great pomp a dramatical compliment, which concluded in thefe words: May the Divine Providence, which recompences every thing, blefs and preferve our moft gracious king, the auguft < father of his people; bless and preferve us all. Amen.' The king was fo delighted with the dramatic turn of this compliment, that he added a thousand crowns to the salary of five thousand he before gave the manager, and made him a prefent of four chandeliers and a dozen looking-glaffes. His generofity was accompanied by numberlefs farcafms on the French theatre.' [To be continued. ] MONTHLY CATALOGUE For OCTOBER 1789. MISCELLANEOUS. ART. 11. The Dramatic Pieces and Poetry of William Nation, jun. including the School for Diffidence, Mifcellanies, a Collection of Songs, &c. &c. Small 8vo. 3s. fewed. Plymouth: printed for the Author. Law, London. M 1789. R. Nation may perhaps be confidered as a great poet by the miffes at Plymouth; we fufpect be confiders himself as fuch by entering his book in Stationer's-Hall, to preferve the valuable property all to himself. We cannot, however, agree in this point, either with the ladies of Plymouth, or with the author; we do not hold Mr. Nation to be a great poet. He writes fuch verses as almost any one might write, as too many do write; but his verfes are not poetry. Of his merits the public may judge by the following specimen, where they will find a brace of lovers moft fadly butchered by this weftcountry mufe: REUBEN AND MARIN A. • Yes! I must leave you,' Reuben cried, My fweet, my wifh'd-for future bride, I fhed a parting tear. Will you remember, charming maid, • When I fhall cease those Vales to tread, • Can Reuben think I could deceive! • I must reflect on you-believe • Adieu! 1 Adieu! adieu !'-The veffel fail'd Alcanzor lov'd, employ'd each art Ah! why did Reuben doubt her truth? As Reuben on a foreign fhore (But that the truth he'll find) Marina, now Alcanzor's bride, Effaces from her mind.' Ah! speak no more-I must be gone, • Perdition!Her I lov'd alone- The mufe laments the horrid deed Defp'rate his hand-his bofom bleeds; Marina heard th' afflicting truth; Ah! thoughtlefs-rafh'-fhe cried, We cannot give better advice to this author than what is contained in his own parody on some lines in the Fair Penitent; Were you but cautious vot'ries of the muse, Of all the various fcribblers of the age, How few the public favour can engage! And, conscious of your fault, pray ne'er attempt them more.' } ART. 12. Sable Victims; a Barbadoes Narration. Infcribed to the Promoters of the Slave-Trade, and addressed to J. Hargrave, Efq. a 'Friend to Natural Liberty. By T. Nicholls. 4to. 2s. 6d. Richardfon. London, 1789. In the production now before us the mufes are again introduced, to contribute their influence towards the abolition of flavery. The author appears to be animated with the ardour both of freedom and humanity; and the poetry is fuch as by no means reflects difcredit enthufiafm. on that generous ART. 13. A Dialogue betwixt a Mafler and a Scholar. By F.Wragg. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Hookham. London, 1788. In this dialogue the author has ranged through moral, phyfical, and metaphyfical fubjects, with confiderable addrefs. His obfervations, in general, difcover a juftnefs of conception, and he places them in a light the most suitable for eftablishing the principles which he would enforce. In extracts, from other writers, however, we think he is fometimes more diffuse than is confiftent with colloquial recitation; and though he conducts his tranfitions, for the most part, with facility, we cannot approve of his purfuing fuch a variety of difquifitions, and thofe too of an important nature, in one and the fame dialogue. The Rev. Dr. Thomas, who feems to have been left alone in the parlour a whole hour at least, notwithstanding the bottle of redport which John was ordered to fet before him, we are perfuaded will join us in condemning the ill-timed length of a conversation which deprived him fo long of the company, not only of his own fon, but likewife of fo intelligent a perfon as Mr. Wragg. ART. 14. The London Companion; or, Citizen's and Stranger's Guide through the Metropolis and its Environs; containing the various Streets, Lanes, Squares, Courts, Alleys, and Paffages; with the most remarkable Public Buildings, Offices, Places, &c. Difpofed alphabe tically. To which are fubjoined the moft ufeful Hackney Coach Fares, and Admcafurement of the principal Streets, and the Rates of Watermen. Illuftrated by a Map of the Capital and a Plan of the Royal Exchange. 12mo. 15. 6d. fewed. Lowndes. London, 1789. + The title of this production fufficiently expreffes its contents. It is doubtless an useful companion, both as a local directory, and a regifter of the fares of coaches. With refpect to the latter of thefe articles, it is particularly explicit. ART. ART. 15. New Defcription of Blenheim, the Seat of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough. To which is prefixed Blenheim, a Poem. Small 8vo. 3s. fewed. Cadell. London, 1789. We have formerly perufed with pleasure Mr. Mavor's elegant poem entitled Blenheim, in which he has happily adorned the local beauties of that celebrated fpot with the variegated embellishments of a rich and lively imagination. In the prefent edition it has been revised with tafte and judgment. With regard to the author's New Defcription of Blenheim, it is clear, accurate, copious, and fatiffactory; an excellent guide to fuch as vifit that fplendid scene, and the best fuccedaneum we know to those who have never feen it. ART. 16. Reading made moft cafy; confifting of a Variety of useful Leffons, proceeding from the Alphabet to Words of Two Letters only, and from thence to Words of Three, Four, Five Letters, &c. &c. fo difpofed as to draw on Learners with the greatest Eafe and Pleasure, both to themselves and Teachers. The Third Edition. Recommended for the Ufe of Schools. By W. Rufher, Mafter of the Charity School in Banbury, Oxon. 12mo. Is. Banbury printed for the Author; Gough, London, 1789. We formerly noticed this production in our Review for March 1788, when we recommended to the author to republish it in a larger edition. He has now adopted our advice: and we have only to repeat, in concurrence with the opinion of a number of respectable teachers, whofe teftimonials are prefixed to the work, that these leffons are happily calculated for facilitating the progress of young children in the reading of English. ART. 17. A true and minute Account of the Defruction of the Bafile. By Jean Jaques Calet, a French Proteftant, who had been a Prisoner there upwards of Twenty Years, and who recovered his Liberty on, and who was affifted at, the Demolition of that infamous Prison. Tranjlated from the French. By an English Gentleman. Svo. Stalker. London, 1789. Is. 6d. M. Jean Jaques Calet, the author of this narrative, was a prifoner in the Baftile upwards of twenty years. Of the frivolous caufe for which he was originally committed to that horrible manfion, and of his treatment during the captivity, he delivers an affecting, and apparently genuine account: fucceeded by a circumstantial detail of the tranfaction which levelled with the ground this odious engine of defpotifm, and feat of human mifery. We are forry to know that the misfortunes of M. Calet have not terminated with the deftruction of the Baftile; for it appears that the prefent pamphlet has been written with the view of procuring the means of immediate fubfiftence. Humanity induces us to with fuccefs to a publication prompted by fuch a motive; and we would therefore recommend this deftitute author to the attention of benevolent readers. ART. 18. A Caution to Gentlemen who use Sheridan's Dictionary. To which are added, for the Affiftance of Foreigners and Natives, select Rules for pronouncing English with precision and elegance. 8vo. IS. Turner. London, 1789. When effential errors are admitted into a work of such general use as a dictionary, they are in danger of extending a pernicious inhuence on literature, by contaminating the fources of language either with impropriety or inelegance. Mr. Sheridan's Dictionary, at the fame time that it poffeffes much merit, is, in many respects, extremely liable to both these important charges, which are very justly Specified by the author of the prefent pamphlet, in a variety of initances. He reduces the errors of the lexicographer to five general heads, each of which is defcribed with perfpicuity, and examined with judicious obfervation. The pamphlet likewife contains other philological remarks of a miscellaneous nature, and worthy the attention of thofe who wish for the attainment of accuracy in the kowledge of the English language. POLITICAL. ART. 19. A Third Letter from Major Scott to Mr. Fox, on the Story of Deby Sing; Two Letters relative to the Expences attending the Trial of Warren Haftings, Efq. and a Letter to Mr. Burke. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Stockdale. London, 1789. The prefent Letter to Mr. Fox completes the ftory of Deby Sing; in the detailing of which Major Scott continues to affirm that Mr. Burke was guilty of cool, premeditated, and intentional mifreprefentation.' The fecond letter, which relates to the expences attending the trial of Mr. Haftings, was lately published in fome of the newspapers. In it Major Scett vindicates himself with regard to an affertion wrongfully imputed to him by Mr. Burke, at the IndiaHoufe. The third letter likewife relates to the expenditure of the public money in the impeachment; on which fubject Major Scott makes as ufual, many pointed obfervations on the conduct and decarations of the managers. The fourth letter, fubscribed Outis, and addreffed to Mr Burke, has, it feems, been ascribed, in one of the public prints, to Major Scott; but he affirms that he knows not even the name of the writer. The author, whoever he be, adduces fome pertinent and ftrong obfervations in favour of the innocence of Mr Haftings, and on the injustice of his accufers. ART. 20. Commercial Reafons for the Non-Abolition of the Slave-Trade in the Weft-India Iflands. By a Planter. 8vo. 6d. Lane. Lon. don, 1789. The abolition of the flave-trade is a measure against which a variety of commercial reafons, and thofe of no fmall weight, may be urged; but certainly the fuggeftion of fuch comes with no good grace from a planter. It is, however, to be expected, from the wifdom of the legislature, that, in determining this important queftion, the commercial interests of the nation will be judiciously weighed |