Art. 17. A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord North, on the Eaft India Bill now depending in Parliament. 8vo. 1s. Almon. 1772. There are strictures and remarks in this performance, which deferve the confideration of the noble perfon to whom they are addreffed. The inftitution, in particular, of a refident minifter at Calcutta, here fuggefted, feems a very neceffary addition to the regulations propofed for the re-establishment of order and grandeur in Bengal, and its provinces.

MATHEMATICS, GEOGRAPHY, &c. Art. 18. A Synopfis of practical Mathematics; containing plain Trigonometry; Menfuration of Heights, Distances, Surfaces, and Solids; Surveying of Land, Gauging, Navigation, and Gunnery. With Tables of the Logarithms of Numbers, and of Sines and Tangents. By Alexander Ewing. 12mo. 4s. bound. Edinburgh printed, and fold in London by Cadell.

A judicious collection of rules and examples belonging to the subjects specified in the title-page, and ufeful to those who need the practice, but who have not time or inclination to acquaint themfelves with the theory, of mathematics.

Art. 19. The Atlantic Pilot. 8s. Printed for the Author. Sold by Leacroft. 1772.

This little treatife, with the three charts which accompany it, is very properly intitled the Atlantic Pilet, and cannot fail to be of ufe to thofe who traverse the Western Ocean; that part of it especially which lies towards the New Bahama Channel, and the mouth of the Gulph of Mexico, oppofite the island of Cuba, on the Martiere rocky reefs and fand-banks,' where the navigation is particularly dangerous. The Author (Mr. Gerard de Brahm, his Majefty's Surveyor-general of the fouthern district of North America) received orders, in 1764, for making difcoveries with regard to thofe feas, and for carrying on a regular furvey of the countries to which they fet bounds; and he feems to have executed his commiffion with great fidelity, accuracy, and diligence.

The Atlantic Pilot is particularly calculated for the fafer conduct of fhips in their navigation from the Gulph of Mexico along Cuba and the Martieres, through the New Bahama Channel to the northern part of his Majefty's dominions upon the continent of North America, and from thence to Europe.' It contains feveral furveys and obfervations, not altogether uninterefting to the natural hiftorian, but peculiarly important to the feaman, with refpect to thofe coafts and tracts of country, which were the immediate objects of the Author's commiffion.

One of thefe charts is of the ancient Tegefta, now called the promontory of Eaft Florida. There is another chart of the South-end of Baft Florida and Martiers. The third is an hydrographical map of the Atlantic Ocean, extending from the fouthermoft part of North America to Europe; fhewing the different variations of the compafs, the fetting and changes of the currents in the Ocean, &c. The Author has annexed to this fmall treatife a table of loxodromy and obfervations, from which the laft of thefe maps is laid down; together with another table, fhewing the feveral variations of the compafs

from

from 81° W. long. from London, and 26° 50′ N. lat. to 12° 30′ long. and 49° 40' lat.

POETICAL.

Art. 20. Alonzo; or, the youthful Solitaire. A Tale. 4to. I s. 6d. Robfon, &c.

1772.

An indifferent verfification of an unaffecting ftory, taken from Gil Blas; with fome variations. Simplicity is become the bon ton in poetry; and here we have Simplicity Simplified.

Art. 21. Two Odes; to Fortitude, and an Eafy, Chair. 4to. 15. Folingfby.

One or two pieces having, within a few years paft, appeared in praife of Indifference, the Author of thefe Odes, in difdain of so inert and useless a principle, has attacked it both feriously and ludicroufly, and not without fuccefs, as a member of fociety, and as a fon of the Muses.

In his ode to Fortitude he demands,

What is INDIFFERENCE? Fear or Hate?

Or Pride, affecting to be wife ?

Or Indolence? or Scorn elate,

That aims above the world to rise?

No fympathy of joys or grief
Can her cold felfish fpirit know;
No balm to Mifery's relief

She brings, untaught the friendly woe.

INDIFFERENCE, cool, and neutral still
To Virtue's caufe, can juftly crave
No real boon; but does no ill,

And hopes to perish in the grave!

Curs'd be the thought!-to nobler views
Awake my foul, ambitious rife,

To covet gifts divine! to choose,

And ftrive to gain, the richest prize!'

His ode to an Eafy Chair, he ftyles a contrast to the foregoing. It has humour, and is a good burlesque of the Prayer for Indifference.' Art. 22. Original Poems on various Suljects. By a young Lady

of eighteen Years of Age. 4to. 5 s. fewed. Cadell, &c.

In the firft of thefe little miscellaneous poems, which feems to ftand as introductory to the reft, this Authorefs of eighteen makes the following declaration; viz.

if these trifles-fhould infpire

The wife reproof, or critic's ire;
I'll drop my pen, without difmay,
Forbid the verfe, forget the lay;
And think I'm wifer by restraint,
Than if I could all Nature paint.'

Thefe trifles may, indeed, deferve the reproof of Wisdom;' but, with every allowance for the juvenility, and all our partiality for the fex, of the Writer, we cannot think them of importance enough to merit the critic's ire.' We hope, therefore, that the young Lady

Ff 3

will

will prove her good fenfe by taking the friendly hint, and adhering to her declared refolution. Art. 23. Conjugal Love: An Elegy. 4to. 6d. Cambridge printed, and fold by Davies, &c. in London. 1772.

4

Conjugal felicity is a fubject that will naturally prepoffefs the mind of every fober and virtuous Reader in favour of whatever is written in its praife. Hence, were there, in this little encomium on domeftic happiness, lefs merit than it really contains, we might still, perhaps, find ourselves biased in its favour, from the opinion we conceive of the Writer's worthy and amiable difpofition.-Abftractedly, however, from this confideration, our respect to TRUTH obliges us to allow that there is a stiffness in these verses, and a want of originality in point of fentiment, which will not permit us to rank them with the works of our best poets. It is not equal to Gilbert Cooper's Winifreda, which the Author feems to have had in view, and from which he appears to have borrowed the pretty thought expreffed in the following ftanza, which turns on the pleasure we receive in age, from the reflection that our youth will be renewed in our growing pofterity:

Then, in my boys, fome lovely maid, I'll woo,
Whofe virtues, and whofe form, refemble thine;"
While, in your girls, fhall pay his court to you,

Some honest youth, whofe bofom throbs like mine.'

Cooper has more happily expreffed the fame pleasing idea, in fever words:

"And when with envy Time transported,

Shall think to rob us of our joys;
You'll in your girls again be courted,

And I'll go wooing in my bays."

Several other ftanzas are alfo built on Mr. Cooper's foundation. Art. 24. The Senators; or, a candid Examination into the Merits of the principal Performers of St. Stephen's Chapel. 4to. 2 s. 6 d. Kearly. 1772.

Virulent abufe, in wretched rhymes, poured out upon, fome of the moft diftinguished perfons in the prefent House of C————~—s; with exceptions in favour of a few leading men in the oppofition. Art. 25. Elays on Song-writing With a Collection of fuch English Songs as are molt eminent for poetical Merit. To which are added, fome original Pieces. 8vo. 3 s. 6d. fewed. Johnson.

1772.

We have perufed thefe Effays with fingular pleasure. The Author has treated the fubject of fong writing like a true critic, and a man of tafte: he thinks juftly, and he writes elegantly.

This appearance of ftiffness, which, indeed, feems rather to affect the eye than the ear, may poffibly arife, in fome measure, from the fuperabundance of commas, of which the Author feems to be extremely fond. The too frequent ufe of this pun&um ferves only to interrupt the natural flow of the numbers; and is a fault which may be called fammering on paper.

He

He confiders his fubject under the following diftin&t heads :-I. Of fong-writing in general. `II. On ballads and paftoral fongs. III. Paffionate and defcriptive fongs. IV. Ingenious and witty fongs.

On each of these heads his remarks are pertinent, ingenious, and entertaining. In his choice of our English fongs, of which this volume contains about 130 (and which he has claffed in the fame manner with the essays, each of the difcourfes ftanding as an introduction to the poetical clafs which follows it) he has been fcrupulous to infert none but fuch pieces as deferved the honour of felection, both from the merit of the poetry, and the purity and chastity of the fentiments they contain: and in his choice he has very laudably, guarded against offending that charming delicacy of the sex, which every man must admire, and ought to respect.'

He does not pretend to have culled every valuable production which this branch of poetry affords. For, as he rightly obferves, difference of taste will always prevent uniformity of judgment, even where the faculties of judging are equal;' and therefore, he adds, I have been much lefs folicitous to give a collection to which nothing could be added, than one from which nothing could reasonably be rejected." We will venture, however, to recommend one piece to his notice, in cafe of a fecond edition, to which the merit of this compilation will certainly conduct it, viz. that beautiful compound of wit, fentiment, and paffion-" Sweet are the charms of her I love," &c. which we have heard afcribed to the celebrated Barton Booth.

We fhall point out the clafs of Readers for which this publication is calculated, in the words of the ingenious Compiler's preface:The foft warbler, fays he, who fills up a vacancy of thought with a tune, in which the fucceffion of words gives no idea but that of a fucceffion of founds, will here be much difappointed in meeting with the names of Prior, Congreve, and Landfdown, instead of Arne, Brent, and Tenducci. The midnight roarer of coarfe jeft, and obfcenity, will be still farther out of his element. But to those who are enamoured with that facred art which, beyond every other, elevates and refines the foul, to whom the fprightly lyre of Horace and Anacreon, and the melting mufic of Sappho ftill found, though ages have paffed fince they vibrated on the ear, I will venture to promife a fource of enjoyment, from the works of thofe great masters whofe names adorn this collection, which I hope they will not think too dearly purchased by the perufal of fuch introductory matter as is fubmitted to their candid examination.'

The original pieces added to this collection, are in no respect unworthy the good company into which they are introduced.

NovEL S.

Art. 26. The Unequal Alliance; or, the History of Lord Afford. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. Noble.

This production is replete with romantic folly, and offers not one circumftance that can recommend it to attention.

Art. 27. The Indifcreet Connection; or, the Hiftory of Mifs Lefter. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5.s. fewed. Noble. 1772.

In thefe volumes the fair fex will meet with fome of thofe leffons of prudence, which many of them are too apt to neglect.

Ff4

Art.

Art.28. The Younger Brother. A Tale. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5. fewed. Newberry.

When we confider the imperfection and demerit of the generality of the works of this clafs, we cannot but beftow our commendation on the prefent volumes. They are written with a degree of humour, and a knowledge of life, that render them both interesting and agreeable.

Art. 29. The Birmingham Counterfeit; or, Invifible Spectator: A Sentimental Romance. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6 s. Bladon. 1772.

A Birmingham Shilling recites its travels and adventures, on the hacknied and worn-out plan on which the Adventures of a Guinea*, with a multitude of other Invisible Spies, have been written.

LA W.

Art. 30. The Rife and Practice of Imprisonment in perfonal Actions examined; and a Mode of Proceeding offered, reconciling the ancient and modern Practice, in Aid both of Debtor and Creditor. By a Barrister at Law. 8vo. I s. 6d. Wilkie.

1772.

There are here many pertinent, and some acute obfervations; but the method propofed to relieve the hardships complained of, appears not of fufficient efficacy. The difeafe calls for a remedy of more powerful operation. Opiates will furnish only a temporary aid. The medicine to be applied, ought to work a radical, and a perpetual cure.

Art. 31. An Introduction to the Law relative to Trials at Nifi Prius. By Francis Buller, Efq; of the Middle Temple. 4to. 18 s. Bathurst. 1772.

The requifites for executing this undertaking were only labour and diftinétnefs; and thefe qualities, the Author has very fully exerted. His work confifts of feven parts. The first part, which be divides into three books, treats of thofe actions which may be brought for injuries affecting the perfon, and which have relation to perfonal and real property. The fecond enumerates thofe actions which are founded on contracts and engagements. The actions given by ftatute, and the criminal profecutions, which have a reference to civil rights, are explained in the third and fourth parts. The fifth examines into traverfes of inquifitions of office, and prohibitions. Evidence in general is the object of the fixth; and the feventh regards the general matters relative to trials at Nifi Prius.-This work is, with propriety, dedicated to the prefent Chancellor, as it is compiled from his Lordship's papers.

MEDICA L.

Art. 32. An Efay on the Bilious or Fellow Fever of Jamaica: collected from the Manufcript of a late Surgeon. By Charles Blicke. I s. 6d. Becket. 1772.

8vo.

Whether Mr. Charles Blicke, who, in an advertisement prefixed to this publication, and dated from the Old Jewry, gives a fomewhat circumftantial account of the Manuf.ript from which it is collected, was really impofed upon by his friend, the furgeon deceased; -or whether the faid Mr. Blicke be a literary Nonentity, or rather

* See Rev. vol. xxiii,

one