and the dignity of his office checking other feelings, he took occafion to remark, that neither of the Parties being naturalized, nor any law provided in Noibla, against such violent proceedings, the juftice to be adapted in this cafe, muft lie entirely upon his judgment, which he would adminifter with all poffible impartiality: for this purpose he defired the Defendant to offer his negative, or palliation.

The accufed, who was no lefs than the great Cato, delivered himfelf to the following effect: "Sage Son of Justice and Law! to be Competitor or Difputant with fuch a Thing as now ftands before me, is punishment equal to the highest crime; yet unworthy, and far beneath my notice as he is, I fhall enter into an account of my conduct, which has difcovered no fault but that of too much mildness.

"This felf-blown bubble has, in tracing himself, fufficiently fhewn his emptinefs and infignificance; nor will it avail much. to fet the paltry portrait in more glaring colours, than that he fpent a life of fourfcore years in a motley mixture of vice, idlenefs, foppery, and ridiculous authority; the jeft of sensible men, the companion of fharpers, and terror of dancing girls; laughed at in youth, and despised in age.

"How different from this the race I ran? My early years employed in the cultivation of my mind; thofe of ripened manhood worn, as I may fay, in ftemming the torrent of faction;

there view a fkipping child of folly-here behold a difinterefted fon of Liberty;-and fhall-Óh Heavens-this infect, not two degrees above mere inftinct, because we are met in a region where juft diftinctions ceafe, dare to mate himself with

Cato

Cato unchaftifed? No, let it not be faid. Roufed by his biting taunts, I own I did treat him in the manner he has set forth; nor can I think unjustly; yet if fortune, which has pursued me even hither with her frowns, continues to torment me, I cannot avoid her malice, and therefore must endure it."

This reply being concluded, in which may be difcovered as much of ftoical pride, as the other fhewed of foppifh felf-fufficiency, the Namredal difcuffed their cafe in the following

manner:

"It is amazing, that in this region of tranquillity, neither example, nor the fear of difgrace, which is the most poignant fting of all punishment, can reduce fublunars from that turbulent fpirit fo prevalent amongst them. You, Nafh, continues he, who boaft of having been fo many years Conductor of public manners, ought to know better, than to break untimely jefts upon a man fo much more eminent than you ever could pretend to be; notwithstanding those who think themselves Wits on earth, may indulge a fuppofed privilege of cafting their darts indifcriminately round, we never can fuffer it here, unless in form of legal punishment, fince it is repugnant both to reason and humanity; I fhall therefore enjoin you to obferve an abfolute filence for one Rayamon, never hereafter, on any pretence, to utter a falfity, and to be clothed all the while of your filence in a coarse garment, the direct contraft to that you seem so fond of."-Here the Beau groaned deeply, and begged for his white hat; but even that was denied him; which feemed to have still a more fenfible effect; while Cato confeffed a kind of cynical joy at fo ridiculous a diftrefs; but, as the enjoyments of ill nature ever fhould be, it was of very fhort continuance; for when he thought himself juftified in his antagonist's sentence, the Namredal opened his eyes, and mortified his pride thus:

"Think not, Cato, that the conviction of him exculpates you; though you did receive fome flight offence, yet I know not any rational fyftem that unites the feveral characters of Complainant, Judge, and Executioner: befides, there is in your defence fomewhat as blameable as in the former part of your conduct. Your Accufer fets forth his own character justly, without throwing any farcafms upon yours; he betrayed pride; but then it is of the inoffenfive kind.—On the contrary, you have endeavoured to mount yourself on his poor ruins; you have carefully diminished him, and oftentatiously magnified yourfelf; though a man of your reflection must know, that the greatest merit vanishes before felf-praife, like chaff before the wind befides, you have envioufly fuppreffed one most amiable part of his character, an induftrious, unlimited difpofition to

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Charity,

Charity, which must have reached your ears, as well as other points relating to him.-You boaft of Philofophy; how comes it, that fo armed, you could not reftrain yourself from blows, and fuffer his infignificance to pafs unheeded? But the paffion of ungovernable pride, which intoxicated you on earth, ftill vifibly prevails, tho' you have fo often felt its bad effects; in this cafe I cannot avoid paffing upon you the following fentence: That, after Nafh has performed his penance, you fhall be obliged to keep him company for two Rayamons; when, by my authority, he may talk as much, as loud, as faft, and vent as keen a ridicule as he pleases, being at liberty once each Toirta to claim the affiftance of his affociates Cibber and Rich."

These names made the Stoic fhudder; but knowing the matter was unavoidable, he collected what refolution he could to carry off appearances, and flounced out of Court with a look of ineffable contempt, while Cæfar and Pompey, who had been listening from a corner to the whole tranfaction, indulged their mirth very freely on this occafion."

Towards the end of this volume we find fome valuable reflections for the use of the Ladies, which recommending to their perufal, we here take leave of our fenfible and entertaining Lunatic.

An Enquiry into the Human Mind, on the Principles of Common Senje. By Thomas Reid, D. D. Profeflor of Philofophy in King's College, Aberdeen. 8vo. 7 s. bound. Millar.

VERY Enquiry into the conftitution of the human

E mind, if conducted with modefty, and in the only true

method, viz. that of experiment and obfervation, is justly entitled to a candid and attentive examination. There are many pe fons, indeed, who treat whatever is called Metaphyfics with great contempt; who look upon all fuch researches as fit only to amufe the wife, and to be the ferious ftudy of the dull. this contempt refts on no juft foundation; nay, is extremely unreasonable. For furely it will never be denied, that the Mind of man is a very noble and curious part of the divine workmanfhip; that its powers of reafon, its moral faculties, its focial inftincts, its benevolent propenfions, in a word, its whole fabric opens to our view a peculiar and furprizing fcene of wifdom. Several of its powers and faculties are cafily diftinguished from each other; and the finer and more philofophical diftinctions, tho' difficult to be comprehended, are no lefs real and cer ain,.

certain, than those that are obvious. There is a truth and falfhood, therefore, in all propofitions on this fubject; and Philofophy, if cultivated with care, and encouraged by the favourable regard of the public, may, no doubt, carry its researches ftill farther than it has hitherto done, and difcover, at least in fome measure, the fecret fprings by which the human Mind is actuated in its operations. It follows then, that this subject is highly worthy of our attention on its own account; but this is not all even thofe arts and profeffions which have life and action for their object, derive many advantages from an exact fcrutiny into the powers and faculties of the human Mind. A fpirit of accuracy carries all of them nearer their perfection, and renders them more fubfervient to the interefts of fociety. Were there nothing, indeed, to recommend fuch ftudies, but the gratification of an innocent curiofity, even this ought not to be defpifed: for furely the most delightful path of life, is that which leads through the fields of fcience and learning; he, therefore, who either removes any obftructions in this way, or opens any new profpect, adds to the number of thofe few fafe and harmlefs pleasures which are beftowed upon us; and ought, in that refpect, to be efteemed a benefactor to the hu

man race.

Thus much we thought neceffary to fay in vindication of metaphysical enquiries; we now proceed to the work before us, wherein the Author takes a furvey of one little corner of the human Mind, as he expreffes it,-that corner which seems to be most exposed to vulgar obfervation, and to be moft eafily comprehended. Whether he has delineated it justly or not, we shall not take upon us to determine; every competent judge, however, muft neceffarily allow, and every candid judge will readily allow, that he has thrown new light on the philofophy of the human Mind, and given many proofs of uncommon acuteness and penetration. His manner of writing too, is much more agreeable and entertaining than that of the generality of Metaphyficians; he ridicules the fceptical fyftems with fo much fpirit and humour, that many parts of his performance may be read with pleasure, by thofe who have but a fuperficial knowlege of his fubject. As he combats feveral opinions that are generally received, he will probably, at firft, have but few admirers; be this, however, as it may, no perfon, who has not paid a very careful and diligent attention to the operations of his own mind, can poffibly be a competent judge of his performance.

What he proposes is, to juftify the common fenfe of mankind, against the fceptical fubtleties which, in this age, have endeavoured to put it out of countenance; a very laudable attempt, and in which every friend to truth muft with him fuc

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cefs.