bleed God, on a Review of what he had written in the Trinitarian Controverfy. This little piece is by no means uninterefting, and bears teftimony to that fincerity and earnestnefs, which feems to have been characteristic of the doctor's mind.

The book concludes with a mifcellaneous Appendix, fome parts of which will not be refufed their share of merit by the admirers of this learned and worthy perfon

A candid and impartial Sketch of the Life of Pope Clement XIV. 12m0. 2s. 6d. fewed. Printed at Dublin.

The author of thefe letters fets out with taking a general view of the inftitution and early government of the fociety of Jefuits; after which he gives an account of the life and reign of Clement the Fourteenth, by whom it was abolished; the grandson, as we are told, of a man who earned his fubfiftence by felling fkins. The temper of this amiable pontiff is faid to have been eafy, open, and affable; his converfation was tinctured with wit and humour. The author infinuates that Gan ganelli was not averfe to an amorous intercourfe with the fair; but as this charge is totally unfupported by any fact, we are inclined to confider it as the fiction of malignity against a refpectable character.

Memoirs of George Anne Bellamy. 12mo. 35. Walker.

Mrs. Bellamy's Apology having been found a popular production, this gentleman, for fuch the author ftyles himself, has thought proper to make an abridgement of the work. How far this conduct is fuitable to the character he has affumed, we fhall not determine.

An Heroic Epiftle to Major Scott, with Notes Hiflorical and Expla natory. 4to, 15. 6d. Kearfley.

This Epiftle, it feems, has been written with the view of expofing to ridicule fome ill-founded pretenfions to an honourable defcent, faid to have been uttered in a certain affembly. If even the virtues of ancestors cannot confer any hereditary honour on their pofterity, much lefs can the latter expect to derive efteem from oftentatious and falfe eulogiums on their progenitors.

The Degeneracy of the Times. Is. 6d. Kearsley.

This pamphlet is otherwife named in the title-page, A Difgraceful Tale of the Hon. Captain F-zr-y;' but the occurrence which it mentions is fuch as reflects honour on the captain's generofity, who, out of his own private fortune, compaffionately relieved the extreme diftrefs of a brother officer.

Reflections on the Study of Nature. 8vo. 15. Nicols. This is a tranflation of the celebrated Linnæus's Preface to his Mufeum Regis Adolphi Frederici, one of his moft magnificent

works.

398
works. The defign of the original author, in that preface,
was to evince the dignity and importance of a philofophical en
quiry into the works of nature. This he performed with that
extenfive knowlege and ability for which he was distinguished;
and we think that the present tranflation is executed in a manner
correfpondent to the fubject.

Remarks on the extraordinary Conduct of the Knight of the Ten
IJ. Wilkie.
Stars, and bis Italian Squire. 8vo.

In regard to the original caufe which has given rife to this difpute, we cannot fay any thing with certainty; but fo far we are fafe to pronounce, that if Mr. Bowle, who lately published a valuable edition of Don Quixote in the Spanish language, has received any juft provocation from Mr. Baretti, or others, he has, in thefe Remarks, retaliated with much indignant feverity on the character and writings of his opponents.

A Letter to a respectable Proprietor of the Navigation from the Trent to the Merfey. By Jofiah Wedgwood, F. R.S. 4to. Becket.

15.

It appears that fome perfon, under the fignature of An Old Proprietor, had, in a printed account of certain transactions, relative to the management of the company's affairs, impeached the conduct of the committee, and particularly of Mr. Wedgwood. The charge was partly refpecting the navigation, and partly related to printed ftatements of Facts refpecting fome Dif ferences which have arifen between the Duke of Bridgewater, and the Proprietors of the Navigation from the Trent to the Merfey.' These statements the Old Proprietor afcribed entirely to Mr. Wedgwood, though they were iffued under the fanction

of the committee.

The object of the prefent Letter, dated April 30, 1785, is to refute the charges above mentioned: and we muft candidly acknowlege that, fo far as we can judge from Mr. Wedgwood's reprefentation only, he appears to have, in the most fatisfactory manner, repelled the accufations of the Old Proprietor. We may at leaft affirm, that he has defended the proceedings of the committee with fuch force of argument, and fuch evidence of integrity, as fully evinces his title to the respectable character which he univerfally holds in fociety.

12mo.

A Collection of Gaelic Proverbs, and Familiar Phrafes. By Do25. Printed at Edinburgh. nald Mae Intofh. This collection is accompanied with an English translation, for the purpose, it feems, of facilitating the study of the language. Subjoined to it is The Way to Wealth,' by Dr. Franklyn, tranflated into Gaelic by Donald Mac Intosh. For any thing we know, both the tranflations may be executed with fidelity; but we are forry that our inacquaintance with the Gaelic will not permit our bearing teftimony to the abilities of honeft Donald, as a translator.

A New

A New French Spelling Book, with the English to every Word; or, a Syftem of Reading, on a Plan fo entirely new as not to bear the leaft Refemblance to any Thing of the Kind hitherto attempted. By Mr. Du Mitand. 8vo. 15. Crowder.

In little things there is often much labour, and it is repaid with little praife. This old apophthegm, repeated in different languages, and through fucceffive ages, has never been more exactly verified than in the work before us. Its accuracy is confiderable; for the words are not only divided with care, but the pronunciation is taught with an exactnefs, which can only arife from a nice ear, and an intimate knowlege of the power of English letters. Let not the author, however, be too fanguine: he cannot reap immortal fame,' for his materials are tranfitory. He may, and we hope he will, attain a temporary credit, and the emolument which he feems, comparatively, to undervalue. On the other hand, the reader must not expect, what the limited power of letters will not afford; that he can learn the French pronunciation without the affiftance of a marter. Mr. Mitand, by the happy aid of profody, has out-tripped his predeceffors; but there are fill difficulties infeparable from the nature of the fubject, which no rules can teach.

Mifcellaneous Thoughts. 8vo. 45. Marhall.

Thefe Thoughs feem to have been the fuggeftion of a parent to his children. We meet with no ftudied phrafes to attract attention, no round period to conceal inanity in found. What is trifling appears in open day. But there is a candour, good fenfe, and benevolence, which rife higher than ingenuity; there is a confolation under misfortune, fuperior to the vaunted" precepts of the Stoic.

The work confifts of Effays, Dialogues, Epiftles, and Meditations, on the most interefting fubjects, and we fincerely with it success.

Letters between an illuftrious Perfonage and a Lady of Honour at Small 8vo. 2. ferved. Walter.

B

A frivolous but inoffenfive production, founded upon the late frequent excursions of the P of W to Brighthelm stone.

London Unmasked; or the New Town Spy. 8vo. 26. Adlarda

The various modes of diffipation in London afford an ample field for defcription; and of this luxuriant fubject the author now before us appears to have industriously availed himself. He conducts his readers into almost every fcene of public refort, the manners of which he delineates in colours apparently faithful. If vice and folly, to be hated, need only to be feen, he may lay claim to the merit of at least attempting a reformation of the public manners; for in the mirror which he holds up, it must be acknowledged that they are reflected in all their native deformity.

The

The Hiftory of the Wars in Scotland, from the Battle of the Gram pian Hills, in the Year 85, to the Battle of Culloden, in the Year 1:46. By John Lawrie, A. M. 12mo.

at Edinburgh.

35. Printed In Scotland, as in most other countries, war forms the principal fubject of its history, through many fucceffive ages: nor can we refufe to the people of that nation the honourable acknowledgment, that in maintaining their independency against every invading power, they have not only difplayed an invincible fpirit of freedom, but, on many occafions, the most heroic exertions of valour. That the mountainous parts of the country could never be totally fubdued even by the Romans, is not per haps matter of furprize; but that in the maritime diftricts of the kingdom, the inhabitants fhould always fücceffively oppofe the Danes, who fubjected to their dominion the fouthern part of the island, is a circumftance which affords strong proof of the courage and activity of the Scottish nation.

In this work, the battles are related in chronological order; beginning with that of the Grampian Hills, in the year, 85, and ending with the battle of Culloden, in 1746. The mate

rials appear to be carefully collected, and are recited in a perfpicuous style. Should this Hiftory prove fuccefsful, the author intimates a design of publishing an account of the battles of England, from the landing of Julius Cæfar in Britain, to the end of the last war; and the work, we are informed, is almost ready for the prefs.

Omai's Letter to the Earl of * * *. 8vo. 15. Bell.

A compofition fit only for the readers, if fuch there be, in the island of Ulietea.

Annotations on the Trial of Mrs. Harriot Errington, Wife of George Errington, Efq. for Adultery. 8vo. Lyfter.

When we inform our readers that this pamphlet contains no information but what appeared upon the trial, they will readily conclude that it is nothing elfe than a catch-penny. The com ments are obscene and disgusting, without any pretensions to wit or humour.

1

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For DECEMBER, 1785.

The Satires of Juvenal, tranflated into English Verfe, with a, Correct Copy of the original Latin on the oppofite Page: cleared of all the most exceptionable Paffages, and illuftrated with Marginal Notes from the best Commentators. Alfo Dr. Brewfter's Perfius: with the Original on the oppofite Page, and Notes from Cafaubon, to illuftrate the Defign and Method, as well as the Senfe, of his several Satires. By E. Owen, M. A. Two Vols. 12mo. 75. Lowndes.

TH

HE author afferts, in his Preface, that if he excels not his rambling predeceffors in fidelity, fometimes perhaps in eafe and fpirit (not excepting the great and mafculine but flovenly Dryden himself), writing, as he does, under great advantages in an improved ftate of tafle, of claffical knowlege, and of English verfification; he will freely acknowlege him. felf to be justly chargeable with great prefumption,"

To the justice of this obfervation we have nothing to object, but we cannot pay an equal compliment to the policy, perhaps the modefty of it. Every fubfequent writer may undoubtedly benefit by the labours of his predeceffors in the fame line; but by fuch a declaration he voluntarily, if not oftentatiously, difclaims the advantages of his fituation. He challenges cenfure instead of conciliating favour. If he fucceeds, he leffens his own, merit by proclaiming the facility of his undertaking, and if he fails from the fame caufe, aggravates his defects. Mr. Owen, however, proceeds to foften his pretenfions, which a thorough conviction of fuperior talents only could entirely juftify, by affuring the reader that

He means not by this to challenge the fevere eye of rigid criticism. On the contrary, he has many explanations to make, many indulgences to request.

Juvenal is a very unequal writer. In fome whole fatires, and in fome parts of his bett fatires (i. e. as his tranflater conE. VOL. LX. Dec. 1785. ceives,

Dd