S.

Art. 31. An Addrefs to the Honourable Auguftus Keppel; containing candid Remarks on his late Defence; with fome Obfervations on fuch Paffages as relate to the Conduct of Sir Hugh Pallifer. By a Sea-man. 8vo. Is. 6d. Richardfon and Urquhart. This Addreffer is not merely an able feaman; he is likewife an able writer. He clofely, and perfpicuously inveftigates the conduct of Mr. K. both in regard to what he did and did not, on the memorable 27th and 28th of July, and to what he said in his defence, on his trial by the court martial. There is great profeffion of impartiality in this piece; but the Author's profeffions are rendered queftionable by the keenness of his manner, and the farcafms which he frequently cafts on the admiral's friends and adherents-the minority, the patriots, &c. whom he feverally cenfures for their attachment to party principles, in oppofition to what he deems the true intereft and honour of this country. He earneftly difclaims all partiality for Sir Hugh; and boldly appeals to every good judge of the fubject, for the justice and candour of his ftrictures on the conduct of the popular admiral. Art. 32. Three Letters. The First addreffed to the Merchants and Gentlemen of the Reprifal Affociation, upon the Subject of fitting out Privateers from the Ports of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. The Second is addreffed to the Ruffian Ambaffador, ftating the political Confequences of the Ceffion of Minorca to the Emprefs of Ruffia: and the Third is addressed to the Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of King's Bench, and the other Judges of Criminal Law, upon the Subject of employing the Convicts to work in Coal and Lead Mines, instead of the prefent Method of Punishment. 8vo. IS. Dix well.

"

The general propofals in this Packet of Letters, are ftated in the above title-page; but alas, to very little purpose for poor old England, now that lord Chatham is dead! The Writer asks the gentlemen of the Reprifal Affociation- Have we not too much reafon to dread, that in the death of lord Chatham, we loft the only man who could direct the helm of public affairs in the prefent ftorm? This great man, weighed down with the preffure of our misfortunes, fell in the action of political debate; as marfhal Keith wifhed to fall in the field. With him died all that boldness of military scheme and enterprize of war, which should ever be the reigning characteristic of a British minifter. How would Marlborough, Argyle, and Stair be affected, were they to look down upon the lofs this country has fuftained! The happiness of heaven itfelf would not prevent the tender tear of fympathy from falling in fuch a cafe!'

In this state of despair he regrets, that a fleet of British men of war was not fent to act in the Mediterranean, under Algerine or Tunisian commiffions. He advises, that privateering companies fhould be eftablished at the Barbary ports, and that we should instruct the Moors in the European art of war, to act against the French and Spaniards. He opens a negociation with the Ruffian ambaffador, to cede Minorca to his miftrefs, for a ftipulated affiftance against the Americans; and depreciates the value of Minorca to this country, in order to help forward the bargain. What kind of credentials he poffeffes to carry this offer into execution, does not appear, and he refers his Rufian excellency to no other contracting party!

His

His addrefs to the judges, on the employment of felons, is compofed in a more fober ftile, and deserves confideration; but this letter has not the merit of originality, to which the others are en

titled.

Art. 33. A View of the Isle of Wight, in Four Letters to a Friend. Containing not only a Defcription of its Form and principal Productions; but the most authentic and material Articles of its Natural, Political, and Commercial Hiftory. By John Sturch. 12mo. 1 S. Goldsmith.

Many perfons who vifit that agreeable fpot, the Isle of Wight, leave it without feeing half the natural beauties of the country and its coats, for want of previous knowledge, and due information when they arrive those, therefore, who wish to take the full benefit of fuch an excurfion, will do well to carry Mr. Sturch's letters as a pocket guide, and to regulate their tour from the hints, both defcriptive and hiftorical, which are conveyed in it.

Art. 34. Thoughts on Tithes; with a Proposal for a voluntary Exchange of great and fmall Tithes, for Land to the Value, to be held as Glebe, within the respective parishes of England, &c. 8vo. Is. Flexney. 1778. This very judicious Writer's propofal highly merits the attention both of the clergy and laity.

Art. 35. The Sea Lad's Trufty Companion: Being Inftructions given to the Lads and Boys affembled at the Marine Society's Of fice in Bishopsgate-street; waiting till Commiffion or Warrant Officers in the Royal Navy request them as Servants, in order to their being bred Seamen; alfo Mafters in the Merchants Service inquiring for Boys to ferve as Apprentices at Sea With Rules for a moral and religious Life. Alfo the State of the Society to the 19th of Dec. 1778. By J. H. Efq; 12mo. 6 d. Sewel. Mr. Hanway's patriotic and benevolent difpofition is well known; and we heartily with fuccefs to his endeavours to introduce fobriety, and a moral and religious deportment on board fhips of war. Art. 36. Sedger's Rudiments of Book-keeping. In Two Parts, &c.

The Second Edition. 8vo. 2 s. 6d. Fielding and Walker. The first part is according to the Italian method, the fecond relates to company accounts, and is addreffed to the East India Company. The republication is a prefumptive proof that the Writer understands his fubject, which is probably faying as much, out of a compting-house, as fuch a work requires.

1

Art. 37. An Introduction to the Study of Geography; or, a General Survey of Europe. By A. F. Butching, Profeffor of Divinity and Philofophy at Gottingen. Tranflated from the Second Ger. man Edition, with Improvements. By R. Wynne, A. M. 12mo. 2 s. Bew. 1778.

This appears to be nothing more than an abftract made fome years fince, from the introduction to Bafching's large fyftem of geography.

NOVELS and MEMOIRS.

Art. 38. Prince Arthur: an Allegorical Romance: the Story from Spenfer. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. bound. Riley, &c. 1778. At a period when the generality of Writers, under pretence of adhering to nature, are forfaking the paths of fancy, and in avoiding extravagance, are finking into insipidity, there is fome thare of merit in recalling the attention of the age to the facred relics of genius, tranfmitted from ancient times. This merit, at leaft, the Author of Prince Arthur may claim. He has wrought up the principal incidents in Spenser's Fairy Queen into an allegorical romance, in which he has closely followed the track of the original; and to render the ftory complete, he has, with tolerable fuccefs, attempted to fupply the lofs of the last books of the poem. Thole who are already well acquainted with the admired original, will not perhaps relish the idea of modernizing and profaicifing Spenfer; but Readers of another clafs will probably find entertainment, perhaps inftruction, in this imperfect reflection of the images, fentiments, and characters of the Fairy Queen. Art. 39. Friendship in a Nunnery: or the American Fugitive: Containing a fuil Description of the Mode of Education and Living in Convent Schools, both on the Low and High Penfion ; the Manners and Characters of the Nuns; the Arts practifed on young Minds, and their baneful Effects on Society at large. By a Lady. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6 s. Bew. 1778.

The picture here exhibited of convent-manners is perhaps too deeply fhaded; it is, however, marked with fuch peculiar traits, as fhew the Author to have drawn from the life; and there is fo much truth, as well as execution in the piece, that it merits fome attention in an age, in which it is become too fashionable for females to receive the laft finishing of their education in the convent. This novel is faid to be written by Mrs. Gibbes, author of the Woman of Fafhion, &c.

"

Art. 40. The Wedding Ring; or, the Hiftory of Mifs Sidney. In 9 S. Noble.

a Series of Letters. 12mo. 3 Vols.

The character of an abandoned 1:bertine, who commits the vilest offences against decorum, humanity, and religion, is fo difgufting, that nothing is more aftonishing than that novels, in which fuch characters are minutely described, fhould pafs with innocent female readers for books of agreeable entertainment; unless it be the ignorance or prefumption of their writers, who recommend them to the public as books of excellent moral tendency. The bad effect of the exhibition of fuch characters, is by no means counterbalanced by the good impreffion that may arife from the execution of poetical justice in the catastrophe of the tale, in which the contemptible hero is punished, and the innocent object of his machinations efcapes into the arms of a virtuous lover. We must therefore add the Wedding Ring to the long catalogue of unprofitable novels.

Art. 41. The Generous Sifter: in a Series of Letters. By Mrs. Cartwright. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. Bew. When the Reader has half an hour to fpare, and finds himself difinclined, either to be fatigued with thinking, or to be disturbed by

3

emotion,

emotion, he cannot pass it in more indolent amufement, than in turning over thefe little volumes.

Art. 42. The Hermit of the Rock; or, the Hiftory of the Marchionefs de Laufanne and the Comte de Luzy. Tranflated from a French Manufcript. 12mo. 3 Vols. bound. Noble,

9 s.

&c. 1779.

The emotions of the gentle paffion of love are in this novel unfolded, through a series of tender and interefting incidents, in language fo natural and pathetic, that it cannot fail of being read with pleafure by fuch as are capable of feeling, and have not learned to defpife the refinements and delicacies of a fentimental attach

ment.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

Art. 43. The Mofaical Account of the Human Fall metaphorical, and figurative of the Angelic Defection; a philofophical Fragment, fhewing that Man is the fallen Angel, and difproving the Exiftence of the Devil. 12mo. I s. 6 d. Fielding and Walker. This Writer afferts the pre-existence, and even the eternity a parte ante of the human foul, and from hence very ingenioufly deduces a folution of the difficulties attending the doctrine of the fall of man; maintaining that the prefent depravity of human nature, and the evils confequent upon it, are intended as a punishment for offences committed in a prior ftate, which the fcriptures describe in the hiftory of the fallen angels. In this reasoning, it must be owned, that the data are not quite certain, and the proof is not perfectly clear: but why should not a man who prefers thefe pretty fpeculations to a game at chefs or cards, be allowed to amufe himself in his own way?

Art. 44. The Old Fashion Farmer's Motives for leaving the Church of England, and embracing the Roman Catholic Faith; and his ReaJons for adhering to the jame. Together with an Explanation of fome particular Points, mifreprefented by those of a different Perfuafion: With an Appendix, by Way of Antidote against all upftart new Faiths. 8vo. 2 s. 6 d. No Publifher's Name. Advertised for Robinson.

This is one of the first-fruits of our allowing the Catholics a little more elbow-room. It will not now be expected that we should enter into a critical examination of the points in controverfy between the Papifts and Proteftants; it may however be hinted, that in the account which this Old Fashion Farmer gives of his converfion, he acknowledges that he told a falfehood to his old friends to excufe it: for which his new friends probably gave him abfolution. He is as liberal in his abuse of the first reformers, as he is tender in touching upon the known principles and practices of the Catholic clergy. As it was our duty to look into this publication, we obferved one paffage, which, though it contains nothing new, is, we truft, too old fashiones for the prefent intellectual abilities of our countrymen. It is but fhort. In his juftification of image worship he honeftly remarks,

But then fome anfwer and fay, that although the learned Catholics do not commit idolatry in worshipping images, yet it is feared that the poor and unlearned fort of them do, because they cannot all be thought to know what the council of Trent has decreed in this cafe.

• To

To thefe I answer, that all and every Catholic, throughout the whole world, does believe as the council of Trent has decreed, whether they know the words of the decree or not; because all Catholics have an implicit faith in the Church, that is, they all believe as the Church believes, whether they examine into the matter itself or not, and that purely on her unerring authority; an explicit faith being not required for if an explicit faith was required, then few could be Catholics, becaufe there is not one prieft perhaps in twenty, that can give a plain and pofitive, account of all the articles of faith. which the Church has ordained.'- Here, then, is a total end of all argument, especially where this infallible Church is triumphant. For though the may deign to argue, in her manner, where the is only tolerated, the ufes, more expeditious methods, where he can call the magiftrate to her affiftance for then, whoever fcruples to believe what they do not underftand, or quia impoffibile eft, will foon not only believe and understand, but feel alfo the doctrine of compulfion, to enforce an implicit unity of faith. May the God of Mercy preferve us in our errors against fuch modes of conviction! Art. 45. An Efay on the Simplicity of Truth; being an Attempt to afcertain the Ufe and Extent of Difcipline in the Church of Chrift. To which is added a Poftfcript on Tithes., Particularly addreffed to the People called Quakers; by Catholicus, a peaceable Member of that Society. 8vo. Is. 6d. Dilly. 1779. Catholicus is a fenfible well informed writer; and his Effay may' be read with profit by the moderate part of his brethren; that is, in fhort, by those whofe internal good fenfe leaft requires information and inftruction': he may confole himself in the beft manner he can for the reception his well meant endeavours may meet with from the reft; and he ought not to be very fanguine in his expectations. A writer who, like Catholicus, ftrictly adheres to the great and leading principles of Chriftianity, may be applauded by the unprejudiced and difcerning few; but he will meet with unufual fuccefs, if he be not fightly regarded, or totally difapproved, by the mifguided, undiftinguishing many. Art. 46. A Charge to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of St. Alban's, in 1778, 4to. 1. 9. White.

S.

+363

Popery is the great object at which the learned Author aims in this Charge. He laments that there are fome fymptoms of the prefent times being rather favourable to it. How vain, it is faid, are the pretences affigned for the repeal of fome of the laws which relate to the profeffion of Popery in this kingdom! If Popery were nothing more than an innocent affemblage of opinions merely speculative, the objection would indeed be juft and reafonable against the continuance of fuch laws, being founded in their inconfiftency with Chriftianity and humanity itself. But the Reformers and the friends of the Revolution, clearly difcovered the neceffity of obftructing the re entrance of an intolerable ufurpation and tyranny over the rights and liber. ties of mankind.' In another place he obferves, There is nothing which demands more earnestly the political attention of the nation than this remark, that the Papacy has uniformly acted on the fame maxim to which Polybius afcribes the grandeur of the Roman republic, namely, in taking advantage of every favourable incident in forming new enterprizes on every fuccefs. And may we not be

appre