other fingle publication. Befide the authors in more common use, the compiler, in the second part of his plan, has had recourse to Martin's Phyfico-grammatical Effay on the Origin of Language, Herries's Elements of Speech, Baker's Remarks on the English Language, &c. The first part, which is written in the way of question and answer, is much too long; and contains feveral things which are entirely fuperfluous. The rules, for example, concerning the manner in which prepofitions are used in compofition, and thofe refpe&ting accent, can ferve no other purpose than to perplex the learner; and Exercises of bad English if they go beyond common faults, by unfettling the learner's right habits of speaking and writing, do more harm than good. The compilation will be found more useful to masters than to scholars. Art. 23. The Elements of the Latin Language; or, An Introduction to Latin Grammar. The third Edition. 12mo. PP. 130. Elmfley, &c. 1790. This ufeful Latin Grammar, drawn up by Mr. Valpy, of which an account was given at its first publication, (Rev. Vol. lxviii. p. 360.) is, in this third edition, confiderably increased in value by a judicious addition of notes. E.. Art. 24. Elements of Morality, for the Ufe of Children; with an Introductory Addrefs to Parents. of the Rev. C. G. Salzmann. fewed. Johnfon. 1791. Tranflated from the German 12mo. Vol. I. pp. 168. 35. Mrs. Wollstonecraft, the lady, as we fuppofe, who lately animadverted on Mr. Burke *, and whom we have before met in the line of education †, informs us, that the work, on which he is now engaged, came accidentally into her hands while fhe was learning the German language; and was tranflated by her as an exercise in that Language. This publication is not however offered as a mere tranflation; as fhe has converted the German ftory into an English one; with alterations and additions, to render it more familiar to English children. Thus, not being able to difcriminate between the German foundation and the English fuperstructure, we have no more to do than to confider it under its prefent appearance as an English tale, framed to convey instruction to children. The introductory addrefs to parents opens with a declaration that the defign of this book is to give birth to what we call a good difpofition in children;' and could this intention be accomplished, no child whatever fhould be without fo precious an antidote to every moral poifon that contaminates the human heart!-but this tranfient expectation inftantly vanished, when, in the next fentence, we found the author's definition of a good difpofition: ⚫ a good difpofition is, in my opinion, a fuperior degree of knowlege. Many inftances are added to juftify this opinion: -but none to prove that conftitution or native propenfities depend on the degrees of knowlege that we acquire; none to prove that perfons of the best education and attainments are diftinguished by fuperior degrees of morality and humanity; nor any to fhew that mankind + Rev. vol. lxxix. p. 271. H 3 See p. 95. of our lait volume. never never a& dire&ly contrary to the cleareft convictions in their own minds. To convince a child's reason, is undoubtedly doing all we can to improve a good difpofition; and, in ftrong understandings, to check the exceffes of a bad one: but it cannot alter a difpofition from bad to good for though it might not be an agreeable difquifition in fome points, it were eafy to prove that the difpofition, in fome of the ftrongest inftances, (and therefore, perhaps, in all the catalogue,) is the refult of organization. If, however, a good moral work is framed, it is not worth while to difpute on fpeculative notions; for if life is described, and inftruction infinuated by examples, these notions must be accommodated to popular apprehenfions, or they cannot answer common purposes. This volume includes a flight relation of familiar incidents, all tending to inculcate fome good principle within the comprehenfion of childhood; and children will more readily collect an inference from a well framed amufing tale, than make the application of a dry abftract precept, which has nothing inviting to fix it in their minds, to their own conduct. The incidents related, are illuftrated with very decent cuts, calculated to make the circumstances more interefting to juvenile imaginations. This is only called volume 1. and we are given to understand that twa more volumes are to follow. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. N. Art. 25. The Key of Natural Philofophy: or, an Introduction into the Knowledge of Nature. Wherein a concife Account is given, in the most fimple and natural Manner, hitherto unknown to the World, of the following Operations of Nature, viz. Of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea; of the Deluge; of Earthquakes, and Volcanos; of Vegetation, and the Transformation of Matter; of the Caufe of Gravity, which Sir Ifaac Newton hath not difcovered. To which is added, the Author's fingular Opinion of the Creation: together with an Epitome in Heroic Verse, of the most material Things contained in the Treatise. By the Reverend Thomas Clement, Curate of Brendon, Devon. 8vo, PP. 95. 2s. 6d. fewed. Wilkies. 1790. Philofophers, it feems, have not hitherto happened to hit upon a method of conceiving of thefe matters aright;' and for want of having in their own minds right notions of things, most of their books ferve rather to perplex and darken, than to clear up and enlighten the natural understandings of men.' The Reverend Mr. Thomas Clement, by meditating on the Being of God, and the works of the Creation,-hath clearly difcovered a philofophy on grounded reafons of things obviously founded;-and has compofed and published this treatife, with a view to enlighten the world, and benefit his brethren of the human race, with the fundamental knowlege of nature.' He thinks that he might be particularly Thefe cuts, from the peculiarity of the dreffes and fituations which they depict, feem to be thofe which were defigned for the original German work; and, therefore, in fome inftances, appear unnatural to an English eye. gifted, gifted, and peculiarly defigned by God, to difcover the truths which in the enfuing treatise he has difclofed.' He is aware, nevertheless, that the affittance of philofophical friends, and a variety of books, might have contributed to enable him to execute this performance perhaps much better than he has done it;' and he hopes that the confideration of this will induce the competent and impartial critic not to cenfure feverely the imperfections of his work.' From our tribunal, this gentleman has no feverity to apprehend; nor do we believe that any competent critic will take cognifance of imperfections either in his philofophy, or in his poetry. To our readers, it is neceffary that we give fome idea of the performance: but that will be better done by a fhort extract or two, than by any thing which could be faid of it by ourfelves. The periodical flux and reflux of the fea is to be attributed, in a great measure, at leaft, to its fettled natural course of fo doing; in like manner as a man or beaft is accustomed to alternate waking and fleeping, which is a faint refemblance of the flowing and ebbing, the working and abating to work, of the fea. However,the fea would not flow and ebb, was it not for the fresh waters which continually flow into it, which conftantly ferve for its food or aliment, and which therefore fupport it in fermenting or operating by periodical fits perpetually; whereby the fresh, after it has fallen into the fea, is tranfmuted into falt water, in like manner as proper wort poured among fermenting liquor, fuch as fermenting ale, or fermenting liquor of another kind, will ferment or operate too by fits, and thereby become the fame fort of liquor as that wherewith it is mixed; which transformation of the fresh into falt water evidently accounts, at the fame time, for the fea water continuing always of the fame tafte and quality, notwithstanding all the rivers of fresh water that continually run into the fea, which otherwife would be unaccountable.' p. 6, 7. My notion of the formation of this earth, and of all the celestial orbs in fhort, is this: I fuppofe that the Deity, who in confummate wisdom made all things, in conftructing the bodies of the feveral globes at the creation, moft wifely placed in the centre or middle part of each planet a large layer of the load-ftone ore, or a ftratum of matter of the most magnetic or attractive kind, as the main fupport of the whole fabric of the globe; and next to that, on either fide, thinner ftrata of iron ore,' &c. By this means every orb is made to balance itself. And the fun and all the planets balance each other.' p. 66 & feq. Now for a fpecimen of HEROIC verfe: Illuftrated within this little book To penetrate the fame, Nature's laws are, Which even in Newton's works you can't find ; Simple Nature I've labour'd to unfold; This, therefore, THE KEY OF NATURE I've call'd.' POETRY and DRAMATIC. Art. 26. An Elegy, occafioned by the Rejection of Mr. Wilber force's Motion for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. 4to. pp. 10. 1s. Symonds, &c. 1791. A warm expoftulation with the House of Commons, for their reJection of Mr. W.'s flave-bill. The poet manifefts a becoming zeal for the good caufe of human freedom: but it may, perhaps, be queftioned whether the acrimony with which he cenfures thofe who voted against Mr. W.'s motion, be equally becoming. His poetry does not difgrace the benevolence of his intention, with regard to the fubject of thefe verses. Art. 27. St. James's Street, a Poem, in Blank Verfe. By Marmaduke Milton, Efq. 4to. pp. 38. 2s. Debrett. 1790. In this production, we trace nothing of the fublimity of our immortal MILTON. The ftrains of the Bard of St. James's Street, ferve rather to remind us of Philips, and fome other of Milton's imitators. The prefent poem affords an entertaining view of the round of a day in the fashionable world, (which includes the night,) as exhibited in the manners and amufements of the Belles, and Beaus, and the reft of the TON, in the neighbourhood of the Court. We imagine, from this fpecimen of his powers, that the author, whoever he is, could produce a better piece. O. & G. Art. 28. Serious Reflections, humbly addreffed to the Inhabitants of Great Britain, by a Female. 4to. pp. 28. Is. 6d. Scollick, &c. Although we can give the reader no idea of the perfect fimplicity of thefe pious ftrains, by any general terms of defcription, a speci men will do it effectually: Will not the Great JEHOVAH, be aveng'd On fuch a nation-will he not cut it E. Art. 29. The Widow of Malabar, a Tragedy, in three Acts. As it is performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. By Mariana Starke. 8vo. pp. 47. 1s. 6d. Lane. 1791. This tragedy is an imitation from M. le Mierre's drama, La Veuve du Malabar. We recollect having formerly read the original, when it was much in vogue at Paris: as far as we can now trace back our fentiments at the time, they were not fo favourable to the piece, as was the general opinion. The impreffion which it made on our minds is not, however, fo lafting as to enable us to decide how far Mifs Starke has improved on the French play; though we certainly agree with her that fhe has acted judiciously in omitting its long declamatory fcenes.-The Widow of Malabar, as the piece now appears, has merit enough to justify us in allowing it fome degree of praife: much it will not bear: but were its defects far more numerous, we fhould be incapable of ufing any harshness to its modeft and amiable author, who has ventured,' as the tells us, to exhibit a drama in fome measure of her own; trufting that the public public will be indulgent to a first eay, and that if her work fhould poffefs merit fufficient to be deemed worthy of criticifm, it will be fuch criticism as may teach her to correct her errors without too feverely wounding her felf-love.' Art. 30. Two Strings to your Bow, a Farce, in two Acts, as now performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, with diftinguifhed Applaufe. By Robert Jephfon, Efquire. 8vo. pp. 48. Is. Kearsley. 1791. If Two Strings to your Bow has been received on the ftage with diftinguished applaufe,' it has met with all the encouragement that it deferves; and may well pafs without, what it cannot readily obtain, our commendation. POLITICAL. 0. 0. Art. 31. A Defence of the Conftitution of England against the Libels that have been lately published on it; particularly in Paine's Pamphlet on the Rights of Man. 8vo. pp. 67. 28. Baldwin. 1791. We learn from this defence, that the author of it is very angry, and very abufive. He abuses Mr. Paine for writing his book, and Mr. Burke for giving occafion to its being written. The former he calls an American fpy, and a crimp;' and the latter, a furious zealot, with more imagination than judgment; and with more concern for his trade as an than for the intereft of the country. From all this, our difcerning readers, we doubt not, will draw the fame conclufion that was drawn by the gentleman who, being witness to a difpute between two foreigners, fagaciously remarked that, without knowing a word that was faid, he was fure one of the difputants had much the worft of the argument, or he would not have been in such a violent paffion. From the title to the author's fifth section, we learn: that the House of Commons is a representation of the people :' but he nowhere tells us what fort of a reprefentation; whether a good one, or a bad one; a fair reprefentation, or a mifreprefentation. Now that representations are of various kinds, we know from the #pigram: "To reprefent, is but to perfonate, Which should be truly done, at any rate; He reprefents them beft-who takes a bribe." In the fection itself, we are informed that, a gentleman who buys his feat is certainly independent; and that the rotten boroughs produce independency with more certainty than any county in England!' A piece of information, however, which more nearly concerns us, and all fuch as are commonly fuppofed to be better taught than fed, is, that thofe who can give no proofs of attachment to their country, by fhewing that they are fixed householders, or proprietors of [freehold] land, are juftly confidered as deftined to fervility, as vagabonds, and unfit to be ranked among citizens." When orator |