844

all thofe who are interested in the fuccefs of the poor laws.

149. Afhort Compen lium of antient and modern Hiftorical Geography; tranflat d from the French, and dedicated by Permiffion, to Mifs Billings. By M. de Lanfeqüe.

IF we are to form a judgment of this work, which is drawn up by way of queftion and anfwer, from what be compiler fays of our own country. ve muft diftruft his accuracy in other parts, though he has employed near 70 pages of his work on Switzerland.

Of England, which he paffes over in three pages, he lays, that it produces the fett pewter; is divided into five provinces (we fuppofe he means avas divided by the Romans); that its chief cities in the Eift are Colchester and Cambridge, and in the Welt Montgomery and Pembroke; and that Dover is the most ordinary (i e. common or ufual) paffage from France to England. It looks as f. ir. de L. was one of those many ill-informed perfons who offer themfelves to teach what they do not underftand, for a livelihood. An inflance of the fame kind we noticed in vol. LIX. P. 53.

150. The Practical Geography, for the Use of Sbals; with an Epitome of antient Geogra thy, and an Int edution [Knowledge] of the Globes. By J. Ouifeau,

A M.

to the Scunce

A brief and comprehenfive account of countries, cities, rivers, &c. intended to aflift young perfons in acquiring, by means of maps, a knowledge of the re lative fituations of places. The new divifion of France is introduced, in connexion with the old; and we think this might have been done in Ruffia, from the third volume of Mr. Coxe's Northern Tour.

151. Letters to a young Clergyman, from the late Rev. Mr. Job Orton.

MR. Stedman, to whom thefe Letters were addreffed, is a clergyman at Shrewsbury, and the editor of Dr. Doddridge's Correfpondence (fee our vol. LX. pp. 644, 692). Mr. Orton's character, for integrity, exemplary piety, and benevolence, is well known, and confirmed by thefe letters, which contain many obfervations, which may be generally ufeful, but particularly to the younger clergy.

152. Sketch of the Character of bis Ryal Habnefs the Prince of Denmark. To rebich is

[Sept.

In

added, A fort Review of the prefent State of Literature and the Polite Arts in that Country Interfperfed with Ancaites. Four Letters, by a Gentleman long eficent in Copenhagen to bis Friend in London. 8vo. A favourable picture of the heir-apparent of the crown of Denmark, and of the literature and polite a ts of that kingdom, by a writer who conceals his

name.

153. Refletions on the general Utility of Inland Nvigation to th Commercial and Landed Interefts of England: with Obfervations on the intended Ganat from Birmingham r Worcester; and fome Srities upon the Orpofition given to it by the Proprietors of the Sta Fordfhire Canal. 8vo.

INLAND navigations multiply like turnpike roads, and open the way to wealth and luxury.

154. Remarks on the Scriptural Account of the Dimenfions of Solomon's Temple: occafioned by the Supplement to a Pamphlet intituled

Evidence that the Relation of Jofephus "concerning Herod's baving new-built the "Temb'e of Jerufalem i, either falfe or misreprefented." By the Author of Remarks on the Evidence. 8vo.

MR. Burgefs's defign will beft appear from his own recapitulation: “I think "I have now abundant y fhewn that the "Sanctuary and Holy of Holies were "not diftin&t buildings, but parts of "one and the fame building, the fame "House of the Lord.-that the San&tuary "and Holy of Holies together were out "fixty cubits in the clear:-that the

་་

"quently that Jofephus has not been "mifreprefented."

155. Difcourfes on different Subjects: by the Rev. Richard Polwhele. To which are aded, Two Difcourfes and an Essay. Svo. THE two additional difcourfes treat

on Providence rather in a practical than fpeculative way. In the effay Mr. P. gives a decided preference to the works of the moderns over thofe of the

antients; Taff to Lucan, Mickle's Lufiad to Virgil, Milton to Homer. See fome extracts from this work in p. 819.

156. The Iliad and Odyffey of Homer, translated into Plank Verfe, by W. Cowper. In

Two Volumes. 410.

OF the importance of tranflations from antient writers it would be useless, at the prefert day, to enter into any elaborate difcuffion. Some few indivi duals of the old fchools may be yet remaining, who view them with a jealous eye, thinking that they obrut the difcovery of the fources of the Heliconian Nile but the value feems fufficiently determined by the flattering reception which they more than ever meet with from all ranks of people and deferiptions of readers. With refpect to the antient poets, it has ever been, and ever will be, a matter of argument and difpute, whether the harmony of rhyme, or the more folemn pacing of blank verfe, is beft calculated to draw forth the latent energies, and exprefs the fubtle beauties of the original com pofitions. Both have been tried, both have found admirers amongst the learned, the ingenious, and the poute. the prefent inftance, were we to dif pofed, the limits to which we are confined would neceffarily prevent our expatiating on a subject upon which so much full remains to be faid. It is our with to thew a liberal candour, to do

In

juftice to learned industry, and rather to give our various readers opportunity of deciding for themfelves, by placing the talents of the author fairly before

them, than to antedate either their favour or their cenfuis, by praite indifcriminately beftowed, or by invidiously fele&ting and commenting upon thote imperfections and blemishes infeparable from every human work. The name of Pope must be dear to every lover of the Mutes; and his verfion of Homer, in particular, will ever be confidered as an admirable effort of a mind adorned with all the graces of fcience. But neither is Mr. Cowper in a very inferior

degree entitled to our esteem, as having contributed to our delight, and promoted our inftruction, by his chafte, moral, and animated Mufe. We truft that he will not be offended if, in our progrefs through the work before us, we incidentally point out to animadverfion what may appear to us deferving of revifion, and capable of improvement. We do not mean, in any infiance, to compare Mr. Cowper's Homer with that of Mr. Pope, confidering the two works as totally diftin&t, thus avoiding the introduction of two names into invidious competition, which we almost equally revere and love.

Mr. Cowper's work is ufhered in by a well-written and very fertile preface, in which he m kes the reader acquainted with his defign, which is, to exhibit a tranflat on of Homer in blank verfe, as moft furable to his purpole; a tranf lation clofe, but not to clote as to be fervile,-fice, but not fo free as to be

licentious. The idea is excellent, and calculated to exhibit, what very fordon has appeared, a anflation perfect in its kind. The a thou.ty is, to preferve fo exact an equilibrium bet cen energy jured at the expence of the other; for and harmony, that neither may be in

of what value would be a tranflation of Homer that wanted energy, or of any poet that wanted harmony? Mr. Cow per has favoured the publick with fpecimens of blank verle eminently diltinguished by both thefe qualities; but perhaps it will appear, in examining his Homer, that his commendable defire of retaining the ftrength of his original has made him lefs attentive to that fweetnefs and melody which the Greek language poffefles beyond all others, but of which our own is fufficiently capable.

Mr. Cowper fears not "judges famiject to the expreffion as quaint, fiff, "har with original Homer." We ob

and unutual. There is a certain norma

loquena eftablished among ft fcholars, and thole or improved taite, to be felt, perhaps, rather than denned, from which it is as well not to deviate.

Our firft fpecimen of the tranflation fhall be the celebrated defcription of Apollo, in the first book, about to viDdicate the caule or his pricit, and to pour defiruction on the Greeks. But we must first object to the expretion in the 16th line, of "Rich raniom glo"rious." The Greek is again, which is, "rantom infinite. Iste dre

tranflator has obviously deviated from his purpofe of adhering closely to his original, than which his expreffion is not only lefs ftrong, but lefs melodious.

"The God

Down from Olympus with his radiant bow And his full quiver o'er his fhoulder flung, Marched in his anger: fhaken as he moved His rattling arrows told of his approachGloomy be came as night, fat from the ships Apart, and fent an arrow. Clanged the cord Dread founding, bounding on the filver bowMules firft and dogsheftruck,but at themfelves Dispatching foon his bitter arrows keen, Smote them-Death-piles on all fides always [flew ;

blazed.

Nine days throughout the camp his arrows The tenth, Achilles from all parts convened The hoft in council-Juno the white-armed, Moved at the fight of Greecians all around Dying, imparted to his mind the thought. The full affembly, therefore, now convened, Uprofe Achilles ardent and began—” Upon the above lines we thus remark. They are certainly ftrong, and generally correct. We fubmit to Mr. Cowper, whether gloomy he came as night, is adequate to the beautiful fimplicity of the original nie vuuli tomas. He came as the night-Clanged the cord, &c. Mr. Cowper apologizes for this fingular line. The original is Δεινὴ δὲ κλάγξη γένετ' αςΓυρεοτο βιοϊο "Dire was the clangor of his filver bow." It is remarkable that, three lines before, Homer applies this term to the noife made by the rattling of his arrows at his fhoulders as he moved along. The terfenefs of the original, which is Bana', is weil and forcibly expreffed in the eleventh line, by "fmote them;" and we are happy to find that Mr. Cowper has had thefe energetic and abrupt paufes, which conftitute one of the beautiful diftinctions of Homer, uniformly in view. It is a fingularity in Mr. Cowper, which we neither cenfure nor commend, to write Greecians. The rejection of the diphthong certainly oppofes that established custom for which we before profelled to entertain fome degree of veneration, and if generally adopted would lead to fome very ludicrous transformations. The fpeech of Achilles, which follows, deferves high commendation; in its conclufion, particularly, it poffeffes all the ftrength and melody that correct criticism would require, or a good ear demand.

"What broken vow, what hecatomb unpaid, He charges on us, and if foothed with team

[Sept.

Of lambs or goats unblemished, he may yet Be won to fpare us, and avert the plague." (To be continued.)

157. Baron Inigo Born's New Process of Amalgamation of Gold and Silver Ores, and other Metallic Mixtures, as, by bis late Imperial Majefty's Commands, introduced in Hungary and Bohemia, from the Baron's Account in German, tranflated into English by R. E. Rafpe. With Twenty two Copperplates. To which are added, A Supplement, or a comparative View of the former Method of Melting and Refining; and an Address to the Subfcribers, giving an Account of its lareft Improvements, and of the Quickfilver Trade.

410.

FROM the ftrong affinity of gold and filver to mercury, amalgamation has long been known as one ready method of feparating them from earthy matters, in which they are imbedded. It has long been practifed by the Spaniards in South America, who, for that purpofe, have generally exported great quantities of quicksilver from Europe, and particularly from their own rich mine of Almaden. Cold amalgamation, however, as ufually employed by them, has been confidered by the mineralogifts of Europe as a flow and disadvantageous procefs; and it was regarded as a fortunate difcovery when Alonzo Barba accidentally found out the means of amalgamating in boiling water; in which way the pulverized matter was found to give out as much gold or flyer to the mercury, in a given number of hours, as by the former method in as many days.

Still a great and heavy expence arose from the confumption of fuel, the inftruments for trituration, and the conftruction and wear of the copper vessels in which the boiling was carried on. At length, Baron Inigo Born, by the conftruction of wooden cylindrical churns, with perpendicular piftons, laid over with copper fheeting, and, by a crank motion, agitated quickly up and down, has contrived to produce fo ftrong a trituration as to render the cold amalgamation more effectual and expe ditious than the hot, without having the fame inconveniences. Indeed, though the ores are put cold into the cylinders, they foon heat very confiderably, in contequence of the quick tritu ration and rapid motion of the pistons.

This work is important to all who are concerned with mines. It contains a full account of all the proceffes for amalgamation, both old and new, with

a par

a particular defcription of that of Baron Born, which was established, by order of the late Emperor, at all the royal mines in Hungary and Bohemia. There are alfo feveral plates, fully explaining the conftruction of the mills, and all their parts.

The tranflator, Mr. Rafpe, deferves well of this country in having executed the work with care and attention. His own addrefs to his fubfcribers contains alfo much important information, and particularly one article, which we have great pleasure in giving in his own words: "It gives me fome fatisfaction "to add, that Great Britain has a chance "allo io bave quickfilver mines of her "own, nor any longer, in that refpect, "be dependent on foreign regulations "of finance, fpeculation, and mono. "poly." To this he fubjoins a promife, which every lover of mineralogy will be impatient to fee performed. "Of this," he fays, "I must defer "fpeaking till I fhall lay before the "publick fome account of the minera "logical furvey which for fome time "has employed me, and, till the end of "this year, will detain me in the North "of the kingdom."

158. Remarks on a Sermon lately published by the Rev. John Clayton, in Three Letters to a Friend. By a Proteftant Diffenter. "THE friend to whom these letters " were addressed (and to whom the "writer could not eafil refufe any re"queft he might choose to make) "thought the publication of them “would render a little fervice to the "cause of truth and liberty. If the "reader fhould form a different opi"nion, he will not lofe much time in "difcovering that thefe pages were "unworthy of his attention; and "fhould he ask why one Diffenter em"ploys himself to expose the falfe rea"fonings of another, he is defired to "recollect that Diffenters, when they "understand their principles, can have "no party-attachments feparate from "the interefts of truth and virtue."The Diffenters then are divided among themselves, as we always fuppofed they would be, and knew they ever were. This letter-writer, if he means any thing by this definition of the perfon he replies to, muft deem him a very unworthy minifter of Chriftianity; and, like the Rev. Mr. John M--n, mentioned in p. 30, by whom, we fuppole, is meant a minifter of whom foe our

vol. LX. p. 347, a treacherous timeferver-becaufe Chriftians are forbidden to interfere in the civil affairs of the country in which they happen to dwell. Unfortunately for the letter-writer, St. Paul is fo far from sanctioning the tyrannical adminiftration of Nero, that he takes no notice of it. Chriftianity knows of no tyrannical adminiftration but that of the Devil, by whom wicked men are held captives at his will; and the freedom into which we are vindi cated by the law of Chrift is from fin. Christianity takes no notice of civil government, except to inculcate fubmiffion. To reafon that because we are to follow the example of Chrift, we are to copy every circumftance of his life, as, for inftance, to embrace voluntary poverty because he had not where to lay his head, is overshooting the argument. If it is objected that a minifter of the Gospel fhould not interfere in politicks, we are presently told that a minister is "merely a member of a religious foci"ety, chofen to prefide, for the fake of "order and edification," not more than a chairman of a club or committee.When the letter-writer asks, what are the reformers in Britain or in Poland to the man who is occupied by this serious question, What does the Lord require of thee? he forgot that the answer was, "but to do juftly, love mercy, and to "walk humbly with thy God;" not to intermeddle in other men's matters, much lefs with matters of ftate. We fincerely concur with him in opinion, that "one grand principle of the reli"gion of Chrift is, good will to men ;” but we understand good will in a very different fenfe from what the partizans of our author choose to apply it-a principle between the dozing indolence of modern Anchorites, and the daring intemperance of modern Reformers.

We cannot help confidering this as a fuperficial and weak defence of a tottering cause.

159. Boswell's Life of Dr. Johnson.

(Continued from p. 562.)

FROM the revolutions of mighty ftates, and the convulfive jarring of individuals, we return with avidity to the folid and rational entertainment which a Review of Dr. Johnton's Life affords; and to the pleafing and familiar manner in which the incidents of that Life are recorded by Mr. Bofwell.

"He was first taught to read English by Dame Oliver, a widow, who kept a school

for