would not have been produced, and all my profpects must have been for ever clofed.'

There are the chief paffages from which Dr. Gabriel thinks himself warranted to fay that Dr. White had particular obligations to the late Mr. Badcock; and indeed their teftimony is incontrovertible. No one, at the fame time, who is acquainted with the learned profeffor, entertains the fmalleft doubt of his being able to have executed the work without affiftance; but his friends muft lament that the indolence of his difpofition has eventually compelled him to admit a copartner in the reputation he had acquired by the Bampton Lectures.

We have only to add that Dr. Gabriel's pamphlet is written with temper; he has not funk the clergyman and gentleman in the controverfialist.

ART. 19. A Letter to R. B. Gabriel, D. D. in Anfwer to Facts relating to the Rev. Dr. White's Bampton Lectures. By a Member of one of the Univerfities. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Gardner. London, 1789. An abusive letter to Dr. Gabriel, but no answer to the facts.

- ART. 20. An Appeal to the Members of the University of Oxford, relating to the Rev. Dr. White's Bampton Lectures. By no Academic. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Kearsley. London, 1789.

No Academic, with more reasoning than the Member of one of the Univerfities, is almost as violent on the oppofite fide. He is astonished at Dr. White's filence, and calls loudly upon him to come forward, and at least endeavour to justify his conduct.

ART. 21.

Peter Pindar's Penitence; a Mifcellaneous and Burlesque Poem. By Pindaro-Maflix. 4to. 2s. 6d. Robinfons. Lon

don, 1789.

It is not a little fingular that every Zoilus whom the mufe of Peter Pindar has drawn forth into hoftility has, with fcarcely an exception, been the humble imitator of her flight. But it appears that they knew not the difficulty of the task. With refpect to ftyle, and the fingularities, and licentioufnefs of the metre, fome have in part fucceeded; but as to invention and whim, the most prominent features of the bard, of thefe, as an Irish critic would say, there has been in truth a moft plentiful fcarcity.'

In thefe refpects we can no more compliment the present antagonist of Peter than any of his predeceffors; nor can we difcern in his poem any of thofe fparks' which fome of our brethren have observed may light him to enterprises of greater pith and moment.' The whole of the prefent poem (we mean work) is made up of a long dialogue between Peter and a fuppofed miftrefs, in which the former acknowledges himself to be at length deserted by the muse, and finally renounces the profeffion!

The only praife which we can afford to this writer must be of the negative kind; he is not grofsly offenfive, nor is he pofitively dull.

ART.

ART. 22. Retort Smart on Peter Pindar's Epifile to a Falling Minifter; with Peter's Palinody and Petition to a Standing Minifter. A Pelting By Pindaro-Maftix. Robinsons. Lon

Poem.
don, 1789.

4to. Is. 6d.

• Another and another ftill fucceeds.' No! we beg pardon: if we are to credit the fignature, this comes from the fame hand as the preceding. We know not which production was prior in point of time, nor, in confequence, whether we are to speak of the author's advance to reform, or of his approach to frenzy! Because Peter, in his. Epiftle to a Falling Minifter,' mentioned feveral of Mr. Pitt's friends, Pindaro-Matix thinks it neceffary to abufe every perfon and thing connected with oppofition. The principal objects of his attack are. the Dukes of Norfolk and Queensbury, Mr. Fox, Mrs. F. Lord Lonfdale, and regency caps!

The scourge is apparently lifted high in air, but it falls with very little effect. We are very far from thinking that Peter is invulnerable; but if he is to be attacked, we think that the providence which prefides over poets, could not have fent him a more defirable antagonist!

ART. 23. The Royal Aftronomer; fhewing as how a Stargazer cannot Smell the Rofe of Beauty and con the Blue Starbook at the fame time! By Tom Plum. 4to. 2s. Kearfley. London, 1789.

This poem, which is founded on the circumftance of Mr Herschel the aftronomer having lately married a widow of his neighbourhood, is obviously written on the model of the long reprobated, yet fill imitated Peter Pindar! It is not in general without whim, and there occurs at intervals a point of peculiar merit; if it be written by a young man, as we have fome reasons to prefume it is, we shall willingly receive it as a prefage of fomething better.

But with the flights we must obferve he has also many of the faults of juvenility. Of these the most prominent is, that when he hits on a good point, he pursues it too far, and quits it with feeming reluctance. Thefe players, when they get hold of a good thing, never know when they have enough of it.'\

Thus, after faying that on the wedding-night he should not have left his bride, though all the stars in the firmament were to change their places; and that

The BEAR, from his faft-fixed pole

To which he is ftaked, had burit his chain
Ere 1 from bridal bed had fiole

To bring old BRUIN back again!'

Then the waggoner, and the fcales, the virgin and the lock of Berenice, the bull, the ram, and goat, are all brought down until not a conftellation is left, and criticism is compelled to yawn out its

"O he! jam fatis!'

Ggz

ART.

ART. 24. The Rout; or, A Sketch of modern Life. From an Academic in the Metropolis to bis Friends in the Country. 4to. 25. 4to. 2s. Dodfley. London, 1789.

This is a good defcription of a fashionable rout, as it is termed, given by a man of obfervation and of the world. He paints in Atrong colours the frivolity which prefents itself; but as general fatire is always unjuft, he concludes with a proper exemption of those perfons of good fense who are led to thefe fcenes of unmeaning folly folely through a neceffary compliance with the dictates of fashion..

In this performance is given a characteriftic fpecimen of the difjointed converfation for which a rout is, beyond all other fcenes, the moft diftinguishable.

ART. 25. Emma; or, The Unfortunate Attachment; a Sentimental Novel. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Hookham. London, 1789.

Some of these letters are individually deferving a perufal. They contain just reflections on the paffions, and discover confiderable knowledge of life. The ftory, however, is perplexed, as it is not one but many unfortunate attachments that are here detailed. Impediments are perpetually occurring to try the patience, and paint the uneafinefs, of the parties; but a happy conclufion puts all to rights. The only inconvenience is, that the reader may be tired of his company before they arrive at the end of their withes. But the goodnatured lady who introduces him to their acquaintance, has taken care that the concern he takes in their fortunes should not be so deep as to do him much injury.

ART. 26. Louis and Nina; or, An Excurfion to Yverdun. 12m0. 2 vols. 55. Lane. London, 1789.

Thefe volumes are always gay, and often interesting. They are the offspring of a lively and glowing fancy, which decorates whatever comes in its way, and often gives importance even to trifles. The Excurfion is written in the form of letters, in most of which the reader is fure of meeting with nature, taste, and brevity; three affociates in whose company there is always more or less cf real pleasure.

ART. 27. Phebe, or, Diftreffed Innocence. A Novel. 12mo. 2 vols. 5s. Stalker. London, 1789.

There are some scenes in this novel tolerably fupported, and fome characters well drawn. Innocence is refcued from the perils that environed it, and guilt meets with condign punishment. It is not the best compofition of the kind we have feen, nor the worst. The only thing we can say in its praise is, that it will afford both amufement and inftruction; and that many a boarding school mifs may lay out a portion of her time with lefs pleasure, and alfo with lefs profit, than in the perufal of Phebe, or, Diftreffed Innocence.'

ART

ART. 28. Edward and Harriet; or, The Happy Recovery. A Sentimental Novel. By a Lady. 12mo. 2 vols. 5s. Stalker. London, 1789.

There feems a ftrange propenfity, in moft female writers, to indulge themselves, and plunge their readers in fictitious melancholy. Every step of our progrefs through this tedious and gloomy novel is marked with difafter and forrow. The fair author undoubtedly has the power of touching our feelings, but the fentiments the infpires are mournful, not pleafurable. Indeed we are utterly at a lofs to divine the ufe of fuch fad details, as they prefent us with no beauty, and lead to no moral.

ART. 29. The Victim of Fancy; a Novel. By a Lady. 12mo. 2 vols. 5s. Baldwin. London, 1789.

This is a picture of the melancholy effects produced by a powerful and distempered imagination. It is drawn from life, the picture is natural, and the colours are lively and affecting. Here a beautiful young woman, under the influence of a strong creative fancy, exhaufts her youth, her fpirits, her heart, and her conftitution, in purfuit of ideas which she never can realife. This fatal frenzy is traced through a great variety of scenes with elegance and ingenuity. The concluding one, in which all the profpects of life are extinguished by the encroachments and obvious termination of disease, is defcribed in ftrains of the most refined and elevated fenfibility. The death-bed of Therefa Morven is not rendered the centre of trouble and afflic tion, but a theatre of philofophy, morality, and piety to her friends, and of the moft fubftantial triumph to all the graces and virtues of her own polifhed, innocent, and well-formed mind. The merit of a lady who can write in fuch a ftyle as this, one would think enough to atone for many foibles of the sex.

ART. 30. The Pupil of Adversity; an Oriental Tale. 12mo. 2 vols. 5s. fewed. Lane. London, 1789.

Whatever of the wonderful and furprising other writers of the marvellous may have forgotten is to be found in these volumes in perfection. In these enlightened times the only thing that can reconcile us to fuch extravaganza is the title of an Oriental Tale. And the literati of the Eaft are undoubtedly much obliged to us for the honour of being made goffips or fponfors for all the folly and nonfenfe we choose to bring forth.

ART. 31. An Afylum for Fugitive Pieces, in Profe and Verfe, not in any other Collection. With feveral Pieces never before published. 12mo. 3s. Debrett. London, 1789.

This volume is full of wicked wit, and may be called a monument erected by one party to render the follies of the other immortal. It contains a great variety of laughable articles, which, though they do bear hard on fome refpectable individuals, are mostly conceived in good humour. In fhort, it is a collection of very entertaining levities, which we have certainly perufed with more pleasure than we could have derived from all the political pamphlets the good

Gg 3

Mr.

Mr. Debrett and all the fubordinate bookfellers of the party ever publifhed or fhall publish.

ART. 32. The Trial of a Caufe between Mifs Mellifh, Plaintiff, and Mifs Rankin, Defendant. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Debrett. London, 1789.

This trial, and the iffue of it, have made much noise, and, with multitudes of other trials, fhew the uncertainty of law, and the indifparable neceffity of fettling the difpofal or fucceffion of property in the most explicit and direct manner, as the leaft ambiguity may become a fource of endless litigation, and of the most permanent animofity amongst the nearest relations.

ART. 33. The Trial of Mr. Cooke, junior, for the Crime of Adultery with Mrs. Walford. 8vo. 2s. Lewis. London, 1789.

The transactions upon which this trial was inftituted are all before the public. Though the plaintiff had ample damages, it does not appear, from any evidence yet produced, that the defendant was the original feducer. This publication is diftinguished from others of the fame kind by nothing but a style more than commonly chafte. We alfo learn from it that the counfel for the prosecution took fome unmanly liberties with the character and concerns of the defendant. And these are always illiberal in proportion as redress is difficult or impracticable.

ART. 34. Mifcellanies, moral and infructive, in Profe and Verfe. Collected from various Authors for the Use of Schools and the Improvement of young Perfons of both Sexes. I zino. 25. Phillips. London, 1789.

We do not remember to have feen more excellent fayings in any fimilar collection than are crowded together in this little volume. It labours, however, under two material difadvantages. The feveral articles of which it confifts are not distinguished by the names of their refpective authors. They are alfo huddled up in one confused mass, without order and without contents. 'I he editor, who, from her preface, we find is a female, apologifes fatisfactorily for the one defect, but the other is of a nature to have been rectified. We have no doubt but fuch a book will go through many editions, and thefe improvements would certainly facilitate its fale.

ART. 35. The Adventures of Chriftopher Curious; in a Series of Rambles, amorous and entertaining. By a modern Rambler. 2s. 6d. Randal. London, 1789.

12mo.

This is a publication that would difgrace the police of any civilifed country on earth. The mind who could rake together from brothels fuch a naufeous collection of filth, must be yet more depraved than even the mifcreant he would defcribe. Here, however, the garb of vice is not attractive. The painter no doubt wished to render her charming, but the appears in her own likeness, ugly, vulgar, and deteftable.

ART.