From whose right arm, benea h whose eyes, Commences, reigns, and ends. The world, the clufte ing fpheres he made, Where fecrefy remains in blifs, Tell them, I AM, Jehovah faid At once above, beneath, around, Replied, O Lord, THOU ART. There is fomething remarkably great, and altogether original, in the laft quoted ftanza. We meet with fome paffages, however, in this performance that are almoft, if not altogether, unintelligible. Few Readers probably will fee into the Author's reafon for diftinguishing his feven pillars or monuments of the fix days creation, by the feven Greek letters he hath felected. Thefe, we conjecture, are made choice of, as confecrated for the following reafons. Alpha and Omega, from a well-known text in the Revelation. Iota, Eta, and Sigma, because they are used to fignify our Saviour, on altars and pulpits. Theta, as being the initial of so5, God; and Gamma, as denoting the number three, held facred by fome Christians, Our Poet's allufions alfo, in this little piece, relate frequently to fubjects too little known, and far fetched. Thus, "For adoration beafts embark," &c. We remember to have fomewhere read, a strange story of a certain quadruped which puts to fea on a piece of timber, in order to prey on fih. But we have no account of fuch embarkation in any natural Hiftorian of credit. Again, For adoration, in the skies, The Lord's Philofopher efpies The Dog, the Ram, the Rofe. Now it is poffible that many of his Readers may not know any thing of a conftellation called the Rofe; which is a name given it by a particular Aftronomer, instead of another much better known. It would be cruel, however, to infift on the flight defects and fingularities of this piece, for many reafons; and more especially, if it be true, as we are informed, that it was written when the Author was denied the use of pen, ink, and paper, and was obliged to indent his lines, with the end of a key, upon the wainscot. L Art. 18. The Prophecy of Genius. Infcribed to the Reverend Author of the Prophecy of Famine. 4to. 6d. Cabe. Abuses Churchill for being abufive. Like the old woman who apo logifed logifed to the Lady for her daughter's unpolite delivery of a message: Indeed, Madam, fays fhe, I'm forry to fay it; but Nanny has no more manners than my —.' Art. 19. The rural Conference, a Paftoral. Infcribed to Mr. C. Churchill. 4to. Is. 6d. Williams. An abfurd medley of poetry, politics, love, and lampoonery. The Author abufes Lord Bute most outrageously but that Nobleman may think himself well off, that fo mean a Writer did not take it into his head to draw the pen in his Lordship's defence. In that cafe, the Earl would have been fcandalized indeed: at prefent, nobody's reputation will fuffer, except the Author's. Art. 29: Ode on the Duke of York's fecond Departure from Eng20 land, as Rear Admiral. Written aboard the Royal George, by the Author of the Shipwreck. 4to. Is. Millar. There is no fpecies of writing requires fo much delicacy and art as panegyric; nor any kind of poetry more nice and difficult than the Ode: if our ingenious Bard, therefore, hath not fucceeded fo well on this, as on a former, occafion, it must not be imputed to the want of poetical abilities in general. He feems to poffefs all the native fire and fenfibility of true genius; there is an ease and dexterity, however, as well as a kind of artificial propriety, to be acquired in the practice of every art; and which, we doubt not, by application, and a little critical information, our Author may attain. His friends will probably inform him of thofe exceptionable fhort rhymes and fplay-footed lines, into which he hath, in all probability, been led by preceding OdeWriters: we shall only quote the concluding paffage of his poem, relative to himself and patron. No happy fon of wealth or fame, To court a royal Patron came! A hapless youth, whofe vital page Was one fad lengthen'd tale of woe, The tale your facred pity mov'd; You felt, confented, and approv❜d. Then touch my ftrings, ye bleft Pierian Quire! Perhaps the Chief to whom I fing, And tune to war the nervous ftring. Tho' Tho' all the powers of genius he poffefs, With daring pencil can difplay The fight that thunders on the wat'ry way, To him, my Mufe, thefe warlike trains belong! Art. 21. The Poetical Calendar, &c. K-n-k Vol. III. for March. 12mo. Is. 6d. Coote. This volume contains fome tolerable pieces; particularly the Kite, a mock heroic poem, written by Dr. Bacon: of which, with feveral other pieces, Meffieurs Fawkes and Woty have plundered the Gentleman's Magazine. MISCELLANEOUS. น Art. 22. A Repertory of the Endowments of Vicarages in the Diocefe of Canterbury. By Andrew Coltce Ducarel*, L. L. D. F. R. S. and F. S. A. Commissary of the City and Diocese of Canterbury. 4to. 2s. Rivington. This performance is given as a fpecimen of the method which the Editor propofes to follow, in a general Repertory, or Lift, of the Endowments of Vicarages throughout the kingdom; a work intended, fays the learned Editor, for the fervice both of Vicars and of their Parishioners. The former, he obferves, ufually come into their Livings unacquainted with the particulars of their legal incomes; most of which being small and unfufficient, they are thence fometimes tempted to demand more than their dues. While, on the other hand, those who fhould pay them, take advantage of the Minister's ignorance or doubt concerning his rights, and refufe to acknowlege them. The difcoveries of Endowments, therefore, he conceives, will tend, not only to the right determination of law-fuits, but to the prevention of them, by fhewing both parties, to what they are entitled: and thus, will be of common benefit, to the Clergy, as well as to Impropriators, and to the reft of the Laity. For thefe reasons, he hopes the public will approve this fpecimen of his undertaking; that the feveral Bishops would favour him with the names, and dates, of all Endowments in their refpective Registries; and that the fame afli tance will be given him by such of the Nobility, Clergy, and Gentry, as have in their custody ancient records of any kind, in which Endowments are entered. Author of a Differtation on fome Anglo-Gallic Coins; fee Review, vol. XIX. page 305. K-n-k Art. 23. The Rudiments of Mufic; or, a fhort and eafy Treatife on that Subject. The third Edition; with confiderable Additions; particularly Inftructions for Song; and a Plan for Teaching a Number of People collectively, the Four Parts of Pfalmody. By Robert Bremner. To which is annexed, a Collection of the beft beft Church Tunes, Canons, and Anthems. Small 8vo. 2s. Printed for the Author, at the Harp and Hautboy in the Strand. Though there have been two former impreffions of this little treatife, as a pears by the ute, yet this being the first publication of it in Loncoa, it has fome claim to our notice. Any perfon who is capable of the leaft perception of harmony, or knowlege of music as a fcience, cannot but be fenfible what must be the esfect of a number of people joining to make a noife, under the notion of praifing God, without having any fettled principles to govern their voices, or to regulate their time: and under the conduct of a Leader who has none for himself, beyond a conceited caprice, ever altering for the worfe Such was the flate of Pfalmody lately in Scotland, when a refpectable committee, compofed of the principal Magiftracy of Edinburgh, undertook a reformation of church-mufic. Thefe Gentlemen felected a number of pfalm-tunes, which, with a proper introduction to mufic, were by their appointment published by Mr. Bremner, then living at Edinburgh. The great fale of this work, and the effects of it in general, gave the best fan&tion to the undertaking and execution. Mr. Bremner having now opened a mufic-fhop in London, has pubished a new edition of his work, for the benefit of English congregations; many of which, both of the eftablishment and the diffenters, may, we apprehend, confiderably improve their pfalmody, by attending to the very plain and practical rules contained in this judicious tract. Art. 24. The fefts of Beau Nafh, late Master of the Ceremonies at Bath. 8vo. Is. Briftow. There is great difference between telling a ftory, and printing it. In the latter cafe, we mifs the arch look, the expreffive tone, and the figmificant geftare, the effential falt and feasoning, without which, the well-told tale, the fmart repartee, and the humourous jeft, are infipidly repeated on paper. Few are able to write, though many can bit off, a joke vivâ voce, with tolerable fuccefs; and there is no doubt but Nash himfelf, who probably threw out many of the bons mots here published, with that native pleafantry and humour, which could not fail to raife the laugh, or work whatever effect he intended, would have made no better figure in print than the humble Editor of his "Witty Sayings." "Some of thefe jefts, fays the Editor, have, indeed, been often repeated in company, and a few of them have found their way into fome novels; but none, that I know of, have ever been inferted in the books of Jefts"- -And if a great number of thofe which are inferted in this book had been left out of it, the public stock of wit and humour would have fuftained very little diminution. Some of the repartees and jefts, however, are paffable enough; of which the two following are inferted as fpecimens. Mr Nafh being one day at a public entertainment, where a Genreman was prefent who fat feveral hours without fpeaking a syllable; and, as from the character of the perfon, there was great reafon to fufpect that his filence was owing to a fupercilious contempt of the com pany, pany, Nafh determined to fhew his refentment the first opportunity that offered. Accordingly, when fupper was brought in, Mr. Nath was remarkably affiduous in helping the Gentleman to the best upon the table, taking care to fupply his plate when he faw it near empty. Upon this One of the company defired to know his reafon for this extraordinary attention to the filent perfon. To which Nath replied, I assure you, it is from the tenderness of my difpofition, for I cannot bear to Jee dumb crea tures want. Mr. Nafh foliciting a Nobleman for a fabfcription to a public charity, his Lordship being fomewhat out of temper, put him off, telling him he would confider of it; but Nath begged hard for a pofitive answer then, yes or no. To which the Nobleman replied, No, I tell you, no: -1 thank your Lordship, fays Nafh, taking out his lift, bow much fall I fet you down? What do you mean, faid the Peer, I gave you a negative? My Lord, returned Nafh, you faid no, tavice; and I neeg nɔt inform your Lordship, that two negatives make an affirmative. The recital of a piece of a wit, or a jett, fhould always end with the expreffion or action on which the humour turns; but a dull Story-teller ever concludes with a tail-piece of infignificant circumftances; and fpoils all, with an affurance that the Gentleman was fo well pleafed with the ⚫ smartness of the repartee, that he put his hand in his pocket (as the prefent performance fomewhere has it) and gave the fellow a crown for his wit.'We have taken the liberty to dock this Gentleman's tails, in both the foregoing inftances. Art. 25. The Hiftory of France, from Pharamond to Charles IX. Tranflated from the French of Boffuet, Bishop of Meaux. Edinburgh. 12mo. 4 vols. 12s. Donaldfon. We are given to understand, in the preface, that the work now before us, though it hath Mr. Boffuet's name to it, was the performance of a young perfon of a very extraordinary rank: no less than the Dauphin, only fon of Lewis XIV. and grandfather of Lewis XV. now reigning. This anecdote we have in an extract of a letter from the Bithop of Meaux to Pope Innocent XII. relating the manner in which the Dauphin's ftudies were conducted: the following is pa t of it. "We have taught him history; and as that is the fchool of human life, and of politics, we have done it with great exactnefs: but we have been chiefly careful to teach him that of France, which is peculiarly his own. We have not, however, given him the trouble to perufe books, and excepting fome national authors, like Philip de Comines, and du Bellai, of which we have made him read the most beautiful paffages, we have ourselves been at the fountain head, and have extracted out of the most approved authors, what might be mot useful to make him understand the series of affairs. Of thefe, we recited by word of mouth, as much as he could easily retain; we made him repeat what we had recited: he wrote it in French, and then turned it into Latin. On Saturday, he read over, without interuption, the whole he compofed during the week; and our work increafing, we divided it into books, which we made him read over again very frequently t." + Vid. the Bishop's whole letter, in tome ii. of Recueil des œuvres de M. Boffuet. of |