formed of its ill fuccefs on the first night of its appearance on Covent Garden theatre. This Farce, however, is not ill written; nor deftitute of either humour or character. It has afforded us entertainment in the perufal; but as we were not prefent when, as the title-page expreffes it, it was attempted to be acted,' we cannot pretend to affign the grounds of diflike on which it was rejected by the audience. Perhaps its miffortune was owing to fome deficiency in refpect of that artificial contrivance which feems neceffary to make a play a well, as the phrafe is. If fo, a more intimate acquaintance with the theatre, if the Author chufes to cultivate this pleafing and lucrative branch of writing, will, probably, enable him to guard against any defect of this kind in his future productions. MISCELLANEO u s. Art. 45. Reflections en Celibacy and Marriage. In four Letters to a Friend; in which the Advantages and Difadvantages of the two States are compared. Svo. 1 s. 6 d. Hawes and Co. 1771. Thefe four letters recite fome ferious yet cheerful converfations fuppofed to have paffed at a weekly club, on the fubjects mentioned in the title. The rules of this little fociety are here exhibited, and the reasonings on each fide of the fubject in queftion delivered with a degree of spirit, good humour, and good fenfe. We will particularly recommend this little pamphlet to the perufal of the batchelors, hoping that it may be a means of quickening them to enter into the matrimonial engagement: by which, if conducted with tolerable prudence and good fenfe, they are fo likely to advance their own peace and happiness, as well as contribute to the welfare of society. In one of the letters the Writer fpeaks of the reiterated accounts of conjugal infidelity in England, with which the papers have been fo much taken up for a twelvemonth paft; and which, it is faid, I here with propriety, mention, as from thence, with much feeming pleasure, libertines take frequent opportunities of inveighing against marriage. About half a dozen women have, within the year, in all England, been unfaithful to the marriage bed; at least they have been charged with infidelity-every fober mind regrets it--but what are half a dozen to the thousands and ten thousands of good and virtuous women in England, who fteadily walk in the paths of virtue-Shall we, for the fuppofed crime of a few illuftrious offenders, think hardly of the whole women in a great and populous nation ?— Above three times that number of men are every year hanged in England for theft and robbery-as well may we fuppofe all the people of England to be thieves and robbers. Illiberal prejudice may think, unjudging calumny may fay, that thousands are equally guilty-Who are these who blush not from a few detached facts, to draw fuch wide, fuch invidious conclufions ?-Even they who fecretly rejoice in the prevalence of vice; even they' who with the fences of chastity thrown down-Let us give up these unfortunate deferters from virtue and honour to the bitter reproaches of their own heart let us, with a generous pity, regard thofe families they have dihonoured-but let us not involve in their guilt thoufands who never heard of their crime, and ten thousands who deteft it,' The The pamphlet concludes with an account of a present sent by a father to his daughter the day after her marriage, confifting, among other things, of a pocket-book, which enclosed a number of fhort, fententious directions for conducting herself in a wife, comfortable, and honourable manner in her new relation. They are entitled, Receipts copied from your Grandmother's Common-place-book, and are in general a collection of good rules, which young perfons may do well to attend to. Take a little fpecimen as follows: The way to grow rich,` Learn to hear, and know when to speak. Art. 46. A critical Latin Grammar; containing clear and distinct Rules for Boys juft initiated; and Notes explanatory of almost every Antiquity and Obfcurity in the Language, for Youth fomewhat advanced in Latin Learning. By John Coledridge, Vicar and Schoolmaster at Ottery St. Mary, Devon. 12mo. 3 s. Gardner, &c. 1772. Though there is a difplay of pedantry, and learned frivolism in this publication, it appears to be the work of an experienced teacher; and may be employed in fchools with advantage. Art. 47. The general History of Polybius; tranflated from the Greek. By Mr. Hampton. Vol. II. 4to. 11. 1 s. in Boards. Davies. 1772. In our 14th and 15th volumes, we gave an ample review of the firft volume of Mr. Hampton's tranflation of this valuable historian; including an account of the feveral preceding tranflations of Polybius: and we alfo took that opportunity of introducing the celebrated Commentary of the Chevalier Folard, to the acquaintance of our Keaders in general, but efpecially the gentlemen of the army; to whom, we have had reafon to believe, that article was peculiarly acceptable. Mr. Hampton's former volume contained the first five books of the General History of Polybius; which are all, of the original forty, that have escaped, entire, from the ravages of Time and the Goths. -The fecond volume, now published, contains the Extras fuppofed, by fome writers, to have been made by Marcus Brutus, from the twelve following books, viz. from the 6th to the 17th. Our learned and ingenious tranflator is of opinion, however, that Brutus never could have given himself the trouble of transcribing thefe detached paffages from Polybius; and he has offered fuch very fatisfactory reafons for diffenting from the learned Caufabon*, in this particular, as have entirely convinced us, that this illuftrious Roman never could have fo mif spent his time, especially thofe im * Founded, it is fuppofed, on fome expreffions of Plutarch and Suidas. portant moments which he is faid to have thus employed, viz. the evening before the battle of Pharfalia. As we have, in our former articles, above referred to, fully delivered our fentiments in regard to the merit of Mr. H.'s performance, it were needlefs to enlarge on the prefent occafion.-We would just hint, however, that he is fill careless of propriety with refpect to military phrafes; fuch, for inftance, as faying, that the Romans defeated the Carthaginians in a fet engagement,' instead of a pitched battle: Vid. our cenfure of Mr. H. with regard to this particular, in our review of his first volume. Many writers, we have obferved, have fhewn themselves either ignorant or negligent of the diftinction in the appropriated terms which fignify the conflicts between two fleets, and between two armies: the former is an engagement; the latter a battle. Art. 48. An Examination of the Arguments contained in a late Introd ion to the Hifiory of the ancient Irish and Scots. 4to. 2 $. Johnston. 1772. The Public, we are informed, is indebted for this performance to Dr. Leland, Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. The work is full of acuteness, and good fenfe; and though the ingenious Author profeffes himfef totally unacquainted with the dialects of the Celtic, he has yet given a very important criticism on the publication which has drawn him into this field of controverfy, But, while he attempts to overthrow the opinions of Mr. Macpherfon, relative to the origin of the Irish and Scots, he has not ventured to advance any fyftem of his own; his prefent defign being, as he himself remarks, only to fhew how far a national prejudice may carry a learned and ingenious writer into falfe deductions,' &c. &c. Art. 49. Remarks on an Introduction to the Hiftory of Great Britain and Ireland. By James Macpherson, Efq; 8vo. I s. 6d. Whifton. 1772. There are men whofe gloomy difpofitions lead them to receive pleasure from disfiguring and torturing every work of merit which they examine. Such is, apparently, the author of these remarks. In all his obfervations, there is a difagreeable mixture of petulance and ill nature; in few of them does he difcover any real knowledge of history; and in none does he feem to pay much regard to good fenfe and found reafon. Here and there, indeed, we may, perhaps, difcern fome feeble glimmerings of truth; but he forfeits all pretenfions to commendation, by his low fneers and perfonal abuse of the eminent writer who is the object of his illiberal attacks. His main defign is to convict Mr. Macpherson of infidelity, with respect to the Christian religion -The author's zeal for Christianity may, in itself, be very laudable; but zeal without knowledge, prudence, and candour, never does religion any fervice. Art. 50. Effays and Letters, with othe fcellaneous Pieces. By the Author of New-Market, or an Effay on the Turf. Svo, 2s. 6d, fewed. Pearch, &c. Most of thefe effays and letters have already appeared in various periodical publications, and fome in the News-papers; which are ↑ Or fight,, NOW now become fashionable vehicles: the best wits of the age not difdaining to communicate their thoughts occafionally to the Public, by that ready and extenfive mode of circulation. The most confiderable of thefe mifcellaneous pieces were originally printed in The STUDENT; a work of no mean reputation, fupported, for fome time, by the contributions of feveral men of genius, of our two universities.→ Of this writer's abilities, we endeavoured to give our Readers a competent idea, in the brief account of his New Market: See Review for May 1771, p. 423. Art. 51. A Travelling Dictionary; or alphabetical Tables of the Diftance of all the principal Cities, Borough, Market and Sea-port Towns in Great Britain, from each other. Being the fecond Part to the New Defcription of the Roads. By Daniel Paterfon, Affiftant to the Quarter-Mafter-General of his Majesty's Forces, 8vo. 4. S. fewed. Carnan. Mr. Paterfon's Defeription of the Roads was mentioned in our Review for July lat, p. 79. He has here, in the dictionary-form, which we there recommended, fupplemented that Defcription, by a fet of very useful tables of diftances, digefted in a plain and fimple manner; by which the number of miles from any one place (mentioned in the book) to another, may be feen on immediate infpection. -Not a few towns, we obferve, are omitted; and fome of fuch confiderable note, for instance, as Newport in Shropshire, Congleton in Cheshire, Stockport, Ware, &c. notwithstanding which, it feems there are not less than 46,000 distances here given to that it can rarely happen that any distance will be fought for which cannot be found in the book. The compiler hath added, in one page, at the end of the volume, a table fhewing the diftance of feveral towns, bridges, &c. on the river Thames, from each other by water.On the whole, we think this will be found a very useful book, as Mr. P. obferves, both to the traveller on the road, and the trader at his desk. : Art. 52. A Letter to a Friend, occafioned by a French Pamphlet lately published against Doctor Kennicott, and his Collation of the Hebrew MSS. 8vo. 1 s. Elmfley. 1772. The French treatise, to which this is an anfwer, is written with a good deal of art, and its authors are by no means unacquainted with the Hebrew language, and with Rabbinical difquifitions. Let us confefs, however, that the prefent publication defends Dr. Kennicott, in a great meafure, from their attack; though it is written with a degree of spleen which does not ferve to recommend it. Art. 53. The Rights of Sailors vindicated. In Answer to a Letter of Junius on the sth of October, wherein he afferts the Neceffity and Legality of preffing Men into the Service of the Navy. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Kearsley. 1772. This author has revived the confideration of the legality of prefswarrants in a feafon of tranquillity; becaufe, in fuch a feason, government has leifure for the reformation of abuses. But though we respect, very highly, the principles which he means to inculcate, we may venture to affure him, that the legislature, will pay very attention to his arguments and reasonings, little Art. portant moments which he is faid to have thus employed, viz. the evening before the battle of Pharfalia. As we have, in our former articles, above referred to, fully delivered our fentiments in regard to the merit of Mr. H.'s performance, it were needlefs to enlarge on the prefent occafion.-We would juft hint, however, that he is fill careless of propriety with respect to military phrafes; fuch, for inftance, as faying, that the Romans defeated the Carthaginians in a fet engagement,' inttead of a pitched battle: Vid. our cenfure of Mr. H. with regard to this particular, in our review of his first volume. Many writers, we have obferved, have fhewn themfelves either ignorant or negligent of the diftinction in the appropriated terms which fignify the conflicts between two fleets, and between two armies: the former is an engagement; the latter a battle. Art. 48. An Examination of the Arguments contained in a late Introduction to the Hiftory of the ancient Irish and Scots. 4to. 2 $. Johnston. 1772. The Public, we are informed, is indebted for this performance to Dr. Leland, Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. The work is full of acuteness, and good fenfe; and though the ingenious Author profeffes himfef totally unacquainted with the dialects of the Celtic, he has yet given a very important criticifm on the publication which has drawn him into this field of controverfy. But, while he attempts to overthrow the opinions of Mr, Macpherson, relative to the origin of the Irish and Scots, he has not ventured to advance any fyftem of his own; his prefent defign being, as he himself remarks, only to thew how far a national prejudice may carry a learned and ingenious writer into falfe deductions,' &c. &c. Art. 49. Remarks on an Introduction to the Hiftory of Great Bri tain and Ireland. By James Macpherfon, Efq; 8vo.. I s. 6d. Whifton. 1772. There are men whofe gloomy difpofitions lead them to receive pleasure from disfiguring and torturing every work of merit which they examine. Such is, apparently, the author of thefe remarks. In all his obfervations, there is a difagreeable mixture of petulance and ill nature; in few of them does he discover any real knowledge of history; and in none does he feem to pay much regard to good fenfe and found reafon. Here and there, indeed, we may, perhaps, difcern fome feeble glimmerings of truth; but he forfeits all pretenfions to commendation, by his low fneers and perfonal abuse of the eminent writer who is the object of his illiberal attacks. His main defign is to convict Mr. Macpherfon of infidelity, with refpect to the Christian religion -The author's zeal for Christianity may, in itself, be very laudable; but zeal without knowledge, prudence, and candour, never does religion any fervice. Art. 50. Effays and Letters, with othe fcellaneous Pieces. By the Author of New-Market, or an Effay on the Turf. Svo, 2s. 6d, fewed. Pearch, &c. Most of thefe effays and letters have already appeared in various periodical publications, and fome in the News-papers; which are |